Uploading Data to Program Tracked Fields

You can use the Run Upload option (menu path: select Administration from the main menu, select Utilities submenu, select Download & Upload, and then select Run Upload) to update program tracked fields. The upload will update the program tracked (source) field and close and open the associated program records if the student's value for the field has changed. The upload compares the value in the data file to the value in the source field, not the program tracking records for the field.

When you select an interface that includes a program tracked field in the Run Upload option, you will be required to select the method for assigning the Program End Date to use when closing a record and the Program Start Date to use when opening a record. Typically, the end date will be the date before the start date.

The following bullets explain how program records are processed by the upload:

• If the student has a current value for the field that is different from the value in the data file, the current program record will be closed and a new program record will be opened. For example, if you are uploading data to the Meal Status field, the student has a current value of RL (for reduced lunch) and the data file has a value of FL (for free lunch) for the student, the upload will close the program record for RL and open a new record for FL.
  The Run Upload option only closes a program record if the student needs to have a new record created because the student's value for the program tracked field changed. It does not close the program record if the data file has a null or blank value for the field.
• If the student has no current value for the field, a program record will be opened. For example, if you are uploading data to the Meal Status field, the student has no value for the Meal Status field and the data file has a value of FL (for free lunch) for the student, the upload will open a new record for FL.
• If the student has a closed program record and the student's current value for the field is different from the value in the data file, a new program record will be opened.

Run Upload validates program tracking data
The Run Upload will skip records and log errors if updating the program records could result in invalid data.

• If the dates entered in the Run Upload option would create invalid program tracking records for a student, the record for the student will be skipped and an error will be logged.
• If the program tracked field is linked to Entry/Withdrawal with a link type of Completely link Start and End dates with no missing days, allowing changes and the Program End Date and Program Start Date entered would result in missing days, the student will be skipped and an error will be logged.
• If the program tracked field is linked to a header field in the program, the records will be skipped and an error will be logged. You cannot use the Run Upload to update fields that are linked to another field in the program because the upload is designed to update only the fields specified in the interface and it cannot maintain the linked program fields.

After you have run the Run Upload option in verify mode, review the log file for errors related to program tracking dates. You may need to change the end date and start date specified in Run Upload or correct student data before running in update mode.

Run Upload does not enforce business rules. If the field you are uploading has business rules, you will need to verify that the data was correctly uploaded.

The existing Test Score Import Files (Import Score from File) option can be used with the Student Portal Access Code (SPAC) upload processing in the Run Upload utility to load the Student Portal Access Code from the Assessment Score files directly into the District Defined PEIMS Demographics page. The SPAC file name must be SPACUpload.txt.