Create an Extract using a Custom Report

Illuminate Education can generate an automated extract using a Custom Report using our scheduled extract tool. As long as meta-data is available for the interested data in our system, Illuminate Education can generate the extract files. If the meta-data is not available, verify you have access to the meta data. If it is not an issue of access, you can formally request the meta-data using our Aha Ideas page.

Table of Contents

• Important Considerations
• Getting Started
  • 1. Build a Custom Report
  • 2. Verify your Data in the Custom Report
  • 3. Schedule an automated job
    • 3.5 Getting the file to your vendor
  • 4. Verify your Extract Job
  • 5. Work with your Vendor

Important Considerations

• The Custom Report will determine the data generated by the job.
• Any changes will be captured by the job when the file is scheduled to generate.
• Do not forget to rollover and update filters for your Custom Report(s) at the start of each new session.
• You will need permissions to access two specific features. Please assign "Data Extracts Access" to administrators in charge of your vendors. This will grant access to "Make Custom Extract" on the Advance menu and allow navigation to the new "Data Extracts" page.

Getting Started

1. Build a Custom Report

Build a Custom Report. You can reference our manual on Custom Reports and our manual for Custom Reports: Advanced for in-depth assistance. The following documents might be especially useful:

• Create a Custom Report
• Add Columns or Data to a Custom Report
• Use Filters on a Custom Report
• Edit a Custom Report
• Manage Columns on a Custom Report
• Removing Duplicates from a Custom Report

Please note the following considerations for the Custom Report:

• The columns (from left to right) will match how the file is generate from left to right.
• The sorting will be matched (i.e. if you sort alphabetically, the extract will sort alphabetically).
• Headers will always be included.
• The headers name set in Manage Columns will determine the name and formate of the column headers.

2. Verify your Data in the Custom Report

Please take time to verify your data. We send data as is, meaning any duplicates or blank values will be sent as well. You will want to talk to your vendor regarding the behavior of the data import to see if this will cause issues.

If all looks well, click on the "Advanced" menu in Custom Reports and click on "Make Custom Extract." See the screenshot below for an example of this menu.

This will "save" the Custom Report as an extract for future use and redirect you to our job page, where we scheduled automated extract . To manually return to this page, go to the Admin Cog > Data Extracts. At the bottom of the page you will see a drop down with a list of your extracts. See screenshot below for an example of this dropdown.

3. Schedule an automated job

Before continuing with this step, you will want to make sure you have the following information:

• The name of each extract that will be tied to a Custom Report. Please include your extension otherwise it will be omitted.
  • For example, if you have two extracts, one Custom Report for classes and another for students information, request the class file to be named "classes.csv" and the student file to be named "students.csv"
• The delimiter for the extract files. We currently support comma-separated or tab-delimited.
• SFTP Server information. We currently only support Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP). The server information needed includes:
  • Hostname
  • Port (if not 22)
  • Username
  • Password
  • Directory to pass files
• Scheduled time to create files (we support multiple times a day)

Return to the Data Extract page by navigating to Admin Cog > Data Extracts . Scroll down to the bottom of the page, click the "Extract" dropdown and select your Custom Report made Extract. Read more about using the Scheduled Extract tool here.

3.5 Getting the file to your vendor

Note that on Step 3, it is highly recommended you send the file directly to the vendor via SFTP. If they do not have a server that supports SFTP, Illuminate may not be able to assist.

You may also pull down the file and send it directly to where you want. We have a small document we provide as a courtesy which walks through the steps of writing a batch script. The document will walk you through the steps to write a batch script, but you can write a script using the language you are familiar in or use another software solution.

4. Verify your Extract Job

Verify the job pushes out your extract files as expected. If you see any formatting issues or unexpected problems with the file, touch base with your ISI Support Specialist.

5. Work with your Vendor

Reach out to your vendor and follow up. If there are problems with the data, update your Custom Report. If there are problems with the file generation, contact an ISI Support Specialist.

Please note if you ask us to speak with your vendor and/or explicitly provide data for your vendor, we will require your Director of Technology and your vendor to fill out the following permission application.