USO AutoUpdate - SIMS
Schools using SIMS 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.
Please note that schools using SIMS Connected should follow the setup guide below but ensure they install the AutoUpdate software on the device in the school that has a VPN connection to SIMS. Your school is likely using this for other MIS connectors you may use for example GroupCall and Wonde.
To find out more about USO, please click here.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What data can I export from SIMS and which should I choose?
The following reports are currently supported for export from SIMS into USO:
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Attendance - This report contains attendance data. It is not currently used for any LGfL services but is required for the Wavenet AutoText service.
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Contacts - This report contains parent/guardian details. It is recommended if you use LGfL FSM.
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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.
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Staff (Current) - 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.
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Students (Current) - This report contains student details, including names and dates of birth. It is recommended for schools where students use any USO-driven LGfL services.
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Staff/Students (Future) - These reports contain details for staff and students who have been entered into SIMS but have not yet started. By accepting these reports, user accounts will be created before their start date. If you have enabled the current report, we recommend enabling the future report as well. This ensures that user accounts are ready to be distributed when they begin school.
Do I need to install any software?
Yes, the USO AutoUpdate software is required for both SIMS and SIMS Connected. The software call be downloaded from this link: https://usoau.atomwide.com/usoautoupdate/usoausetup/usoausetup.msi
Instructions on installing and configuring the software are below.
How do I change MIS?
If you've recently changed your MIS and are now using SIMS, please follow these steps:
- Navigate to User Accounts > AutoUpdate Settings.
- Select the Change MIS button.
- Choose SIMS from the list of MIS options.
- Follow the Setup Guide below.
Running an export manually
To push an upload, please open up the AutoUpdate sofware installed on your school's server and follow step 3 of the setup guide below. Any uploads will be processed overnight. However, if account changes are needed sooner, please contact the Service Desk, who can process them immediately.
What are common reasons accounts haven't been created?
If accounts have not been created as expected, please check the following:
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Missing or Incorrect Data: Ensure that all required fields in the MIS are populated accurately.
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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.
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Contract/Start Dates: If your school has not enabled the future reports, then accounts will be created on or after their start date set in SIMS.
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.
Explanation of Options and Indicators in the AutoUpdate Software
Status Indicators
The program interface displays a set of coloured indicators that represent the current status of the installation and whether there are any problems:
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Red: Major problems.
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Yellow: Processing/in progress.
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Green: OK.
How to tell if reports have been accepted?
Reports are categorised as folders containing sub-reports:
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Grey square: Indicates accepted reports.
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Blue arrow: Indicates available reports that have not yet been accepted.
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Red cross: Indicates reports that are not available to your school and cannot be accepted or exported.
View Sub-Reports:
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Click on a report folder to view its sub-reports.
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Select a sub-report by clicking on it.
- The fields that comprise the sub-report will appear in the right-hand pane, showing which fields are being exported.
Along with the field details, it will show a status:
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Mandatory fields: These columns must be present for the sub-report to be processed.
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Uploaded fields: Optional fields accepted by the school during sub-report acceptance. Missing data in these fields will not prevent account creation or maintenance.
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Not Uploaded fields: Optional fields the school has opted out of exporting. To opt out, raise a support case with the Service Desk.
Connectivity Issues
If the AutoUpdate software is unable to contact the server, please first check if you are able to access the following URL successfully: https://usoau.atomwide.com/test.html. If you're unable to access this page, please check your school’s filtering settings.
Please be aware that the AutoUpdate software currently uses an older version of TLS that some schools may block on their server. If your school has blocked older versions of TLS, there is a beta version of the AutoUpdate software that uses a later version of TLS, which can be obtained from the Support Team.
I'm having an issue not covered in this guide
If something isn't covered here, please speak to our support team.
Setup Guide
To set up the SIMS MIS export, follow these steps:
Before You Begin
Before starting, ensure you have the following:
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Licence Key: A licence key for USO-AutoUpdate, obtained on the Support Site on the User Accounts > AutoUpdate Settings page.
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Windows Administrative Account: A Windows account with administrative rights, designated solely for USO-AutoUpdate, along with the necessary details about the SIMS installation location.
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SIMS User Account: A SIMS username with the following groups assigned for exclusive use by USO-AutoUpdate:
- School Administrator
- Third Party Reporting
- Personnel Officer
Note: The Personnel Officer group can be excluded if necessary. However, some data fields related to staff roles will not be exported. While the basic data export required for USO account maintenance will still succeed, missing data fields might affect the functionality of certain LGfL services and features.
To identify which fields are excluded, log into the AutoUpdate software after installation, select each enabled report, and review the information displayed on the right-hand side of the window. For optimal functionality, including the Personnel Officer group is strongly recommended.
Step 1: Accept Reports
On the LGfL Support Site on the User Accounts > AutoUpdate settings page, please ensure that SIMS is the selected MIS and the "reports" you wish to use have a green box next to them by accepting the desired reports.
The example below shows a school using SIMS that has accepted all available reports.
Step 2: Install & Configure the AutoUpdate Software
Log in to the school server where you will install USO-AutoUpdate. Ideally, this should be the SIMS server, as it is more likely to stay powered on and avoid network issues. Ensure your Windows account has full administrative rights.
Download the AutoUpdate software from this link: https://usoau.atomwide.com/usoautoupdate/usoausetup/usoausetup.msi. Save the file to the desktop, then double-click the .msi file to install. Follow the Setup Wizard and click Next as prompted.
Choose Installation Location
By default, the wizard will offer to install AutoUpdate on the C drive. If this is not where you want it, browse to the correct location and click Next.
Confirm Installation
When the Confirm Installation window appears, click Next to proceed.
Installation Complete
When the software has successfully finished installing, a confirmation will be displayed. Click Close to exit the wizard.
Open AutoUpdate Software
After installation is complete, access the start menu and navigate to Start > Programs > Atomwide Ltd > USO-AutoUpdate. This folder contains three options. Choose USO-AutoUpdate, which will open the software.
Configure AutoUpdate
Before any data can be exported, AutoUpdate needs to be correctly configured. The Configuration dialogue box will open automatically after the initial software installation. (If the Configuration window does not open by itself, click on Settings, then select Configuration.)
Enter your Licence key. This is found on the User Accounts > AutoUpdate Settings page of the support site. Once entered, the SIMS tab will appear.
After entering the licence key, click on the SIMS tab and define the path to the CommandReporter - the CommandReportImporter will get defined automatically, assuming it is present in the same folder as the CommandReporter.
Then enter the SIMS credentials.
Click Save and close the interface.
Step 3: Running a Test
Now that the AutoUpdate software has been configured, we recommend testing.
To do this click the Run a Report button in the top-right corner.
Choose the Atomwide USO Export report.
Choose to Extract, Filter and Upload and click Run.
(If you choose to Extract and Filter only, it will not test the upload of data to USO.)
During the Test:
- Indicators turn yellow while the report is running.
- Errors, warnings, or status messages will appear in the horizontal pane at the bottom of the interface.
If everything is working correctly, all indicators will turn green.
Please then allow 5-10 minutes and then log onto the LGfL Support Site and navigate to User Accounts > AutoUpdate Settings. You should see the upload in the Upload History . Any exports uploaded will be processed overnight.
If you can see the entry in the upload history, it is now time to set up a schedule so it runs automatically.
Step 4: Set A Schedule
After verifying that the export runs correctly, you will need to set up a scheduled task to ensure the exports run automatically on a regular basis. Please select Atomwide USO Export and then press the Schedule button.
A scheduling box will appear (as shown below). Select the days and set the time for the reports to run and enter the username and password used to log onto the server.
Please note that we tasks must NOT be scheduled to conflict with back-ups or set at times when the server is off.
Click Create Scheduled Task when ready. The following message will be shown.
That’s it! Setup completed.
Step 5: Verifying Everything is Working
After following the steps above, an export should run automatically run on the schedule set in the previous step. After an export has run and processed overnight, 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:
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Check the last processed file for each school: Verify if the export ran and was processed successfully.
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List staff/pupils that have not been matched: Identify and complete any required matching.
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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.
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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.