WorkKeys Internet Version Training

WorkKeys Internet Version Training
Groups and Batch Loading Mary Lewis Systems Solutions Manager November 2013

Agenda Creating a group Batch loading Adding registrations
Authorizing a group Resources Here’s what we’ll be covering in today. I’ll go over how to create a group, how to do batch loading, how to add test registrations if you didn’t do that in your batch load file, and how to authorize a group. I’ll end with a list of resources that you should find helpful. If you’re new to WorkKeys Internet Version, you should have already attended the WorkKeys Internet Version training webinar for new site administrators and proctors. I’ll be covering today’s topics with the expectation that you have an understanding of how WorkKeys Internet Version works.

Groups and Batch Loading
I want to mention a few things about groups and batch loading before we get into specific instructions.

Groups and Batch Loading
You can use groups without using batch loading You can use batch loading without using groups Creating a group and including group information in the batch load file can save time when creating examinee records Determine what works best for your testing situation 1. You can use groups without using batch loading. You can use batch loading without using groups. Most people find that creating a group and including the group information in their batch load file saves them time when creating examinee records. However, there may be times that you don’t want to use groups but you DO want to use batch loading. For example, let’s say you’re a site that does testing for a local employer. They give you a list of individuals that need to take a variety of WorkKeys tests. All of these individuals will be setting up different times to take the tests. So, you can create their records – or accounts – using batch loading, but you wouldn’t want to put them all in the same group because (1) they’re not all taking the same tests and (2) they’re testing at different times. Now, let’s say that this same employer wants these individuals to all take the same set of tests, but they’ll be testing at different times. In this case, you could certainly use batch loading and put them all in the same group to make it easier to add test registrations to their records. However, you wouldn’t authorize their tests as a group. Rather, you’d authorize each test individually. The bottom line is that you need to determine what works best for your testing situation.

Group Administration Groups are useful when everyone is taking the same test or set of tests You can authorize tests by group rather than by individual Groups allow you to pull group reports from the Reports Portal As this slide shows, there are some advantages to using groups. After you create a group, you can add test registrations to everyone in the group at one time, which can save you time. Test registrations in this case refers to the actual tests themselves. Also, if everyone is testing at the same time and they’re taking the same test or set of tests, you can authorize the entire group all at once. You can also pull group reports from the Reports Portal 24 hours after testing is complete.

Group Administration Process
Generally, you’d follow the steps below when administering tests to a group of examinees: Create a group; record the Group ID Create test registrations Complete the financial profile Authorize one or more exams for the entire group Assist examinees with launching their exam(s) Generate score reports Now let’s talk about the Group Administration Process. Overall, the steps are pretty straightforward. Essentially, it’s just like administering a test to a single examinee because you’re creating a registration, authorizing a test, launching it, then generating score reports. However, there are a few more things you need to deal with. When you create a group AND plan to use batch loading, you’ll need to record the Group ID so you can include it in the header file. After you download the header file, you need to fill it in with the appropriate information. You’ll then complete the registration process and financial profile. When the group is ready to take the test, you’ll authorize one or more exams, then help the examinees launch each test. When they’ve completed their tests, you’ll need to print out their score reports for them.

Groups and Batch Loading: Creating a Group
Let’s take a look at the first step in the group administration process, which is creating a group.

Creating a Group After you log in to Validus, click on Group Management on the left side of the page.

Creating a Group On the right side of the page, click the Create button.

Creating a Group On the “Create Group” page that appears, type in the name of the group next to “Name.” Make sure you use something descriptive (e.g., “ACT – ” instead of “Group A.”) You want your group to include only those examinees that will be testing at the same time in the same location – that means the same room. When proctors authorize a test, they’re to be authorizing tests for only those examinees under their direct supervision. If an examinee in a group doesn’t show up to test, you should remove their name from the group. Their record will still be in the system, but they just won’t be associated with that group.

Creating a Group Click on the box next to “Active” so that a check mark appears in the box.

Creating a Group Click the Submit button.

Creating a Group A list of groups will appear. If you’ll be using batch loading to add examinees to your group, you’ll need to know the Group ID number. This number is listed in the “ID” column. Since the groups are listed in alphabetical order, you may need to navigate to another page to find your group.

Adding Examinees to a Group
Now that you’ve created a group, you need to add examinees to the group. To add examinees to the group as you create their records, see the Quick Start Guide, “Adding Examinees to a Group at Registration.” To add existing examinees to the group, see the Quick Start Guide, “Adding Existing Examinees to a Group.” To add examinees to the group through batch loading, see the Quick Start Guide, “Registering Examinees Using Batch Load.” Now that you’ve created a group, you need to add examinees to the group. If you look at the last page of the Quick Start Guide called “Creating a Group,” you’ll find some guidance as to which Quick Start Guide you should refer to after you’ve created a group. If you want to add examinees to a group as you create each examinee’s record, see the Quick Start Guide called “Adding Examinees to a Group at Registration.” If you want to add existing examinees to the group, see the Quick Start Guide called “Adding Existing Examinees to a Group.” Finally, to add examinees to the group through batch loading, you’ll need to refer to the Quick Start Guide called “Registering Examinees Using Batch Load.” The instructions for adding examinees to a group – other than through batch loading – are a slight variation on what you would need to do to create an account for a single user. Since the Quick Start Guides are easy to follow, I’m not going to cover this information here today. Instead, we’re going to focus on batch loading.

Groups and Batch Loading: Setting Up Batch Loading
After you’ve created a group, you can create examinee records through batch loading. Before I go through the steps, there are a few tips I want to share.

Batch Loading Tips Ensure WinZip or a similar program (e.g., 7-Zip) is loaded on your computer Use the Batch Load Guide included in Validus This is different from the Batch Load Quick Start Guide (“Registering Examinees Using Batch Load”) Contains allowed formats and values Save as a PDF Print only the pages you need Use your formatted header file as a template Upload your file at least 24 hours prior to testing Here are some things to keep in mind when using batch loading. You need to have WinZip loaded on your computer. If you don’t have WinZip, you can download 7-Zip for free off the Internet. Make sure you download the Guide. It contains information about the allowed content in each column of the header file. The document is almost 100 pages long, so I wouldn’t recommend printing the entire guide; just print the pages that have the information you need to fill out your batch load header file. Once you download the header file and format it to your needs, you don’t need to download the header file each time. You can re-use your formatted file when you create future batch load files. Essentially, treat it as a template. Finally, you should upload your file at least 24 hours prior to testing. While it usually takes 5-10 minutes to upload a file, it can take up to 24 hours for a file to process. It all depends on how large your file is and how many other files are in the system ahead of you.

Setting up Batch Loading: Downloading the Batch Load Header File
Let’s now look at how to create a batch load. After you log in to Validus, click on User Batch Load along the left side of the page.

On the right side of the page, click the Create button.

Under the heading “Batch Load Users,” click the Guide button.

Again, you may want to print select pages from this Guide for easy reference.

Under the same heading, click the Download Header File button.

Click the Save button, and navigate to the folder where you’d like to save the file.

Once you get to the folder where you want to save the file, rename the file to something shorter and more descriptive, then click the Save button. The file should default to a “csv” file. You can keep it in that format or change it to an Excel Workbook. (I’ll explain why in just a moment.) However, when you upload the file, you need to make sure you upload it as a “csv” file.

If you include groups: up to 100 records If you do NOT include groups: up to 200 records Click the Open button or navigate to the folder where you saved the file, and open the file. Please note that batch load files that contain groups may have up to 100 records. Batch load files that do NOT contain groups may have up to 200 records. If you have more than the allowed number, you can expect to have trouble loading the batch load file and/or be unable to authorize tests for all of the examinees included in the file.

Setting up Batch Loading: Completing the Necessary Information
Required First name Last name Examinee ID (“employeeId”) Group ID Suggested Date of Birth (8-digit birth date WITH slashes) User ID (“userName”) Password Following the requirements in the Guide, here are the items that must be included in the batch load file: First Name – as it will appear on the certificate, should the examinee qualify, Last Name – as it will appear on the certificate, Examinee ID – which is titled “employeeId” on the Header File, and Group ID. This is required if you’re using Groups. The following items are suggested: Date of Birth. This is the examinee’s 8-digit birth date WITH slashes – for example, 07/04/ If you’re a business site, you’ll need to use “9999” for the birth year. This is due to EEOC regulations. User ID – which is titled “userName” on the Header File, and Password – which is case-sensitive. You might also want to consider including the Assessment ID, but that’ll depend on what assessments you’re giving and if you’re using groups. For example, if you’re giving everyone the same three assessments – such as Math, Reading, and Locating – and everyone’s in the same group, then it takes less time to add these three tests to the group itself after you’ve loaded the batch file. Otherwise, you’d need to create three lines for each examinee in the batch load file and include all of the pertinent information. You can fill in more information if you’d like (following the directions in the Guide), but it’s not required. However, absolutely do NOT fill in the columns for County FIPS Code or Current Status. These MUST be completed by the examinee. Once the examinee logs in to take a test, he or she will need to review and complete any missing information prior to launching the test.

Setting up Batch Loading: Completing the Necessary Information
Prevent leading zeros from disappearing Format as “Text” Select “Format > Format Cells > Number > Category > Text” Do not move columns or rename column headings Delete empty columns Save the file Save as Excel Workbook if you don’t want to lose formatting Will need to upload a “csv” version of the file One of the issues with Excel is that it doesn’t recognize leading zeros and will drop them off after you enter the number, leading to an error. If any of the columns in your batch load spreadsheet MIGHT contain leading zeros, you need to do the following BEFORE you enter any text: Format the entire Excel spreadsheet as “Text” by highlighting the entire spreadsheet, then clicking on Format > Format Cells > Number > Category > Text. Click on the OK button. As you’re working with the spreadsheet, don’t MOVE any columns or rename the column headings. If you do, the file won’t load. After you’ve filled in as many columns as you want, you MUST delete all columns that do not include any information. If you don’t delete the unused columns, the file won’t load. Finally, save the file. As I mentioned, you can save it as a “csv” file or an “Excel Workbook.” One reason for saving it as an Excel Workbook is so you don’t lose any of the formatting. This is important if you don’t have time to finish inputting information and need to continue entering information at a later time. Once you close and then re-open a csv file, you lose all of your formatting. So, in this situation, you would save it as an Excel Workbook, open the file again later, and finish inputting information. Once you’re ready to upload the file, use the “Save As” function and save the file as a csv file. Then, make sure you upload the csv file – otherwise, the file won’t load.

Setting up Batch Loading: Uploading the Spreadsheet into Validus
Now that you’ve filled in the spreadsheet, you need to upload it into the Validus system. You should be on the “Batch Load Users” page (under User Batch Load, selected along the left side of the page). Click the Browse button.

Select the “csv” file you want to load, then click the Open button.

Under “Batch Load Users,” there should be a check mark next to “Notify Uploader.” Whoever uploaded the batch load file will receive s letting them know the status of the file. If you want anyone else to be notified, you can type in their address in the line above, called “Notify List.” If you enter more than one address, separate the addresses with a comma. Under “The following settings apply to this batch load” section, the “Allow Person Updates” box should also have a check mark next to it.

Click the Submit button at the bottom of the page.

The screen should now say “Batch Load Search” at the top, and the file you just loaded should be the first file listed under “File Name.”

Click the Refresh button to see the current status. NOTE: The system will send you s notifying you when the status changes. However, if you’d prefer, you can continue to click the Refresh button until the status changes to “Processed.” For rows of information that loaded successfully (“Total Success”), you’ll find corresponding examinee records in the Validus system. For rows of information that failed (“Total Failed”), you’ll need to look at the Invalid Rows File and the Log File. In this case here, all three of the records processed but only one loaded. The other two failed.

Setting up Batch Loading: Accessing the Invalid Rows File and Log File
So, when you have a situation where the entire file fails or some of the records fail to load, you’ll need to look at the Invalid Rows File and the Log file. Please note that since the Invalid Rows File and the Log File contain Personally Identifiable Information (PII), they’re both encrypted. Also, to open the files, remember that you’ll need WinZip or 7-Zip (a free program you can download off the Internet). Now, here’s what you’ll need to do if you have to access these two files. First, click the radio button to the left of the file name.

Now, click the “down arrow” next to “More actions…,” then select “Download Invalid Rows File.” You may need to do this twice in a row if your system blocks the download the first time. This is usually due to your security settings.

Click the Save button to save this file on your computer.

Click the Save button again.

Next, click the Open button to open the file.

A new window will appear that’ll include the zipped file. Open the file.

You’ll be asked to enter a password. This is where you’ll need to enter a “key” from the Validus system.

Click on the Batch Load Search page in Validus, then click the Retrieve Key button.

Enter the password you used to log in to Validus.

The current key will appear. (Please note that this key changes every month.) Copy this key, then click the Back button.

Paste this key into the “Enter password” box in the Decrypt pop-up window, then click the OK button.

Click the Open button. Only those rows that have not loaded due to errors in them will appear. The rest of the file has loaded.

The graphic on this slide is an example of the Invalid Rows File. You’ll need to make any necessary corrections in the Invalid Rows File based on the information shown in the Log File. The “Line Number” indicated in the Log File corresponds to the line number in the Invalid Rows File. To access the Log File, just repeat the steps for “Accessing the Invalid Rows File and the Log File.” However, instead of selecting “Download Invalid Rows File,” you need to select “Download Log File.”

This is an example of the Log File. The red arrows indicate where you would find the information that needs to be corrected in the Invalid Rows File. You can make corrections right in the Invalid Rows File (the one that looks like a spreadsheet), but you’ll need to change the name and then upload it. To do so, follow the instructions, “Uploading the Spreadsheet into Validus,” which I covered earlier in the webinar. Essentially, you’ll do the same thing you did when you uploaded the original batch load header file.

Groups and Batch Loading: Setting Up Registrations
After you’ve uploaded the batch load spreadsheet, you’ll need to add test registrations to the records of the examinees in each group IF you didn’t include the Assessment ID number for each test title (such as Applied Mathematics or Reading for Information) in the batch load file. The Assessment ID numbers are listed in the Batch Load Guide in Validus. If you DID include the Assessment ID numbers in the batch load file, you don’t need to do this.

Setting Up Registrations
After you’ve logged in to Validus, click on Group Management along the left side of the page.

Type in the name of the group. If you don’t know the exact name or can’t remember it, leave all of the search criteria fields empty and click the Search button. A list of all groups in this realm will appear. If you want to create test registrations for a group that YOU created, you can type in your User ID in the “Owner” block, then click the Search button. A list of groups that YOU created will appear.

Click on the radio button to the left of the name of the group for which you want to create a registration.

Click the “down arrow” next to “More actions. . .” and select “Register.”

Along the right side of the page, click the Create button to select tests for the group.

In the “Select” column, click on the box next to the title of the test for which you want to register the examinee. A check mark will appear in the box. You can select more than one test.

Click the Submit button.

Under “Financial Profile,” click the “down arrow” and select the appropriate financial profile.

Click the Submit button. IMPORTANT: You’ll need to complete the financial profile information for each assessment in this registration.

Additional Financial Profile Information
If you included the Assessment ID but not the Financial Profile in your batch load file: You DO NOT need to complete a Financial Profile if your site has only one Financial Profile option You DO need to complete a Financial Profile if your site has more than one Financial Profile option I want to point out something about financial profiles. The reason for the financial profiles is so that you’re billed the correct price for your tests. If you fill out the Assessment ID column in the batch load header file – which is what the system uses to identify the title of the test – you don’t need to do what we’re doing now, which is setting up registrations. However, you still need to make sure you have the financial profile information completed. For some of you, you won’t actually need to do anything about the financial profile because the system will default to whatever single profile is in the system. However, if you’re a site that has different financial profiles based on the various customers you serve, then you’ll need to make sure you choose the appropriate financial profile. For those of you in this category, the next slide will cover the steps you need to take to select the financial profile.

Additional Financial Profile Information
Steps to complete a Financial Profile: Locate the examinee’s record Click on the “Registration” tab Click on the radio button to the left of the assessment name Click the Edit button In the Finance section, choose the appropriate Financial Profile Click the Submit button Do this for each assessment Here’s what you need to do if you’re at a site that has more than one financial profile available AND you didn’t complete the Financial Profile column in the batch load file. Search for and select the examinee’s record. At the top, click on the Registration tab. Next, click on the radio button to the left of the assessment name. Click the Edit button. At the bottom of the page, you’ll see a Finance section. Choose the appropriate Financial Profile from the drop-down menu. Click the Submit button. You’ll need to do this for each assessment for each examinee.

Groups and Batch Loading: Authorizing a Group
Now let’s talk about authorizing a test for a group of examinees. When you’re ready to administer a test to your group of examinees, you’ll need to authorize it. Now that your examinees are in groups, you can authorize each test for the entire group instead of by each individual examinee.

Authorizing a Group After you’ve logged in to Validus, click on Group Management along the left side of the page.

Authorizing a Group Type in the name of the group.

Authorizing a Group Click on the radio button to the left of the name of the group for which you want to authorize the test.

Authorizing a Group Click the “down arrow” next to “More actions. . .” and select “Authorize.”

Authorizing a Group In the “Select” column, click on the box next to the title of the test that you want to authorize. A check mark will appear in the box. You can select more than one test. Now, in my training on testing individual examinees, I state that you should not authorize more than one test at a time. However, when working with groups, sometimes you’ll want to do this. Authorizing more than one test is useful when you have a group of examinees testing at the same time but you don’t want all of them taking the same test at the same time. There may be a concern by some that examinees would be able to copy off each other. However, this isn’t usually an issue because even if two people are taking the same test, they’ll likely be taking different test forms. Also, they’ll move at a different pace through the test, so “copying” is unlikely. The bottom line is that it all comes down to effective proctoring!

Authorizing a Group Click the Authorize button at the top of the page.
A couple of additional points if you authorize more than one test. One is that the examinee will be able to launch any of those tests, so you’ll need to tell the examinee which test to launch. Another is that after 30 minutes, any unlaunched tests will revert back to their original state. When examinees are ready to take the next test, you can authorize the entire group again, keeping in mind that you’ll need to tell each examinee which test to launch, or you can authorize a test for each examinee individually. I say this because examinees often complete their tests at different times, so if you authorize the entire group, you may need to re-authorize a test for an examinee if they aren’t ready for the next test within the 30-minute timeframe. Or you can choose to wait until everyone’s finished with the first test before you authorize the next test. It all depends on your testing situation.

Step-by-Step Instructions
TASK QUICK START GUIDE Create a Group Creating a Group Adding Examinees to a Group at Registration Adding Existing Examinees to a Group Batch Loading Registering Examinees Using Batch Load Group Registration Group Registration for One or More Assessments Group Authorization Authorizing an Assessment for a Group Here are the different Quick Start Guides you can refer to when working with Groups or using Batch Load. They’re all available on the WorkKeys Reference site.

Resources WorkKeys Contact Center:
Hours: Monday – Friday (except holidays): 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. (Central time) Saturday (except holiday weekends): 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (Central time) Site Administrator Reference Website: WorkKeys VTC Training Realm: If you have any questions, please call or the WorkKeys Contact Center. You can also access the Site Administrator’s Reference website – useful for proctors, as well. This site includes a lot of useful information, such as links to our Quick Start Guides. Also, the training realms are a great place to practice what we’ve covered today. You can play around in both realms without messing anything up – for the most part. Whatever you do, do NOT change any information in the record that belongs to User ID Training234! Always CREATE a new record after you log in or work with a record that YOU’VE created. Do not include any personal information that you wouldn’t want others to see because thousands of people have access to these training realms. To access the VTC training realm, the User ID and password are both Training234. If you set up an account for yourself in this realm, you can log in using that User ID and password. Again, if you have any questions, please call or the WorkKeys Contact Center. Thank you!

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