USO AutoUpdate - Arbor

Schools using Arbor MIS can seamlessly export data into USO using the USO-AutoUpdate service. This ensures that your school's USO accounts remain up to date, allowing new starter accounts to be created automatically while removing access for leavers efficiently.

To find out more about USO, please click here.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Please see below for answers to frequently asked questions. If your query isn’t covered, please check Arbor’s documentation or contact our support team. You can find Arbor’s guide here: LGfL and Arbor Integration Guide .

Data Exports from Arbor

The following reports are currently supported for export from Arbor into USO:

Attendance - This report contains attendance data. It is not currently used for any LGfL services but is required for the Wavenet AutoText service. If you do not use this service, it is likely to be greyed out and not selectable.
Contacts - This report contains parent/guardian details. It is recommended if you use LGfL FSM.
Groups & Classes - This report includes information about which staff teach which classes and groups, as well as which students belong to which. It is recommended if you're using services like Google & Microsoft provisioning.
Staff - This report contains staff details, including names and dates of birth. It is recommended for schools where staff use any USO-driven LGfL services, especially LGfL StaffMail.
Students - This report contains student details, including names and dates of birth. It is recommended for schools where students use any USO-driven LGfL services.

For most LGfL schools, only Staff data needs to be exported - unless you use an LGfL service that also requires Student data.

Software Requirements

Since Arbor is cloud-based, no software is required. The data is retrieved through Arbor's APIs. For more information, click here.

Running a Manual Export

To run a report manually, follow these steps:

Navigate to User Accounts > AutoUpdate Settings.
Select the report you want to run and click Force run.
Wait for the process to complete, then allow 15 minutes or so and then check the User Accounts > Whole School Bulk Results section to verify the outcome and carry out any matching.

Switching to Arbor MIS

If you've recently changed your MIS and are now using Arbor, please follow these steps:

Navigate to User Accounts > AutoUpdate Settings.
Select the Change MIS button.
Choose Arbor from the list of MIS options.
Follow the Setup Guide below.

Please note if you have moved from SIMS we also recommend uninstalling the USO-AutoUpdate software that will be installed on your school's server.

Why Accounts May Not Be Created

If accounts have not been created as expected, please check the following:

Missing or Incorrect Data: Ensure that all required fields in the MIS are populated accurately, particularly the Date of Birth (DoB).
Users Require Matching: If a similar user already exists in your school or a local school, an account may not be created automatically and will require matching. Please visit User Accounts > Whole School Bulk Results and check "List staff that have not been matched" or "List pupils that have not been matched." Anyone requiring matching will appear here, and you can either create them a new account or match them to an existing user on the system.
Contract/Start Dates: By default, the Arbor integration only syncs staff and students who have already started, so accounts are not created before their start date. On the User Accounts > AutoUpdate Settings page, you can tick the relevant box in the Future column to sync users before their start date. Alternatively, accounts can be created manually via User Accounts > User Request Single. Enter the same details as in Arbor, and the account will automatically match once exported.

If you need assistance with working out why an account has not been created, please contact the LGfL Service Desk who have access to additional logs.

Missing Endpoint URL Error

If you see an error on the AutoUpdate settings page that says "MISSING ENDPOINT URL," please attempt to reauthorise the Arbor permissions via the link on the AutoUpdate settings page. If the issue persists, please raise a case with our support team.

Filter Accounts by Year Group

You can now choose which students will have USO accounts created, instead of automatically creating accounts for every student in your MIS. To do this, go to User Accounts > AutoUpdate Settings and click the Year Groups link. A list of tickboxes for each year group will be displayed - simply untick the year groups you do not want accounts created for.

Setup Guide

To set up the Arbor MIS export, follow these steps:

Step 1: Access AutoUpdate Settings

On the LGfL Support Site, navigate to User Accounts > AutoUpdate Settings and select Arbor.

Step 2: Select Reports

Choose the reports you wish to export and click Save. An explanation of the reports is above in the FAQ.

A link will appear. Click on this link to proceed.

Step 3: Approve Access

Enter your Arbor credentials and click Sign In.

If you receive an error at this stage, please ensure you have the necessary permissions in Arbor.

According to the Arbor help centre: “To sign in to the portal and confirm the sync, you must have the Arbor business role of Head Teacher or Bursar/Business Manager. Otherwise, you will receive a message stating that your credentials are invalid.”

Once signed in, review the information provided, then click Approve to grant access.

You will be redirected to a confirmation page. Click the AutoUpdate Settings link to finalise the setup.

Step 4: Activate Reports

Enable the required reports. Once activated, the sync will automatically run once per day but you can press "Force run" to run the export immediately. This process will typically take around 15 minutes to complete.

Step 5: Verifying Everything is Working

After running an export and allowing half an hour for the export to process, please navigate to User Accounts > Whole School Bulk Results. This page provides the processing results and offers several useful options. Take a moment to familiarise yourself with the following key features:

Check the last processed file for each school: Verify if the export ran successfully.
List staff/pupils that have not been matched: Identify and complete any required matching.
List staff/pupils who were unallocated as part of the process: Identify accounts removed during the sync process and restore any accounts you wish to reinstate.
MIS names that should not be in USO: Names added here will not have USO accounts created.

You can also see any accounts that have recently been created or moved to your school by going to User Accounts > User list/search and using the indicator "Latest move or create".

Step 6: Review Your USO Accounts

Now that the MIS sync is successfully set up, accounts from your MIS will automatically sync with USO. However, some USO accounts may not be linked to your MIS and will need to be managed manually. This is particularly important if you've recently changed your MIS or haven't reviewed the list in a while. To review these non-MIS accounts, please visit the following page: Review Non-MIS Accounts.