Importing/Exporting Applicant Data

An overview of methods for moving SOPHAS data into external data systems (Banner, PeopleSoft, etc) from SOPHAS or AdMIT

The Data: What’s available?

These zip files contain the applicant data in two formats:

•Plain text (.txt)

•Microsoft Access database (.mdb)

Schools receive applicant data in zip files (Available via download through the Admissions Officers’ Web Portal.)

Note: Data dictionaries describing the file contents will be provided for both AdMIT and SOPHAS files.

The Data’s Destination

For most schools, the destination will be a campus-wide database system, such as PeopleSoft or Banner.

Schools will import data into their systems as needed for either of the following Sources Directly from SOPHAS import files (direct

method) By generating files through AdMIT’s “Custom

Export” feature. (indirect method)

Institutional Database(Banner, PeopleSoft, SMS, etc)

Direct Import Steps

Download zip file from the web

Text and mdb formatted files containing all applicant data for the current mailing

unzip

Import (3rd party script/program)

Institutional Database(Banner, PeopleSoft, SMS, etc)

This import process must be repeated for each mailing.

Indirect Import Steps

import

Institutional Database(Banner, PeopleSoft, SMS, etc)

Download zip file from the web portal

unzip

Import (3rd party script/program)

•Modify applicant data•Process applications•Make decisions•Filter applicant pool

File generated in a “flat file” format chosen by the user

(txt, xml, dbf, sdf, or xls)

export

Benefits and Drawbacks: Direct Method

Benefits: Fewer steps All fields data provided by SOPHAS are available.

Drawbacks: No local processing from AdMIT is passed to main system

Directly imported data won’t contain all of the changes and added data from the Admissions officers.

Must be run multiple times (once per mailing) Always pulls in all applicants (does not account for changes made during the

admissions cycle) More complex script/programming

because it must run multiple times, and imports will have updates to applicants, this method must account for that repeated/updated data.

Benefits and Drawbacks: Indirect Method

Benefits: Data added/modified during the cycle can be exported. School may choose which fields appear in the custom export file. User-defined fields from AdMIT are available for export.

Custom fields are used to track data collected by the school that is not provided by SOPHAS.

Export only the desired records by using filtered lists in the Custom Export utility. For example, many schools only import matriculated applicants into the main

system to avoid adding unused records to the main system. Custom Export allows 5 different file formats. (More flexibility in design) Drawbacks: More steps Less available data fields.

Although most fields are available for export, AdMIT’s export does not include every field imported.