Data Dictionary Guide

A data dictionary is the requirements document Finalsite Enrollment Support uses to build a custom export from your site into your SIS. You fill in which SIS fields to send data into, which Finalsite Enrollment fields the data comes from, and any value mappings needed (reference tables). Standard turnaround for a custom export build is 6 to 8 weeks from finalized requirements.

💡Quick Answers

• What is the data dictionary used for? Configuring a custom export from Finalsite Enrollment to your SIS or other target system. The Support team builds the export based on what you fill in.
• What fields do I need to include? Only the fields you want to send data into in your target system, not every field. At minimum: the unique identifier used to update records in your target system (often a Student ID like 123456) and any fields your target system flags as required for import.
• What's the Reference Table tab for? Mapping values that differ between Finalsite Enrollment and your SIS. Common examples are grade, ethnicity/race, country/citizenship, marital status, and gender. Your SIS might use codes where Finalsite Enrollment uses display names, and the reference table lets the export translate between them.
• Do I need a separate data dictionary for each file my target system imports? No, you can use a single dictionary workbook with a separate tab per file you need to generate, plus one combined Reference Table tab.
• How long does the build take? 6 to 8 weeks from when Support receives your finalized requirements. Plan ahead if you need the export to be ready by a specific date.

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Data Dictionary Template Overview

You will be provided with a data dictionary template by Finalsite Enrollment. The 'dictionary' is a spreadsheet file that you will open in a software like Google Sheets or Excel. Within the data dictionary, you'll enter information about what fields you want to send information to in your SIS and what fields they should come from in our system.  

Below is an example image from one of our Data Dictionaries (depending on which type of export we are building for you, the dictionary file you receive might look different from the one pictured below.)

Data Dictionary FAQ

What fields should I include in the data dictionary?

You don't need to include every field from your SIS in the data dictionary. You only need to include the fields that you want to send information into.

[Note: Only data that is relevant to the admissions or enrollment process should be collected in Finalsite Enrollment. Any data that is related to post-enrollment processes (such as class schedules or attendance) should continue to be maintained outside of Finalsite Enrollment.]

At a minimum, you should include the following fields (if they exist in your system):

• The unique identifier used to update records in your target system when importing data.  This varies from system to system, however, in many cases this would be a Student ID with the format: 123456.  
• Any fields your target system indicates are required when importing data.

My file has a Reference Table tab. What is that for?

Sometimes the values in the fields in your SIS will be different from the values of the field in Finalsite Enrollment.

The most common examples we see of this are grade, ethnicity/race, country/citizenship, marital status, and gender. Are any of the values for these or other fields in your dictionary different in Finalsite Enrollment compared to your SIS? If yes, please complete a table for it!

If my target system requires multiple files for import, do I need to fill out more than one data dictionary?

For each file you need to import into your target system, include a separate tab in the data dictionary worksheet with the field names, sample values, and descriptions required for that specific file. All reference tables can be combined onto one tab.

 Library of Resources

• Article: How to Find Fields
• Article: How to Find Field Values
• Video: How to complete a generic data dictionary*

*Please note: this video covers our standard, generic data dictionary but you might be completing one of our customized dictionaries, so, the dictionary you receive may not match the one in the video.

Glossary

• Data Dictionary - The requirements document Finalsite Enrollment needs to configure your custom export and build your Finalsite Enrollment site. This is to be filled out and returned by the school before the export build process.

• Target system - The Student Information System (SIS) or other system of record that you want to import data from Finalsite Enrollment into. You may have multiple systems you track data in, but for the purposes of Finalsite Enrollment “target system” refers specifically to the system or systems you have purchased a custom export configuration for.

• Custom export configuration - A framework of data transformation used to correctly output a file (or multiple files) with headers and data that matches what your target system expects for an import

• Reference Table - A list of valid values for a specific field. If a field uses codes instead of display names, the reference table should include both the display name and the valid value accepted by the target system.