Please find below the answers to some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) relating to the OpenApply to PowerSchool Integration.
1. Is the OpenApply to PowerSchool integration included in my OpenApply subscription?
The OpenApply to PowerSchool integration is available for purchase as an additional module for OpenApply.
Please contact us at sales@openapply.com if you would like further information on pricing and functionality for this module.
2. Which modules in PowerSchool can OpenApply sync fields to?
OpenApply syncs to the student and contacts modules in PowerSchool.
Parents and Guardians information is handled in the contacts module. Emergency Contact information also syncs with the contacts module, as long as your school is using this on the PowerSchool side.
3. Which fields in OpenApply and PowerSchool are automatically included in the integration?
The following fields are automatically included in the OpenApply to PowerSchool Integration:
| PowerSchool Attribute Path | OpenApply Global Field | Notes |
| student/id | PowerSchool (top right of applicant profile) | Automatically generated by PowerSchool on initial sync, or can be manually entered in OpenApply for existing students |
| student/name/last_name | Last Name | |
| student/name/first_name | First Name | |
| student/name/middle_name | Middle Name | |
| student/addresses/physical/street | Address 1 | |
| student/addresses/physical/city | City | |
| student/addresses/physical/state_province | State | |
| student/addresses/physical/postal_code | ZIP Code | |
| student/addresses/mailing/street | Address 1 | |
| student/addresses/mailing/city | City | |
| student/addresses/mailing/state_province | State | |
| student/addresses/mailing/postal_code | ZIP Code | |
| student/contact/emergency_contact_name1 | Emergency Contact 1 | Parent when selected as "Treat parent as emergency contact" |
| student/contact/emergency_phone1 | Emergency Phone Number | Parent when selected as "Treat parent as emergency contact" |
| student/contact/emergency_contact_name2 | Emergency Contact 2 | Parent when selected as "Treat parent as emergency contact" |
| student/contact/emergency_phone2 | Emergency Phone Number | Parent when selected as "Treat parent as emergency contact" |
| student/contact/guardian_email | Parent Email | |
| student/contact/guardian_fax | Parent Fax | |
| student/contact/mother | Parent when Relationship = Mother | |
| student/contact/father | Parent when Relationship = Father | |
| student/demographics/gender | Gender | |
| student/demographics/birth_date | Birth Date | |
| section_enrollment/entry_date | Date | Set in Enrollment Settings |
| section_enrollment/exit_date | Date | Set in Enrollment Settings |
Schools can sync other fields by mapping them in the OpenApply UI except for the StudentCoreFields. We cannot access the StudentCoreFields even using custom field mappings.
4. How to link a student in OA to an existing student in PowerSchool?
This can be done by entering the "PowerSchool Number" of the existing student into the "PowerSchool" field on the top right of the applicant profile in OpenApply, and then syncing the student. This will link the student and their parents to their existing record in PowerSchool.
PowerSchool ID is the number shown in the top-right of the student profile in OpenApply.
It is necessary to enter the "PowerSchool Number" in the top-right of the profile, before syncing an existing student.
The PowerSchool Number is also referred to as the "Student_Number" field, and can be viewed on the top of the student's profile in PowerSchool (next to their grade).
5. How do I sync a sibling of an existing student?
Firstly, it is necessary to link the existing student in OpenApply to their corresponding record in PowerSchool, as noted in Point 4 above. This ensures that OpenApply is aware of the existing student and parents, and that they are syncing correctly.
Next, you can sync the new sibling to PowerSchool, as normal. As OpenApply already knows about the existing student and parents, then new student will sync to PowerSchool and will connect to the contacts already in PowerSchool.
6. If I delete a student in OpenApply will it delete the student in PowerSchool?
No. OpenApply can update existing student records in PowerSchool, but it cannot delete them.
7. I received the error "error_code":"INVALID_LOCAL_ID","error_description":"Local ID already exists in the database and can not be used in an insert." when syncing a student to PowerSchool, what should I do?
This means that the PowerSchool Number is already in use by a student in PowerSchool, i.e. this usually means that the student already exists. If so, then we recommend to link the student in OA to the existing student in PowerSchool, as explained in question 4 above.
8. How can I sync students to Powerschool before they start school?
In the Powerschool Integration Settings you can choose whether to sync new students as "Active" or "Pre-Registered" students under School Enrollment Default > Enroll Status. This status will only be set for new student records. Syncing updates to a record will not update the student's status in Powerschool (if a student returns to school after being archived in Powerschool previously and their OpenApply status is Admitted, their Powerschool status will not change, but the synced field's details will be updated).
9. Are there any fields that don't sync to Powerschool?
Since the implementation of the Powerschool sync, we've been made aware of a few fields in Powerschool's default student table that can't be mapped manually, including National ID and Ethnicity. We hope to expand the integration to sync these fields soon.