Google Apps School Directory Sync

[Arthur]

Download / Direct Links Windows: (32-bit, 64-bit) Linux: (32-bit, 64-bit)

 

... today we are announcing School Directory Sync, a new version of the Google Apps Directory Sync (GADS) tool built specifically for schools.

 

This utility allows an admin to export data from their student information system (SIS) and quickly sync it to their Google Apps for Education domain. With this tool it’s easy to create users, organizational units, and Google Groups, and also to keep everything in sync. (Source)

 

Note: To run synchronization, you must also enable APIs on your Google Apps domain. See Administrative APIs for details.

 

[Jwzg]

Holy Grail Batman!

 

This is exactly what I was looking for!

[seawolf]

It remains to be seen how well this will actually work in integrating with existing school administration systems. There is no indication of what systems this tool is compatible with. I think I'll let someone else be the pioneering soul for this one.

[rob_coles]

We use the other one works well

[kipster]

Here's the link to the help pages. https://support.google.com/a/topic/6039552?hl=en&ref_topic=4511280

 

As with rob_coles we've been using GADS for 3 years with no issues. It took a bit of testing to set up the initial rules, there's lots of help out there, and its been working seamlessly.

 

The school Directory Sync uses a csv export rather than direct integration with the school management system, so as long as you can get the info out of your system it should work fine.

Edited June 30, 2014 by kipster

[sparkeh]

Given that I put a fair bit of effort wrestling with the normal GADS to get it where I want it, I may wait to see if others find it a better option

[seawolf]

We use the normal GADS as well and it works fine 99.9% of the time. Integrating with AD is a lot easier than integrating with a plethora of School Admin Systems though.

 

Seeing as how the new version is only able to get data from CSV imports it wouldn't do much for us. Especially when we already have an SSO system (CloudWorks) that can dynamically pull data directly from our school admin system and create email groups for all of our classes. If Google could do the same as well for free it would be worth a look though.

[Tall_Paul]

This is, hopefully, exactly what we're looking for too. Our MIS is SIMS and our Principal wants group email addresses for every class (which change more than once per academic year too, a real pain).

 

I'm fairly sure, given the time, I could have scripted something to do it but if this tool will do it out of the box then even better.

[sparkeh]

This is, hopefully, exactly what we're looking for too. Our MIS is SIMS and our Principal wants group email addresses for every class (which change more than once per academic year too, a real pain).

 

I'm fairly sure, given the time, I could have scripted something to do it but if this tool will do it out of the box then even better.

Just so you know, GADS can do this very easily. Just create a group in AD, add the members and sync. Job done.

 

Similar to comments by @seawolf above, I think its probably easier to manager this by AD than MIS.

Edited July 1, 2014 by sparkeh

[pcstru]

I'm fairly sure, given the time, I could have scripted something to do it but if this tool will do it out of the box then even better.

I've done some work on this which might be a good start for anyone. Code is Here.

[Tall_Paul]

Just so you know, GADS can do this very easily. Just create a group in AD, add the members and sync. Job done.

 

Similar to comments by @seawolf above, I think its probably easier to manager this by AD than MIS.

 

We have no choice unfortunately, our class data is held in SIMS rather than AD.

 

If GADS syncs perfectly with AD I suppose I could faff around with using CSVDE to import the data from SIMS.

 

I'd be interested to know if anyone else on here syncs class data between SIMS and Google Apps (and how you do it if you do).

[Tall_Paul]

I've done some work on this which might be a good start for anyone. Code is Here.

 

That looks handy, thanks.

 

Looks like it might be a case of downloading the data from SIMS via CSV, using your script (altered to make it fit us) to populate the required groups in AD (and amend the required groups when required like at the end of the academic year) and then finishing with GADS to sync the groups into Google Apps.

 

Still a bit of fiddling, but it'll (touch wood) work which is the main thing.

[pcstru]

Looks like it might be a case of downloading the data from SIMS via CSV, using your script (altered to make it fit us) to populate the required groups in AD (and amend the required groups when required like at the end of the academic year) and then finishing with GADS to sync the groups into Google Apps.

Yes. I have the CMIS data extract scripted via powershell and run the whole lot as a scheduled process overnight. The biggest problem is the teachers distribution groups are dependant on the teachers actually teaching groups. I get requests for technicians etc to be put on but they would then be removed by the auto update. I probably need to think of some way of adding in a maintained list without hard coding it..

 

If you do the SIMS -> CSV, could you post the report into the thread? It might well be useful to others.

[Tall_Paul]

Yes. I have the CMIS data extract scripted via powershell and run the whole lot as a scheduled process overnight. The biggest problem is the teachers distribution groups are dependant on the teachers actually teaching groups. I get requests for technicians etc to be put on but they would then be removed by the auto update. I probably need to think of some way of adding in a maintained list without hard coding it..

 

If you do the SIMS -> CSV, could you post the report into the thread? It might well be useful to others.

 

Yes, will do.

 

We're moving over to Google Mail and Apps this summer so the real donkey work will take place then (and it's also then that I'll take a good look at GASDS).

 

The ideal scenario would be to download data from SIMS into a CSV and then, using GASDS, shove it into Google Apps but I cant believe it's going to be as straightforward as that.

 

My current mindset is that if I have to do significant manipulation to the SIMS CSV then I may as well just shove it into AD and rely on the 'tried and test' GADS.

[Jwzg]

This is, hopefully, exactly what we're looking for too. Our MIS is SIMS and our Principal wants group email addresses for every class (which change more than once per academic year too, a real pain).

 

I'm fairly sure, given the time, I could have scripted something to do it but if this tool will do it out of the box then even better.

 

For email addresses we use graduation year as part of the address. You could use "class of 20xx" as your email group names and never have to change them.

[Tall_Paul]

For email addresses we use graduation year as part of the address. You could use "class of 20xx" as your email group names and never have to change them.

 

We do something similar for individual student email addresses but for class emails I think you misunderstand.

 

Our Principal want it tied into a student's academic classes (of which 1 student has many) so the teacher of that class can send an email to the whole of the class. So for Year 10 Science Group 1, Mr Jones can send them all an email with their homework.

 

Fortunately our MIS (SIMS) lets you create bespoke reports and export them as spreadsheets so I have created two. One with all the classes listed, and one with all students and the classes they belong to.

 

Unfortunately the data still requires editing so I'm creating a couple of VBA macros to do that. Then the idea is I will import these csv files (first create the groups, then assign the students to those groups) into AD using a Powershell script. Finally I'll sync all this with Google.

 

It's a bit of a faff TBH and our class lists change throughout the year too. Fun times ahead!

[Tall_Paul]

Just so you know, GADS can do this very easily. Just create a group in AD, add the members and sync. Job done.

 

Similar to comments by @seawolf above, I think its probably easier to manager this by AD than MIS.

 

In relation to this, do you just add your students to a standard security group in AD or do you use something else?

 

Having not yet fully set up our Google Mail for all our users does it let you email security groups?

Edited July 2, 2014 by Tall_Paul

[seawolf]

We do something similar for individual student email addresses but for class emails I think you misunderstand.

 

Our Principal want it tied into a student's academic classes (of which 1 student has many) so the teacher of that class can send an email to the whole of the class. So for Year 10 Science Group 1, Mr Jones can send them all an email with their homework.

 

Fortunately our MIS (SIMS) lets you create bespoke reports and export them as spreadsheets so I have created two. One with all the classes listed, and one with all students and the classes they belong to.

 

Unfortunately the data still requires editing so I'm creating a couple of VBA macros to do that. Then the idea is I will import these csv files (first create the groups, then assign the students to those groups) into AD using a Powershell script. Finally I'll sync all this with Google.

 

It's a bit of a faff TBH and our class lists change throughout the year too. Fun times ahead!

 

You should take a look at StudentNet SSO (Studentnet | Make the Cloud Yours!), which can replace GADS and GAPS, as well as pulling student groups and classlists from school admin systems and automatically creating email groups in Google Apps. They are dynamically updated. It can also provide SSO for Zendesk and other systems.

 

It can do all you want and more.

[Tall_Paul]

You should take a look at StudentNet SSO (Studentnet | Make the Cloud Yours!), which can replace GADS and GAPS, as well as pulling student groups and classlists from school admin systems and automatically creating email groups in Google Apps. They are dynamically updated. It can also provide SSO for Zendesk and other systems.

 

It can do all you want and more.

 

I doubt it'll work with SIMS unfortunately (have only found one that does, and it doesn't link back to AD so is useless for us). It's SIMS that's the problem really.

[sparkeh]

In relation to this, do you just add your students to a standard security group in AD or do you use something else?

 

Having not yet fully set up our Google Mail for all our users does it let you email security groups?

Yes students go into a security group in AD, GADS will create a group in Google Apps for any AD Security Groups that you choose to sync (and have an email address associated with it) and put the members of that AD group into the Google Apps groups.

 

I have a report in SIMS that outputs pupils and classes, so my workflow is SIMS reports -> bulk AD upload tool (to make AD match SIMS info) -> GADS

After this I have pupils in the correct groups in both AD and Google Apps and group email addresses.

[dhicks]

I doubt it'll work with SIMS unfortunately (have only found one that does, and it doesn't link back to AD so is useless for us). It's SIMS that's the problem really.

 

SalamanderSoft do a SIMS-to-Active Directory tool, if that's any help. Contact user @rpwillis.

[Tall_Paul]

Thanks for that. I've had a look but we don't need that level of granularity (plus I can script something myself to do it).

[Tall_Paul]

Yes students go into a security group in AD, GADS will create a group in Google Apps for any AD Security Groups that you choose to sync (and have an email address associated with it) and put the members of that AD group into the Google Apps groups.

 

I have a report in SIMS that outputs pupils and classes, so my workflow is SIMS reports -> bulk AD upload tool (to make AD match SIMS info) -> GADS

After this I have pupils in the correct groups in both AD and Google Apps and group email addresses.

 

Perhaps I should just PM you sparkeh, but others may find this useful.

 

At the end of the academic year our students go up a year and all their classgroups change.

 

I can handle the altering of groups within AD but will GADS pick this up and alter their groups accordingly? Otherwise there would be a horrific situation where someone who had gone from Year 9 to Year 10 would be a member (in Google) of all the Year 9 and 10 classlists.

 

I'm guessing (and hoping) GADS handles this seamlessly but it doesn't harm to ask those of you who have experience.

[sparkeh]

I can handle the altering of groups within AD but will GADS pick this up and alter their groups accordingly?

Yes it will.

[Pompeygeorge]

Hi,

I'm hoping to try this over the summer for CMIS. One thing I'm not sure on - how do I get CMIS to automatically create the 5 .csv files that SDS needs? Is there any help online for this bit of the system?

 

One other thing - we have staff on one domain and pupils on another - presumably we can only use this for one (probably the pupil one)?

 

If this works it will be something I've been after for a couple of years.

 

Wish me luck...

 

George