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The Basics User Guide

PowerSchool

Student Information System

The Basics User Guide

Introduction

Document Properties

of Apple Computer, Inc. and is for reference only. It is not to be reproduced or

distributed in any way without the express written consent of Apple Computer,

Inc. Other brands and names are the property of their respective owners.

Owner

Technical Communication and Documentation

Last Updated

8/10/2004

Version

4.0

Please send comments, suggestions, or requests for this document to manuals@powerschool.com

Your feedback is appreciated.

The Basics User Guide

Introduction

Contents

Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................................... 6

Legend ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 7

Audience................................................................................................................................................................................ 7

The Basics........................................................................................................................................................................... 8

What is PowerSchool? ............................................................................................................................................................. 8

What is PowerGrade?............................................................................................................................................................... 8

What is a Web Browser?......................................................................................................................................................... 8

Open a Web Browser....................................................................................................................................................... 9

Web Address (URL)........................................................................................................................................................... 9

How to Enter a URL................................................................................................................................................10

Web Navigation................................................................................................................................................................11

How to Navigate Using Links............................................................................................................................11

Web Browser Navigation.............................................................................................................................................13

Back................................................................................................................................................................................13

Forward........................................................................................................................................................................14

Home.............................................................................................................................................................................14

Stop................................................................................................................................................................................15

Print................................................................................................................................................................................15

Favorites/Bookmarks .............................................................................................................................................15

Advanced Web Navigation.........................................................................................................................................17

How to Use Forms..................................................................................................................................................17

How to Open a Second Web Browser..........................................................................................................17

What Is a PDF?...........................................................................................................................................................................18

What Is a Spreadsheet?.........................................................................................................................................................18

What Is Importing and Exporting?..................................................................................................................................19

Importing.............................................................................................................................................................................19

Exporting .............................................................................................................................................................................19

Log In to PowerSchool ................................................................................................................................................20

PowerSchool URL ............................................................................................................................................................20

Username ............................................................................................................................................................................20

Password..............................................................................................................................................................................20

How to Log In to PowerSchool........................................................................................................................20

The Basics User Guide

Introduction

Start Page.........................................................................................................................................................................22

Navigation Bar ..................................................................................................................................................................22

Search Students Field....................................................................................................................................................23

Alphabet ..............................................................................................................................................................................23

Numbers ..............................................................................................................................................................................23

M/F..........................................................................................................................................................................................23

Current Selection.............................................................................................................................................................23

How to Search...................................................................................................................................................................23

View Field List ...................................................................................................................................................................23

Stored Searches................................................................................................................................................................24

Navigation Bar...........................................................................................................................................................................24

Navigation Bar Items .....................................................................................................................................................25

How to Change Schools ......................................................................................................................................25

How to Change Terms..........................................................................................................................................25

Report Queue............................................................................................................................................................26

How to Access Online Help ...............................................................................................................................27

How to Use the PowerSchool Home Button ............................................................................................27

How to Use the Logout Button .......................................................................................................................27

Navigation Path................................................................................................................................................................28

Main Menu..................................................................................................................................................................................28

Absentee Report..............................................................................................................................................................28

How to Run the Absentee Report ..................................................................................................................28

Daily Bulletin......................................................................................................................................................................31

Enrollment Summary.....................................................................................................................................................31

Master Schedule...............................................................................................................................................................31

How to View the Master Schedule.................................................................................................................31

How to Change Master Schedule Preferences.........................................................................................33

PowerLunch .......................................................................................................................................................................35

Reports..................................................................................................................................................................................35

Special Functions.............................................................................................................................................................35

Teacher Schedules ..........................................................................................................................................................36

How to View Teacher Schedules From the Main Menu......................................................................36

Personalize..........................................................................................................................................................................37

How to Set the Login Page................................................................................................................................37

The Basics User Guide

Introduction

How to Set the Default Student Page..........................................................................................................38

How to Reset Your Password............................................................................................................................38

How to Hide the Main Menu ............................................................................................................................39

How to Enable the Task Navigator.................................................................................................................40

PowerScheduler ...............................................................................................................................................................44

School....................................................................................................................................................................................44

Staff ........................................................................................................................................................................................44

System...................................................................................................................................................................................44

VirtualUniversity...............................................................................................................................................................44

User Security...................................................................................................................................................................46

How to Log Out.......................................................................................................................................................46

Help ................................................................................................................................................................................................46

Guide .....................................................................................................................................................................................47

Internet.................................................................................................................................................................................47

Email ......................................................................................................................................................................................47

The Basics User Guide

Introduction

Use PowerSchool Help to learn the PowerSchool Student Information System (SIS) and to serve as a

reference for your daily work. However, before you can begin using PowerSchool, the PowerSchool

administrator at your school must set up the system and import the data from your previous

system. Once those steps are complete, you can start using PowerSchool. Use PowerSchool Help to

assist you in navigating in PowerSchool.

PowerSchool Help is updated as PowerSchool is updated. Not all versions of PowerSchool Help are

available in a printable guide. For the most up-to-date information, click Help on any page in

PowerSchool.

There are user guides available that include the same information as PowerSchool Help for each

major release of PowerSchool. These user guides include instructions for certain user roles, though

these roles will vary depending on your school or district's circumstances. For the most recent

version of the printable guides, visit the PowerSchool Customer Support web site at

https://www.powerschool.com/support/documentation/userguides/

. This URL is case-

sensitive.

Note: You need a username and password to view anything on the PowerSchool Customer Support

web site. Contact your PowerSchool administrator for access.

You are encouraged to read each section of the help that pertains to you. While the introductory

sections build a foundation of knowledge that you will use every time you log on to PowerSchool,

the remaining sections are independent of each other and can be read in any order. However, if

you have never used PowerSchool before, it will be most helpful if you start with the section

“

Introduction to PowerSchool

.” Whenever you read this guide, keep the following points in

mind:

•

The actions you can perform in PowerSchool depend on your job responsibilities and

subsequently on your level of access to PowerSchool. Some users only have viewing rights

to some pages. Others can view or edit any page. Still other users can view or edit any page,

and create new ones as well. Finally, some pages are view-only for everyone. This guide

outlines viewing, editing, and creating options for most pages. Depending on your needs

and your level of access, only certain options will be applicable and available to you. If you

find that your work requires a greater level of access, contact the system administrator at

your school.

•

Almost all of the activities described in this guide begin by selecting the appropriate

student or group; thus, it is imperative that you understand how to search for and select a

student. For detailed instructions on how to do this, refer to the section “

Search and

Select

.”

•

The school and student records used in this guide differ from those displayed on your page

as you work. You will work with real data based on student records at your school. The

graphics in this guide are only examples.

•

In PowerSchool, different pages provide some of the same information because you view

the same data from a different place each time. If you add, change, or delete data on one

page, it will be added, changed, or deleted on other pages that contain the same field(s) of

data.

The Basics User Guide

Introduction

•

The reporting features described in this guide are some of the most important you will use

in the system. A PowerSchool report is a statement of student or staff records that is

produced for viewing or printing and can include information text in addition to the report

listings. PowerSchool reports include report cards, lists of class schedules, lunch balance

sheets, mailing labels, lists of current staff members, and attendance records.

•

Use PowerSchool to create numerous types of reports that pull selected data quickly and

easily. Select from a list of pre-configured reports that have preset parameters or create a

custom report to include parameters needed for a specific task. You should read the

sections “

Custom Reports

” and “

Pre-Configured Reports

” before creating a report.

Legend

•

This guide uses the > symbol to move down a menu path. Thus, if instructed to "Click File >

New > Window", begin by clicking the File menu. Then, click New and Window. The option

noted after the > symbol will always be on the menu that results from your previous

selection.

•

It is easy to identify notes because they are indented and prefaced by the text Notes:.

Audience

This document is intended for all who use PowerSchool.

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The Basics

PowerSchool is an Internet-based student information system (SIS) that functions either

independently or with other computer applications. PowerGrade, web browsers, and spreadsheet

applications all work in different ways to complement PowerSchool and to provide users with

robust tools for viewing, manipulating, storing, and retrieving data. The following items are the

major tools that comprise PowerSchool. For information on other concepts related to PowerSchool,

see the section "

What Is

What is PowerSchool?

PowerSchool tracks student records and progress. School administrators and teachers enter data

into the system, where it is stored. When you need to access the information, perform searches and

pull reports. Parents can monitor their children’s progress and learn about school activities.

The types of information managed by PowerSchool include grades, attendance records, school

schedules, class schedules, daily bulletins, lunch balances, and citizenship. All of this information is

accessed through a web browser.

What is PowerGrade?

PowerGrade is the software employed by the teachers at schools that use PowerSchool. It is

important to understand that PowerGrade and PowerSchool are not the same. PowerGrade is used

to keep grades and take attendance. The information in PowerGrade is automatically sent to the

PowerSchool system whenever a teacher saves the information. There is nothing else the teacher

must do for the data to be stored on the PowerSchool system.

PowerSchool is a system that manages the data entered by school administrators and by some

teachers and is the repository for PowerGrade information. PowerSchool receives the information

from PowerGrade and stores it for daily administration and management. For more information on

PowerGrade, see the "

PowerGrade User Guide

What is a Web Browser?

A web browser is a computer application used to view web pages. The two most common web

browsers are Netscape Navigator (the specific application is called Netscape Communicator) and

Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. To access PowerSchool, you must use either Netscape 4.7 or Internet

Explorer 5.0 or later. Though Netscape and Explorer are both compatible with PowerSchool, there

are some configuration limitations with Explorer. If some PowerSchool features do not work

properly (especially certain reporting functions), either contact your PowerSchool administrator or

use Netscape. Download Netscape from the following web site:

http://browsers.netscape.com/browsers/main.tmpl

What if you have never used a web browser? By using the basic instructions in the sections "

Open

a Web Browser

," "

Web Navigation

," and "

Advanced Web Navigation

," you will be

browsing the web (and PowerSchool) in no time.

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The Basics

Note: While these instructions are geared towards using PowerSchool, you can also use them to

visit any web site.

Open a Web Browser

Your first item of business is to launch your web browser application. Your computer probably has a

web browser icon on the desktop:

•

If you use Safari, the icon looks like this

•

If you use Netscape, the icon looks like this

•

If you use Internet Explorer , it looks like this

If you do not notice either icon on your desktop, contact your PowerSchool administrator. He or she

needs to put a shortcut on your desktop, install a web browser, or locate a different web browser.

To launch your web browser, double-click the icon and wait for your default homepage to appear.

Your homepage probably does not look the same as the following example, and the buttons might

look different. However, the standard web browser functions are the same, and the buttons will

operate as described in the section "

Web Browser Navigation

Web Address (URL)

Once your web browser is open, enter a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) to begin browsing the

World Wide Web. The first place you will visit is the PowerSchool web site.

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The Basics

How to Enter a URL

1. Place the cursor at the beginning of the address in the [Address] field if using Safari,

Location field if using Netscape (Netscape also uses the terms Go to: and Netsite), or

Address field if using Internet Explorer. To place the cursor, click at the beginning of the

field.

Note: If the contents of the field are already selected or highlighted, skip to step 3.

2. Hold down the mouse button and drag your mouse to the end of the address until it

highlights. Release the mouse.

•

If you use Safari,

•

If you use Netscape,

•

If you use Internet Explorer,

3. Press Delete.

Note: This step is optional; by entering a new URL, the web browser automatically deletes

the existing URL.

4. Enter the following into the address field: www.powerschool.com

Note: Most web sites have a URL that begins with the www prefix. In addition, most web

browsers assume the protocol http when you enter a URL. It is usually not necessary to

include the http protocol and :// separator before a URL.

5. Press Return (Mac) or Enter (Windows). You are now at the PowerSchool start page and can

start exploring the web.

Note: The address field automatically changed and now displays

http://www.apple.com/education/powerschool/

. Since the PowerSchool web site is

part of the Apple web site, PowerSchool's URL is actually an Apple URL. This process, known

as redirection, is an easy way for visitors to enter a simple URL rather than a URL that is

much more difficult to remember.

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The Basics

Web Navigation

After opening a web browser to the PowerSchool web site at

http://www.powerschool.com

click Store to view Apple's online store. For now, do not click anywhere on the page that appears;

just review the information. Next, explore by clicking different text and images that take you to

different web pages. When you finish exploring, click the tab with the Apple icon next to the Store

tab.

Note: If the Apple homepage or the tab with the Apple logo does not appear, you could have

inadvertently clicked a link to a different web site. Return to the PowerSchool web site by opening

your web browser to

http://www.powerschool.com

How to Navigate Using Links

A link is a word, phrase, or graphic that takes you to a new webpage when clicked. The word and

phrase links are often underlined and are generally colored blue. If you pass the cursor over any link

without clicking, a pointing finger appears. If you click the link, a new page appears.

1. Open the PowerSchool homepage at

http://www.powerschool.com

. You can do this no

matter what page currently appears on your computer. The PowerSchool page appears.

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A group of links appears further down the page.

Note: Links take you to other pages or sometimes to a specific part of a page.

2. Click Services. The Services page appears.

3. Click News. The "PowerSchool in the News" page appears.

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The Basics

As you can imagine, there are endless links on the World Wide Web. Your web browser’s

navigation buttons should keep you from getting lost.

Web Browser Navigation

•

If using Safari:

•

If using Netscape:

•

If using Internet Explorer:

Browsers include several navigation buttons to help you move from site to site. They often help you

find your way back to your starting point, and they can also help you go to specific sites without

having to enter the address.

Back

•

If using Safari,

•

If using Netscape,

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The Basics

•

If using Internet Explorer,

Click Back to review the sites you visited in reverse order. The button will not work if it is grayed-

out; this usually means that you are already back to where you started.

1. Click Back several times until you return to the default homepage. You will pass through

any web sites you visited.

2. Stop at your default homepage.

Forward

•

If using Safari,

•

If using Netscape,

•

If using Internet Explorer,

Click this button to review the sites you visited, but in the same order you visited them the first

time. The button will not work if it is grayed-out; this usually means that you are already as far

forward as possible.

1. Click Back several times, if possible.

2. Click Forward several times until you return to the last page you visited. You will pass

through the web sites you already visited.

Home

•

If using Safari,

•

If using Netscape,

•

If using Internet Explorer

This button takes you back to your default homepage with just one click. No matter how many sites

you visited, clicking this button once puts you back to your default homepage. This is especially

important if the Back or Forward buttons are grayed-out. Click Home to return to the starting point.

Note: Most businesses that put sites on the Internet have their own homepage. You will often

notice Home links on web sites. Do not confuse this Home with your web browser's Home button.

Your web browser's Home button will take you back to the default page that you view when you

start your web browser. The Home link on a specific web site displays that company's homepage.

For example, click the Apple logo

on the Apple web site to return to the Apple

homepage.

The Basics User Guide

The Basics

Stop

•

If using Safari,

•

If using Netscape,

•

If using Internet Explorer

The speed at which your web browser can display a specific web site depends on your Internet

service provider, the site you visit, the time of day, your geographic region, and a host of other

variables. A particular site can have too many people trying to reach it at the same time. Your

Internet service provider may not have enough phone lines to accommodate large numbers of

users logging in at the same time. This is also true for the neighborhood from which you access the

Internet. Any of these factors can prevent you from accessing a site in a speedy manner.

When a web site takes too long to display, click Stop. This stops the web browser from trying to

access site. At that point, you can try again, click Back, click Home, or visit a different site.

Note: Some web browsers shade the Stop button when the webpage finishes loading. The Stop

button becomes active again when the web browser loads another page.

•

If using Safari, choose File > Print.

•

If using Netscape,

•

If using Internet Explorer,

Print prints the page on your computer. The page prints to your default printer, and it prints text as

well as graphics. If the printing process takes too long, click Stop to cancel the job.

Favorites/Bookmarks

•

If using Safari,

•

If using Netscape,

•

If using Internet Explorer,

Use Favorites or Bookmarks so that you can visit your favorite web sites without having to enter the

address each time. If you use Safari or Netscape, you have Bookmarks. If you use Internet Explorer,

you have Favorites. All mark sites in the same manner and can be organized according to your

The Basics User Guide

The Basics

preferences. Bookmark the PowerSchool or Apple web sites as favorites. For more information on

URLs, see the section "

Web Address

Safari Users

1. In the address field, enter your school's PowerSchool system address.

2. Press Return (Mac) or Enter (Windows).

3. Choose Bookmarks > Add Bookmark.

4. Enter a new name for the site, if you wish.

5. Click OK.

The next time you want to visit the PowerSchool system, do so without entering the URL.

With your web browser open to any page, choose Bookmarks, Bookmarks Bar, and then

your PowerSchool system from the list.

Netscape Users

1. In the Location field, enter your school's PowerSchool URL.

2. Press Return (Mac) or Enter (Windows).

3. Choose Bookmarks > Add Current Page.

The Basics User Guide

The Basics

The next time you want to visit the PowerSchool system, do so without entering the

address. With your web browser open to any page, choose Bookmarks and then the

PowerSchool bookmark.

Internet Explorer Users

1. In the Address field, enter your school's PowerSchool system address.

2. Press Return (Mac) or Enter (Windows).

3. Choose Favorites > Add Page to Favorites.

The next time you want to visit the PowerSchool system, do so without entering the URL.

With your web browser open to any page, choose Favorites and then your PowerSchool

system from the list.

Advanced Web Navigation

How to Use Forms

You might be asked to complete a form when using PowerSchool or another web-based

application. This means that you answer the questions by entering information in fields on the

form. Once you complete the necessary information, you must click a button to send the

information to the system. The buttons used to send the information back to the system could be

called Go, Enter, Submit, or Save. PowerSchool uses the term Submit. By clicking Submit, you are

telling the system to save the information you entered. If you do not click Submit, your information

will not be saved, and you will have to reenter it. It is very important to click Submit when you finish

entering or changing data.

How to Open a Second Web Browser

Opening a second (or third, or more) instance of the web browser is not necessary, but you will find

it helpful on many occasions. For example, open a web browser to the PowerSchool support site

and open your PowerSchool system in the second web browser at the same time. Alternatively,

open another web browser to see this guide online as you perform the described tasks in

PowerSchool. In addition, it is a good idea to have a second page appear when you create reports

so that you can preview them as you work.

The Basics User Guide

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Note: Some computers are not equipped to handle this. If you find that it is taking a long time for

pages to appear, close all but one web browser. Try closing any unnecessary applications to help

speed up the process.

1. Leave your first web browser window open to the PowerSchool start page.

2. Return to the desktop and restart your web browser as you did the first time.

3. Open PowerSchool to the start page.

4. Navigate to any PowerSchool page.

5. Switch windows by clicking in the Finder (Mac) or Taskbar (Windows).

You can now go anywhere on the web and find any type of information. Web browser

capabilities are far greater than discussed here. For more information, see your web browser's

Help menu. See the web browser tutorials at the following web sites:

•

http://www.apple.com/safari/

for Safari

•

http://home.netscape.com/browsers/using/newusers/basics/index.html

for

Netscape

•

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/using/default.asp

for Internet Explorer

What Is a PDF?

PDF is the acronym for Portable Document Format; it is the file format for Adobe Systems Acrobat.

You must have Acrobat Reader installed on your computer to view PDF files. If you are reading this

document from your computer, you already have Acrobat Reader installed. To download Acrobat

Reader, see Adobe’s web site:

http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html

Documents are often created in one application and then saved as PDF files because all users can

read PDFs, regardless of the operating system or other applications on the user’s computer. A PDF

file can include any combination of text, graphics, or images. It can be one page or thousands of

pages, and can be very simple or extremely complex with a rich use of fonts, graphics, color, and

images.

This document was created in Microsoft Word but saved again as a PDF file so that all users can

read it using a web browser. Some PowerSchool reports generate PDF files so that you can print the

reports from your web browser.

What Is a Spreadsheet?

A spreadsheet is a table of values arranged in rows and columns. Examples of documents that can

be spreadsheets include class rosters, transcripts, and gradebooks.

PowerSchool is unique among student information systems because you can move virtually any

data from the PowerSchool system into a spreadsheet application and back into PowerSchool, if

needed. This means that you can export any PowerSchool data (such as demographic information,

grades, and test scores) to a spreadsheet where you can sort, filter, and perform calculations. A

spreadsheet is an excellent complement to the PowerSchool system because it gives you enormous

flexibility when working with and formatting data.

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The most common spreadsheet applications are Excel and Lotus 1-2-3. Other well-known

spreadsheet applications include Quattro Pro, ClarisWorks, and MS Works. All of these applications

can be used with PowerSchool. In fact, any spreadsheet application that uses ASCII tab-delimited

files can be used with PowerSchool. For more information on working with spreadsheets, see the

Help menu for the spreadsheet application on your computer.

What Is Importing and Exporting?

Periodically, you will need to either put a large amount of information into a system or get a large

amount of information out of a system. To expedite this process, some applications provide

importing and exporting tools.

Importing

Importing refers to the process by which data moves from an external application into

PowerSchool. This is helpful if you have been using another student information system and need

the data in your new PowerSchool system. It is also helpful if you create spreadsheets in another

application and want to store that data in PowerSchool. Sometimes it is actually faster to first create

spreadsheets and then import the necessary data into PowerSchool rather than to enter the data

into PowerSchool directly. Types of data that can be imported include student demographic,

teacher, course, and scheduling data, and course requests.

The importing process involves several steps and has the potential to cause disorder in the

PowerSchool database if it is not done properly. For this reason, your PowerSchool administrator

handles imports to the PowerSchool system. If you have data in a non-PowerSchool application to

use in PowerSchool, contact your school’s PowerSchool administrator. For more information on

importing, see the section "

Quick Import

Exporting

Exporting is the process by which data moves from the PowerSchool system to an external

application such as a spreadsheet application. This can be done easily by most PowerSchool users

and provides great flexibility when formatting data. By exporting data, you can quickly prepare an

honor roll list to present to your local newspaper, an attendance summary to include on a report for

state auditors, or a host of other documents for just about anyone else. You can even import the

data back into PowerSchool after you worked with it in the other application to which you exported

it. For more information on exporting, see the section "

Quick Export

The Basics User Guide

Because PowerSchool is a secure system, you need a secure connection to use it. To access

PowerSchool, you log in to the system. To access PowerLunch, you need to log in to PowerSchool.

For more information, see the section "

PowerLunch Security

Note: For general information about PowerSchool, see the section "

Introduction to

PowerSchool

PowerSchool URL

PowerSchool is web-based; therefore, the PowerSchool system at your school must have a URL.

Note: This is not the address of the PowerSchool start page discussed in the section "

Web

Browser Navigation

If you do not know the URL of the PowerSchool system at your school, contact your PowerSchool

administrator.

Username

The PowerSchool administrator at your school assigns usernames, which are typically variations of

the users’ first or last names. If you are not sure of your username, contact your PowerSchool

administrator.

Password

The PowerSchool administrator at your school assigns your password. When you log in to the

system, enter your password exactly as it is assigned. Spelling is important! If you do not know your

password, contact your PowerSchool administrator. You cannot access PowerSchool without it.

Note: Do not use your colleague’s password or give your password to a colleague. Security is very

important in PowerSchool. For more information, see the section "

Security

How to Log In to PowerSchool

1. Open your web browser to your school’s PowerSchool URL. The Log On page appears.

The Basics User Guide

2. Enter your username, followed by a semicolon, then your password. The characters display

as asterisks (*) to ensure greater security when you log in. For example, when Chris Smith

enters chriss;password, it appears in the password field as ***************.

3. Click Enter. The start page appears, and you are logged in to PowerSchool.

The Basics User Guide

Start Page

Before working with PowerSchool, become familiar with some of the most commonly used pages.

The following items are on the start page. Some of them you will not use very often, but others you

will use on a daily basis. Thus, it is important that you have a basic understanding of all the

functions and know where to find each page. Bookmark the pages that you frequently use.

The PowerSchool start page includes four main areas:

•

Navigation bar

•

Main menu

•

Home link

•

Page content, including Search Students, View Field List, "How to Search," Browse

Students, Stored Searches, and Stored Selections links

Many of these areas appear on other pages. Due to varying content, the exact page content differs

among pages. For example, the main menu appears on most pages, but contains links appropriate

for each page.

Navigation Bar

After navigating from the start page, the navigation bar displays the following links:

The Basics User Guide

Start Page

Search Students Field

This is where your work with PowerSchool begins every time you start the system. This is also

where you enter the search criteria to find a student or group of students. For more information on

searches, see the section "

Search and Select

Alphabet

These links display a list of students whose last names begin with the selected letter. For example, if

you click B, the system displays the students at your school whose last names begin with a "B."

Numbers

These links display a list of students in the selected grade. If you click 9, the system displays a list of

ninth graders at your school.

M/F

These links display lists of all the male (M) or female (F) students at your school.

Current Selection

Use this link to quickly return to the last group of selected students without repeating a search

function. For more information on searches, see the section "

Search and Select

How to Search

This link provides information on how to conduct searches. Click "How to Search" on the start page

to learn about searching for a student or a group of students. When you finish your review, either

click Back on the web browser until you return to the start page or click the PowerSchool logo. For

more information on searches, see the sections "

Search and Select

" and "

Advanced Search

and Select

View Field List

This link connects you to a list of all fields stored in your school’s PowerSchool database. Like many

other applications, PowerSchool stores data in fields. A field is a unit of information defined by your

PowerSchool administrator. PowerSchool comes with a set of standard fields used by all schools,

but your school can add other fields that are particular to your needs. Click View Field List on the

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Start Page

start page to view the list of fields for your school. When you finish your review, either click Back on

the web browser until you return to the start page or click the PowerSchool logo.

Note: Fields are added to the field list on a regular basis; they can change with new versions of

PowerSchool.

Stored Searches

This link connects you to a list of preset searches used to find groups of students more quickly. Click

Stored Searches to view groups at your school. When you finish your review, either click Back on

the web browser until you return to the start page or click the PowerSchool logo. For more

information on stored searches, see the section "

Search and Select

Navigation Bar

While performing procedures in PowerSchool, you probably notice that some items appear on all of

the pages. Click these links to perform important functions from anywhere in the system.

For example, click Stored Searches on the start page. Notice the navigation bar across the top of the

page.

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Navigation Bar Items

How to Change Schools

Look at the school name at the top of the page. If this is not your school, use the following

procedure to change schools. Not everyone has permission to switch schools. Switching schools

cancels any selection of students made in the previous school.

1. Click School.

2. On the Change Schools page, choose the appropriate school from the School pop-up menu.

The start page reappears with the name of the school you just selected in the navigation

bar.

Note: If the page does not refresh automatically, click Submit.

How to Change Terms

Look at the term noted in the navigation bar. By default, it is the current term. Change the term

from the navigation bar if you want to work in a different term.

1. Click the underlined term.

2. On the Change Term page, choose the term from the Change To pop-up menu.

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Note: To verify the number of school days in this term, click "Verify # of school days in this

term" on the Change Term page.

3. Click Submit, if necessary. The start page appears with the newly selected term in the

navigation bar.

Report Queue

The report queue is a list of all reports, including pending, running, completed, and canceled report

requests. When you submit a report request to the system, the system captures that request and

transmits it to the report queue. The queue displays all reports until each report ages beyond a

specified number of days. Depending on the status of the report and the permissions of the user,

reports can be canceled, deleted, or re-executed.

The Report Queue icon, which looks like a piece of paper, displays only when you have any report

requests, or jobs, in the system. If any of the jobs are currently running, the icon displays animated

writing on the paper icon.

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If you have any jobs in the queue, click the Report Queue icon

to view your reports.

How to Access Online Help

This link displays PowerSchool Help, where you can follow procedures and find answers to many

common questions. PowerSchool Help also provides a search function that searches all procedures.

When you click the Help icon on most pages, help information related to that particular page

appears.

Note: Depending on your web browser, PowerSchool Help may first find the specific help topic text

and then load the images associated with that help topic. You may need to click the Help icon

again to jump to the specific help topic after the images load.

On the navigation bar, click the Help icon, which looks like a question mark. PowerSchool Help

displays links to a variety of topics and to the searchable database. For more help information, see

the section "

Help

How to Use the PowerSchool Home Button

Another item takes you to the PowerSchool start page. The PowerSchool logo at the top left of

each page functions like the Home link. Click PowerSchool anywhere in the application to return to

the start page.

How to Use the Logout Button

Click Logout to exit PowerSchool. For more information, see the section "

User Security

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Navigation Path

PowerSchool provides you with an easy-to-use navigational tool called a navigation path or bread

crumbs. As you navigate through the application, the navigation path appears at the top of a page,

providing links back to each previous page that you navigated through. Click any of the links in the

navigation path to access that particular page of the application.

Note: The navigation path is not available on all pages of the application. Some pages, such as the

Changes Recorded page, have navigation on the page instead. In these cases, the system won't

know exactly where you came from since such pages are shared across many pages in the

application.

Main Menu

The start page has a main menu on the left side containing links. Use these links to display various

pages in the PowerSchool system and perform certain tasks. The main menu appears elsewhere in

the system, often with varying functions.

There are three headings on the start page main menu: Functions, Setup, and Training. Each

includes links to relevant functions.

Absentee Report

Use the Absentee report to generate single-day period-by-period attendance code information. For

example, you can use this report to search for students who received an unexcused absence code

for the previous day. You can then telephone the students' guardian to verify whether or not the

student actually has an excused absence.

How to Run the Absentee Report

1. On the start page, choose Absentee. The Absentee Report page appears.

2. Use the following table to enter information in the fields:

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Field

Description

Report Name

The name of this report.

Description

A description of this report's function.

Attendance Mode

Use the pop-up menu to select one of the following attendance

modes for which you want to run this report:

•

Choose Meeting to display report output by period.

•

Choose Daily to display report output by day.

Attendance mode indicates the method by which attendance is

recorded, such as meeting or daily. For more information, see

the section "

Attendance Overview

Note: Only the attendance modes selected in School Setup >

Attendance > Preferences appear in the pop-up menu.

Students to Include

Indicate which students you want to run the report for by

selecting one of the following options:

•

Select "The selected students only" to run the report for

the selected group of students.

•

Select the "All students" to run the report for all

students within the selected school.

Grades

Select the checkbox(es) to indicate which grade levels you want

to include in the report. Selecting one or more grades narrows

the student selection to include only those students having the

same grade level as those selected.

Alternatively, not selecting any grades results in all of the

students selected in the Students to Include selection being

included in the report.

Attendance Codes

Select the checkbox(es) to indicate which attendance code(s) to

scan for the report. Press and hold Command (Mac) or Control

(Windows) to select multiple attendance codes.

Date to Scan

Enter the date to scan using the format mm/dd/yyyy or mm-

dd-yyyy. If you do not use this format, an alert appears. If you

submit the date with an incorrect format, the date field will be

submitted as a blank entry.

Note: The date must be for the current school year.

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Field

Description

Period(s)

Select the checkboxes for the periods to scan, or select the "All

periods" checkbox.

•

If Meeting has been chosen from the Attendance Mode

pop-up menu select the appropriate periods (ascending

top to bottom) by cycle day (ascending left to right) for

the report to scan.

•

If Daily has been chosen from the Attendance Mode

pop-up menu, Period(s) do not apply.

Note: The report automatically detects multiple meeting of one

section and multiple sections in one meeting for periods

entered.

Include Student Number

Select this checkbox to include the student number(s) on the

report.

Number of Blank Lines

Below Student Names

Enter the number of blank lines to include as separators after

each student name.

Include Verification Line

Select the checkbox to include one line for each student where

the following can be recorded on the report: talked to,

relationships, reason, verify date, and employee.

3. Click Submit. The resulting report displays records marked with the indicated code on the

specified date.

4. Do one of the following:

•

Click a name to open the student pages menu.

•

Click Functions at the bottom of the report to open the Group Functions page. For

more information on what you can do from that menu, see the section "

Work With

Groups

•

Click Find to identify teachers who have not yet taken attendance. For more

information on this feature, see the section "

How to Run the PowerGrade

Attendance Report

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•

The Absentee report provides you with the ability to produce an output file

containing a list of students with the specified attendance code(s) based on

attendance mode, such as meeting or daily. For example, Print or save the report.

For more information, see the section "

Run, Print, and Save Reports

Daily Bulletin

Certain users can view and add items to the school's daily bulletin. Not all users at all schools have

permission to create items for the bulletin, but everyone's including parents and students can view

the notices.

When working with the daily bulletin:

•

Click a date to view the bulletin for that day.

•

Click the email address to send a message to the person who creates items for the daily

bulletin. Send an announcement for the bulletin or a message to the bulletin administrator.

For more information, contact your PowerSchool administrator.

Enrollment Summary

The Enrollment Summary provides a breakdown of students at your school by ethnicity and grade.

It was formerly named the Ethnicity and Grade Breakdown Report. For more information, see the

section "

Preconfigured Reports

Master Schedule

The master schedule displays the schedule for all teachers in your school. You can either view all

meetings for all sections and teachers or select certain teachers, days, and periods.

How to View the Master Schedule

View the master schedule for all teachers for all meetings. You may need to first set your master

schedule preferences. For more information, see the section "

How to Change Master Schedule

Preferences

1. On the start page, choose Master Schedule from the main menu to view the schedule for

your school. All classes for each teacher and the number of students in each class appear on

the Master Schedule page.

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2. Click a course number to edit the information for that section of the selected course.

Note: To edit the section, see "

Sections

." If you do not want to edit the section, click Back

on your web browser to return to the Master Schedule page.

3. On the Edit Section page, click an underlined number for one of the classes to view a list of

students in that class. The Class Roster page displays the students enrolled in the class.

4. Do one of the following (optional):

•

Click a student's name to work with the selected student.

•

Click "Make this the current selection of students" to select the students in the class

as the only group with which you want to work.

•

Click "Add these students to the current selection of students" to add this group to a

previously selected group. The Group Functions page displays the number of

selected students.

When you finish your review or working with the group, either click Back on your web

browser until you return to the start page or click the PowerSchool logo.

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How to Change Master Schedule Preferences

Filter the master schedule by periods, days, credit type, rooms, and teachers. Preferences are

associated with each user account. Therefore, your preferences will appear when you log in to any

computer with your username and password.

The first time you display the master schedule or any time you want to view the master schedule

after changing terms, you must set your master schedule preferences.

1. On the start page, choose Master Schedule from the main menu to view the schedule for

your school. The master schedule appears on the Master Schedule page.

2. Click "Show Preferences" at the bottom of the page. The Master Schedule Preferences page

appears.

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3. Use the following table to enter information in the fields:

Field

Description

Periods

Select the checkbox(es) to indicate which periods to display on

the master schedule. To display all periods, select the All

Periods checkbox.

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Field

Description

Days

Select the checkbox(es) to indicate which days to display on the

master schedule. To display all days, select the All Days

checkbox.

Credit Type

Enter the credit type to indicate which credit type to display on

the master schedule, such as MATH. To display all credit types,

do not enter anything in the field.

Rooms

Select the room(s) to display on the master schedule. Press and

hold Command (Mac) or Control (Windows) to make multiple

selections. Select All Rooms to display all rooms.

Teachers

Select the teacher(s) to display on the master schedule. Press

and hold Command (Mac) or Control (Windows) to make

multiple selections. Select All Teachers to display all teachers.

Sort By

Select a sort order option for the master schedule:

•

Credit Type

•

Department

•

Room

•

Teachers

4. Click Submit. The Master Schedule page displays the information for the selected options.

PowerLunch

PowerLunch is the lunch program management portion of PowerSchool. For more information, see

the section "

PowerLunch

Reports

The Reports option links you to custom and preconfigured reports. For more information, see the

sections "

Custom Reports

" and "

Preconfigured Reports

," respectively. Additionally, use this

link for state reporting and reporting engine functions.

Special Functions

The Special Functions option links you to frequently used procedures. Choose Special Functions

from the main menu. The functions most often used by PowerSchool administrators are discussed

in various sections throughout this guide. Notice what you can do from this page, and take a

moment to review the various options. When you finish your review, either click Back on your web

browser until you return to the start page or click the PowerSchool logo.

Note: You may not have access to some of the functions, or you may have view-only permissions.

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Teacher Schedules

View the current schedule of the selected teacher.

How to View Teacher Schedules From the Main Menu

1. On the start page, choose Teacher Schedules from the main menu.

2. On the Teacher Schedules page, click the name of the staff member. The selected teacher's

schedule appears.

3. Do one of the following:

•

To work with the group of students in all of the selected teacher's classes listed in

the schedule, click "Make all students listed above the current selection." The Group

Functions page appears. For more information, see the section "

Work With

Groups

•

To add a section to the teacher's schedule, click New and complete the Create New

Section page.

•

Click the term next to a course to view term information for this section. For more

information, see the section "

How to View Sections by Term

•

Click the name of the course in the Course column to view basic course information.

•

Click the section number next to a course to view information about this section.

For more information, see the section "

Sections

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•

Click the size to display the section's class roster. For more information, see the

section "

How to View the Class Roster

Personalize

Customize some PowerSchool settings to make the system more convenient for your daily needs.

Note: Keep the default settings, change your preferences now, or wait until you are more familiar

with PowerSchool. Change any combination of the settings as often as you want. Click Submit

when you enter or select information for each preference. If you try to change more than one at

time, only the preference immediately above the Submit button is saved. Any other changes made

at the same time are lost.

How to Set the Login Page

Personalize the default page that appears after you log in to PowerSchool.

1. On the start page, choose Personalize from the main menu. The Personalize - [User Name]

page appears.

2. Click "Default login page." The Personalize - Default Login Page appears.

3. Select an option to indicate your preferred Default Login page:

•

If you select the first option, choose a page from the pop-up menu.

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•

If you select the second option, enter a valid PowerSchool page in the space

provided. You may need to use PowerSchool for a while before you can select this

setting. When you do know a specific page, navigate to that page. Copy the URL

from the Location or Address field on your web browser and paste it into this field.

4. Click Submit. The start page refreshes. The next time you log in to PowerSchool, the system

opens to the page you chose.

How to Set the Default Student Page

Personalize the default page when working with a student.

1. On the start page, choose Personalize from the main menu. The Personalize - [User Name]

page appears.

2. Click "Initial student screen." This refers to the first page that appears when you select a

student record. The Personalize - Initial Student Screen page appears.

3. Click Submit. The start page refreshes. The next time you select a student, the student page

you chose will appear.

How to Reset Your Password

1. On the start page, choose Personalize from the main menu. The Personalize - [User Name]

page appears.

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2. Click "Change password." The Personalize - Change Password page appears.

3. Use the following table to enter information in the fields:

Field

Description

Old Password

Enter your current password. You used this password to enter

the system earlier.

New Password

Enter a new password.

Verify New Password

Enter your new password again in this field.

4. Click Submit. The start page refreshes. The next time you log in to PowerSchool, use the

new password you just set.

Note: It is important to select a password that you will remember. If you forget it, you

cannot log in to the system without help from your PowerSchool administrator. Do not

write your password anywhere, since an unauthorized user could find it and gain access to

PowerSchool. Imagine the problems if a student logged in with your username and

password! Try to commit your password to memory. For more information on passwords

and security, see the section "

Security

How to Hide the Main Menu

If you do not want the main menu on every PowerSchool page, you can select a preference to hide

the main menu from all pages except the start page. To navigate in PowerSchool without using the

main menu, use the navigation path or "breadcrumbs."

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1. On the start page, choose Personalize from the main menu. The Personalize - [User Name]

page appears.

2. Click Interface. The Personalize - Interface page appears.

3. Select the "Hide left navigation menu" checkbox.

4. Click Submit. The Changes Recorded page appears.

How to Enable the Task Navigator

The Task Navigator is a tool that provides process-oriented help for certain complex tasks. The Task

Navigator can be enabled or disabled, depending on each user’s preference. When enabled, the

Task Navigator appears as a frame in the lower left of pages in PowerSchool that include task

navigation. The Task Navigator displays a list of defined processes and the order in which they

should be performed, depending on the page being viewed. The following is an example of the

Task Navigator in PowerScheduler.

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Question Mark

Selecting a question mark next to a linked process launches the Process Help window, which

provides a description of the process. Note the different sections of the window: Objective, Tasks,

Prerequisites, Uses, Timeline, and Help Links. These sections and the order in which they appear are

standard for all Process Help windows.

If you needed additional information, you can select any of the Help Links, which will take you to

the respective PowerSchool Help topic.

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Process Link

Selecting a process link refreshes the frame, which then displays the tasks necessary to accomplish

the selected process. Note the circular icon next to each task. Once you select a task, the icon next

to the task appears filled in. This function is for visual reference to indicate that the Task Navigator

launched the selected task. However, it does not indicate validation or completion of the task.

Selecting the task link launches the Task Help window, which provides a description of the task.

Note the different sections of the window: Task, Task number, Navigation, Objective, and

Prerequisites. These sections and the order in which they appear are standard for all Task Help

windows. Note the circular icon next to each task. Once you select a task, the icon next to the task

appears filled in. This function is for visual reference to indicate that the Task Navigator launched

the selected task. However, it does not indicate validation or completion of the task.

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Note: Currently, the icons do not appear if using Internet Explorer for Mac.

Enable Task Navigator

The Task Navigator can be enabled or disabled according to each user’s preferences. All new users

have the Task Navigator enabled by default.

1. On the start page, choose Personalize from the main menu. The Personalize - [User Name]

page appears.

2. Click Interface. The Personalize - Interface page appears.

3. Select the "Enable task navigator" checkbox.

Note: To disable The Task Navigator, deselect this checkbox.

4. Click Submit. The Changes Recorded page appears.

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PowerScheduler

The PowerScheduler option links you to the PowerScheduler menu in PowerSchool. Use the

functions on the PowerScheduler menu to build, load, and commit a master schedule for your

school. For more information, see the "

Master Schedule Overview

," or the sections "

Prepare

to Build the Master Schedule

," "

Build Master Schedule Introduction

," and "

Master

Schedule Reports

School

Your PowerSchool administrator uses the School Setup option when setting up the system at your

school. For more information, contact your PowerSchool administrator.

Staff

This option links you to a list of the staff members at your school. Choose Staff from the main menu

to search for staff at your school. Then, click a specific name to view demographic information

about that staff member or make changes to the staff member's record. When you finish your

review, either click Back on your web browser until you return to the start page or click the

PowerSchool logo. For more information, see the section "

Select Staff

System

The System link is for PowerSchool administrators who set up the system and perform various other

technical duties. Most users do not need to work with the System Administrator page. For more

information, contact your PowerSchool administrator.

VirtualUniversity

Click VirtualUniversity to participate in online training courses from PowerSchool VirtualUniversity.

In addition to the five free courses that tutor users on basic skills and provide an overview of

PowerSchool's newest features, advanced users will find beneficial courses available for a fee. Order

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VirtualUniversity courses either by purchasing an annual subscription to all courses at a per-server

annual rate of $3,000 or by purchasing courses individually at $500 per course. To order

VirtualUniversity courses, select a course on the VirtualUniversity page and follow the instructions;

contact sales@powerschool.com; or call 888-470-0808.

The Basics User Guide

User Security

Before you can actually access the PowerSchool system, you will be asked to enter your username

and a password. Everyone who uses PowerSchool must have a confidential password. Do not share

your password with anyone. Doing so compromises the security of the PowerSchool system.

In addition, it is best to memorize your password. If you think you will not remember it and must

write it down, keep it in a secure place where no one else will find it. Imagine the problems if a

student enters the system with your username and password!

The last component of PowerSchool security is the assigned level of access. In addition to assigning

passwords, your PowerSchool administrator also assigns appropriate levels of access to

PowerSchool users. No one must be allowed access to more information than necessary. Different

groups of users have different levels of access to perform different activities. A specific user’s access

depends on that person’s job responsibilities.

How to Log Out

When you finish your work in PowerSchool, it is important to log out. Log out of PowerSchool from

any page in the system. Click Logout on the navigation bar.

The Password page appears, and you must enter your password again to redisplay the start page.

For more information, see the section "

Log In to PowerSchool

Help

PowerSchool is a user-friendly system, but there will undoubtedly be times when you need

assistance. In addition to the onscreen PowerSchool Help, there are other resources where you can

find answers to your questions.

The Basics User Guide

User Security

Guide

Read the headings to locate the sections specific to your needs. You can download a printable copy

of this guide from

https://www.powerschool.com/support/documentation/userguides/

This URL is case-sensitive.

Note: You need a username and password to view anything on the PowerSchool Customer Support

web site. Contact your PowerSchool administrator for access.

Internet

In addition to PowerSchool Online Help and the user guides, you can also access PowerSchool

Customer Support web site at

https://www.powerschool.com/support/

where you can find

answers to your questions. This URL is case-sensitive.

You need a username and password to view anything on the PowerSchool Customer Support web

site. Contact your PowerSchool administrator for access.

Visit

https://www.powerschool.com/support/documentation/

for all documentation

resources or use the links below to view a specific type of documentation:

•

https://www.powerschool.com/support/documentation/userguides/

•

https://www.powerschool.com/support/documentation/releasenotes/

•

https://www.powerschool.com/support/documentation/technotes/

•

https://www.powerschool.com/support/documentation/statereports/

Note: If your state is not listed, documentation and/or functionality does not yet exist for

that state.

•

https://www.powerschool.com/support/documentation/systemrequirements/

These URLs are case-sensitive. Bookmark those links you find most helpful.

Ask your question by sending an email message to:

support@powerschool.com