ULN Numbers Mandatory in Jan 2014

[CAM]

I've just been told by our exams officer that ULN numbers are to become mandatory in the census from Jan 2014. Having checked, we have rather patchy coverage of ULNs in our system!

Where do we obtain ULNs from if the previous school never sent anything in a CTF file?

[vikpaw]

Key2Success site , failing that, contact the LA ...?

[CAM]

Thanks Vik, looks like ULNs can be fetched in Key2Success. Now to work out who is meant to have one!

[vikpaw]

Everyone

[GREED]

Be nice if you could import them into SIMS in a bulk action....

[PhilNeal]

Pretty sure you can as Key2Success outputs a thin CTF which can be read into SIMS. How do you get them into Aspen?

[GREED]

Through an import routine. Doesn't require the CTF standard, as Aspen can import any XML or CSV or similar file (including CTF). So if you had a basic long list (of anything you want to import in fact), you can. If the import definition isn't already built by us, the school or LA can build it easily themselves (very simple), save it and use it again and again.

[CAM]

LRS supply the file as a CTF so I'm not sure why you'd put it into an XML or CSV file first.

[JohnCondon]

To be more specific any MIS provider that is delivering the CTF version 12 specification will be able to import this data.
The import of ULN is included as one of the types of partial CTF, backed up within the CBDS data definition framework item D00211.
If the Key2Success output is also using the new partial CTF naming conventions then it should also be possible to auto-detect the purpose for which the file was created (it should have ULN instead of CTF in it's file name).

Hopefully this won't change much between now and the live date, although we are due a finalised CTF 13 specification between now and then...

[GREED]

LRS supply the file as a CTF so I'm not sure why you'd put it into an XML or CSV file first.

I was generalising on the import facilities Aspen offers.

- - - Updated - - -

LRS supply the file as a CTF so I'm not sure why you'd put it into an XML or CSV file first.

I was generalising on the import facilities Aspen offers.

[JohnCondon]

If the import definition isn't already built by us, the school or LA can build it easily themselves (very simple), save it and use it again and again.

This is certainly a nice to have Graham but with ULN's the application for a number goes through central authority (LRS in this instance) in an effort to maintain absolute uniqueness.
So it's a lot less likely, in this case, that the data would be coming from another party.

But I note that you were generalising on the import facilities Aspen offers.

[GREED]

This is certainly a nice to have Graham but with ULN's the application for a number goes through central authority (LRS in this instance) in an effort to maintain absolute uniqueness.
So it's a lot less likely, in this case, that the data would be coming from another party.

But I note that you were generalising on the import facilities Aspen offers.

Yes I have not been very clear on my original point there! Yes aware LRS is the central authority for ULNs and CTF is the method of choice for import in this instance.

I'm now going to be quiet for a bit, particularly as I appear to be stealing the thread...

[JohnCondon]

While I am sure @CAM has already found this link (off of Vik's advice) I thought it would be useful for anyone else stumbling around for advice.

Learning Records Service ULN advice

This should take you to the LRS page with a pretty detailed set of steps to follow toward the bottom of the page.

[superfletch]

Pretty sure you can as Key2Success outputs a thin CTF which can be read into SIMS.

+1

K2S offers CSV and CTF versions of the ULN's for your school to import.

[GREED]

Interesting...