Spring Cleanup: Student Manager and ACEweb Maintenance Tips An ACEware Presentation

Topics to be covered Ways to declutter your database Eliminate duplicate names and firms Merge replicated locations Keep codes manageable and meaningful Deactivate and archive courses Recommended maintenance schedule for Student Manager and ACEweb Demonstrations (on my data)

Why do you care?? Because your database runs faster, with better data and… YOU! Get to be the hero ! ! !

Cleaning tools available to streamline the process MAKE A BACKUP BEFORE DOING ANY MAINTENANCE

Cleaning tools available to streamline the process MAKE A BACKUP BEFORE DOING ANY MAINTENANCE Tools > Backup Data

Cleaning tools available to streamline the process MAKE A BACKUP BEFORE DOING ANY MAINTENANCE Cleverfox Backup (cleverfox.com) Schedule backups of your data to the Cloud, receive email confirmation, and rest easy with this recommended service. Configuration is done using a web-based management system, and backups are compressed and transmitted over an SSL connection to a secure data center NOTE: For SQL Users Your SQL DBA is responsible for keeping your SQL database backed up. ( We will be adding a special ACEware resource backup for SM tool files)

Elimination of duplicate firms Tools > Data Cleanup > Firms

Broken firm links Tools > Data Cleanup > Broken Firms

Elimination of duplicate names Combine Records One by one (We refer to this as the Good Twin / Evil Twin process) You’ll get several confirmation questions along the journey. Bill Clinton & William Clinton are the same person. Copy the ID# from one, and paste it over the other.

Elimination of duplicate names Tools > Data Cleanup > Combine Names Always make a backup

Address Cleanup Tools > Data Cleanup > Address Cleanup Assigns missing counties and standardizes addresses ie: Street to St

Elimination of duplicate names – Mass Delete Names Module > Names > Mass Delete/Purge Use only IF YOU REALLY need to remove names (and related history) A failed Import? Deceased People ???? You will use the Query Manager to select the name(s) to purge

Merge Replicated Locations Tools > Data Cleanup > Locations, Course Names, Fees

Keep codes manageable and meaningful Tools > Data Cleanup > Code Areas Keep as many codes as you need, manage those that you don’t need (don’t create it, delete it, or deactivate it)

Keep codes manageable and meaningful Change code value To change the name/description of a code: Select the appropriate Code from the Code Area drop down menu (e.g. Account, Coordinator, etc.).   Click on the appropriate code in the list to populate the Code Value/Description fields: Enter the changes in the Code Value fields. Click the Replace button to make the change.   NOTE: You can also use the Universal Code Editor to edit/combine/remove codes

Keep codes manageable and meaningful Change code status To change the status of a code: Select the appropriate Code from the Code Area drop down menu. Click on the appropriate code in the list. Select the appropriate status option (Active or Not-active). Click the Change Status to button.

Keep codes manageable and meaningful Merging Codes To merge multiple codes into one (e.g. EDUCELE and EDUCSEC to EDUC):   Select the appropriate code from the Code Area drop down menu. To select multiple codes, hold down the Ctrl key while clicking the appropriate codes with the mouse button.   Enter the new code values in the Code Value/Description fields. Click the Replace button to make the change.  

Keep codes manageable and meaningful Deleting Codes To delete a code select it in the list the click the Delete button.   The code is deleted and the code is removed from all associated records.

Code Tip: While Editing Codes, View whats in/up Use Master Code Add/Edit To “see” if/where the code exists Click the “Show” button(s) NOTE: You can also use the Universal Code Editor to edit/combine/remove codes

Deactivating and Archiving courses When should courses be deactivated and/or archived? Based on your own internal (usually departmental) policies Typically linked to accounting cycles At end of the course After the budget is closed At the end of the semester

Deactivating courses Module > Registrations > Add/Edit Registrations (by Registrant) Inactive courses do not show in the available courses list when you register an individual from the Names screen (with the Add Registration button)--AND--when you register an individual from Module > Registrations > Add/Edit Registrations (by Registrant).  In addition, inactive courses do not appear in ACEweb course listings. Deactivating a course (unchecking the Active box) will not affect your reports (unless you run a query that specifically excludes deactivated courses). And if you find you need to add a registration after deactivating it, you may still access from the course record (with the Add/Edit Reggies button), or from Module > Registrations > Add/Edit Registrations (by Course). To deactivate a single course, un-check the Active field. To deactivate a series of courses, run the Mass Change/Update/Delete/Archive procedure.

Why should I deactivate Courses? Deactivating courses Module > Registrations > Add/Edit Registrations (by Registrant) Why should I deactivate Courses? Speed of look up Avoiding registrations in old courses (repeated courses)

Keeper of the Flame Module / Courses/ Mass Change, Update, Delete

Several codes on a “Begins With” basis Keeper of the Flame Module / Courses/ Mass Change, Update, Delete Several codes on a “Begins With” basis Ie: 11,12,13,14 or 16F,16S,16U NEW.. Multiples

To Improve speed (look up and reporting) Archiving Courses Module > Courses > Mass Change/Update/Delete/Archive Why would you archive? To Improve speed (look up and reporting) Confirm that everyone else is logged out of Student Manager. Make a back up of your Student Manager data. Select Module > Courses > Mass Change/Update/Delete/Archive. Select Archive from the Change Archive drop down list:

Archiving Courses Module > Courses > Mass Change/Update/Delete/Archive Enter the Archive criteria, e.g. archive all courses starting with 16F. Click the Preview button to see courses that will be archived. Note: if the Preview button is not live, tab out of the Criteria fields.

And remember: ANY time you want you can UN-Archive a course ! ! Archiving Courses Module > Courses > Mass Change/Update/Delete/Archive And remember: ANY time you want you can UN-Archive a course ! ! If desired, uncheck boxes next to courses you do NOT want to archive. Click the Done button to close the Data Preview window and continue.

Archiving Courses Module > Courses > Mass Change/Update/Delete/Archive Click the OK button to archive the courses. Run the Reindex routine to index all the tables. Student Manager will create a separate set of tables within your directory, all starting with 'a', and move your the data you chose to archive to those tables.

Deleting Queries On the Query List Manager window, highlight the query you want to delete. Click the Delete button. Confirm the delete procedure by clicking Yes on the Confirmation dialog box. The query is removed from the Query List Manager window.

Deactivating Reports Tools > Reports > Activate/Deactivate Reports To activate/deactivate reports: Select Tools > Reports > Activate/Deactivate Reports. Select the report area from the Choose Report Area list.  Note:  see the Report Area Guide to find out the Report Area names.  To deactivate a report, un-check the Active box.  To activate a deactivated report, check the Active box.   Click the OK button to save your changes and close the Active/Deactivate Reports screen.    

Pack/Reindex Tools > Database Admin > Pack/Reindex When do I Pack/Reindex? When you need to rebuild the database indexes to insure optimal performance When you need to regularly remove the records that have been marked for deletion When told by your tech Quarterly or as your standard operating procedures dictate NOT without doing a backup first

Pack/Reindex Tools > Database Admin > Pack/Reindex Rebuilds database indexes, and removes records marked for deletion

Can NOW enter several course codes on a “Begins With” basis Keeper of the Flame Module / Courses/ Mass Change, Update, Delete De-activate older courses and codes Purge waitlists and room use records Lock completed courses Can NOW enter several course codes on a “Begins With” basis Ie: 11,12,13,14 or 16F,16S,16U NEW.. Multiples

Zip Code and Area Code Updates

Zip Code and Area Code Updates

New Menu Item: Tools -> Financial

Zap Charge tool- NEW ! ! Tools -> Financial -> Zap Charge Clears out balances on particular courses. Maybe your finance office has given up on trying to collect past due balances, or maybe a course is being funded by other means. **Student Manager 8.0.050 or above

Void Receipt/Invoice Tool Tools > Financial > Void Receipt/Invoice Enter the receipt/invoice number in the Receipt/Invoice # to Void field. Enter the reason for voiding in the Reason for Void field.   Click the Preview button to see the payment records that will be voided.  Press the ESC key to close the Preview window and return to the Void Receipt/Invoice screen.    Click the Continue button to void the payment records.  

Recommended maintenance schedule for Student Manager

Data Cleanup Questions? Want more examples??

Don’t forgot to register ! ! ! 21st Annual Users' Conference June 20-23, 2017 Hotel Valley Ho Scottsdale, Arizona

Navigating Student Manager Reporting Features: Tips for Success Watch for it…. Next Webinar: May 18, 2017 Navigating Student Manager Reporting Features:  Tips for Success