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Information Notice
10-E14
When read, please file in the EIS ICT
Support Folder in the school office
The Purpose:
To inform schools about the availability of the SIMS 2010 Summer Main Release and
provide instructions on how to download and apply the update using SOLUS 2.
Who is it for:
This document is primarily for School SIMS System Managers but when the upgrade is
implemented it is recommended that the information in the ‘What is included in the SIMS
2010 Summer Main Release’ section, which can be found at the end of this notice, should
be shared with other SIMS users as appropriate.
Who should do this upgrade:
All schools must complete this main release upgrade as it includes the functionality
for the October 2010 School Pupil Census and the November 2010 School Workforce
Census.
Schools that wish to use the automated method of applying this update (see EIS
Information Notice 06-E27) are advised to complete the routines for ‘Making a Manual
Backup of your SIMS MS SQL Database’, ‘Making a Manual Backup of your SIMS FMS6
Database’, ‘Making a Copy of your SIMS Setups Folder’ and ‘Safeguarding Any Custom
Made Reports’ as described on pages 1 to 5 of this information notice prior to scheduling
the automated upgrade files download and database upgrade processes.
This upgrade release should only be applied on the computer that is the SIMS SQL
Server.
Important Note:
Schools that are using the SIMS Learning Gateway 2 (SLG2) should wait to apply this
upgrade until after their SLG2 service has also been upgraded else their SLG2 service will
cease to function.
Benefits:
The SIMS 2010 Summer Main Release incorporates new functionality, enhancements
and fixes including the School Census for October 2010 and the School Workforce
Census for November 2010.
Full details of what has been included in this update release can be found at the end of
this information notice.
Support:
If, when carrying out these instructions, you have any
questions about any of the procedures please contact the EIS
Service Desk:
Telephone 01622 672779
Faxback Number 01622 673441
E-mail Address eis.support@kent.gov.uk
SIMS 2010 SUMMER MAIN RELEASE
Summary: This Information Notice is for the attention of the SIMS System Manager
and will take you through how to upgrade SIMS by downloading and applying the SIMS
2010 Summer Main Release upgrade files.
The SIMS 2010 Summer Main Release incorporates new functionality, enhancements
and fixes including the School Census for October 2010 and the School Workforce
Census for November 2010.
Full details of what has been included in this main release can be found at the end of
this information notice.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
This release should only be applied on the computer that is the SIMS SQL Server.
If users try to apply the upgrade by running SOLUS on a SIMS client computer, the
upgrade is likely to fail and the database will be rolled back to the previous version.
This update release should only be applied if you are, as a minimum, already on
version 7.124 or above of SIMS .net.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Schools who are using the SIMS Learning Gateway 2 (SLG2) should wait to apply this
upgrade until their SLG2 service has also been upgraded else their SLG2 service will
cease to function.
Is my Internet connection up to downloading this upgrade?
This will depend on how much bandwidth you have available on your Internet
connection. For most schools with a Broadband connection such as the Kent Public
Service Network (KPSN) or the Medway Broadband Network or the London Grid for
Learning or an ADSL Internet connection, bandwidth should be more than adequate.
For schools still using an ISDN connection for Internet access it is recommended
that you do not attempt to do this upgrade and contact the EIS Service Desk who
will arrange for a CD and some further instructions to be sent to you so the
upgrade can be done without the need to download the upgrade files.
Advice for performing this upgrade
EIS strongly suggest that you prepare carefully for this upgrade by reading these
instructions in full before starting the upgrade.
Please set aside sufficient time to perform this update and plan it to coincide with the
available times for the EIS Service Desk (8.30am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday excluding
public holidays) should you need to call us for advice/support whist performing the
upgrade.
EIS would recommend upgrading in the morning or early afternoon so that should any
unexpected problems arise, EIS can assist you in either completing the upgrade or by
returning your SIMS system to its original state before the end of the working day.
On which machine should you run this upgrade?
This upgrade must be run on the machine which is used as your SIMS database server.
This will be the machine where the SIMS database files are actually physically located.
Page 1 EIS Information Notice 10-E14 July 2010
In the case of most Primary and Special schools this will be the main office computer
(referred to as the Workgroup Server) which may also have a tape backup drive installed
in it.
In some larger Primary and Special schools and most Secondary schools this will either
be your main server or your dedicated SIMS database server.
If you are not sure which machine you should be using please contact the EIS Service
Desk for assistance before proceeding.
For Windows XP Professional or Windows 2003/2008 Server computers/servers
you must log in as a user with Administrator permissions.
It is also recommended that you establish the SIMS module path (unless you
already know it). The module path will be something like S:\SIMS although some
systems will be using other drive letters (examples of other expected drive letters
could be C or F or T or X).
It is VITAL that you do a manual backup of your SIMS and FMS SQL databases
and make a copy of the SIMS Setups folder as described below before attempting
this update.
Making a Manual Backup of your SIMS MS SQL Database
1. Please ensure a manual backup of your SIMS Microsoft SQL Database is
performed. To do this, run SIMS .net and login as a user with SIMS System
Manager access rights. Now run System Manager. At the SIMS System Manager
Module screen select Tools then Create Backup… and the following box will
appear.
NOTE: The path in the Backup Directory could be different from that above as it is
dependent on how your system was configured when Microsoft SQL Server was
installed.
2. Type in a Backup Description of ‘Pre SIMS 2010 Summer Main Release Backup’
and then click Create. The following window will appear and you should click Yes to
start the backup.
The backup will then be created. When the backup has finished the
‘Backup/Restore Status’ box will close and you will be returned to the System
Manager screen.
You should now exit from System Manager for Windows and SIMS .net in the
normal way.
Page 2 EIS Information Notice 10-E14 July 2010
IMPORTANT NOTE: If for any reason the backup is NOT successfully created
(if this is the case you should get an error message telling you this) please DO
NOT proceed any further and contact the EIS Service Desk for assistance.
Making a Manual Backup of your SIMS FMS6 Database
Because SIMS Personnel 7 works in synchronisation with FMS6, it is VITAL that
backups are made of your FMS6 database as described below before attempting this
upgrade. This is necessary to ensure synchronous continuity between SIMS .net and
FMS6 should a restore be necessary following an upgrade failure.
Instructions for backing up FMS6.
1. Login to FMS6 as normal. Select Tools, FMS Transactions Backup as shown in the
picture below.
2. A Confirm message box will appear asking if you are sure you want to backup the
database. Click on Yes to continue.
3. A backup of your FMS6 database will now be done and when it has completed you
will get an Information message box appear as shown in the picture below. Click OK to
complete the backup process.
You have now successfully backed up your FMS6 database.
If any errors are reported please contact the EIS Service Desk and do not proceed
further.
Page 3 EIS Information Notice 10-E14 July 2010
Making a Copy of your SIMS Setups Folder
Following some problems experienced by a few schools with past updates, EIS feels it
would be advisable to also make a copy of the S:\SIMS\Setups folder (some systems
will be using other drive letters e.g. it may be C: or F: or T: or X: instead of F: and you
should adjust these instructions accordingly).
To do this click on Start, then Run and in the Open box type S:\SIMS and then click OK.
You should now get a window showing the contents of the S:\SIMS folder similar to the
one below. Now find the Setups folder and click on it once to highlight it.
Next click on Edit, then Copy followed by Edit, then Paste to make a copy of the
Setups folder in the SIMS folder.
The system will now start to copy the files into a folder called Copy of Setups.
Page 4 EIS Information Notice 10-E14 July 2010
The Copy of Setups folder will now appear in your SIMS folder as shown in the picture
below.
You should now do a single right mouse button click on the Copy of Setups folder and
from the menu that appears select Rename with a left mouse button click. Now change
the name of the folder to Pre SIMS 2010 Summer Main Release Copy of Setups and
press Enter.
You have now successfully made a copy of your S:\SIMS\Setups folder.
Safeguarding Any ‘Custom Made’ Reports
EIS feel it would also be prudent for schools to safeguard any ‘custom made’ reports
(these are reports that have been produced in-house using the SIMS .net Reporting tool)
as outlined in EIS Information Notice 08-E06 which can be downloaded from the
Information Notices section on our web site at www.eiskent.co.uk
Page 5 EIS Information Notice 10-E14 July 2010
Instructions for Upgrading to the SIMS 2010 Summer Main Release
Important Note:
No users should be logged in to SIMS or FMS when you perform this upgrade.
This release should only be applied on the computer that is the SIMS SQL Server.
To perform the upgrade click on Start, Programs, SIMS Applications, Update and
Run SOLUS.
1. After a pause you may get a File Download – Security Warning appear (this will
depend on your Internet security settings). If you do get this warning click on Run
and then move on to item 2 below, if you do not get this warning then move straight
to item 3 below.
2. The ‘Internet Explorer – Security Warning’ box may appear next and you should
again click on Run.
3. The SIMS SOLUS Installation box will appear and after a short pause the ‘Welcome
to the SIMS .net Online Update Service Wizard’ will come on screen.
4. You will see from the previous picture that Version 2.23 of the SIMS SOLUS 2
Wizard has various options. This screen should be completed as follows:
(a) Enter a SIMS User Name and SIMS Password of a SIMS user that has full
SIMS System Manager access.
(b) Please leave the FMS section blank. Separate instructions for the upgrade of
FMS6 will be issued in the near future.
(c) The CCS Infrastructure Packages box should be left unticked.
Page 6 EIS Information Notice 10-E14 July 2010
(d) The SLG Installation Upgrade tick box should also be left blank unless your
school has purchased the SIMS Learning Gateway (SLG) from Capita Children’s
Services Limited. If you have purchased this software then you should tick the box.
Now press the Login button
5. Because you have not entered an FMS username and FMS password as instructed
above you will be warned that as no FMS login credentials have been entered they
will not be validated and therefore no FMS upgrade releases will be made available.
Simply click OK to acknowledge this and continue.
6. If your SIMS User Name and Password has been accepted the ‘Downloading and
Applying Packages’ window will appear showing that the SIMS 2010 Summer Main
Release is available. Click on the Next button to continue.
Page 7 EIS Information Notice 10-E14 July 2010
7. You will be asked if you wish to download and apply the available packages. Click
Yes to continue.
8. At this point the update is downloaded and placed in a temporary folder in your
SIMS/Setups folder. How long this will take will depend on how much bandwidth you
have available on your Internet connection and when you last applied a SIMS
update.
Once the updates have downloaded, they will begin to apply automatically and you
will get several windows such as the one shown below appearing on your computer
screen.
There may also be several pauses during this part of the process so please be
patient and allow the upgrades to complete.
9. Once the updates have been completed the SIMS Database Upgrade Tool window
will appear and the database upgrade will start automatically. While the database
upgrade is taking place there will be times when the process appears to ‘freeze’.
Please do not interrupt the upgrade as it will still be working. If you are concerned
about what appears to be a long period of inactivity please call the EIS Service Desk
before attempting to stop the upgrade in any way. As a guide, the database upgrade
will probably take between 30 and 90 minutes depending on the technical
specification of your SIMS Database Server.
Note: Due to the way SOLUS 2 works you will see that the database upgrade is run
from an unusually named temporary folder in the \SIMS\Setups folder as shown
below. This is normal behaviour so please do not alter this. Once the upgrade is
complete the temporary folder will be deleted.
Page 8 EIS Information Notice 10-E14 July 2010
10. Once the database upgrade has completed you will see several similar to the one
shown below come and go. Again on occasion a screen may appear to ‘freeze’ but
this is normal behaviour. Please do not interrupt or close the screens as they will still
be working.
11. When the database upgrade is complete the following window will appear and you
should click on Finish to complete the upgrade.
Page 9 EIS Information Notice 10-E14 July 2010
Log in to SIMS .net (where installed)
On those workstations where SIMS .net has been installed, when a user next logs into
SIMS .net an automatic update will take place before the SIMS .net login banner is
provided. On most workstations this update will take no longer than 60 seconds but this
will depend on the CPU speed and memory available on each workstation.
It is recommended that users use the Start | All Programs | SIMS Applications | SIMS
.net method to start SIMS .net following an update as it has been found that using a
SIMS .net shortcut icon from the desktop does not always kick off the automatic update
process.
Please don’t worry if you see lots of files being skipped as the update will only install
files which are of a newer version than those you already have.
Check SIMS .net Version Number
Once the update has been completed the SIMS .net version should be 7.132 and the
Database Build should be 3.61.665 Build 21. To check this go into SIMS .net, select
Help\About SIMS .net and the version number will be displayed as shown below.
Once you have checked it click on the picture to close the window.
Page 10 EIS Information Notice 10-E14 July 2010
Importing the Updated SIMS .net Reports
The following instructions only need to be done once to make the reports available to all
computers that run SIMS .net on the school network.
1. To import the reports login to SIMS .net and select Reports | Import. The Import
Reports window will appear.
2. Click on Open and the ‘Select report file to import’ window will open and you
should see a file called Predefined_Reports_v7132.RptDef. Select it by clicking on
it and then click on Open.
3. The Import Report(s) window will now open. Check that all the reports have a tick
next to them on the left hand side and that a tick is present in the Import associated
templates box. Now click on Import to import the reports to your SIMS .net
Document Server.
Page 11 EIS Information Notice 10-E14 July 2010
4. When the reports have been imported the word Imported will appear in the Status
column as shown below. Click on Close to complete the process.
The new/updated reports are now imported and will be available to all computers that
run SIMS .net.
Importing the CCS Base Lookups File
It is essential that all schools import the CCS Base Lookups File with this release and
the following instructions take you through how to do this.
1. Enter SIMS .net logging in as a user with System Manager access rights. Select
Tools | Lookups | Import Lookups
2. The Import Lookups screen will appear. In section 1 click on the Select File box.
Page 12 EIS Information Notice 10-E14 July 2010
3. The Open window will open and you should browse to your SIMS folder and select
the file called CCS_base_lookups.zip. Click on Open to continue.
Note: The SIMS path will be something like S:\SIMS although some systems will be
using other drive letters (examples of other expected drive letters could be C or F or
T or X).
4. You will be returned to the Import Lookups window and a list of lookup codes and
values will appear. Click on Import to start the lookups import process.
5. When the lookups have been successfully imported you will get a message in the
bottom left hand corner of the SIMS .net window as shown in the pictures below.
Page 13 EIS Information Notice 10-E14 July 2010
The import of the latest CCS Base Lookup file is now complete and the new/updated
lookup tables will be available to SIMS users.
Page 14 EIS Information Notice 10-E14 July 2010
What is included in the SIMS 2010 Summer Main Release
To assist schools in identifying which items are relevant to their school colour coded
relevance keys have been introduced as follows:
All Schools = All
Primary = Pri
Special = Spe
Secondary = Sec
Academic Management All
Fixes
This release includes fixes in the following areas:
When viewing class details through the Pupil (or Student) Details
page, the class Description now displays the correct information (via
Focus | Pupil (or Student) | Pupil (or Student) Details | Links |
Classes).
It is now possible to edit details in Manage Classroom Staff on an
unpinned window (via Focus | Person | Manage Classroom Staff).
Analysis 7
Enhancements
This release includes an enhancement in the following area:
The performance of the Group Analysis functionality has been
enhanced (via Focus | Assessment | Group Analysis).
Fixes
This release includes a fix in the following area:
When selecting an Outcome Type of Percentage of Students, the
correct figures are now displayed because only the most recent result
is included (via Focus | Assessment | Group Analysis).
Assessment 7
New Features
This release includes the following new feature:
Shading Cells with Colour All
Focus | Assessment | Individual Report
The ability to shade cells with colour in Individual Reports has been
provided. This facility can be switched on by selecting the Print Report
with Colour checkbox in the Basic panel of Individual Reports. Once
selected, colour is only applied to cells in a table in a report, and where
there is one aspect to a cell.
Page 15 EIS Information Notice 10-E14 July 2010
For more information, please refer to the Individual Reports chapter in
the Assessment in SIMS handbook.
All
Fixes
This release includes fixes in the following areas:
The Title Bar on a marksheet now displays a teacher’s Preferred
Surname rather than their Legal Surname (via Focus | Assessment |
Marksheet Entry).
A Head of Year can now view all class marksheets (via Focus |
Assessment | Marksheet Entry).
A fault no longer occurs when you zoom into a marksheet (via Focus |
Assessment | Marksheet Entry).
Attendance 7
Fixes
This release includes a fix in the following area:
In Edit Marks, names are now sorted according to the option selected
in Attendance Setup (via Focus | Attendance | Edit Marks).
The E mark, to indicate an Exclusion, is now populating the register
correctly in the appropriate sessions (via Focus | Student | Student
Details | Links | Attendance).
Course Manager 7
New Features
All
This release includes the following new features:
Bulk Update Course End Dates Routine
Tools | Academic Management | Course Manager | Bulk Update
Course End Dates
This routine should be used by schools in England if they have
inadvertently set the Planned End Date for classes to a date in August.
Running this routine sets the Planned End Date to 31 July to ensure
that the courses are not excluded from the funding calculations.
Bulk Update Course End Dates Leavers Routine
Tools | Academic Management | Course Manager | Bulk Update
Course End Dates
Page 16 EIS Information Notice 10-E14 July 2010
This routine identifies and corrects course memberships where the
Actual End Date for leavers occurs before the Planned End Date of
the course.
For more information, please refer to the Managing Courses chapter in Sec
the Managing Courses in SIMS handbook.
Additional Classification Codes
Tools | Academic Management | Course Manager | Maintain
Course Classification
Two new classification codes have been defined for DAS Generic QAN
and PPoS (available in England and Wales). These support the
implementation of the Diploma Aggregation Services and Planned
Programmes of Study for Diplomas from September 2010.
Sec
Display of the ULN for Schools in England and Wales
The ULN is now displayed in the Members panel of the Course
Details page (via Tools | Academic Management | Course Manager
| Maintain Course).
Entering Free Text for a Course
A Notes box is now available on the Basic panel of the Course
Details page, enabling you to enter free text (via Tools | Academic
Management | Course Manager | Maintain Course).
Display of Course Title
The background of a course title on the Student Courses page will
now be displayed in yellow if the course has one or more members in
Year 12 and Year 13 with a Completion Status of Missing (via Focus Sec
| Student | Courses).
Searching for Courses with an Inactive Level
The Level field in the Find Course browser now includes an
active/inactive filter (via Tools | Academic Management | Course
Manager | Maintain Course).
Identifying Inactive Levels in Course Details
A course with an inactive level can now be identified by a warning
triangle adjacent to the Level field in the Basic panel of the Course
Details page (via Tools | Academic Management | Course Manager
| Maintain Course).
Page 17 EIS Information Notice 10-E14 July 2010
Cover 7
Fixes
This release includes fixes in the following areas:
If you have selected No Cover Required for one or more periods, the
correct number of absences are now being reported on the Absence
Statistics report (via Tools | Cover | Statistics | Absence).
When specifying the print options for the Notice Board Summary, the
Hide empty columns check box is enabled only when you select to
print the Full List report (via Focus | School | Arrange Cover).
When you have booked a member of staff for exam invigilation, the All
details of this booking are now available through Manage Bookings (via
Tools | Cover | Organisations and Bookings | Manage Bookings).
Members of staff are now displayed only once on the Cover Statistics
report (via Tools | Cover | Statistics | Cover).
If a teacher’s class is suspended and they are subsequently assigned
to provide cover for another class, this is no longer displayed as a clash
on the Home Page timeline (via Focus | Home Page).
When a room closure ends, ??? is no longer displayed on the Home
Page timeline for classes (via Focus | Home Page).
Where a clash has occurred on the Home Page timeline, it is now
possible to open the Take Register screen for both classes affected by
the clash (via Focus | Home Page).
When an indirect cover has been assigned to a room assignment, it is
possible to edit the room closures (via Focus | School | Arrange
Cover).
Dinner Money 7
Enhancements
This release includes an enhancement in the following area:
Pupil and Staff Delete
Amendments have been made to relax the staff and pupil deletion rules.
This will allow the deletion of pupil and staff records where no financial
transactions (i.e. payments, reversals, refunds, etc.) have ever been
recorded, and where the value of opening balances and meals taken is
£0.00. Schools will be able to delete meals recorded and amend opening
balances, in order to delete a duplicate pupil record. The record deletion
will be logged within the Dinner Money Audit Log.
For more information, please refer to the Setting up Dinner Money chapter
in the Setting up and Maintaining Dinner Money in SIMS handbook.
Page 18 EIS Information Notice 10-E14 July 2010
Fixes
This release includes fixes in the following areas:
Today’s meals are now included in the Brought Forward Balance on
Charge Forecast letters (via Reports | Dinner Money | Letters |
Charge Forecast).
The Unbanked column no longer displays reversed payments (via
Focus | Dinner Money | Staff Payments).
Examinations Organiser 6.80
New Features
This release includes the following new features:
Changes to Levels for Nova-T6 and Course Manager
The following expired levels have been made inactive in Nova-T6 and
Course Manager:
GNVQF
GNVQI
VCEA
VCEAS
VCEDA
New Fields in the Reporting Data Dictionary
Additional fields have been made available in the Performance Detail
Focus node for inclusion in user-defined reports:
PI Cohort
Delivered by Home School (relevant to Northern Ireland schools
only)
Place Taken
A new Focus node has been added for Timetabling and this includes
the following fields for inclusion in user-defined reports:
External Subject Code
Level
Periods in Timetable Cycle
Period Time
Weeks in Cycle
For more information, please refer to the Producing Reports chapter in the
SIMS Examinations Organiser handbook.
Page 19 EIS Information Notice 10-E14 July 2010
JCQ Formats Version 13
JCQ has introduced version 13 of the EDI Formats, with effect from
September 2010. Version 13 is backward compatible with version 12.
An amendment has been made to the option definition file and to the
results file to accommodate the two new result types that were
introduced previously by version 12 of the JCQ Formats:
Result type B where a certification grade is to be accompanied by
the four-digit UMS score on which the grade is calculated.
Result type C for a genuine dimorph, where an item serves both as
a certification and a unit under different qualification frameworks
(e.g. Advanced FSMQ) with a four-digit UMS score.
The Option definition file has been amended to accommodate new
qualification/level combinations. There are new Exam Qualifications
to support items Exam Type: Qualification (certification) and Exam
Type: Qualification (unit).
Additions have been made to the Gradesets file. The updated file
can be downloaded from the JCQ website at www.jcq.org.uk.
A change has been made to the basedata containing Result type B,
to correct an anomaly where the aspects of Mark and Grade where
both being classified as type ‘Result’. The Mark aspect is now
correctly classified as type ‘Equivalent’.
For more information, please refer to the Importing and Administering
Basedata chapter in the SIMS Examinations Organiser handbook.
Management of Diploma Administration
Sec
The facility to manage diploma administration has been provided for
secondary schools. This facility enables schools to create and upload
batch files to the Diploma Aggregation Service (DAS), record new
diploma registrations and update existing registrations.
Several changes have been made to support the management of
diploma seasons:
A Diploma Maintenance dialog that enables the recording and viewing
of a pupil/student’s diploma information and a DAS Registered
Sec
(Diploma Aggregation Service) check box on the Internal Candidate
Details dialog that must be selected for all diploma pupil/students
before processing begins.
Changes have been made to the Submission Details dialog to offer
the single option of Synchronise. The usual submission process is not
available for a DAS season. A Submission Report can be printed from
this dialog to show the updates to any DAS batch files created.
Page 20 EIS Information Notice 10-E14 July 2010
Proxy basedata is available at version 13, to support the DAS
registration process and the recording of Work Experience, Personal
Learning and Thinking Skills (PLTS) and Initiate Claim results for
each LoL/Level combination. There is no basedata provided for Set
Intention to Claim as this forms part of the Learner/Diploma
registration process. Currently, there are 14 LoLs for which basedata is
available. There are no QCA codes provided for the latest four LoLs
introduced from September 2010. As these become available, we will
re-issue the basedata.
A Diploma Status Check report can be produced showing
pupil/students who are members of the course associated with the
award at the membership date, and who are also members of the All
Candidates group for the duration of the season pattern for the selected
year.
For more information, please refer to the Diploma Management in
Exams handbook.
Fixes
This release includes fixes in the following areas:
The Unique Learner Number (ULN) is now displayed on the Statement
of Entry report if the Include Component Information check box is
selected in the report criteria (via Reports | Entries | Statement of
Entry).
All
Missing coursework components of external candidates are now
displayed on the Candidate Timetables – Default report (via Reports |
Entries | Candidate Timetables – Default).
All the equivalence grades are now displayed correctly on the Element
Component Results report (via Reports | Results | Element
Component Results).
Fees Billing 7 (Where Licensed)
New Features
This release includes the following new features:
Cancelling Bills
Focus | Fees Billing | Billing | Cancel Bills
New functionality has been added to allow a bill that has been printed
to be cancelled with the option to recreate the charges on the bill,
allowing amendments to be made. You must be using PDF templates
to use this functionality.
For more information, please refer to the Generating and Producing
Bills chapter in the Fees Billing handbook.
Page 21 EIS Information Notice 10-E14 July 2010
Printing Receipts
Focus | Fees Billing | Transactions | Process Transaction
The details are now saved automatically as each transaction is added
to the batch.
A new feature has been added so that you can print a receipt when
adding a transaction or print receipts for a number of transactions
within the batch.
You must be using PDF templates to use this functionality.
NOTE: Since transactions will now be saved when the Add to Batch
button is clicked, the Automatic Transaction Reporting option is no
longer available in the Transaction Settings panel via Tools | Fees All
Billing | Parameters.
For more information, please refer to the Processing Transactions
chapter in the Fees Billing handbook.
Importing the Fiscal Calendar
Tools | Fees Billing | Fiscal Calendar
The Fiscal Calendar can now be imported from your General Ledger. In
order to use this feature, a Fiscal Calendar Import Facility must be
selected in the GL Account Details panel via Tools | Fees Billing |
Parameters.
For more information, please refer to the Setting up the Fees Billing
System chapter in the Fees Billing handbook.
Fixes All
This release includes fixes in the following areas:
The performance of the Fees Bill Payer reporting area has been
enhanced (via Reports | Design Reports)
It is no longer possible to record duplicate bank account details (via
Focus | Person | Bill Payer).
It is now possible to print the Statement Details report for pupil/students
who have left your school (via Reports | Fees Billing | Transactions |
Statements).
Amounts are now rounded to two decimal places, enabling you to
correctly allocate batches (via Focus | Fees Billing | Transactions |
Process Transaction).
It is now possible to create a Transaction Batch for credit balances,
using an Entry Method of By Bill Number (via Focus | Fees Billing |
Transactions | Process Transaction).
Page 22 EIS Information Notice 10-E14 July 2010
For any Variable Charge Code that recurs, when the Bill is transferred
the amount charged will now transfer onto the next term’s bill (via
Focus | Fees Billing | Periodic | Transfer Bills).
Lesson Monitor 7
Fixes
This release includes fixes in the following areas:
In Edit Marks, names are now sorted according to the option selected
in Attendance Setup (via Focus | Lesson Monitor | Edit Marks).
It is now possible to run the Group Analysis By Attendance Category
report for either Sessions or Lessons (via Reports | Lesson Monitor | All
Group Reports | Group Analysis By Attendance Category Report).
Exceptional circumstances are no longer being counted as a possible
lesson when running the Individual Register report (via Reports |
Lesson Monitor | Individual Pupil Reports | Individual Register
Report).
Personnel 7
New Features
This release includes the following new feature:
A new field, SWC Total Pay (annual salary equivalent +
allowances), is available when adding a Service Agreement (via
Focus | Person | Staff).
Fixes
This release includes fixes in the following areas:
It is now possible to remove the expiry date (Expires on) of a CRB
Check (via Focus | Person | Staff).
It is now possible to change the end time of a new absence (End Time All
of Absence, via Focus | Person | Staff).
Modifications have been made to the way in which Service Terms are
exported and imported (via Tools | Staff | Pay Related Import).
A consequence of this improvement is that Service Terms cannot be
exchanged between the SIMS 2010 Spring and SIMS 2010 Summer
releases. The following table summarises the combinations where the
import will succeed or fail.
Page 23 EIS Information Notice 10-E14 July 2010
Export version (LA) Import version Import into School
(School) All
Spring 2010 or earlier Spring 2010 or earlier Yes
Spring 2010 or earlier Summer 2010 or later No
Summer 2010 or Spring 2010 or earlier No
later
Summer 2010 or Summer 2010 or later Yes
later
Profiles
Fixes
This release includes fixes in the following areas:
A tick is now always displayed against each pupil/student’s name to
indicate that all areas of a report have been approved (via Focus |
Profiles | Review Profiles).
A Class Check Sheet can now be printed, even if the class name or
supervisor name contains invalid characters (e.g. \, /, :, *, ?, “, <, >, |).
These characters are now replaced by – in the generated file name (via
Focus | Profiles | Data Entry | List Entry).
It is now possible to export a Comment Bank to Microsoft® Word and
re-import it into SIMS, where previously an error was reported (via
Focus | Profiles | Comment Banks).
Reporting
New Features
This release includes the following new feature:
Timetable Printing
A range of timetable reports (Reports | Timetables) are now available
from within SIMS. These reports replace the ones that until now have
been available in Nova-T4.
For more information, please refer to the Producing Timetable Reports
chapter of the Producing Student List, Student Analysis and Timetable
Reports in SIMS handbook.
IMPORTANT NOTE: For the SIMS 2010 Summer Release, there are
two methods of obtaining timetable printouts – the new method
(Reports | Timetables) and the original method (Reports | Print
Timetables).
However from the SIMS 2011 Spring Release onwards, the original
method will be disabled.
Page 24 EIS Information Notice 10-E14 July 2010
School Census Autumn Return 2010
The dates for the School Census Autumn Return 2010 are:
Census Day – 07/10/2010
Age at Date – 31/08/2009 (for Attendance) and 31/08/2010 (for Hours
at setting, etc.)
New Features
This release includes the following new feature:
Reconcile Learning Aims and Results Reports
Tools | Statutory Returns Tools | Reconcile Learning Aims &
Results
For Secondary schools with a Sixth Form only, this new menu route
provides access to four reports (in .CSV format), which can be
generated to assist in the reconciliation of Learning Aims and exam
results. The following reports can be generated:
Course Memberships with no exam results
Exam results with QAN and no course memberships
Exam results with matching QAN
Exam results with no LA QAN.
School Workforce Census Annual Return 2010
The date for the School Workforce Census Return 2010 is:
Census Day – 04/11/2010
SIMS Options Offer
This is the initial phase of the SIMS Options Offer process in SIMS. The
first phase provides the ability to:
define and maintain Options Offers.
create associated courses and lists of choices.
assign pupil/students to the appropriate offers for their National
Curriculum Year groups and define the band structure for eventual
import into Options 5.70 and Nova-T6.
The second phase of the SIMS Options Offer process will enable
pupil/students and their parents to select and approve Options Choices via
a SIMS Learning Gateway web page.
Page 25 EIS Information Notice 10-E14 July 2010
There is also a Student Choices page that can be used by class teachers
to explain the choices to parents and to directly involve pupil/students in
making the best possible Options choices for their future development.
This process can be incorporated into parents’ evening or a specific
Options consultation time can be arranged to discuss the possibilities.
Once pupil/students have made their Options choices, the resulting
selections can be imported into Options 5.70 to enable the generation of
classes and the creation of an Options solution.
Defining Options Offers enables the outlining of future course choices
without using Nova-T6 at an early stage. This enables the timetabler to
experiment with the structure of the future curriculum and timetable plan.
This process can be carried out as many times as necessary until a
satisfactory structure is achieved.
STAR 7
Fixes
This release includes fixes in the following areas:
When you have recorded and saved a behaviour incident via the Links
panel, the Behaviour Incident Details dialog remains open, enabling
you to add any further details (via Focus | Attendance | Take Register
| Links | Behaviour).
Duplicate behaviour incidents are no longer recorded when adding
them through Take Register (via Focus | Lesson Monitor | Take
Register | Links | Behaviour).
Missing Register notifications are no longer displayed on the Home
Page prior to the start of a session (via Focus | Home Page).
It is now possible to delete unlinked contacts (via Tools |
Housekeeping | Delete Unlinked Contacts).
Updated Handbooks Available with this Release
The following handbooks have been produced for this release. Please
refer to the What’s New in This Release section in each handbook for
details of the specific changes.
Active Directory Provisioning Service for System Administrators
Assessment in SIMS
Diploma Management in Exams Organiser
Fees Billing in SIMS
Managing Courses in SIMS
Managing Pupil/Student Profiles in SIMS
Page 26 EIS Information Notice 10-E14 July 2010
Nova-T6
Producing Student List, Student Analysis and Timetable Reports in
SIMS
Producing the Post 16 Autumn 2010 Return (Welsh Secondary
Schools)
Producing the School Census Autumn 2010 Return (English Nursery
Schools)
Producing the School Census Autumn 2010 Return (English
Primary/Middle
deemed Primary Schools)
Producing the School Census Autumn 2010 Return (English
Secondary/Middle deemed Secondary Schools)
Producing the School Census Autumn 2010 Return (English Special
Schools)
Producing the School Workforce Census 2010 Return
Setting Up and Maintaining Dinner Money in SIMS
SIMS Examinations Organiser
SIMS Learning Gateway for Parents & Carers
SIMS Learning Gateway for Students
SIMS Learning Gateway for System Administrators
SIMS Learning Gateway for Teachers
SIMS Learning Gateway Web Parts
SIMS Options Offer
SIMS Pre-Defined Reports Catalogue
Page 27 EIS Information Notice 10-E14 July 2010
