You can create and edit Student Information System (SIS) integrations to bring information into Blackboard Learn from other data sources, including other Learning Management Systems (LMS).
Create SIS integrations
Follow these steps to create and configure the basic information for an SIS integration.
- On the Administrator Panel, under Integrations, select Data Integration.
- Select Student Information System Integrations.
- Point to Create Integration to open the list.
- Select the integration type.
- IMS Enterprise 1.1 adds an integration type compatible with IMS standards.
- IMS Enterprise 1.1 - Vista adds an integration type compatible with Vista systems.
- IMS Learning Information Services adds an integration type compatible with LIS standards.
- Snapshot Flat File adds an integration type compatible with the Blackboard Learn (see Snapshot Command Line Tool).
- Snapshot XML adds an integration type compatible with the Blackboard Learn (see Snapshot Command Line Tool).
- In the Integration Properties, Data Support, and Advanced Configuration sections, set options for the integration described in Student Information System Integration Configuration.
- Select Submit.
Edit SIS integrations
Follow these steps to edit the basic configuration and information for an existing SIS integration.
- On the Administrator Panel, under Integrations, select Data Integration.
- Select Student Information System Integrations.
- Open the integration's menu and select Edit.
- In the Integration Properties section, edit the integration settings.
- In the Data Support section, edit the data support settings.
- In the Advanced Configuration section, edit the advanced configuration settings.
- Select Submit.
SIS integration configuration
The following table describes the properties you set when creating a new SIS integration.
Option | Description |
---|---|
Integration Properties | |
Integration Name | Required. Type a unique name for your integration. |
Description | Type a description for your integration. |
Shared Username | Required. The Shared Username is generated automatically from the SIS system and populated to this text box. |
Shared Password | Required. Type the password for this integration when using Integration Endpoints. It is used with Shared Username. |
Feed File Delimiter | This option is available only for Snapshot Flat File integrations. Select the delimiter type that is used in the current Feed File. The delimiter is the character used to separate fields in the data file. Delimiter options:
|
SIS Learning Information Services Batch Web Service URL | This option is available only for IMS Learning Information Services integrations. Type the endpoint URL for the Learning Information Services Batch Web Service on your Student Information System. The URL is used to coordinate bulk data transfer between Blackboard Learn and the SIS. If the URL is not specified, bulk data transfers may not work correctly. |
Batch Service Username | This option is available only for IMS Learning Information Services integrations. If your SIS requires a separate username and password for the Batch Web Service, provide the username. If the username is not supplied in this text box, the Shared Username will be used. |
Batch Service Password | This option is available only for IMS Learning Information Services integrations. If your SIS requires a separate username and password for the Batch Web Service, provide the password. If the password is not supplied in this text box, the Shared Password will be used. |
Batch Download Username | This option is available only for IMS Learning Information Services integrations. If your SIS requires a separate username and password for downloading Batch files, provide the username. If the username is not supplied in this text box, the Shared Username will be used. |
Batch Download Password | This option is available only for IMS Learning Information Services integrations. If your SIS requires a separate username and password for downloading Batch files, provide the password. If the password is not supplied in this text box, the Shared Password will be used. |
Integration Status | Required. Integration Status options:
Blackboard recommends that integrations begin in Testing. Selecting this status will allow you to test the integration and fix any issues which may arise before committing to the integration. After testing is complete, the status should be set to Inactive or Active. |
Log Verbosity | Required. The Log Verbosity option determines what is visible in the SIS Logs screen for this integration.
Selecting a verbose log level will also select the less-verbose log level or levels that precede the selected log level. For example, if you select the Messages log level, errors, warnings, and messages will be logged. |
Data Support | |
Learn Data Source |
Required. Determine the data source used during the integration with Blackboard Learn.
|
Batch UID Prefix | Avoid ID conflicts by prefixing identifiers for objects created during the integration. Blackboard recommends that you do not change this setting after data has been created for the integration. |
Parent Hierarchy Node | Required. This option is available only for IMS Enterprise 1.1, IMS Enterprise 1.1 - Vista, and Snapshot Flat File integrations.
|
Hierarchy Levels | This option is available only for IMS Enterprise 1.1 - Vista integrations.
|
Implied Section Association | This option is available only for IMS Enterprise 1.1 - Vista integrations. Optionally create an association for each incoming section based on the selected Hierarchy Level. |
Advanced Configuration | |
Users | The Learn Object Type named Users is associated to SIS Object Type as follows:
Select the method of handling conflicting items from the Inserts and Updates list:
Select the method of handling conflicting items from the Deletes list:
|
Courses | The Learn Object Type named Courses is associated to the SIS Object Type named as follows:
Select the method of handling conflicting items from the Inserts and Updates list and the Deletes list. See Users for definitions of all available selections. |
Organizations | This option is available only for Snapshot Flat File and Snapshot XML integrations. The Learn Object Type named Organizations is associated to the SIS Object Type named as follows:
Select the method of handling conflicting items from the Inserts and Updates list and the Deletes list. See Users for definitions of all available selections. |
Enrollments | The Learn Object Type named Enrollments is associated to the SIS Object Type named as follows:
Select the method of handling conflicting items from the Inserts and Updates list and the Deletes list. See Users for definitions of all available selections. |
Organization Enrollments | This option is available only for Snapshot Flat File integrations. The Learn Object Type named Organization Enrollments is associated to the SIS Object Type named as follows:
Select the method of handling conflicting items from the Inserts and Updates list and the Deletes list. See Users for definitions of all available selections. |
Observer Association | This option is available only for Snapshot Flat File and Snapshot XML integrations. The Learn Object Type named Observer Association is associated to the SIS Object Type as follows:
Select the method of handling conflicting items from the Inserts and Updates list and the Deletes list. See Users for definitions of all available selections. |
Course Categories | This option is available only for Snapshot Flat File and Snapshot XML integrations. The Learn Object Type named Course Categories is associated to the SIS Object Type as follows:
Select the method of handling conflicting items from the Inserts and Updates list and the Deletes list. See Users for definitions of all available selections. |
Course Category Membership | This option is available only for Snapshot Flat File and Snapshot XML integrations. The Learn Object Type named Course Category Membership is associated to the SIS Object Type as follows:
Select the method of handling conflicting items from the Inserts and Updates list and the Deletes list. See Users for definitions of all available selections. |
Organization Categories | This option is available only during the creation of a Snapshot Flat File Integration, or Snapshot XML Integration. The Learn Object Type named Organization Categories is associated to the SIS Object Type as follows:
Select the method of handling conflicting items from the Inserts and Updates list and the Deletes list. See Users for definitions of all available selections. |
Organization Category Membership | This option is available only for Snapshot Flat File and Snapshot XML integrations. The Learn Object Type named Organization Category Membership is associated to the SIS Object Type as follows:
Select the method of handling conflicting items from the Inserts and Updates list and the Deletes list. See Users for definitions of all available selections. |
Secondary Institution Role Associations | This option is available only for Snapshot Flat File and Snapshot XML integrations. The Learn Object Type named Secondary Institution Role Associations is associated to the SIS Object Type as follows:
Select the method of handling conflicting items from the Inserts and Updates list and the Deletes list. See Users for definitions of all available selections. |
Goals Associations | This option is available only for Snapshot Flat File integrations. The Learn Object Type name Goals Associations is associated to the SIS Object Type as follows:
Select the method of handling conflicting items from the Inserts and Updates list and the Deletes list. See Users for definitions of all available selections. |
Terms | This option is available only for IMS Enterprise 1.1, IMS Enterprise 1.1 - Vista, IMS LIS, or Snapshot Flat File integrations. This Object, if used, will assign Terms to Courses. The Learn Object Type named Terms is associated to the SIS Object Type as follows:
Select the method of handling conflicting items from the Inserts and Updateslist and the Deletes list. See Users for definitions of all available selections. |
Cross List | This option is available only during the creation of an IMS Enterprise 1.1 and IMS Enterprise 1.1 - Vista integrations. This object, if used, provides the ability to have multiple course IDs that are cross listed courses, which can be merged into one course. The Learn Object Type named Cross List is associated to the SIS Object Type as follows:
Select the method of handling conflicting items from the Inserts and Updateslist and the Deletes list. See Users for definitions of all available selections. |
Hierarchy Nodes | This option is available only during the creation of an IMS Enterprise 1.1 integration, or a Flat File integration. The Learn Object Type named Hierarchy Nodes is associated to the SIS Object Type as follows:
Select the method of handling conflicting items from the Inserts and Updateslist, and the Deletes list. See Users for definitions of all available selections. |
Hierarchy Nodes (Division) | This option is available only for IMS Enterprise 1.1 - Vista integrations. The Learn Object Type named Hierarchy Nodes (Division) is associated to the SIS Object Type as follows:
Select the method of handling conflicting items from the Inserts and Updateslist and the Deletes list. See Users for definitions of all available selections. |
Hierarchy Nodes (Group) | This option is available only for IMS Enterprise 1.1 - Vista integrations. The Learn Object Type named Hierarchy Nodes (Group) is associated to the SIS Object Type as follows:
Select the method of handling conflicting items from the Inserts and Updates list and the Deletes list. See Users for definitions of all available selections. |
Hierarchy Nodes (Course Offering) | This option is available only for IMS Enterprise 1.1 - Vista integrations. The Learn Object Type named Hierarchy Nodes (Course Offering) is associated to the SIS Object Type as follows:
Select the method of handling conflicting items from the Inserts and Updateslist and the Deletes list. See Users for definitions of all available selections. |
User Associations | This option is available only during the creation of an IMS Enterprise 1.1 and Snapshot Flat File integrations. The Learn Object Type named User Associations is associated to the SIS Object Type as follows:
Select the method of handling conflicting items from the Inserts and Updates list and the Deletes list. See Users for definitions of all available selections. |
Course Associations | This option is available only for Snapshot Flat File integrations. The Learn Object Type named Course Associations is associated to the SIS Object Type as follows:
Select the method of handling conflicting items from the Inserts and Updates list and the Deletes list. See Users for definitions of all available selections. |
Organization Associations | This option is available only for Snapshot Flat File integrations. The Learn Object Type named Organization Associations is associated to the SIS Object Type as follows:
Select the method of handling conflicting items from the Inserts and Updates list and the Deletes list. See Users for definitions of all available selections. |