Sivadam

As the Timetabler for 3 decades or so and a user of Nova for what seems for ever (way before it belonged to Capita/SIMS), I welcome the fact that I have to insert my user name and password everytime that I need to create a new Maintenance Dataset and again to send that Dataset to SQL. I would not want this to be automatic - for me it is a safeguard for my Timetable which, after all, is the basis around which the rest of the SIMS functions! Your Timetabler should be glad that this protection exists! This is normal procedure! It is probably also why Capita are so 'coy'! If they advise schools on how to bypass this system, and something does go amiss, then there could be some comeback on Capita systems and the advice they have given!

Mark, You may also like to consult the following from SupportNet:- KB104618 - Cover not appearing on the Take Register timeline.

Or even a WP7.5! Or, even better, a Samsung Slate! I wonder if this bloke will bring me one!

Update from SupportNet:- *** SIMS 2011 Autumn Release - Please Read 29/11/2011 29/11/2011 We are in the final stages of investigating the issues with the autumn release. Unfortunately it has proved more complex to fully investigate than we had anticipated. I will provide an update with more details by COB tomorrow at the latest. Regards, Jon

Try Stopping and then re-starting each of the Discover Services. It may say that the Services are running but, at first install, they may not actually be.

You hit the nail on the head there creese! The truth is that nobody will know if there is an issue or not until all 22,000 schools have updated! An individual error can occur in any school! Hence the school-specific patches! As I said earlier, if I had UATd this release (I actually attended UAT for SLG, to get a heads up on the the Homework Webpart!), then I would have noticed no problem whatsoever. I even ran a Spring Census Test after we upgraded to 7.142 before I knew that Fileset90 had been omitted!

It certainly seems so!

... and that is where little old me comes in (and a few others! ) with UAT! UAT is well worth the time and effort - especially when new functionality is being delivered by a future release that you are testing!

I would love to get hold of a Samsung Slate (obviously the most expensive one!) and try that. Anybody wanna get me one for Christmas?

SupportNet, Support, Surveys! I'll also be at the consultation meeting on 15th December. Maybe I'll some of you there? As for not having time for SupportNet - you could save yourself hours and hours of frustration when you have an issue with SIMS. There are some very experienced and knowledgeable users on SupportNet who are only too willing to share their expertise with you!

I would like to refer SIMS Users to the following link from the Sticky Items on the SupportNet website. Apologies to those that do understand how much testing of SIMS Releases is done. Those that don't, may I humbly suggest you read the document. The link is: User Acceptance Test

And so do ours!

When I attend UAT then I test the forthcoming upgrade against my school's own dataset. That is what UAT is aimed at. Capita want to test against as many different datasets as they can. That is why they also release beta versions to LAs and approved test schools! UAT also gives you an opportunity to feed your own ideas into the system so you can, even if only in a small way, determine how the software moves forward. Ironically, I have applied for January's UAT to test the Spring 2011 Release and the session is full! It seems that more and more users are seeing the benefits of UAT. I would like to attend but maybe this is the time to get the Beta for that release to test on my new SIMS Test laptop. It won't be the same as attending UAT though! As for not having time for testing, I also use it for my own training needs! If new functionality is being released with a future release then you can trial that part of the software at UAT! This saves time (and possibly money) later, as you would most likely not need further training in that new functionality!

This highlights the problem that Capita has in testing the releases! If I had been at UAT for this release then my dataset would not have picked up any issue! We have upgraded with no problem at all and the fact that the Census fileset was missing is a minor irritance. It only took a couple of seconds to import it! Releases are tested extensively but there are now 22,000 schools using SIMS and they all use SIMS in a unique manner! That is SIMS strength - you can tailor it to the needs of the school. The fact that only 3 schools are affected, out of the 1,000 or so who have taken it, highlights how problematic testing can be! In my opinion Capita now do very well with their UAT. And if you disagree then you can always volunteer to join the scheme and become a UAT Associate school.

I have not yet come across that issue. Maybe I better go and find out what the issue is! Update! This does not affect us - it seems from the other thread that only 3 schools are affected out of the 1,000 that have taken the release. This highlights the problem that Capita has in testing the releases! If I had been at UAT for this release then my dataset would not have picked up any issue! Release are tested extensively but there are now 22,000 schools with SIMS and they all use SIMS in a unique manner! That is SIMS strength - you can tailor it to the needs of the school.

Hmmmmmmm!!!! My Email arrived on the 24th Nov and yet I had posted the reason for the release initially being pulled at 1.57 PM on 23rd Nov! And I had seen it before then - I just wasn't logged into Edugeek and so had not seen this thread until quite a bit after I knew that the release had been pulled! And importing the Fileset meant I did not have to run the second upgrade!

The OP asked about showing staff what to do in SIMS. So the iPad idea, with it's limited functionality, would not suffice for this task!

They do keep us very informed - via SupportNet!

The release has only been withdrawn because a Census Fileset is not included. Those of us who have upgraded will be able to import that Fileset when it is available on SupportNet. Those with problems, are you on .Net4 EXTENDED?

I agree that you should use the Teacher's own access. The person walking round with mobile access will no doubt have different Permissions to the Classroom Teacher. You need to advise that Teacher based on what they can see with their own Login!

That was the solution in our case for exactly the same problem. The Service said it was running straight after installation but, in fact, it wasn't. Try stopping and restarting all services concerned with Discover!

Try stopping and re-starting the Discover Group Synchronisation Service. Then run the Transfer again! Update You will probably have to save the DUDG again!

I uploaded my SWC by 7.10am on the morning of 3rd November. I know that it uploaded correctly as it was confirmed by my LA, who sent me an email to congratulate me on being the first successful upload (as per usual!). The link to the SWC was not available until 7.00am that morning. I had checked the site quite late the previous evening and no link was available! Are you sure that you actually uploaded to the correct site?

I have never come across a Merge Contact routine. I have always done this manually by removing associated students from one contact to another and then deleting the copntact that no longer has any associated students!

I assume that you have mis-typed the start date on this post as opposed to in the software! If so then it looks like you do need to get Capita Support on to it via a new Support Case!