Course Prerequisite Flat File Import

Ad Astra offers a course prerequisite import for Banner and Peoplesoft for use in Predict Analysis. For those clients that are on other standard SIS implementations, or those that wish to edit their prerequisites independent of the SIS, Ad Astra offers a flat file course prerequisite import. The import can be optionally enabled in the data config process.

To opt-in to using the course prerequisite flat file import, you will need to provide a populated prerequisite template and then work directly with Ad Astra technical support resources to establish and configure the import.

Course Prerequisites Template

Click here to download example data file.

Click here to download a blank template.

• Use the referenced template to prepare your course prerequisites for import
  
  

• Rows in this template represent the courses, test codes, or sub-rules built of courses, test codes and other sub-rules that are prerequisites of a parent course.
  
  

• This data can be part of a full flat file integration or can be added on as a supplemental import for a standard core SIS integration such as Colleague, Jenzabar Ex etc.
  
  

• The rows in this template are grouped by the parent course information and have relationships and dependencies on the other rows with the group.
  
  

• Template details:

  • seqno

    • Required, dictates the order of application or prereq row and is required to keep the () and and/or logic correct, 1-n in the column will work

    • decimal field that puts the rows of the prerequisite grouping in order. The order is import when it comes to forming rule grouping with parenthesis and the logical relationship between those rules.
      
      

  • subject_code, course_number, course_id, effective_start_date

    • Required fields.

    • The parent course is identified by the subject_code, course_number, course_id, course_offering_number, and effective_start_date fields.

    • subject_code, course_number, course_id, and effective_start_date are all required.

    • effective_start_date represents the date on which this version of the prerequisite will go into effect. It should be in mm/dd/yyyy format.
      
      

    • NOTE: for most SIS’s and Flatfile imports, course_id is subject_code and course_number in all caps connected by an underscore. For Peoplesoft systems, it maps to the crse_id in Peoplesoft.
      
      

  • course_offering_number

    • This is a PeopleSoft-specific value. Not required, but will be defaulted to 1 if no value is entered. It is suggested that for all SIS other than Peoplesoft this be left as null.
      
      

  • name, description

    • name and description are optional, for reporting purposes only at this time
      
      

  • operator

    • Optional

    • Determines the and/or logical relationship between the current and previous items.

      • Note that the operator goes BEFORE the child prerequisite item and parenthesis fields in the current row.

      • All cases of the following entries are accepted values: a, o, and, or.

      • In some cases parenthesis may be needed to group items when logic switching is needed.
        
        

  • open_paren

    • open_paren and close_paren fields can be used to optionally group child prerequisite items into sub-rule structures

      • a single left parenthesis or null are the only acceptable value for open_paren.

      • a single right parenthesis or null are the only acceptable value for close_paren.

      • sub-rules formed by parenthesis can be nested within each other.

      • because only single parenthesis are allowed in the fields new rows can be created with only parenthesis and no child perquisite items when multiple parenthesis are need in a row.

      • () can be in their own row or in the same row as other prerequisite data, but () cannot both be in same row
        
        

  • pre_req_subject_code

  • pre_req_course_number

  • pre_req_course_id

  • pre_req_course_offering_number

    • the pre_req_subject_code, pre_req_course_number, pre_req_course_id, pre_req_course_offering_number are used to identify a child course that is a prerequisite of the parent course.

      • having a course as prerequisite is optional, however if it is desired pre_req_subject_code, pre_req_course_number, and pre_req_course_id are required

      • like the parent course, pre_req_course_id is generally pre_req_subject_code and pre_req_course_number in all caps connect by and underscore with exception of Peoplesoft that needs this to be equivalent to the Peoplesoft crse_id.

      • like the parent course, pre_req_course_offering_number is not required, but will be defaulted to 1 if no value is entered. It is suggested that for all SIS’s other than Peoplesoft that this be left as null.
        
        

  • min_grade

    • Optional: a min grade can be entered for the prerequisite course. If min_grade prerequisites are used, grade points must be configured in Settings>Academics>Predict.
      
      

  • test_code

    • Optional; can be used to identify a test code that is a prerequisite to a parent course.
      
      

  • test_component

    • Optional; to help identify a test prerequisite. Generally Peoplesoft is the only SIS that uses this functionality.
      
      

  • test_score

    • Optional; can be use to set a minimum score required on the test, if applicable
      
      

  • close_paren

    • open_paren and close_paren fields can be used to optionally group child prerequisite items into sub-rule structures

      • a single left parenthesis or null are the only acceptable value for open_paren.

      • a single right parenthesis or null are the only acceptable value for close_paren.

      • sub-rules formed by parenthesis can be nested within each other.

      • because only single parenthesis are allowed in the fields new rows can be created with only parenthesis and no child perquisite items when multiple parenthesis are need in a row.

      • () can be in their own row or in the same row as other prerequisite data, but () cannot both be in same row
        
        

  • allow_concurrency

    • Optional; can be set to allow the prerequisite row to be taken concurrently with other prerequisite items. The default is to allow concurrency. The following values are accepted in all possible casings: y, n, yes, no, true, false, t, f, 0, 1.