NSW- Understanding the Group and Location Sync

Note: This article is for the benefit of schools in New South Wales only

Hero works with the NSW Department of Education to ensure that data held in their database aligns with the data held in Hero.  This is done by synchronising data on a regular basis (currently daily).  A sync is actioned for students, staff, groups and locations.

The group sync will bring both roll class and non-roll class groups into Hero, along with the students and staff associated with these groups.  

Hero has 5 different group types, these are -

• INACTIVE - the groups is no longer required so has been moved to INACTIVE but can still be viewed on the student when looking at group membership
• MY GROUPS - groups that are available to selected staff members only
• SHARED GROUPS - groups that are available to ALL staff
• AUTO GROUPS - groups that are automatically populated based on certain criteria (e.g. status, year level, page posts).
• CLASS GROUPS - Roll classes.  A student can only appear in 1 roll class

The location sync downloads, from the DoE's asset management system, all rooms associated with the school.  The locations are used in Hero when recording medications held and for general use information (e.g. capacity planning). 

How groups and locations sync with Hero, is dependent on whether or not Hero is the GRS Master.  If a school uses multiple management systems, only 1 can be the GRS (Groups, Rooms, Staff) Master.  

IF HERO IS NOT THE GRS MASTER

Groups

All group maintenance (i.e. creating, maintaining and allocating students) will need to be carried out in the system that is designated as the GRS Master.  Hero will download group details and memberships from the DoE but will not upload any changes made in Hero.

Only Shared Groups and Roll Classes are synced with the DoE.   Shared Groups are further associated with a group type.   These are a standard set defined by the DoE and appear under Admin > Basic Options.  They are created automatically by the group sync process.   

DoE Standard Group Types  (these cannot be edited)

• Excursions / Incursions
• Extra-Curricular
• House Groups
• KLAs/Subjects/Courses
• Other Activities
• Peer Support
• Special Religious Education
• Sport

Additional group types can be added manually. 

Additional Shared Groups or My Groups can be created for internal purposes but these will not be upfeed to the DoE.  Creating a group in Hero is the same for all schools. 

House Group membership will sync to both the group and also to the House field via the student field sync from ERN.

Locations

Locations come from two sources. 

• AMS - downloaded from the DoE and only minimal information can be changed.  This will not be synced back to the DoE.
• Vendor - created by the school for internal use.  All fields are manually entered and will not sync with the DoE.

IF HERO IS THE GRS MASTER

All group maintenance (i.e. creating, maintaining and allocating students) will need to be carried out in Hero.  This will then be uploaded to the DoE.

Only Shared Groups and Roll Classes are synced with the DoE.   

Roll Classes are created using the Hero Class Placements feature and maintained by editing a class.

My Groups and Shared Groups are further associated with a group type as above.   These appear under Admin > Basic Options and are created automatically by the Group sync process.   Additional group types can also be added manually.  The DoE's standard group types (listed above) cannot be edited, once the group has been synced with the DoE.

Only Shared Groups and Roll Classes are synced with the DoE.   My Groups are used more for internal purposes.   Creating a group in Hero is the same for all schools. 

House Group changes are actioned in Hero by updating the relevant Shared Group(s).  These changes will upload to the DoE and will then sync back down (overnight) into the student fields.

Locations

Locations come from two sources. 

• AMS - downloaded from the DoE and only the Description, Status and Timetable status can be changed.  These changes will be uploaded to the DoE.
• Vendor - created by the school for internal use.  All fields are manually entered and will be uploaded to the DoE.  As Vendor locations they will continue to be maintainable.

These articles will assist you with Creating and Maintaining Groups, Classes and Locations.

• Creating a Group of Students
• Editing a Group
• Deleting a Group
• End of Year Class Placements
• Creating a Class
• Editing a Class
• Deleting a Class
• Adding and Maintaining School Locations

The following actions will result in an immediate upload to the DoE.

• A new Shared Group is added
• A new Roll Class is added
• Students are added to or removed from a group or class
• A teacher is added to or removed from a group or class
• A Shared Group or Roll Class is deleted
• A Shared Group or Roll Class is changed from Active to Inactive (or visa versa)
• A Shared Group or Roll Class label in changed.