Adding custom columns

Adding custom columns to your Student Information allows your colleagues to filter by categories that you define. As standard, Alps allows the import of Disadvantage, Ethnicity, SEND, EAL and Gender columns, with categories that we define and that are validated.

Custom columns allow you to import your own filter categories, and define the values you wish to use. Your colleagues can use these to filter in Connect Interactive and produce analysis based upon the different categories you define. Some common categories used are 'Attendance', 'Feeder School', 'New to Sixth' and ‘Age Range’ – this final one is particularly helpful for FE Colleges. For more information about how you can use filters and custom groups to create your analysis, please see our article on multilevel filters and comparisons.

You can add custom columns when importing your student data for the first time, or at any point throughout the year. Remember that you will need to republish any existing Gradepoints to add custom columns to existing data. Any further imports will have the custom column as a column mapping option, and you will be able to populate the custom columns for a new student when using the Quick Add Student function.

 

Adding custom columns when setting up your Year Group

If you are setting up your Gradepoint, include your custom column(s) in your student import file that you will import using the + Add Year Group wizard.

When mapping your columns in Step 4, you need to click 'Map':

Then drop the menu down and select 'Create new Custom Column':

Then click 'Save':

Then your column should be mapped:

Adding Attendance to an existing Year Group:

​

• Related Articles

• Managing Custom Columns

  In Connect Data, we have now added a section underneath the Connect Data Settings that will allow you to edit and delete custom columns that you have imported via the student data import wizard.  For guidance on importing custom columns, please click ...

• Getting the most from the High Middle and low prior attainment filter

  This video takes you through how to apply the High, Mid and Low comparison filter across the subject overview page in Connect  ​​​ The high, middle and low prior attainment comparison is available across all key stages and qualification types. The ...

• Exporting data from SIMS

  This article give step by step instructions for SIMS schools using our report definitions to extract their Student Information, Teaching Sets and Exam Results. Importing the report definitions Running the reports Adding extra data – Student ...

• Editing student data

  This article will show you how to make edits to the student data you have imported. You can make edits individually, using the Edit Student screen, or in bulk, using either merge or overwrite. Editing individual students Bulk updates – merge and ...

• Mapping Columns

  Import files do not need to have headings with specific names, and the columns of data do not need to be in a specific order. During the import however, you will need to map the columns in your spreadsheet to Alps columns so that the application can ...