1. PIMS Submission Tips for Making PIMS Less Painful
Tips and Tricks from PIMS Application Support
Amber Lind
PIMS Application Support Supervisor

2. Tools to Make PIMS Less Painful
PIMS Resources on the PDE Website
Data Collection Calendar
PIMS Documents
Deletions and the Delete Utility
Validation, DQE, and ETL Errors
New DQE Rules for 16-17
PIMS Reports - Cognos
Tools to Make PIMS Less Painful

3. PIMS Resources on the PDE Website
> Teachers and Administrators > PIMS

4. www.education.pa.gov > Teachers and Administrators > PIMS

5. Put in an online PIMS Support Ticket
Log into MyPDESuite
Additional PIMS Docs
Put in an online PIMS Support Ticket

6. PIMS Webinar Recordings and Slides
PIMS Q&A Schedule and
Zoom Meeting link
2017 dates are now on the PDE website
PIMS Manuals

7. How To Guides with Detailed information on each collection
Excel Reporting Tools for PIMS Submissions

8. Excel Reporting Tools for PIMS Submissions
(continued)
Excel Reporting Tools for PIMS Submissions
16-17 SY PIMS Calendar
15-16 SY PIMS Calendars

9. Data (PIMS) Collection Calendar
Elementary-Secondary Data Collection Calendar v3.1.xlsx

10. Using the Collection Calendar
All PIMS data is due and collections will close by 12:00 PM (Noon) on the final date specified in the Collection Window Field unless otherwise noted
Collection Window
PIMS available for uploading
Follow-Up, Review & Editing Window
Collection unavailable, NOT able to upload
PDE reviewing data for possible errors – so should you!
Correction Window
Using the Collection Calendar

11. Using the Collection Calendar
Internal Snapshots
Listed on the Calendar under Collection 6
NOT in Chronological order with Collections 1-5
Student, School Enrollment, and Programs Fact templates must be uploaded prior to NOON on the due date.
NO Overrides or Correction periods
PIMS will be closed (no collections available) while an internal snapshot is being pulled by PDE.
Presnapshot and Preliminary reports should be run PRIOR to NOON on the due date in order to confirm data is accurate
Using the Collection Calendar

12. Using the Collection Calendar
Data Collection Calendar now has multiple sheets
Calendar
Detailed Description of each collection including due dates and templates
Executive Summary
Summary of collection due dates (no templates)
ACS Summary
Identifies each ACS, with Cognos Path, and Due Date
PIMS Data Refresh Schedule
Lists the Cognos Refresh Times and Sandbox Refresh Dates
Using the Collection Calendar

13. PIMS Documents
> Teachers & Administrators > PIMS > PIMS Documents

14. Additional PIMS Docs

15. PIMS Documents Career and Technical Education PDE Data Policy
Adult and Secondary CTE Student Follow-Up Survey
Adult and Secondary Webinar Training Documents
PDE Data Policy
PIMS Changes (15-16 SY)
PIMS Databases (for LEAs without SIS)
PIMS How To Guides and Training Documents
PIMS Manuals
Proposed PIMS Changes
PIMS Documents

16. PIMS Documents PIMS HOW TO GUIDES AND TRAINING DOCUMENTS
Cognos Report Primer (PDF)
Tips for efficiently running reports
Guide to Manipulating Data (PDF)
How to open CSV file in Excel without losing PIMS formatting
Should only be used as a last resort
Data must also be corrected in source system, otherwise this will cause errors in future PIMS uploads
PIMS Data Maintenance Request - A (PDF)
PIMS Data Maintenance Request - B (PDF)
PIMS Delete Utility (PDF)
PIMS Documents PIMS HOW TO GUIDES AND TRAINING DOCUMENTS

17. PAsecureID Documents
> Teachers & Administrators > PAsecureID

19. PAsecureID Documentation

20. PAsecureID Documentation

21. PAsecureID Documentation
Introduction To The Redesigned User Interface (PDF)
Screen shots showing how to use PAsecureID Features
Creating a Student Batch File (PDF)
Steps to make a PAsecureID Batch File in Excel
When updating an existing PAsecureID using the “Enter Online” form, enter the student’s PAsecureID to prevent a duplicate from being created
Near Match may not appear if not changing Name or DOB
PAsecureID Documentation

22. PIMS Deletions Data Maintenance Form PIMS Delete Utility
School Enrollment DELETE

23. PIMS Data Maintenance Forms can be downloaded from the PDE website
Teachers & Administrators
PIMS
“PIMS Documents”
Submit an Online Ticket and submit the form when you get the ticket number in your
Or, call PIMS Support for a ticket number and form
PIMS Support may still contact you if we have a question about a deletion request submitted online
Only 10 individual can be deleted at a time. More than 10 will result in the deletion of the entire template.
Requesting Deletions

24. PIMS Admins who have completed the Experienced PIMS Data Quality Curriculum (DQC) track are able to do limited deletions in Production PIMS
PIMS Delete Utility will delete the entire template
PIMS Delete Utility is not available for every collection/template
Deletion occurs immediately
No need to wait for PDE to process Data Maintenance Form or contact PIMS Support
Review the “PIMS Delete Utility (PDF)” from PIMS Documents for steps to use the Delete Utility
PIMS Delete Utility

25. Deletions from School Enrollment Template
School Enrollment records can no longer be deleted using the Data Maintenance Form
Incorrect School Enrollment record must be uploaded with DELETE in Field 8
Correct School Enrollment record must be included in the file
School Enrollment “DELETE”s occur immediately
Use the “Student ID Search - School Enrollment Template” report to see which records are currently in the system for a single student
Public Folders ‎> eScholar Framework for Cognos - Verify ‎> Validation Reports ‎> Template Verification
Deletions from School Enrollment Template

26. Deleting from School Enrollment Template
School Enrollment Template Details Report - Records currently in PIMS warehouse:
District Code 1
Location Code 2
School Year Date 3
Student ID 4
Activity
Start
Date 5
Enrollment Date 6
Enroll
Code 7
Enrollment
Description
(DELETE) 8
Grade
Level 9
Residence
Status Code 10
1234
E01
010 A
WD01
If student was incorrectly withdrawn as a dropout (WD01) and should be a transfer (WD02), then the WD01 record will need to be deleted.
The original WD01 record needs to be included in file with DELETE in Field 8.
The correct WD02 record also needs to be included in the file.
When changing a withdraw record, you also need to upload the Student template to update the Graduation Status Code (field 65).
School Enrollment template for uploading should look like:
District Code 1
Location Code 2
School Year Date 3
Student ID 4
Activity
Start
Date 5
Enrollment Date 6
Enroll
Code 7
Enrollment
Description
(DELETE) 8
Grade
Level 9
Residence
Status Code 10
1234
E01
010 A
WD01
DELETE
WD02

27. PIMS Submission Errors
PIMS Application Home Page
Validation Errors (File Manager)
Data Quality Engine Errors (DQE)
ETL Errors (Batch Manager) - Extract, Transfer and Load

28. PIMS & Sandbox Home Page
Identifies if you are in PIMS or the Sandbox
System Messages alert you to changes or downtime
In the Sandbox, the message usually lists the next anticipated refresh from Production PIMS
Sandbox will be unavailable while being refreshed
List of available collections
List of which templates and snapshot dates associated with each collection
List of the File and Batch Manager DQE rules
PIMS & Sandbox Home Page

29. 1 2 3 4 5

30. Validation Errors in File Manager
Errors will be highlighted in Red

31. Validation Errors in File Manager
Validation Errors occur in File Manager
To see errors
Click on “View Errors” button
Find the “error.zip” file and click on “View Error File” button
Errors will be highlighted in Red
Hover over the Red to see the Error message
Errors are usually with valid values
For example, reporting Grade Level as 1 instead of 001
Compound Data Quality Engine rules compare fields within a single template
For example, Student coded with Special Ed Status (field 38) of Y, but Challenge Type (field 34) is blank
Validation Errors in File Manager

32. Validation Errors in File Manager
_STUDENT_ TAB
Validation Errors in File Manager

33. Validation Errors in File Manager
_STUDENT_ TAB
FILE DETAILS – FILE ID: ; FILE NAME: _STUDENT_ TAB
Validation Errors in File Manager

34. Validation Errors in File Manager
The Y value in Field 38 is NOT an invalid value, even though it is in Red.
The error is because the combination is incorrect.

35. Validation Errors in File Manager

36. Data Quality Engine (DQE) Errors in Batch Manager
Errors are Identified in the Batch Details under the “Data Quality Engine Results”

37. DQE Errors in Batch Manager
Batch will have a status of “DQE Complete” with a Red X in the Data Status
To see the errors:
Click on the “View Errors” button for the Batch
Find the Red Xs under “DATA QUALITY ENGINE RESULTS”
Click on “View Errors” for the selected Data Quality Check
DQE Errors cause ALL the files in the batch to fail
Nothing in that batch was submitted to PIMS, so everything must be reuploaded after corrections are made
DQE Errors in Batch Manager

38. Find the validations with Red X under “DATA QUALITY ENGINE RESULTS”
Then, click on the “View Errors” button to see the errors.

39. PIMS and PAsecureID are now cross-referencing:
Student First Name (first 3 letters)
Student Last Name
Date of Birth
Gender
If multiple discrepancies are identified, the first name is checked in its entirety so LEAs can verify all information for this student is correct.
If data is wrong in PAsecureID, correct and then wait at least an hour before uploading again into PIMS
DQE Errors in Batch Manager Validation UID Student First(3)Name/Last Name/DOB/Gender

40. DQE Errors in Batch Manager
1 Student Record for Student ID:########## Last Name in the Student File:CONNOR does not match the Last Name in PA Secure ID:Conner 
Student File last name ends in OR, but PAsecureID ends in ER
2 Student Record for Student ID:########## Gender in the Student File:F does not match the Gender in PA Secure ID:M 
Student File Gender is F, but PAsecureID has M
3 Student Record for Student ID:########## First Name in the Student File:JONATHAN does not match the First Name in PA Secure ID:JOHNATHAN 
Student File first name begins with JON, but PAsecureID starts with JOH
4 Student Record for Student ID:########## Date of Birth in the Student File: does not match the Date of Birth in PA Secure ID:  ; First Name in the Student File:CHRIS does not match the First Name in PA Secure ID:CHRISTIAN 
Student File had DOB of , but PAsecureID has (different year)
Student File first name is CHRIS, but PAsecureID has CHRISTIAN*
*If multiple discrepancies are identified, the first name is checked entirety (not just first 3 letters)
DQE Errors in Batch Manager

41. New PIMS DQE Checks for 16-17
DQE is now checking PPID/Date Of Birth in TIMS
PPID needs to be valid for all professional Staff
SSN should no longer be reported to PIMS
Professional Staff who are not certified still need a PPID in order to be reported to PIMS
Date of Birth on Staff and Staff Snapshot templates must match TIMS
DOB must be updated in TIMS if incorrect
Data Exceptions only granted for terminated staff with incorrect DOB
New PIMS DQE Checks for 16-17

42. ETL Errors in Batch Manager Extract, Transfer and Load
Error are identified with an X or E in the ERROR or ALERT file

43. ETL Errors in Batch Manager
Batch will have a status of “Complete” with a Red X in the Data Status
To see the errors:
Click on the “View Errors” button for the Batch
Find the Red Xs under BATCH FILES
Note: DATA QUALITY ENGINE RESULTS will have have Green Checks and DATA QUALITY ENGINE STATUS will say “Successful”, but there are still errors
Click on “View Errors” for the file with errors
Under ETL GENERATED FILES, find the ERROR files and click ”View File”
ETL Errors only stop the individual records with errors. All other records are submitted to PIMS
Good
Errors
ETL Errors in Batch Manager

44. If the Data Status icon shows a Red X for any of the files, then there are still errors in Batch Manager after the DQE Checks.
When the Data Quality Engine Status says Successful, that is referring to the DQE Quality Checks.

46. If ERROR_SOURCEFILE_MSG has a record count of 0, it can be disregarded
The “Load” files can also be disregarded, they are never Error files

47. ETL Errors in Batch Manager
This Student Status (field 67) Error is occurring because many valid values from SY were retired for SY.
See Appendix L for a list of valid values.
Errors are noted with an X in one of the columns
Or, E if in ALERT_VALID_VALUES file
Hyphens (-) are place holders, not errors
Errors are NOT highlighted Red
Red Highlights are only used in File Manager
ETL Errors in Batch Manager

48. PIMS Reports (Cognos) eScholar Framework for Cognos – Verify
eScholar Framework for Cognos – Production

49. Verify & Validation Reports
Verify reports update Immediately
Use to verify individual records that were submitted to PIMS
Verify & Validation Reports

50. Verify & Validation Reports

51. Template Verification Reports These reports show Individual Records uploaded on Each Template

52. Each PIMS Template has a “Template Details” Report for verifying records

53. Cognos Defaults to showing 15 reports at a Time Use the “Next Page” button to see Additional Reports

54. Or change the Default number of lines from “My Preferences”

55. Personalizing “My Preferences”
Change the “Number of entries in list view” to 100
“Separators in List view” option makes it easier to match up each report with the Action icons
Personalizing “My Preferences”

56. Useful Validation Reports: Presnapshot Reports (generic)

57. Presnapshot Verification Reports can be run for any Snapshot Date
These reports do NOT exclude students based on Assessment Type (fields 212, ) or LEP/ELL Status (field 41)
Presnap Verification Report -4- Students to be Excluded from Snapshot
Shows students who are EXCLUDED from an Internal Snapshot and the withdraw record causing the exclusion
Presnapshot reports

58. Each PIMS “Data Set” has at least one folder in Production
Accuracy Certification Statements (ACS) are found in Production
The system must go through Refresh to see current data
Noon
5am
Refresh usually last around 2 hours
Production Reports

59. Production Reports

60. Production Reports Use Next Page Arrow to see all Folders

61. Knowledge Check Where can you find the error message in File Manager?
Download the Source File
Hover over the Field highlighted in Red with your mouse
Look for the X or E in each column and look at the Header of that column
Knowledge Check

62. Dates must be in the format
Where can you find the error message in File Manager?
Download the Source File
Hover over the Field highlighted in Red with your mouse
Look for the X or E in each column and look at the Header of that column
Dates must be in the format
YYYY-MM-DD, such as
Knowledge Check

63. Does a status of “Complete” in Batch Manager indicate all records were successfully uploaded?
Yes No
Only if the Data Status also has a Green Check
Knowledge Check

64. Knowledge Check Only if the Data Status also has a Green Check
Does a status of “Complete” in Batch Manager indicate all records were successfully uploaded?
Yes No
Only if the Data Status also has a Green Check
Successful
Knowledge Check
Errors

65. Where can you find the ETL error message in Batch Manager (after files successfully passed DQE)?
Hover over the Field highlighted in Red
Look for the X or E in each column and look at the Header of that column
View the error.zip file
Knowledge Check

66. Where can you find the ETL error message in Batch Manager (after files successfully passed DQE)?
Hover over the Field highlighted in Red
Look for the X or E in each column and look at the Header of that column
View the error.zip file
Knowledge Check
ERROR_VALID_VALUES vs ALERT_VALID_VALUES

67. For Assistance, contact PIMS Support at 800-661-2423