COLLECT PORTAL
DEPARTMENT FOR CHILDREN SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES
(DCSF)
BURY LA SCHOOL CENSUS UPLOAD INSTRUCTIONS
Once you have completed your School Census and prior to submission, you must ensure that
this has been validated with no unresolved errors/queries, duly authorised by the Head
Teacher.
It is now a requirement that each term you submit your file to the LA utilising the new DCSF
COLLECT Portal. In order to access the portal site logon screen (see figure 1), you will
need to click on the link below. Please accept any security certificate warnings that you
might see at this point.
https://data.dfes.gov.uk/COLLECTPortalLive/login.aspx
Your user name and password will be the original S2S logon first set by the DCSF. If you
have changed your password on S2S, you will need to retrieve this from your LA Support
Officer. Important: Your S2S logon Username and Password are case sensitive.
Figure 1. COLLECT Portal Logon Screen.
Following successful login, you will see a list of all available data collections. The
collections can be sorted in ascending or descending order by clicking on the underlined
heading.
Figure 2 My Data Collections Screen.
You will need to select from the list the current School Census you are carrying out and click
on Select Data Collection.
The next screen will allow you to see the status of your return. If this is your first attempt at
uploading, you will need to click on Upload Return from file. Remember your file should
only be uploaded once all your errors have been dealt with. You can however upload with
outstanding queries if these have a valid explanation.
Figure 3. My Data Return
Once you have clicked on Upload Return from file you will see the Upload File Selection
Screen.
Figure 4. Upload File Selection Screen
You will now be able to click on Browse and navigate to the location of your Census Folder.
Integris schools will have their Census Folder placed in Local Disk C:\Centris\Outtray [ Non
Integris schools will need to refer to their software supplier for the location of their Census
files].
Within the Outtray you will see the Census folder 351XXXX_SC3_351LL08 where XXXX
relates to you DCSF number and SC3 relates to School Census number 3. You will need to
double click on this folder to open and view all your Census files contained within it.
Figure 5 . Centris Outtray [Integris schools only]
You can only upload the file named 351XXXX_SC3_351LL08_000.XML from this folder
via this method. The remaining Error and Summary files will need to be submitted to the LA
via an alterative route (instructions to follow). Double click the file you wish to select.
Figure 6. Census files
Once you have selected your file you will return to the Upload File Selection screen (figure
4 ). Now click on the blue upload button. The next screen will show you the progress of your
file.
Figure 7 . Uploading Progress Screen
Once your file has been uploaded, you will automatically return to the My Data Return
screen. The status of your Return will now be shown at the top. Please note that once
uploaded you will be unable to amend data from within COLLECT. Alterations need to be
carried out within your software, a new file created and then re-submitted into the COLLECT
system.
Figure 8. My Data Return - Status of your data return.
If you wish at this point to remove the file you have uploaded and start again, you can do so
by clicking on Delete Return. You can also re-submit your file by uploading and
overwriting the file currently on COLLECT.
Once you have uploaded a return you can view this by clicking on the Open Return option
(figure 8). You will only have access to this option once you have uploaded your first return.
Figure 9. Open Return Screen.
As Bury LA ask that you do not upload until your file is error free, ideally you should only
see validation queries at this point. To view your queries click on the ALL ERRORS button
at the top of the screen.
Figure 10. All Errors Screen
You will need to work through each of the Errors/Queries by clicking on the Details button to
access the pupil record. If the Query/Error is valid, you then need to click on the Pencil, to
add a note giving a reason.
If you wish to return to the My Data Return screen (figure 3) at any point, click on Back to
MyCOLLECT page.
Once loaded, if you are ready for the LA to have access to your return, you will need to click
on Submit Return (See figure 8). Only then will the LA be able to edit your return further
or approve as final for DCSF to view.
****Important. Once you load your file onto COLLECT, enter any notes
against validation queries and submit to the LA to view, if for any reason
you re-submit your file again, this will overwrite the existing file and
remove all previous notes entered by both the school and LA. If you delete
your file in error, you cannot retrieve any data deleted. If you are unsure
about any of the above, please contact the LA for further advice before
taking any action****