Importing student data

For frequently asked questions about importing student data, please click on the links below.

• Can I import student data into e-asTTle from my SMS?
• When I try to import student data it seems to take a very long time. Why is this?
• When importing a student file, I get an error message saying the student’s NSN is already used.
• Sometimes a file validates successfully but when I try to import it I get a message saying “Import of file failed … ”

Can I import student data into e-asTTle from my SMS?

Yes, many SMS support the ability to automatically upload student and student class/group details to e-asTTle. Follow the appropriate link below for further information about your SMS or, if your SMS is not listed, the link for all other SMS applications.

• eTAP
• KAMAR
• MUSAC
• All other SMS applications

eTAP

eTAP supports an interface to e-asTTle to automatically upload students and student class/group details. For assistance with the eTAP interface to e-asTTle, please go to the eTAP website.

KAMAR

KAMAR supports an interface to e-asTTle to automatically upload your students and student class/group details. For assistance with the KAMAR interface to e-asTTle, please review the KAMAR documentation or contact the KAMAR Helpdesk or your authorised agency.

MUSAC

MUSAC supports an interface to e-asTTle to automatically upload your students and student class/group details. Further details can be found on the MUSAC website.

All other SMS applications

1. Extract all student and class/group details from your SMS. 
   1. This extract will need to be in the asTTle v4 file format.
2. Upload the file produced to the Web Portal.
   1. The web portal is the same as that used for the uploading of other student data files (for example, the Roll Return File) to the Ministry of Education.
3. That’s it! The Ministry of Education will then (on your behalf) upload the file to e-asTTle. 
   1. Once this has been completed, you will receive an email confirming that your students and class/groups have been successfully uploaded into e-asTTle.

When I try to import student data it seems to take a very long time. Why is this?

When student data is imported into e-asTTle, e-asTTle must create linkages between each student and the classes/groups that they are associated with. If there are a significant number of students and/or classes/groups, this process could take a long time. Some simple steps can be taken to streamline this process:

1. Only export relevant classes/groups from your SMS. 
   1. Any class/group that is not relevant, for example, class/groups associated with Social Studies, Science, and so on (subjects that are not assessed by e-asTTle), should not be included in the .ast file.
2. Import student data outside of school hours. 
   1. Where it is known that there are a large number of students (over 1,000) and/or a large number of classes/groups, it is essential that the student data be imported before or after school hours. This will significantly lessen the processing demands on e-asTTle, while ensuring that the student data import is processed as quickly as possible. 
   2. It is also good practice to import student data outside of school hours because importing student data during school hours may adversely impact teachers and students (within your school or cluster) using e-asTTle.

When importing a student file, I get an error message saying the student’s NSN is already used.

Even though a student's NSN is not mandatory in e-asTTle, the NSN is validated by e-asTTle to be unique (not alone within the school but also across multiple schools).

When you get a message saying that a student's NSN is already used, please check the following possibilities.

The student could actually be active in more than one school
A student can be active in more than one school, in which case the student will be directed to select a school when logging into e-asTTle. If the student is not expected to be active in any school other than yours, you can inform the other school(s) to delete the student in e-asTTle.

The student could have been active previously in your school
If this is the case, no action is required.

Another student (within your school or another school) has the same NSN
Unless the NSN id is made unique, the student cannot be imported/added.

Sometimes a file validates successfully but when I try to import it I get a message saying "Import of file <filename> failed … "

Check that all the Years in the file are within the e-asTTle supported range, that is, 1 to 13.

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