This tutorial will explain how to build a sample data query in SchoolInsight. Data query is a powerful tool that gives you direct access to the database that is not available otherwise from built-in reports or custom query in SchoolInsight. Before you begin, you’ll need to have the Enterprise Data Access module on your account. If you don’t have this module already, contact your sales rep to add it to your subscription.
As an example, we will use the data query tool to display all 4th grade students within your district. We will begin by creating a new data query.
To create a new Data Query:
- Navigate to Main > Reports > Saved Reports
- Create > Custom Query
- Choose the correct Academic Year in the upper right corner
Once you are creating a new data query, then you will set it up going through few steps:
1. Entities & Fields
This is where we will set what information should be included in the export. For our example let’s add the Students table in the Data to Export box. You’ll notice that several additional tables are automatically added to be joined in. This will help you find some of the basic information related to the data you selected. If you are looking for additional information, select that database table in the Additional Data to Join In box at the bottom of the page.
Next, select data fields to export for each of the data tables. Let’s select some of the information available to complete our report:
2. Preview
We will use this screen throughout the creation process to check that the results match to what we want to achieve. Note that only the first 100 rows of data are displayed in the preview tab.
If you check at this time you will see a list of student from different grade levels along with some of their demographics data.
3. Filters
This is where we will limit the scope of the data returned by the export. For our example, you’ll start off with a screen that shows all the available schools in your district, where you can choose which schools to export data from.
Use the first filter set on the page to scope the results to return 4th grade students only:
- Above the Add Filter button, select Grade Level Types
- In the new search box, select Grade Level Type Code
- In the operator selection box, choose =
- In the final filter box, type 4
Preview the results one more time. You should see information for 4th grade students only at this time.
Once you’ve created your filter, you can verify that the results match what you’re looking at by using the Preview tab again. When everything looks correct, move on to the Column Order tab to organize the results of the report.
4. Column order
On this tab we can order the columns that include resulting data. Drag and drop the names of the data columns you selected in the order that you want the data to be displayed in. For example:
5. Sorting
This tab will allow you to sort the results of your export by one or more of the included data columns. Let us sort our data first by Birth Date and then by Last Name.
Before saving the created export, click the Preview tab one more time. This will show you a small set of the resulting data from your export based on the chosen settings. If there are any changes to be made, do so now.
6. Save query
When all the changes are completed, click Save Query and enter a name for the data query. If you need to update your export later, click on the Edit button to make those changes.
To see the results of any of the saved data queries, click the Run button. Choose the appropriate output format for the way the data should be presented, then click the Run Export button.