User Guide

Description

ManageBac allows administrators to import and export users, classes, enrollments, and related data using a customized version of the OneRoster 1.2 standard. This feature is accessible under Settings -> Data Exchange and includes validation reports to ensure data is correct before importing.

The OneRoster standard is developed and maintained by IMS Global Learning Consortium and provides a framework for this data exchange. Technical details about ManageBac's custom implementation are available on GitHub.

Mapping

The below table illustrates the mapping across different categories of data that facilitates the direct exchange of information, accounting for different assumptions in the data model.

OneRoster 1.2 Entity(ies)	ManageBac Entity	OneRoster CSV file(s)
Organizations -> District	n/a	orgs.csv
Organizations -> School	School	orgs.csv
Organizations -> Program Ext	Programs	orgs.csv
Academic Sessions -> School Year	Academic Years	academicSessions.csv
Academic Sessions -> Term	Academic Terms	academicSessions.csv
Courses	Subject Groups	courses.csv
Courses -> Subjects	Subjects	courses.csv
Classes	Classes	classes.csv
(1)Users (2)Roles->Student (3)Demographics	Students	users.csv, roles.csv, demographics.csv
(1)Users (2)Roles->Teacher	Teachers	users.csv, roles.csv
(1)Users (2)Roles -> Parent	Parents	users.csv, roles.csv
(1)Users (2)Roles->Admin	Administrators	users.csv, roles.csv
Users->Agents	Parent / Child Relationship	users.csv
Enrollments	Class Memberships	enrollments.csv

This table highlights how ManageBac data aligns with the OneRoster data model. For example, a ManageBac Student corresponds to a OneRoster User with the role "Student." In OneRoster, Users and Roles are defined in users.csv and roles.csv, respectively.

Some differences in data structure are handled using OneRoster extensions, which are described in a separate section.

The Data Exchange Manager (OneRoster CSV) only updates the records listed above and does not modify any other data.

Delta Import vs Bulk Import

A key distinction in the Data Exchange process is the difference between a delta import and a bulk import.

Delta Import:

• Matches and updates existing ManageBac records.

• Creates new records if they do not already exist.

• Leaves records not included in the source data unchanged.

Bulk Import:

• Performs the same actions as a delta import (matching, updating, and creating records).

• Additionally, archives any active records in ManageBac that are not present in the source data.

• For example, if a class like "IB Biology" is active in ManageBac but missing from the source data, it will be archived after the import is processed.

In summary, a bulk import not only creates and updates records from the source data but also archives any records that are missing from it.

If performing a bulk import during an Academic Year Transition, please note that OneRoster does not include Year Groups, so these must be managed separately.

Record Matching

Record Matching on Import During both delta and bulk imports, ManageBac uses two main strategies to match records from the source data with those in the system:

If a sourcedId has been previously used, it directly matches to the corresponding record using the matching method described in the next point. If matching by sourcedIds is not available or it's the first encounter, the following table outlines the matching strategy for each entity:

Entity	Source Column (OR)	Matched to (MB)
School	orgs.types == "school"	Only 1 record, matches to current school
Program	orgs.types == "ext:program", orgs.identifier	Program code
Academic Sessions	academicSessions.startDate, academicSessions.endDate	Year / Term start / end dates
Courses	courses.title	Subject Group Title
Subjects	courses.subjects[]	Subject Title
Classes	classes.classCode	Class ID
Users	users.identifier	Student / Teacher / Parent ID

Export

An export in ManageBac refers to the process of transferring data from the system to an external format, allowing users to share, back up, or integrate information with other systems.

Delta Export and Bulk Export in ManageBac serve different purposes in data management:

• Delta Export: This process exports only the records that have changed since the last export, such as newly created, updated, or deleted entries. It helps keep the data up to date without transferring the entire dataset, making it more efficient for ongoing synchronization. Delta export can only be performed after a bulk export has been completed.

• Bulk Export: In contrast, this process exports all relevant records in one go. It is typically used when a complete dataset is needed, such as during an initial setup or when transitioning to a new system. This method ensures that all existing data is captured and transferred.