The Message Mapping tab is divided into five subtabs: Student (1), Student (2), Staff (1), Staff (2), and Other. While you may be tempted to believe that the numbers in parentheses refer to the SIF version number (e.g. 1.x or 2.x), this is not the case—there are just too many Student/Staff-supported fields to store in each subtab. The object mapping fields in these subtabs allow the certified SIF-specialist or IT technician who configures the/your SIF Zone to specify where in the SIF Message XML to look for the information you want imported into Alexandria.

In Alexandria, operators are considered patrons. However, aside from differing Security Group and Policy settings, there is no real distinction between a patron (what SIF could consider Student) and an operator (what SIF could consider Staff). Regardless if a person is a Patron or a District Administrator, all of their personal information being imported from the StudentPersonal or StaffPersonal objects is saved into the same—indistinguishable and identical—patron record. This is why the Staff subtabs allow you to provide mapping for fields such as Homeroom and Grade Level, etc.

Also, you may be curious as to why the Student/Staff subtabs don't include “Name” as one of their configurable message mapping fields. This is because a patron name is a mandatory, required element in the StudentPersonal and StaffPersonal objects and will always be retrieved automatically from their standard location in those objects. Therefore, message mapping is not required for name.

Alert Notes 

Specify the location of the alert message element associated with the patron. If necessary, you can also specify the type of alert message you'd like to receive from the providing SIF Agent using attributes (e.g. Legal, Discipline, Educational). Once imported, alert messages will appear in the Alert Notes field of the Notes tab of the Patron Management window; remember, existing patron Alert Notes will be replaced by those received from the providing SIF Agent.

Barcode 

Specify the location of the barcode element used by both the StudentPersonal and StaffPersonal objects to identify a patron. Once imported from the providing SIF Agent, the patron's barcode will be stored in the Barcode field of the Current Patron Record pane of the Patrons management window. Older SIF implementations may have specified the barcode in locations other than StudentPersonal and StaffPersonal and these may still be used using the OtherId element.

Birth Date 

Specify the location of the birthdate element used by both the StudentPersonal and StaffPersonal objects. Once imported from the providing SIF Agent, the patron's birthday will be stored in the Birthdate field of the Personal Info tab of the Patrons management window.

Student # 

Specify the location of the Community ID element used by both the StudentPersonal and StaffPersonal objects. Once imported from the providing SIF Agent, the patron's number will be stored in the Community ID field (typically defined as Student #) of the Personal Info tab of the Patrons management window. Older SIF implementations may have specified the community identifier in locations other than StudentPersonal and StaffPersonal by using the OtherId element.

Email

Specify the location of the primary email element used by both the StudentPersonal and StaffPersonal objects. Once imported from the providing SIF Agent, the patron's email address will be stored in the Email field of the Contact Info tab of the Patrons management window. Since you are only allowed to import one email address, you should always designate the specific type to retrieve (e.g. Primary, Alternate1, Alternate2). Alexandria looks for Primary as the default type—if this is not acceptable, you may change it to meet your needs.

Gender

Specify the location of the gender element used by both the StudentPersonal and StaffPersonal objects. Once imported from the providing SIF Agent, the patron's gender will be stored in the Sex field of the Personal Info tab of the Patrons management window.

SSN 

Specify the location of the Government ID element used by both the StudentPersonal and StaffPersonal objects. Once imported from the providing SIF Agent, the patron's social security number will be stored in the Government ID field (typically defined as SSN) of the Personal Info tab of the Patrons management window. Older SIF implementations may have specified the government identifier in locations other than StudentPersonal and StaffPersonal by using the OtherId element.

Graduation Year

The graduation year element imported from the SIF Agent is used to calculate a patron's projected year of graduation using information found in both Alexandria's Advance Grade After field of the Grade Table preferences and the Optional Date field stored in the Personal Info tab of the Patron Management window

For example, if a patron already has a valid Optional Date (typically defined as Graduation Date) stored in the Personal Info tab of the Patron Management window, then the month and day portion are taken from the patron record and the graduation year is imported from the SIF Agent. However, if no Optional Date has been provided in the patron record, then the month and day information provided in the Advance Grade After field of the Grade Table preferences are used instead.

Once imported, the projected graduation date will appear in the Optional Date (typically defined as Graduation Date) stored in the Personal Info tab of the Patron Management window.

Telephone

Specify the location of the telephone number element used by both the StudentPersonal and StaffPersonal objects. Once imported from the providing SIF Agent, the patron's telephone number will be stored in the Phone field of the Contact Info tab of the Patrons management window.

Mobile

Specify the location of the 2nd Phone Number element used by both the StudentPersonal and StaffPersonal objects. Once imported from the providing SIF Agent, the patron's alternate phone number will be stored in the 2nd Phone Number field (typically defined as Mobile) of the Contact Info tab of the Patrons management window.

Parent/Guardian

The Additional Contact (typically defined as Parent/Guardian) field in the Contact Info tab of the Patrons Management module is new to Alexandria in versions 6.22.2 (and above); therefore, make sure that your SIF provider knows to include it within the StudentContact message.

Use this Parent/Guardian field to specify the location of the additional contact element used by the StudentContact object. Once imported from the providing SIF Agent, the patron's emergency or secondary contact will be stored in the Additional Contact field (typically defined as Parent/Guardian) of the Contact Info tab of the Patrons management window.

Site ID Code

Specify the location of the element used for the patron's Site code. Once imported from the providing SIF Agent, the patron's site will be stored in the Site field of the Personal Info tab of the Patrons management window. There are two different methods for specifying the location of the site code element:

From the Student / Staff ID Code Mapping Field(s): In the Site ID Code mapping field(s) of the Student/Staff subtabs, specify the location of the (element) that maps directly to the Site ID Code. However, in order for the patron Site code to be successfully imported, it must match a valid Site ID Code stored in the Sites Management window.

From the StudentSchoolEnrollment / StaffAssignment Objects: The StudentSchoolEnrollment and StaffAssignment objects contain an element called the SchooIInfoRefId. This SchoolRefId points to a SchoolInfo object that should exist in the Site List of the Message Handling tab once that list has been populated. Additionally, there should be a location specified in the SchoolInfo Site mapping field of the Other tab. If an element in the SchoolInfo object (e.g. usually LocalId) is specified in the SchoolInfo Site mapping field, then that element is used to set the patron Site ID code. Remember, in order for the patron Site code to be successfully imported, it must match a valid Site ID Code stored in the Sites Management window.

Another potential location for the patron site element could be: StudentPersonal::MostRecent@SchoolLocalId. Keep in mind and take special care to ensure that the values that represent the site ID codes being imported from the SIF Agent exactly match the Site ID Code(s) stored in the Sites Management window; a non-match will result in a patron having their default Site setting assigned to the union site.

* Note: The “@=” terminology means that the value of the SchoolInfoRefId attribute is used to locate the site ID code from the Chosen Sites/Site List of the Message Handling tab.

Homeroom 

Specify the most appropriate location of the homeroom value provided by your SIF Agent. For instance, this could be the MostRecent/HomeroomLocalId element of the StudentPersonal object, representing the homeroom to which the student is currently assigned. Alternately, it can reference an attribute in the RoomInfo object. If the RoomInfo object is used, then the format should be “StudentSchoolEnrollment::Homeroom@SIF_RefObject=RoomInfo” and the Homeroom Link field should include the location of the homeroom in the RoomInfo object.

Once imported from the providing SIF Agent, the patron's homeroom will be stored in the Location field (typically defined as Homeroom) of the Personal Info tab of the Patrons management window.

There is no default value for the Homeroom mapping field in the Staff subtab because there is no direct or standard mapping location we use to import staff homeroom.

Grade Level 

Specify the location of the grade level element used by the StudentPersonal object. Once imported from the providing SIF Agent, the patron's level will be stored in the Level field (typically defined as Grade) of the Personal Info tab of the Patrons management window.

This is a common element used to specify grade level; it is also used in StudentSchoolEnrollment and assessment-related objects.

Picture 

Specify which PictureSource element is used by the StudentPicture object. Once imported from the providing SIF Agent, the patron's picture will be stored in the Patron Picture field of the Personal Info tab of the Patrons management window. Alexandria requires the StudentPicture object to follow standard SIF formats:

Use Type=JPEG if the patron picture (in .JPEG format) is embedded in the StudentPicture object. Use Type=URL if the picture is requested using an embodied URL; Alexandria will determine whether or not to create a secure connection to the server hosting the pictures depending on whether the URL is HTTP or HTTPS. If the PictureSource@Type is not specified, then whichever is found in the message will be used. If the Picture field is blank, then all StudentPicture messages are ignored.

In order to import successfully, the school year attached to inbound StudentPicture messages must match the school year from the Advance Grade After field of the Grade Table preferences.

Address Parent

Specify the location of the address parent elements used by both the StudentPersonal and StaffPersonal objects. The address parent contains the elements used to build the patron's address (e.g. Line 1 and Line 2) and allows you to specify exactly what type (and order) of elements you want imported into Address 1 and Address 2 fields of the Contact Info tab of the Patron Management window. The location of the elements within the address parent specified must be standard, based on the Address element specified by SIF.

No need to worry about mapping the patron's City, State, Country, and Postal Code; these are automatically taken from mandatory elements found in the address parent element of Type=Address.

Address 1 & 2

Individual patron address elements, such as <Stree/Line1> and <Stree/Line2>, referenced from the location provided in the Address Parent, will be stored in the Address 1 and Address 2 fields of the Contact Info tab of the Patrons management window.

You are not limited to a single element per line; you can have as many as you'd like, in any order, to build the address you want. Anything outside the address element brackets is displayed as literal text; for example, entering “<Street/Line1>, Apt. <Street/ApartmentNumber>” in the Address 1 mapping field would produce the following result: “1831 Fort Union Boulevard, Apt. C”.

You may choose from the following possible Address Parent elements: <Street/Line1>, <Street/Line2>, <Street/Line3>, <Street/Complex>, <Street/StreetNumber>, <Street/StreetPrefix>, <Street/StreetName>, <Street/StreetType>, <Street/StreetSuffix>, <Street/ApartmentType>, <Street/ApartmentNumberPrefix>, <Street/ApartmentNumber>, <Street/ApartmentNumberSuffix>

Other

SchoolInfo Site

The SchoolInfo object contains information about your site(s). By default, Alexandria only looks for the SchoolName element and the RefId (a globally unique identifier for the school) within the SchooInfo object; it needs this information to populate the Site List found in the Message Handling tab of the SIF Management window and then again when you create your Chosen Sites list.

Additionally, if an element in the SchoolInfo object (e.g. usually LocalId, but possibly also StateProvinceId, etc.) is specified in the SchoolInfo Site mapping field, then that element is used to set the patron Site ID code. Doing so is optional, however, because the value you use for site code can also be located in elements of objects other than SchoolInfo (e.g. StudentPersonal::Most Recent).

Keep in mind and take special care to ensure that the values that represent the site ID codes being imported from the SIF Agent exactly match the Site ID Code(s) stored in the Sites Management window; a non-match will result in a patron having their default Site setting assigned to the union site.

Homeroom Link

Provide information in the Homeroom Link field when using the RoomInfo object to specify patron homerooms. The RoomInfo object contains information about different types of rooms—everything from gyms and cafeterias to standard classrooms. Specify where in the RoomInfo object to locate the value you want used for homeroom; for example, RoomInfo::HomeroomNumber. This will then be used by the Homeroom mapping field to ensure that a patron's homeroom is properly imported into the Personal Info tab of the Patrons management window.

The RoomInfo object is referred to by the “@SIF_RefObject=RoomInfo” attribute in the Homeroom mapping location (i.e. StudentSchoolEnrollment::Homeroom).