[sims] Summer 2013 Release

[Simcfc73]

Anyone got a link to the ISO download? For some reason the setup folder isn't updating so I have a incompatible databae error on a server which I use for RDP (and Solus 3 messes it up if I install on it)

[vikpaw]

It's in the news item on SupportNet, but we can't post it here. The above quote is the same item without the links.

[vikpaw]

I must say it's looking good.

The timeline issue is fixed, which is a massive improvement, but we're changing our days of the week, so been waiting ages for a fix to edit the new academic year!

The read only tick boxes in assessment are a real time save, and did anyone notice a zoom button before? Well that makes a huge difference when fiddling around with and moving columns in the template. +1 )

The dot for medical info in the register is really useful, but i still don't see how an administrator can set it for the site, and thus it's a bit rubbish in practise unless you convince the staff to add it manually.

On the bright side, they've finally updated the reporting dictionary to tightly link the medical notes in with the actual event / condition they were written against, so reports will actually show the correct information now when you pull in a sub-report on medical info. That's really great.

Overall, suitably impressed.

Edited August 27, 2013 by vikpaw

[vikpaw]

Well, missed this in all the busi-ness of summer.

Version 2 is out, but you only need it if you have one of the problems listed or want the extra Staff Module.

Confused by teh duplicate column name thing in marksheets, i thought we were getting rid of that.

SIMS 2013 Summer 2 Release is now available

 

 

I'm pleased to inform you that the SIMS 2013 Summer 2 Release is now available for download by SOLUS.

Overview

The 2013 Summer 2 release includes the following features and functionality

· Staff Performance (separately licensable software)

· Fixes to

o Personnel

o Assessment

o Exams analysis

o Interventions

· The full functionality of the original SIMS 2013 Summer release (full details of this can be found in Supportnet News Item 21221)

Full details of this release can be found in the SIMS 2013 Summer 2 Release Note (Resource ID: 21527)

 

Content

Staff Performance

The 2013 Summer 2 release includes a brand new performance management area for staff within SIMS Personnel. From individual objectives and lesson observations to employee reviews and development, all your staff performance data is held centrally, securely and integrated with the personnel record. It also provides accurate up-to-date information on staff performance so you can make evidenced decisions during appraisals. These enhancements require the purchase of an additional licence. For further information on SIMS Personnel enhancements please call 0845 520 3013 or email [email protected].

Once purchased, the official SIMS 2013 Summer 2 release together with the Staff Performance licence will be made available to you through your Local Support Unit (LSU) on either SOLUS 2 or SOLUS 3

 

If you are a secondary school we strongly recommend that you read Resource Number 21147 available from SupportNet as it contains information on when you can upgrade Exams to the Summer release.

Schools that have not purchased the Staff Performance functionality do not need to take the SIMS 2013 Summer 2 release unless they require one of the fixes below and they are not able to apply a patch to do so.

 

Personnel

· The screen focus when using the navigation buttons on the staff record has been fixed so that you remain on the same panel after selecting ‘previous’ or ‘next’

· Issues around saving between tabs that include mandatory fields have been fixed when adding a new member of staff

· User defined fields now correctly appear on the professional details and employment details tabs.

 

Assessment – duplicate column names possible

· Duplicate columns names in Marksheets will now be distinguished by a ~ (tilde) followed by a number.

 

Exams analysis patches

· Gradeset updated to allow International Baccalaureate numerical grades - Patch 18248

· The Awarding bodies names and descriptions match with performance file from RRQ names and descriptions - Patch 18471

· The PI calculation will now correctly discount AS and GCSE when they have the same discount code – Patch 18491

· The OCR Gradeset will now populate when importing the OCR basedata into Summer - Patch 18488

· The issue with ‘OCR for OCR Nationals (legacy) Z6n13_72. – Aspect Type result for Element not found’ has been resolved (Patch 18488)

· The filters now work correctly on the Statement of Result – Patch 18435

· The calculations now correctly include BTEC applied science in Welsh CSI calculators – Patch 18452

· The Grade sets JC 23, 24 and 25 have been added into SIMS to accommodate OCR Cambridge Level 2 / OCR Cambridge. Level 3 introduced in 2012 for certification in 2014

 

Interventions

· It is now possible to add an intervention for a student who has an intervention in a previous year.

 

SIMS Version Support

In line with the SIMS Version Support, the currently supported Platforms are:

 

• SIMS 2013 Spring Release (v7.150)
  
• SIMS 2013 Summer Release (v7.152)
  
• SIMS 2013 Summer 2 release (v7.153)
  

There are no updates to Discover, InTouch, SLG, Partnership Xchange or FMS and existing Summer 2013 versions of this software are compatible with the SIMS 2013 Summer 2 release.