Microsoft School Data Sync API v1

Microsoft School Data Sync Overview

This API generates CSV files in the format required by Microsoft School Data Sync (SDS) for immediate download and generation, and using a scheduled task which runs nightly.

A licence is not required to enable and use this API.

Once the SDS API has been configured, six separate files will be generated:

School.csv
Section.csv
Student.csv
Studentenrollment.csv
Teacher.csv
Teacherroster.csv

To get these files immediately, click the 'Download' button to generate a .zip file containing the above SDS formatted CSV files. Otherwise, they will be regenerated nightly in the location configured below.

These files can then be synced with Microsoft Office 365 using:

Automatic upload using Microsoft Data Gateway and a 'Flow Connecter'.
Manual upload to the School Data Sync portal.

Click the ‘Edit’ icon at the top of the screen to configure the output of the CSV files.

Configure the Output of the CSV Files

Navigate to TASS.web program System Admin > Utilities > API Gateway Maintenance. Click 'View' against 'Microsoft School Data Sync v1'.

Microsoft School Data Sync (SDS) Integration Details
*Data Gateway Directory	This is the folder location in which the `.csv` files will be saved. This will need to be set up by your schools IT staff and can either be: A local folder on your TASS web server, e.g. `C:\SDS` A shared network location, e.g. `\\server\SDS` Important! This must be a unique location for each company. Ensure the folder has been created before the scheduled task runs. If your school uses TASS Cloud, please submit a Technical Services Support Ticket to have this directory created for you.
Include Timetabled Classes Only	Check this box to prevent the `.csv` files from including subject classes that have not been timetabled.
Enable SDS	Tick this checkbox to enable the Microsoft SDS CSV program to run at regular intervals (once every day) via a scheduled task. Untick to prevent Scheduled Tasks from generating CSV files. The default run time is 1:20AM. During this run, the program will build all required CSV files, then place the files into the required ‘Data Gateway Directory’ defined above.
School.csv Options
*School SIS ID	Enter a unique identifier to identify your school or TASS company within your Office 365 tenancy. If you're configuring SDS for multiple companies, ensure each company has a unique SIS ID.
Principal Name	Optional.
School Number	Optional.
School NCES ID	Optional.
Section.csv Options
*Section SIS ID Field Order	This field is used to determine how Sections are created (i.e. Office 365 'Groups' and their members). For example, if you nominate 'Year Group' and 'Subject Code', a Section (Group) will be created for all students and teachers, across all classes for each Year Group and Subject Code. If you require your Sections (groups) to be broken-down further by Class, make sure you select an option that includes Class. If your school does not run a unitised timetable, you must select an option that includes 'Year Group'.
*Section Term Method	Use this field to determine whether Sections (Groups) will be created for the current Year and Semester/Term or for the entire Year (i.e. All subjects and allocated teachers and students from all Semesters/Terms).
*Section Term Year	Must be the same as the current Timetable Year. Important! This field must be updated when your timetable is rolled over to a new calendar year.
Section Term Semester	Must be the same as the current Timetable Semester/Term. This field must be populated if you've selected 'Year and Semester' as the 'Section Term Method'. Important! This field must be updated when your timetable is rolled over to a new Semester/Term.
*Section Term Start Date	If the 'Section Term Method' is set to 'Year', enter the first day of the school year. If the 'Section Term Method' is set to 'Year and Semester', enter the first day of the current Timetable Semester/Term.
*Section Term End Date	If the 'Section Term Method' is set to 'Year', enter the last day of the school year. If the 'Section Term Method' is set to 'Year and Semester', enter the last day of the current Timetable Semester/Term.
Student.csv Options
*Student SIS ID Field	This field is used to determine how individual students are identified in the `.csv` files that are generated. If you are unsure, select 'Student Code'.
*Student Username Field	This field is used to identify a student in Office 365. If you are unsure, select 'Email Address'.
Teacher.csv Options
*Teacher SIS ID Field	This field is used to determine how individual teachers are identified in the `.csv` files that are generated. If you are unsure, select 'Employee Code'.
*Teacher Username Field	This field is used to identify a teacher in Office 365. If you are unsure, select 'Email Address'.

* = Mandatory field.

Important! This is a resource intensive task and should not be run during busy periods e.g. morning roll call. Please allow some time for these files to be generated.

Click ‘Save’ when complete.

To understand more about the contents of the v1 files, refer to this Microsoft guide.