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SIS 2000+ Calculate Attendance Report Detailed Instructions Last update: 04/15/2001 jmm

Attendance is taken by entering Attendance codes  into the SIS 2000+ Attendance tables for each student, per school day, for each period in a track. This report calculates totals of specific attributes of the codes entered for a defined date range (report period). The attributes tracked are: 'on campus', 'in class', 'apportion', 'enrolled', 'compulsory', 'course credit, and 'tardy'.  In a negative attendance track each student is assumed 'present' unless marked otherwise. In a positive attendance track each student is assumed 'absent' unless marked otherwise. In either case, a default place holder code of  'present' or 'absent', respectively, will exist for each student/day/period in the Attendance tables and therefore will be tracked by this report.

Attendance code attributes tracked by this report are defined for each Attendance code as either "On (true)" or "Off (false)" by entering check marks in the logical fields of the 'zattend' table via the Table Editor program (Fig. 1). Both Attendance codes and Attendance Reporting Periods are defined during the installation and configuration of SIS 2000+, according to the requirements of the state and district.

This report is general in a nature and is designed to be used for reconciliation and auditing purposes. For example, it can be used to check the totals generated by the J18/19 Report and the ADA/ADM Report.  It can also be used to verify the attendance totals that are printed on report cards; obtained from the Calculate Attendance procedure in the Mark Reporting module. Various options and queries allow customization of the report.
 
 

For more details on Attendance codes and other prerequisites to Attendance, go to the SIS 2000+ 3.0 Reference web site. Then go to Training/Training Manual/Attendance/Preparing for Attendance/Prerequisites.

 

Fig. 1 - sample Attendance codes table in the Table Editor showing logical fields for attributes.
 

The report may be set to show the daily detail and totals per student (Fig. 2) or the totals only (Fig. 3).

Fig. 2 - sample detail report

Fig. 3 - sample totals only report
 
There are thirteen totals columns in the report. Totals are of two types:

• Period(s) totals - the first seven columns.

For each attendance code entered in a student's record, including existing place holder codes, the attributes tracked by this report that are flagged as "On" count as a value of '1' towards the period(s) total for that day. For example, if a track has seven periods and on a given day a student had two Attendance codes that have 'in class' flagged as "On" and five Attendance codes that have 'in class' flagged as "Off", then the total in the 'in class' column for that day will be '2'  (visible in the detail report only). The attribute values for all the days in the report period are totaled for each student and displayed at the end of each student record. Totals are also calculated for selection criteria, such as Grade, Gender, Ethnicity, Track, Group, etc.
 
• Day(s) totals - the last six columns

The period(s) totals are translated into the number of equivalent attendance days (with the exception of the 'tardy' attribute) by comparing the value in period(s) columns to the total number of periods defined for the selected track. For example, if a track has seven periods in a day and there is a value of '7' in a period(s) column then that attribute is counted as 100% of a school day; displayed as '1.00' in the corresponding day(s) column. Or, if a track has six periods in a day and there is a value of '3' in a period(s) column then that attribute is counted as 50% of a school day; displayed as '0.50' in the corresponding day(s) column. The attribute values for all the days in the report period are totaled for each student. Totals are also calculated for selection criteria, such as Grade, Gender, Ethnicity, Track, Group, etc.
 
 

Fig. 4 - opening screen, default Options
 

2. Define Parameters
The opening screen of this report (Fig. 4) contains two information screens: 'Options' and 'Select'. Click on each tab to view and define various parameters for the report, or continue to Step 3, "Print Preview" to preview, process and/or print the report using the default settings.

2.1 Select Options
Click on the 'Options' tab (Fig. 5). Select options as follows:

Fig. 5 - sample user-defined Options
 
• Title -

The default title of this report is "Calculate Attendance". This field may be edited by the user.
• Calculate Attendance Summary Records -

The default setting for this option is "On". When checked on, the report will update all attendance totals since the last calculation and write the results to the 'attsum' table, overwriting any previous data. When unchecked, the report will display or print the previously existing totals in the 'attsum' table. When unchecked, the Select Category command will be enabled (see below).
• Reporting Periods -

Check this option to choose a date range to report from pre-defined reporting periods.
• Custom -

Check this option to enable a custom date range to be defined. Designate the date range to report using the  From Date and To Date fields provided. Set the dates by activating the drop-down calendars activated by the field buttons or manually enter the dates using the format of mm/dd/yyyy..
• Select Attendance Category -

(This option is only enabled when the Calculate Attendance Summary Records option is turn off). Click on this command button to open the 'Select from Attendance Category' screen (Fig. 6). Attendance categories relate to funding. The available choices are predefined in the 'zattcat' table via the Table Editor during the configuration of SIS 2000+. Each special program offered by the district is then assigned an attendance category via the Special Programs Editor application. Select an attendance category to report by clicking on an entry until it is highlighted in gray. To select or deselect more than one category, hold the Ctrl key down while clicking. Click on the Done command button to save the selection(s) and return to the 'Options' tab, or Cancel to close the screen without saving. Only attendance codes for students enrolled in special programs with the selected attendance categories will be reported. If none are selected then all categories will be reported.


Fig. 6
 

• Report Totals Only -

When checked "On" the report will only display only the totals in each category (Fig. 3). When this option is turned "Off" the report will list all the details for each day in the reporting period, plus the totals (Fig. 2).
 



Click on the Reset command button to restore all Options to their default selections (Fig. 1).
 

2.2 Apply Select queries
SIS 2000+ reports can be instructed to print specific sets of records through the application of  queries. A query is essentially a data filter. By defining criteria (parameters) for selected data fields, specific records can be retrieved.

Click on the 'Select' tab. A list of data fields is displayed (Fig. 7). These are the data fields that will available for querying. The default criteria is "All" for each data field. To apply a select query to any data field, continue with Step 2.2.1. If no queries are needed, continue to Step 2.3.


Fig. 7 
 

2.2.1 Select data fields and apply queries
Select a data field in the list until it is highlighted in gray (Fig. 8) and then click on the Edit command button. A criteria selection screen will open that is specifically designed for the selected data field. The sample in Fig. 8 shows the criteria selection screen for the Grade data field with the Tenth and Twelfth grades selected.


Fig. 8 - sample criteria selection screen, Query Type 1

There are several possible types of queries, depending on the data field selected. Instructions on how to apply each type of query are found in the document titled General Reporting Procedures.
 

• Last Name = Define an alphabetical range of student last names to select for reporting (Fig. 9). If no range is defined, then "All" will be reported.


Fig. 9
 

• Student = Query Type 3. A specific student or set of students may be selected for reporting. If none are selected, then "All" will be reported.
• Ethnicity = Query Type 1. A specific ethnicity or set of ethnicities may be selected or reporting. If none are selected, then "All" will be reported.
• Gender = Query Type 1. A specific gender code or set of gender codes may be selected for reporting. If no gender code is selected, then 'Male', 'Female', 'Unknown', and '< unset >' will be reported.
• Grade = Query Type 1. A specific grade level or set of grade levels may be selected or reporting. If none are selected, then "All" will be reported.
• Group = Query Type 1. A specific student group or set of groups may be selected for reporting. If none are selected, then "All" will be reported. Student Groups are predefined using the Group Editor application.
• Track = Query Type 1. A specific track or set of tracks may be selected for reporting. If none are selected, then "All" will be reported.
 
 

Note on Query results:  Use caution when making multiple queries across data fields. Only records that satisfy all queries will be reported. Some queries may be mutually exclusive, causing the report to yield no records. In this type of situation there will be no pages to preview or print for the body of the report. This status will be indicated by the following error message appearing at the bottom of the cover sheet:  ***** NO RECORDS SELECTED FOR REPORT *****

 

2.2.2 Review selected parameters
After parameters are set and queries applied as needed, the view will return to the 'Select' screen. Each data field in the list will display a code after its name signifying the parameters currently applied (Fig. 10). Review the parameters. If all are satisfactory, continue to the sorting procedure in Step 2.3. If editing is required, repeat Step 2.2.1.


Fig. 10 - sample review
 



To restore a field's parameters to its default selection, highlight the field name in the 'Select' screen and click on the Reset command button.
 

 

2.3 Resetting global defaults



Global default parameters for all the screens can be reset by clicking on the Reset All command button at the bottom of the main screen.
 
 

The customized or default report can be previewed at any time before actual printing by clicking on the Preview command button. However, the preview in this report will show only the results of the last calculation that was executed. To calculate and view the current parameters, go to Step 4 and Process the report, then return to this step to Preview the report.

Use the Esc key or the Exit Door icon to advance from section to section within the report preview. An option to print the report is available when the Preview is exited. For further instructions on previewing reports, see General Reporting Procedures, Step 3
 

4. Process and/or Print the report

Click on the Process command button to begin calculations according to the parameters defined. (Do not use this command to print the report if calculations have already been performed - use the Preview command with the option to print the latest calculation. Step 3). This process may take several minutes, depending on the number of students to be calculated. A screen gauge will indicate the progress of the calculations (Fig. 11). Press Esc to cancel the calculations.

Fig. 11

After the calculations are finished the 'Report Destination' dialog screen will appear (Fig. 12). Here the user is given an option to print the report.

Fig. 12

With a check mark in the Printer field, click on the Continue command button to print the results of the calculations to the printer. Put a check mark in the Cover Page field to include a cover page in the printing. Or, click on the Cancel command button to close the 'Report Destination' screen without printing. If Cancel is chosen, the only effect is to bypass the printing option; the results of the attendance calculations will still be recorded in the 'attsumm' table and can be viewed or printed later using the Preview command.

For further instructions on printing reports, see General Reporting Procedures, Step 4
 

5. Exit report

Click on the Quit command button to exit the report screen at any time.
 

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