Education Personnel Information Management System

(EPIMS)

Data Collection Application Training

Agenda• Preparation• Using the EPIMS application to:

– Transmit files and correct errors– Validate the collection– Submit the collection– Use the EPIMS reports – Certify the collection

• Review Schedule for Data Collection Period• Questions/Issues

Preparation• Assign Security Roles

– EPIMS District Full– EPIMS District Limited

• Assign all your MEPIDs and clear all conflicts• Review File Format documents, Data Handbook,

and FAQ posted on EPIMS website:http://www.doe.mass.edu/infoservices/data/epims/

EPIMS Security Roles

EPIMS District Limited

Full access to assign MEPIDs, transmit and validate staff roster and work assignment data, and submit data collection; view related reports    

EPIMS District Full

Limited access to assign MEPIDs, transmit staff roster and work assignment data but can’t validate the collection; view related reports EPIMS

CertifyCertify collection; view submission and certification history

Staff Roster Records• SR01 Massachusetts Education

Personnel Identifier (MEPID)• SR02 Local Employee Number• SR03 ELAR Number• SR04 First Name• SR05 Middle Name/MI• SR06 Last Name• SR07 Date of Birth• SR08 Race/Ethnicity • SR09 Employment Status at

Time of Data Collection• SR10 Reason for Exit• SR11 Date of Hire• SR12 Federal Salary Source 1• SR13 % of Fed. Salary Source 1

• SR14 Federal Salary Source 2• SR15 % of Fed. Salary Source 2• SR16 Federal Salary Source 3• SR17 % of Fed. Salary Source 3• SR18 Degree Type 1• SR19 Degree Institution 1• SR20 Degree Subject 1• SR21 Degree Type 2• SR22 Degree Institution 2• SR23 Degree Subject 2• SR24 Degree Type 3• SR25 Degree Institution 3• SR26 Degree Subject 3

Work Assignment Records

• WA01 Massachusetts Education Personnel Identifier (MEPID)• WA02 Local Employee Number• WA03 First Name• WA04 Middle Name/MI• WA05 Last Name• WA06 District/School Identification Number• WA07 Job Classification • WA08 Assignment• WA09 Grade

• WA10 Subject Area/Course Code• WA11 Class Section • WA12 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) (as per DSSR) • WA13 Instructional Paraprofessional Qualifications for Title I Only• WA14 Highly Qualified Status • WA15 Subject Matter Competency

Using Data Collection & Reports• Data Collection > Step 1: Transmit Data

– Transmitting Staff Roster and Work Assignment Files• Reports > Transmission Reports

– Correcting Staff Roster and Work Assignment Files• Data Collection > Step 2: Validate Data

– Data validated across SR and all WA files• Reports > Validation Report

– Correcting validation errors• Data Collection > Step 3: Submit Data

– Only after all errors corrected– Review summary reports to verify numbers

• Data Collection > Step 4: Certify Data– Need EPIMS Certify security role

How will EPIMS verify my data?• As files are transmitted to the DOE, an automatic

error check will answer these questions:1. Is the format of your file OK? 2. Do the values in each record make sense?

• Once all files are transmitted and are error free, you will validate and then submit the collection.

• These steps will answer these questions:1. Do the data across this collection look right?2. Does this data set make sense compared to your

previous submissions for this collection?• When you are sure the collection is accurate and

complete, you will certify the collection.

EPIMS

Error Check

Step 1: District Transmits SR and WAR Files to EPIMS

District Updates

SR Records in

EPIMS

NoErrorsAND

All Records Transmitted

Error Report

YesErrorsStep 2:

Validate Collection

District Corrects Records in district system and Re-Transmits Updated File

EPIMS Validatio

n

Validation Report

Yes Errors

No

Yes

Step 3: Submit Collection

Step 4: Certify Collection

(Superintendent only)Collection Complete

EPIMSData Collection

Error Check and Validation continue until

Error-FreeNoErrors

Review Reports

Yes

NoStep 1:

DOE Security Portal

Address = https://gateway.edu.state.ma.us/

EPIMS Homepage

on the “Nav”

Bar

Data Collection

Your organization

Reportssection

Data Collection > Step 1: Transmit Data > File Transmission

• Transmitting Staff Roster Records (SRRs)– Must be transmitted in one file only– Transmitting a second SR file will replace the first

• Transmitting Work Assignment Records (WARs)– Can be transmitted in multiple files– Can add new files OR replace old

Data Collection > Step 1: Transmit Data > File Transmission

Transmitting Files

• Use the “Browse” button to find your file• Even if you select “Transmit a new file” for a file of

staff roster records, it will still replace the previously transmitted file—only one SRR file per district.

• Be sure that the file you are replacing is the corrected file with correct number of records—keep track of the record count of your files.

File Transmission Page

“The file is being transmitted and checked for errors,” indicates that some records may be being processed.

File Transmission Page

The presence of the Error message and the “File Upload Error List” indicate that some records could NOT be processed.

If there were file upload errors in all of your records, they all may be in the File Upload Error List.

File Upload Error List• This list is only available the first time you

transmit a file. You will not be able to refer back to it unless you print the page(s) or download the file.

• If the list comprises more than 1000 records, they will not be shown on-screen. You can only access these records by downloading the file.

File Transmission Results• You will receive an email when the file

has been processed.• Results of processed records will be

available in two places.1. Reports > Transmission Reports2. Step 1: Transmit Data > File Transmission

• Single Edit Function for Staff Roster file available here

Reports > Transmission Reports

• Separate boxes for SRR and WAR files

• All files previously transmitted in the collection period are listed in these boxes

Reports > Transmission Reports

Information provided: “File Name,” “Date Transmitted,” “Total Records,” “Records with Errors,” “Transmitted By,” and the option to “Select the File for Viewing.”

Two Locations for Transmission Reports

• Transmitted File History can be found on both pages: Reports and the File Transmission page.

• On the File Transmission page, you have the option to delete a previously transmitted file.

File Transmission Page

Also on the File Transmission page, you have the option to edit your staff roster file in the EPIMS application.

Editing a Staff Roster File OnlineFile Transmission page, NOT Transmission Reports page

Select file for viewing

Number of records transmitted with errorsRecords listed individually with error detailsList is ordered by MEPID, lowest to highest

MEPIDs in Error List are linkable here in File Transmission but NOT in the Transmission Report.

If you know the MEPID, use the lookup box to find it in the file. You can look up records sent with errors or without errors.

Errors identified at top of record can be corrected here.

Update the record when errors have been corrected.

If you leave the record before correcting all the errors, no changes will be saved.

Wherever possible, the data elements are provided in dropdown lists.

Select correct federal salary source from list.

Link at bottom of page enables return to file to edit more records

Corrected record for Archibald Leach is gone.

Following the correction of Leach’s record, one record without an error appears in a separate box.

The download file has been updated as well.

The records with errors has decreased by one.

Next Steps• Correct the records that were not processed

because of errors.• Correct the records that were processed and

found to have errors.• Combine with the error-free records from

the original file and re-transmit, replacing the original file in EPIMS.

Data Collection > Step 2: Validate Data

Indicates the number of staff roster and work assignment files that have been transmitted.

This message indicates that there are still errors in the transmission files prohibiting the execution of step 2.

Data Collection > Step 2: Validate Data

When there are no transmission errors remaining in the transmitted files, the “Validate” button will appear.

Data Collection > Step 2: Validate Data

Numbers other than zero in the total record count fields indicate that the collection has been validated.

The number of errors refers to validation errors. Go to the Validation Report to see these errors.

Reports > Validation Report Staff roster and work

assignment errors appear in separate boxes. However, in the case of Mitchell, the error could be fixed by either changing the employment status to a “not working” status (SR09 = 02, 03, or 04), or by including a work assignment record for Mitchell in the work assignment file.

• Collection Based Errors:– Errors that appear in the work assignment error

list without a MEPID are collection based.• 6209 – School not reported• 6211 – Superintendent not reported• 6212 – Principal not reported• 6213 – Special Education Administrator not reported

– Try to prevent these errors before you get to Validation.

Reports > Validation Report

Next Steps• Correct Validation Errors in staff roster and

work assignment files.• Return to Step #1 to re-transmit corrected

data files and re-validate until the files are error free.

If you still have errors in your collection, you will not see the submit statement and button when you arrive at this page.

Data Collection > Step 3: Submit Data

Collection is error-free.

Data Collection > Step 3: Submit Data

Reviewing the Summary Reports is an important part of the Data Collections process.

• Once you submit the collection the link to the summary reports will become available

• Summary Reports will be available at least by the end of the next business day.

• Review the summary reports to ensure that the collection is complete and accurate. If changes need to be made, return to Step 1 to re-transmit any revisions to your data files

Data Collection > Step 3: Submit Data

Reports > Summary Reports

Reports are run four times daily. Although these links become available after a district submits their data, they will not successfully link to the reports until after the next run time. Run times are at 5:30 AM, 9:30 AM, Noon, and 2:30 PM.

Data Collection > Step 4: Certify Data

If the button to certify is not visible, the summary reports have not yet been reviewed by the DOE. When the summary reports are reviewed, a DOE representative may contact your district with questions about the data or to say that the data is ready to certify.

Data Collection > Step 4: Certify Data

Districts should review the summary reports carefully and can go back to Step 1 and change their data at any time prior to certifying.

Step 4: Certify Data• District’s Superintendent reviews summary

reports• Superintendent accepts data as accurate and

certifies collection• No more changes can be made after

Superintendent certifies collection• EPIMS data collection is complete !

EPIMS Schedule

• MEPID Assignment – Available since August

• Data Collection Application will open in early October

• Data Collection ends – January 24, 2007