Conducting Student

Searches
Trainer Name
Trainer/Consultant

PowerSchool University
2014

Agenda

Welcome and Introductions

Database Overview
Search Commands
Search Codes
Storing Options
Shortcuts and Additional Searches
Time for Review

Database Overview

Database Terminology

A Single Record

Fields
Data in records is contained in fields

Each field has a unique name

Tables and Records

Tables are interrelated lists containing individual records
A change in one table can update similar fields in other tables

Examples of Basic Searches

Type a last name
Type a student number
Click a letter
Click a grade level
Click M or F

But That Isnt Your Only Option!

Enable the Smart Search feature.

Personalize > Interface

9

Smart Search Icons

Students
Inactive Students
Staff
Fields
Stored Selections

10

For Example...

Enter Anderson in the

search field
View a list of students
matching that search,
including inactive students

11

Viewing Student Information

Click the students name in the list
Click the blue links on the menu to view student pages

12

Now Its
Your Turn

Complete hands-on
activity 1:
Conducting Basic
Searches

13

Search Commands

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What is a search command?

A search command contains three elements:
Field name
Comparator
Search argument

Field Name
first_name

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Comparator
=

Search Argument
John

What if I dont know the field name?

Navigate to the Start Page
Click View Field List

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Dont forget the Smart Search!

Start typing the field name to view matching fields.

17

Comparators
= (equals)

Examples:

< (less than)

Find all students who are on the

soccer team:

> (greater than)

soccer#

# (does not equal)

Find the student whose mothers

last name is Adams:

In

mother contains adams

Contains
!contain (does not contain)
@ (wildcard)

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Enrollment Status Searches

-1 Pre-registered
0 Active
1 Inactive
2 Transferred out

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Example:
Find all pre-registered
students:
/Enroll_Status=-1

3 Graduated

Example:
Find all students who have
transferred out:

4 Imported historical

/Enroll_Status=2

Compound Searches
Use multiple search commands
Separate search commands with semicolons

9th and 10th graders on the

football team
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Examples of Compound Searches

Find 9th- and 10th-grade football players:
grade_level in 9,10;football#
Find students who live in Roseville on 15th Street:
city=Roseville;street contains 15
Find 4th-grade students in Mrs. Camps Homeroom:
grade_level=4;home_room=camp
Find students whose last name begins with H-P:
last_name>H;last_name<Q

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Now Its
Your Turn

Complete hands-on
activity 2:
Using Search
Commands

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Activity 2 Answers
1. first_name=John
2. football#;alert_discipline#
3. last_name contains 4. grade_level<11;ethnicity=H
5. /enroll_status=2;last_name=smith
6. last_name=@ski
7. last_name in Adams,Wilson;alert_medical contains bee
8. a. soccer# and press Enter
b. Check Advanced, delete soccer# in the search field, enter
football#, press Enter, click Add
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Search Codes

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What is a search code?

A special command that begins with an asterisk.

Find students whose birthdays are in January:

*birthday>=1/1;*birthday<=1/31

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Sample Search Codes

*birthday

*hours_requested

*enrolled_in

*fee.fee_balance

*not_enrolled_in

*special_program

*has_completed_course

*secondarystudents

*number_of_classes

*cumulative_credit_hours

Find students in Algebra classes:

*enrolled_in=MAT260
Find students who are enrolled in classes at more than
one school:
*secondarystudents=all
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Now Its
Your Turn

Complete hands-on
activity 3:
Using Search Codes

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Activity 3 Answers
1. *special_program=gifted and talented
2. *fee.fee_balance>0
3. *as_of=6/1/2014;grade_level=12
4. *not_enrolled_in_period=1
5. grade_level=12;*cumulative_credit_hours<12
(To find the phone number, click a students name, then click
Demographics)
6. *birthday>=11/1;*birthday<=11/30
7. *secondarystudents=all

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Storing Options

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What is a stored search?

Saved search criteria
Output varies when PowerSchool data changes

What is a stored selection?

A saved snapshot of search results
Output does not vary

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How do I store a search?

1. Run the search
2. Copy and paste the search in Stored Searches
3. Name the search
4. Store the search

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A Stored Search

Start Page > Stored Searches > New

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How do I store a selection?

1. Run a search or select

students by hand
2. Click the Select Function
arrow
3. Choose Save Stored
Selection
4. Name the selection

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A Stored Selection

(Select a group of students) > Select Function arrow > Save Stored Selection
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Now Its
Your Turn

Complete hands-on
activities 4 and 5:
Using Stored
Searches
Creating a Stored
Selection

35

Shortcuts
and
Additional Searches

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Enrollment Summary
Use Enrollment Summary to search for students by:
Grade level
Gender
Ethnicity

Start Page > Enrollment Summary

37

Search for Parent/Guardian Accounts

Search for parent/guardian accounts by name and email,
or add a new entry.

Start Page > Parent Search

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Search by Schedule
Click Master Schedule or Teacher Schedules
Click the number of students in the class to display a list of
student names

Start Page > Master Schedule (or) Teacher Schedules

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Schedule Search Results

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Special Functions Searches

Search Attachments
Search By GPA
Search By Grades/Attendance
Search For Perfect Attendance
Search Log Entries
Special Program Enrollment

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Now Its
Your Turn
Complete hands-on
activities 6-8:
Using the Enrollment
Summary
Creating a Selection of
Students
Finding Discipline Logs

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Time
for
Review

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Question 1
To make a compound search, join
two or more search commands with
_______.

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Semicolons

Colons

Underscores

Pound signs

Answer 1
To make a compound search, join
two or more search commands with
_______.

45

Semicolons

Colons

Underscores

Pound signs

Question 2
Where would you click to search for 9thgrade Hispanic boys quickly?

#1

46

#2

Answer 2
Where would you click to search for 9thgrade Hispanic boys quickly?

47

Question 3
How do you enable the Smart
Search feature?

48

Enter
Smart_Search=
Enable in the
Search field

Special Functions >

Enable Smart Search

Personalize >
Interface

View Field List >

Smart Search

Answer 3
How do you enable the Smart
Search feature?

49

Enter
Smart_Search=
Enable in the
Search field

Special Functions >

Enable Smart Search

Personalize >
Interface

View Field List >

Smart Search

Question 4
Match the term with its definition.

Stored Search

B Search Command

50

Does a calculation and

compares results

2 Saves a snapshot of data

Stored Selection

Contains a field name,

comparator, and
search argument

Search Code

Output varies when

data changes

Answer 4

Stored Search

B Search Command

51

Does a calculation and

compares results

2 Saves a snapshot of data

Stored Selection

Contains a field name,

comparator, and
search argument

Search Code

Output varies when

data changes

Question 5
Which statements below are true about the search
details shown in this image?

52

The advanced search

options are enabled.

The user has selected

59 students.

The soccer students

have been added to
the current selection.

The search results

contain one grade
only.

Answer 5
Which statements below are true about the search
details shown in this image?

53

The advanced search

options are enabled.

The user has selected

59 students.

The soccer students

have been added to
the current selection.

The search results

contain one grade
only.

Key Points from Todays Class

Search commands Narrow results with compound searches

Search codes Search for data that doesnt have a field name
Storing options Save search commands or store a selection of
students
Built-in searches Use the Teacher Schedules page to select a
teachers class
Advanced searches Use the Special Functions page to locate
grades and attendance searches

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Question and Answer

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Navigate to
http://powerschooluniversity.com
and tell us what you think!

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