Mining the Database for Beginners (DDE)

An Introduction to PowerSchool DDE, Tables and Exporting

Welcome To PowerSchool Session -

Session Objectives:

This session will cover: What is DDE PowerSchool Tables How to Locate, View and Export Data

Background PowerSchool

Admin

Subs Teachers

Teachers Web Based

Web Based Web Based

Parents

Data

Web Based

Gradebook

Scope

Where’s the Data?

DDE provides us a tool to pull information out of PowerSchool for analysis. DDE lets you view information in the various database tables in PowerSchool, and allows you to export that information out to a file that can be opened by Excel.

What is DDE? • Direct Database Export

What’s the does that mean? • Think DDE as “view only” with the ability to export data out of PowerSchool.

You can not make changes!

Why Use DDE?

• To find the data you need to create reports

• Allows you to export or filter information not easily obtained through PowerSchool interface

• Can be used to track down data issues

• Using DDE effectively requires:

• Knowledge of data elements – the “stuff/Info” in the fields

• Knowledge of table relationships

How Do I Find DDE in PowerSchool? • It’s found on the PowerSchool Start Page – by clicking on the

“System” link found under the Set Up menu.

Finding DDE cont…. • This will take you to the System Administrator’s page.

Direct Database Export DDE

Direct Database Export Example

Data Dictionary Tables Purpose

• A useful and necessary tool in collecting and reporting PowerSchool data.

• Includes the names and descriptions of the various tables in the PowerSchool

Database

• Each Table contains specific information related to that Table ie: the Teachers table contains information about the teachers

• The PowerSchool Database contains over 200 tables

Resource: Data Dictionary

Data Dictionary Tables Commonly Used Tables

The PowerSchool Tables contain all of the information for schools, students, grades, etc.

Why Do I Need To Know About Tables? • When you need information for reports, you need to

know where to find it.

• You need to know the name of the records containing the information, and the name or number of the table that contains the record in order to use the data.

The Box is the Table Each Package of paper in

the box is a Record Each Piece of paper is a

Data Element (field)

PowerSchool Database

• The PowerSchool database contains over 200 tables. • Understanding tables and their relationship will help you manage and

analyze your data.

• Each table has a unique number which tells PowerSchool which table to use when it retrieves information.

• Tables

PowerSchool Data Base • Records Each record has its own ID number to identify it from all the others. How would we find the ID numbers in PowerSchool

Example #1 – Term ID:

Record ID Numbers Resource: Internal Numbers

Example #1 – Term ID

Record ID Numbers

Record ID Numbers

Record ID Numbers Example #2 – Year ID

Record ID Numbers

PLEASE MAKE NOTE: Year ID for the 2012 – 2013 school

year is 2200 But when you are using the Year ID in DDE you only need

to use 22

………..Just One Example

Record ID Numbers

From the Start Page in PowerSchool - select a specific student.

Example #3 – Student ID

Record ID Numbers Example #4 – Section ID: There are two ways to find this: #1

Record ID Numbers

Record ID Numbers Example #4 – Section ID: There are two ways to find this: #2

Record ID Numbers

Record ID Numbers

Relationships Within Tables Example: cc tables

CC

COURSES

STUDENTS TEACHERS

Putting Table Relationships To Work • What if we only pulled from the cc table?

Exporting Useful Data • How could I make this more useful?

• Gives you Course Number, Student ID, Teacher ID and TermID

Exporting The Data • Let’s Use What We’ve Learned About Tables

Student – Course Info

Exporting Data • Quick Export or DDE?

• Export using a template or Quick Export allows you to export from Students, Courses, Student Schedules, Staff and Historical Grades.

• To get information from other tables you will need to use DDE

Search Examples • Student with 80% or greater for T1

marks

• Your principal has asked fora list of all students with 80% or greater in their T1 mark

Resource: Examples – Example #1

Search Examples • Stored Grades Table

Search Examples

Search Examples

Search Examples

Searching With DDE You don’t have to be a detective…..but it does help!

Bridging the “Data Gap” is only inhibited by creativity….. Don’t be limited to traditional methods; think “outside the box”!!!

Resources

• Cindy Tatarniuk – Edmonton Public Schools – Edmonton, AB • Krista Soetaert – Peace Wapiti School Division – Grande Prairie, AB

• Phil Bettendorf/Level Data…..background: Teacher, PS Admin, Network

Admin, programmer, systems engineer.

• DDE 101 – Exporting and Importing……Kathy Romeyn – Byron Center Public Schools, PowerPoint Excerpts Courtesy of Vicki Glowacki – Dexter Communitiy Schools.