GG4L is the integration partner we use to import the data from your SIS. GG4L’s Connect Platform will automate our implementation and provide your district with other Edtech solutions at no cost to you.
GG4L has integration via API-based sync with the following SISs:
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Aeries
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Chalkable iNOW
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ClassLink
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FACTS (RenWEB)
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Focus
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Illuminate
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Infinite Campus
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Lumen Touch
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PowerSchool
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SapphireK12
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Skyward
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Veracross
Your step-by-step guide to get your SIS school data into SchoolsBuddy
1. Email Introduction
You will receive an email from us, to introduce you to GG4L onboarding team. For information regarding GG4L and GDPR please see further down this article.
2. GG4L Initial Contact
Shortly after this email the GG4L onboarding team will contact you to begin the process of integrating your SIS data into SchoolsBuddy.
3. GG4L Process (inc Field Identification for PowerSchool)
GG4L will work with you and us to ensure your data is correctly synced with SchoolsBuddy.
If you are using PowerSchool as your SIS it is very important to inform GG4L carefully of the following field names:
- Field name of Parent Email Address
- Field name used for Homeroom/ Registration Class / Form
A number of schools skip setting up their homerooms in SchoolsBuddy, but we encourage you to provide this field as a student attribute if you can. In Schoolsbuddy, homeroom classes can be shown on registers for easy identification of students attending activities or Parent-Teacher Conferences. We also have a useful safeguarding feature, "What's Next?", for homeroom teachers to see their students' schedules for the day or upcoming week at a glance. - Typically we import contact types mother,father,parent. Let SchoolsBuddy know if you only want to sync particular contact types e.g. Guardian.
- If you want to sync medical data we can do so if you can concatenate your medical data into one field.
Common GG4L attributes required for PowerSchool to GG4L integrations:-
| Data Attributes for SchoolsBuddy | Attributes required: |
| Students: |
First Name, Last Name, Grade, DOB, Gender, Homeroom (Homeroom Advisor), Address (optional) PLEASE NOTE: GG4L has a 50-character limit for names fields |
| Contacts: | First Name, Last Name, Telephone number, Email address, Address (optional) |
| Other: | Subject Classes, Medical Information, Attendance |
| Staff: | First Name, Last Name, Telephone Number, Email address, Classes associated with |
Please note - SchoolsBuddy is built around the fact that all users must have a unique email address to be able to access the system. Please ensure all parents/contacts and staff have a unique valid email address in the record in your MIS/SIS.
If you wish students to have access then they must also have a unique valid email address in your MIS/SIS
Notification
You will receive notification from GG4L that data is ready and will need to approve the request for data access. In order to approve the request, you will be required to select an expiration date for the data access. The expiration time is set, based on the duration of time you would like to share your data with the SchoolsBuddy app. The duration can be extended at any time in your GG4L account. Some districts/schools set it to the end of the school year, while others - to the end of the contract with the vendor.
Once the process is complete you and SchoolsBuddy will receive an email to say that Data has been imported successfully and is now available to SchoolsBuddy. We will complete the final integration and advise you when it is completed.
Managing Data in GG4L & New Academic Year Rollover
GG4L will provide you with access to their portal for you to check the data they are providing to SchoolsBuddy. In this portal your administrator can run an extra sync between your SIS and GG4L if you would like to refresh data quickly rather than wait for the usual daily updates but we cannot do this for you. The SchoolsBuddy Support team can then run a manual import from GG4L. We import and check the data from the GG4L portal so it is important to ensure your data is correct in your SIS.
GG4L has a setting defaulted on to prevent data deletion during rollover. This allows you to keep leaving students active in SchoolsBuddy for a period of time. This is on by default between 15 June to 15 August every year. After 15th August, student records that are not in the data feed will be deleted in GG4L and SchoolsBuddy. The feature does not affect your ability to admit new students. If you would like to turn it off so that leavers will be deleted, the setting is under Tools > Data Rollover > Disable Data Deletion feature. SchoolsBuddy still retains an archived record of the deleted student for the purposes of historical reporting on past attendance, financial reconciliation etc.
Benefits to GG4L Connect:
- Secure SIS Data Roster Exchange: GG4L Connect is consent-based requiring the school Data Administrator to be 100% in control of inviting or approving a Vendor to access a subset or all of the school’s stored SIS data.
- Privacy and Security: Privacy and Security for staff, students, and guardians are rooted in strong proof-of-identity, identity management, and user accountability technology practices.
- Governance: Provide oversight, accountability, and regulatory compliance for digital learning applications and data.
- IT Automation: Automated configuration, deployment, and lifecycle management of cloud applications increases security, puts applications to work faster, and reduces costs. Deploy in minutes instead of days or weeks.
- Application Usage Reporting: Gain visibility into how, when, and from where students and staff are using applications and content.
- Easy User Access- A personalized School Passport gives staff, students, and guardians quick and easy access to digital resources in one place with a single login.
- No Cost Membership- Schools and districts, anywhere in the world, are invited to join GG4L for free for life. GG4L does not charge schools and districts for core platform services.
- GG4L is a Public Benefit Corporation - GG4L is committed to doing good for the education community by providing safe, secure, and cost-effective access to digital learning.
GG4L & GDPR
GG4L is fully compliant with all the data privacy laws such as FERPA and COPPA and GDPR as outlined in their Privacy Policy. They are an approved signatory of the Student Data Privacy Pledge, a recipient of the IMS TrustEd Apps Seal, and a member of the Student Data Privacy Consortium. GG4L is currently supporting over 25,000 schools on our platform from across the globe.
GG4L & SchoolsBuddy Data Import Consent
FAQ
Q: What if we need to update any student /parent/ staff details?
A: Update the details in your MIS system as usual. These will sync to SchoolsBuddy within 24-48 hours. If you need to make urgent changes you can also edit details directly within the Reception > Users section of SchoolsBuddy.
Q: Will students automatically be removed when they leave?
A: Yes, as long as they are marked as a leaver/ alumni in your MIS system, they will be removed from the GG4L data feed and SchoolsBuddy will delete the student record after 24 hours have passed without a record in the data feed.
We have a student deletion threshold of 30% of total student counts,
If the amounts to be removed exceed the threshold, the import will skip the removal process.
If your school could have a higher turnover rate and therefore need to raise the threshold, please let us know.
Q: Will parents automatically be removed when their student leaves?
A: Parents' accounts will be deactivated unless the student has a sibling at the school who still has a SchoolsBuddy account.
Q: Why aren't all staff imported to SchoolsBuddy?
A: Currently GG4L only support 'teaching staff' records so other staff will need to be added directly to SchoolsBuddy, see this guide for help.
Q: Will Staff automatically be removed when they leave?
A: Staff will still have an account until they are deleted directly from SchoolsBuddy. An Organisation Super Admin user will need to delete their account manually in Reception>Users tab.
Q: Can SchoolsBuddy import Medical information?
A: Yes, Medical information is synced on a nightly basis. The GG4L team will need to be given the relevant field names in your MIS in order to set this up. If you store information in more than one field we will concatenate it into one. Please contact us for more information.
Q: Can SchoolsBuddy import Dietary Needs?
A: Dietary Information can be imported in the Medical Information section. The GG4L team will need to be given the relevant field names in your MIS in order to set this up. If you store information in more than one field we will concatenate it into one. Please contact us for more information.
Q: Will teachers' classes be imported directly to SchoolsBuddy?
A: Teachers' classes will be imported for the purpose of creating Parent-Teacher Conferences and communications.
Q: Why aren't the Admins in GG4L automatically made Admins in SchoolsBuddy?
A: SchoolsBuddy doesn't assume that administrators of your technical integration will be the same Administrators as those coordinating your Activities in SchoolsBuddy. You will be asked to confirm who you would like to have Super Admin privileges during your onboarding. Subsequent requests to create further Super Admins should be made via email to help@schoolsbuddy.com.
Q: Can SchoolsBuddy import attendance information and photos from Powerschool?
A: Yes, SchoolsBuddy supports this via methods outside of the GG4L platform. Contact the Support team for more information.