Data Feed Integration

This guide explains how using Exxat’s “Data Feed Integration” can simplify your data management process. It details how integration works, what’s required to set it up, and who from Exxat will assist you throughout the process.

Managing student data can be overwhelming, especially for schools and universities using systems like Banner, Canvas, or PeopleSoft alongside Exxat Prism. With many students, courses, and programs, manually entering data or raising multiple support tickets becomes tedious and time-consuming.

Exxat supports importing data like Student, Course Registration Feed, Compliance and Course offering. 

Exxat’s Data Integration through Feed enables you to send student data securely via a file (e.g., CSV). Exxat processes the data and updates Prism automatically.

Note: On a case-by-case basis Exxat Prism also supports having access to 1 or more programs (dual access)

Here’s how it works:

• Your school stores student information (e.g., name, address, enrollment details) in your system.
• This data is sent periodically as a secure file to Exxat.
• Our software updates Prism automatically, ensuring accurate and up-to-date information without manual effort.

What does this mean for you?

• No repetitive data entry.
• Accurate student records in both systems.
• More time to focus on your core activities.

When to Use Data Integration

• Consider using Data Integration through Feed if:
• You regularly update student or course data in your system.
• You want this data synced automatically with Exxat.
• If updates are infrequent (e.g., yearly), you can use alternatives:
• Raise a Support Ticket: Let our team handle it for you.
• Bulk Import Wizard: Upload data directly into Prism.

Benefits of Data Integration

• Time-Saving: No duplicate data entry.
• Efficient: Changes in your system automatically reflect in Prism.
• Error-Free: Reduces manual mistakes.
• Faster Adoption: Keeps Prism up-to-date with minimal lag.

Your Role in the Process

• To ensure smooth integration, you’ll need to:
• Provide data in the specified format.
• Work with your IT team or system provider to create the files and upload them.
• Collaborate with Exxat during setup and testing.

How to Get Started

Here’s a step-by-step overview of the integration process:

1. Planning:
   1. Discuss requirements in a kick-off meeting.
   2. Share templates and finalize details like data format and frequency.
2. Setup:
   1. Provide an SSH key for secure file transfers.
   2. Exxat creates secure folders for data uploads.
3. Testing:
   1. Share a sample file for testing.
   2. We validate the file and address any issues.
4. Go Live:
   1. Once testing is successful, automation is set up.
   2. Regular monitoring ensures the feed runs smoothly.

Types of Data Feeds

Exxat supports three main data feed types:

1. Student Feed: For student profiles and updates.
2. Course Registration Feed: For managing student course enrollments.
3. Compliance Feed: For tracking compliance requirements.
4. Additionally, we offer a one-time Course Offering Feed for setting up new courses.

Pre-requisites for Student Feed

Certain prerequisites must be met for student registration. Key configurations need to be set up in advance for fields populated via dropdown menus (lookups). For example:

• Enrollment Term: Terms such as 2022 Fall, 2021 Fall, etc., must be pre-configured.
• Other Lookups: Similar setup is required for fields like Cohort, Graduation Term, and Academic Status.

Ensure these drop-down values are appropriately configured in the system before proceeding.

Template Requirements

To create a student profile in Exxat, all mandatory fields specified in the template must be completed. The following rules apply:

• Action Column:

  • ADD: Adds a new student.
  • UPDATE: Updates existing student details using their email address.

• Removing Students: Direct removal via the data feed file is not supported. However, student access can be deactivated by updating the Program Status to InActive.

Limitations

• Missing drop down values that are not pre-configured will not be automatically added to the database.
• Updates to Student Cohort are not automated. Requests for cohort updates are processed manually by the support team.

Pre-requisites for Course Registration Feed

To process course registrations, ensure the following prerequisites are met:

1. Create Course Offerings and Wishlists
2. Schools should provide data listed under the "Course Offering" tab in the standard template for new course offerings to be added.

Template Requirements

To register students for course offerings, complete all mandatory fields in the template. The action in the Action Column determines the operation:

1. Add: Registers a student for a course offering.
2. Remove: Unregisters a student from a course offering

FAQs

Q1: What are lookup/drop-down values?

A. These are predefined options (e.g., enrollment terms) that must be set up in Prism beforehand.

Q2: Can the client handle integration independently?

A. Not entirely; Exxat doesn’t currently provide APIs for this purpose.

Q3: Can we use our secure file transfer location?

A. Yes, we can accommodate that.

Q4: Are customizations possible?

A. Generally it's possible but not recommended, but we can discuss specific needs.