E10 - Custom Export

Modified on Thu, 14 Aug at 1:01 AM

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Understanding your requirements for syncing
General setup
File configuration
Editing Templates
- File type data
Exporting
Example uses outside of syncing
Templates

The Custom Export sync allows users to configure a CSV (Comma Separated Value) export with the specific format and data needed for external systems or for the school's own use. While previously we could only support third party systems with a larger user base, it's now possible to export to anything that accepts CSV data. This guide will explain how you can configure this export to suit your school's needs and avoid common problems in the process.

There may be two reasons this export is useful to the school:

1) Exporting data in a suitable format ready for importing into an external system.

2) Exporting data in a suitable format for any purpose the school requires.

This export is only available in E10.

Understanding your requirements for syncing

The first part of this process is to understand what your third party system requires from Tes Timetable. Ideally your system should have this information readily available, however if this is not the case then you will need to request it from them.

General setup

Navigate to File > Synchronise > Configure
Go to the Sync tab
Click on the '+' sign
From the drop down list select 'Custom Export'
Click on the 'Configure' button (which will take you to the Connection tab)

In the Connection tab, choose the location that the CSV file(s) will export to.
Additionally, you have the option to 'Sync (export) each time we save'. It is recommended that you leave this unticked for now and come back to it once everything is working correctly, as the export will overwrite previous iterations in it's folder.
Go to the Other tab

File configuration

The Custom Export can output many separate files, each with their own data template. These templates can be imported and exported between timetable files should you require. This also gives third party systems the opportunity to create compatible templates on their customers behalf.

File type
Files are given a type which dictates the context of the data template. For example, the default file type is 'One row per student' which means that if we have a template that has columns for name, code and classes, they will be generated per student. File types have a specified collection of data associated with them, which is based off of the columns in E10(see the Teacher data screen for 'One row per teacher').
File name
Each file must have a name before it can be exported. For ease of use, please ensure that you name each file clearly as once they are generated it may be difficult to differentiate them. Alternatively, when syncing your system may require that these files have specific names, in which case you must adhere to those.

Editing Templates

There are two settings that affect how all of the data is organised in the output file.

Transpose data: allows us to swap rows and columns if we needed to, otherwise it is left unticked by default such that each column holds a separate category of data.
Export column headers: toggles as to whether row 1 in the output file displays the headers or not. This will depend on the systems import requirements but in general it is best to include them for readability.

In the lower section we have the actual column data. We can add new columns with the plus button and remove them with the minus button on the very left of each row. We're also able to manipulate the order of our data by using the respective arrow buttons to move a row up or down the list.

In the column data dropdown list we have many options and these options can have sub options to export more specific data. They can become quite long and complex if necessary, however the below example isn't likely to happen.

To understand what this column will export, it's easiest to start from the right and read it as 'Name of subject of faculty of...'. Additionally you have checkboxes appear for data that would output as a list, allowing you to have the data exist as one cell or multiple. In the case of multiple, the next set of data starts at the end of the list. This is why following entries are represented by a '?' in lieu of the following letter/number to compensate for not knowing the length of the list between them.

Column settings

The Action bar on the right shows more column/row settings. From here you are able to customise even further. Only a few of these actually have additional settings to chose from however so it's best to look through these at the end.

File type data

Per Student

Per Teacher

Per Room

Per Class

Per Lesson

Per Year

Per Period

Per Faculty

Per Subject

Per Campus

Per House

Per Student, Per Lessons

Per Student, Per Classes

Code

Room

Year level

Name

Classes

Course code

Code

Student

Full name

Name

GUID

Teacher

Campus

Period

Subjects

Notes

Room

Name

Lesson

Class

First name

Size

Rotations

Period

Students

Day

Teachers

Name

Year

Students

Surname

Notes

Class

Subjects

Type

Max Students

Teachers

GUID

Govt subject code

Study Class List

Classes

Phone

Home group

Load

Start time

Years

Statewide ID

Phone

Home room of

Course code

End time

Faculty

Comment

Notes

Campus

Class ID

Mapped period numbers

GUID

FTE

Lessons

# of periods

Lessons

Webcode

Gender

# of students

Indigeneity

Faculty

Type

Boarder

House

Faculty

Funding

Allowances

Lessons

Gender

Home Room

Students

Letter

Main Campus

Subject

Number

Lessons

Year

Classes

Main teacher

Study Lessons

Max load

Main room

Classes

Total load

Teachers

House

Load left

Duties load

Allowances load

Studies load

Teaching load

Non-teaching load

There is some crossover between templates where a file will have similar data sub-options, a prime example being the per student template. If you had a column for classes there, the sub-options are very similar to the per class options above, however the context is reliant on the file type.

File types such as class, lesson, year & period have an additional dropdown in the template view for specifying type of classes, year groups & period types respectively.

Exporting

Once your files are configured to your liking, simply move to the 'Sync now' tab and select 'Export Files'. This will create the files in the folder you specified earlier. Should you lose track of the export you can retrace them by looking up the destination set in File > Sync > Configure > Connection.

Example uses outside of syncing

Though this feature was initially developed as a synchronisation tool, it's become apparent that it is also great for report generation. So in the event that there's data you want out of the timetable file that can't be done in a report you can find a way to extract it through the custom export function.

For example, say there was need of a master document that shows each class, it's teacher and the students within. There are a few methods which can get close to this but with a properly configured custom export you can make it suit your specific needs and be repeatable at the click of a button.

To create such an export we will use the 'per class' file type, and arrange it like so:

The following file be generated with the data transposed for readability, however this is personal preference. So for the below example, row 1 is the teachers name, row 2 is the class code and row 3 onwards are the class' students.

Templates

You can import and export templates created in this sync configuration. This is useful in several situations, but primarily in the event that you've been working with our support team on a configuration. You will be given a template code to import using the button described below.

The template import/export buttons are located in the 'Other' tab of the Custom Export sync. Export is on top and import on the bottom. Templates are exported as long alphanumeric strings which we recommend you save in a text file with your timetable file in case you need it again.

As the template codes can get quite long we usually shorten them using an html link.

You will need to right click and select 'Copy link address' (depending on browser)
Then add a fresh Custom Export configuration, otherwise importing will overwrite the contents.
Go to the 'Other' tab select import
Paste the template code from your clip-board (ctrl + v)
Select 'OK'

The import code for the class list example is here.