Interviews: Managing Family data (1)

Modified on Fri, 26 Sep at 4:54 AM

Having up to date family information about students can be a big factor in the success of the interviews event.

When creating an event, Edval Interviews will need to establish a family for each student involved in the event. This is primarily so that a WebCode (also referred to as a Booking code) will be generated for the student so that the family can log in to the system to enter their booking preferences.

Edval Interviews has a number of options on what family information may be entered, and a range of features that uses this information, such as emailing families, printing letters, log in display names, sibling connections etc.

Key points

Students may have multiple families associated to them, for such instances as separated parents needing to make bookings independently of the other parent, foster parents etc.
It is beneficial if the administrator has a good understanding of data, particularly in the use of excel/csv files, as it is most likely that the administrator will have to prepare family data into a suitable format that the Edval webserver can recognise.

Important terminology

There are two references to 'codes' in this document, and it is most important to understand the meanings of each.

Every Family will have both a Family Code (to identify the family) and a WebCode (to log into Interviews).

Family Code: A Family code is one of the ways that Edval Interviews recognises families so that it can link children together for bookings. This allows families to make bookings for all of their children with one log in code. This family code likely (but not always) exists in external systems where the family information originates from, and where the family information will likely be exported from to be uploaded into the Edval Interviews system.
Note that families will not see this code - it is for admin purposes only.

WebCode (or Booking code): Once family information exists in the Edval Interviews system, a WebCode will be created for each family. This WebCode will be provided to families to use to log in to enter their bookings or preferences.

Siblings

The advantage of having sibling connections known allows families to log in with a single WebCode to enter all of their children's booking preferences in one go. Without sibling connections, families will receive a different WebCode for each of their children. This may be acceptable where families are making their own bookings (ie, if the event is set up in 'Booking' mode), but can result in families having booking clashes if schools are using the 'Timetabling' mode. (although there are ways families can combine their children upon log in - explained below).

Family Code options:

There are two ways Family Codes can be created for Families:

Allow Edval Interviews to create generic Family codes
Upload detailed family information, such as titles, email addresses, Family codes.

1. Generic Family data for each student

This is a simplified option and may suit schools who want to set up an event and print a WebCode (booking code) for each student, without using more advanced features. Siblings will not be connected using this method.

No siblings can be identified via this process. The administrator can later manually connect siblings. Refer to Interviews: Managing siblings

Process:

School syncs the .etz timetable file to the Edval webserver. This sync includes students, classes and teachers information.
The Interviews Administrator sets up an interviews event.
The system will create a generic 'family' for each student included in the event in order to generate a WebCode (booking code) and will include:
1. Name: in the format of 'Parent/Guardian/Carer of <Student name>'
  eg . Parent/Guardian/Carer of CLINTON, Michael
  Note: This name will appear on the Family's profile when logging in to make bookings or set their availability, and may be inserted onto printed documents.
2. Code: a unique Family code in the format of 'familyOf. < Student code>'
  eg familyOf.7882
  Note: This code is for the system to identify each unique family, and is not the same as the WebCode (Booking code) provided to families. This code is used by the Interviews administrator for actions such as searching and for back end tracking.
3. Children: name of student, as exists in the .etz timetable file
4. Year: year level of student, as exists in the etz timetable file

This data is accessed via Admin > Family data:

Editing of this Family data may occur by clicking on the edit

icon. See other documentation about Editing Family data.

2. Upload detailed Family data via csv file

Schools may prefer to create a more personalised experience for families making bookings to see teachers. This involves accessing family related data from elsewhere, such as external systems or other school databases, and uploading it in .csv format to the Edval Interviews platform.

An advantage of generating detailed Family data allows for siblings to be identified, thereby creating one WebCode (booking code) for each family.

Refer to Interviews: Family data upload and validation