Best practices for merging data into Apple School Manager
If you plan to merge CSV data with Student Information System (SIS) data, follow the best practices shown on this page.
There is generally one field in your SIS or other system that contains a unique value for each person, class, course, location, or roster. This unique value is important if records are ever merged. For example, if you have a student in your SIS and that student’s unique value is 123abc, then no other user can have that value. In the case of most SISs, that value can’t be changed.
If you import data using a different value and then attempt to integrate your SIS with Apple School Manager to merge the data, any records with conflicting unique values result in new accounts being created for new values, even if the record is the same.
When you download and enter information in the templates, you enter two pieces of information that appear to be similar:
person_id: When you add accounts, you add a Person ID that can’t be edited after the account is imported. The Person ID is also used to identify the instructors and students when you create a class template.
person_number: This is a number that can be edited with Apple School Manager. The person number is similar to a badge number or student number. This number is used by your mobile device management (MDM) solution to merge your accounts with a supported directory service.
You may also need to enter data for the Roster ID. This value must be unique for every row in every roster template for every location in an organization. For example, if a Roster template has 600 students, that’s 600 rows of unique Roster ID values, each student’s Person ID, and the student’s associated Class ID.
Eventual data merge: Best practice
In this example, you’re using the same information for three values, two of which you can’t change after the data is imported. The third value, person_number, can be changed later, if necessary.
Unique attribute in SIS or other system | person_id | person_number |
|---|---|---|
1A2B3C-4D5F6G-7H8I9J | 1A2B3C-4D5F6G-7H8I9J | 1A2B3C-4D5F6G-7H8I9J |
Eventual data merge: Acceptable practice
In this example, you’re using the same information for the two values you can’t change after the data is imported. The third value, person_number, is changed prior to import and can be changed later, if necessary.
Unique attribute in SIS or other system | person_id | person_number |
|---|---|---|
1A2B3C-4D5F6G-7H8I9J | 1A2B3C-4D5F6G-7H8I9J | 12345 |
Eventual data merge: Unacceptable practice
In this example, you’re using different information for two values you can’t change after the data is imported. Merging later with your SIS isn’t possible.
Unique attribute in SIS or other system | person_id | person_number |
|---|---|---|
1A2B3C-4D5F6G-7H8I9J | 12345 | 1A2B3C-4D5F6G-7H8I9J |