ctcLink Integration

Integrated records

The integration/import process from ctcLink is scheduled to run nightly to add or update student, staff, class, staff assignment, and student class enrollment records in the LACES college agencies. The integrated import files display at the All System Tasks area and may be downloaded or exported to verify the data on the import files with the records added to LACES. 

Data added to LACES via the ctcLink integration import include External IDs.  This ID has been added to the LACES records for identifying records in both systems. External ID is not a field in LACES records that can be manually entered, edited, or deleted.  External ID is only available at each area in a custom view.   The field names include the area, such as Student External ID, Class External ID, and Staff External ID.

Custom views that include the fields added to LACES records via the integration, including the external IDs, are available and may be set as your default view if you wish. Adding these views will help you locate the student, class, and staff for cross-referencing records with the integration/import files.

External ID is not the same as the system-generated ID assigned to all LACES records, such as Student ID, Class ID, Staff ID, etc.  System-generated IDs are read-only and cannot be edited.  IDs required for other purposes, such as for tracking state assigned identifiers, may be entered in the Student Unique ID and Staff Unique ID fields.

The "College Full Access" role is assigned to college agency users.  When this role is assigned, the fields included on the integration/import files to create LACES records are read only and cannot be manually entered or edited, EXCEPT staff records and the Race checkbox fields in the student record.

Read only fields must be updated in the ctcLink record in order to update the LACES record on a subsequent integration/import file.  

All required NRS fields are not included on the integration/import files sent from ctcLink, such as Highest Ed Level Compl on Entry and the barriers to employment.   To allow users to update these fields, a custom import and corresponding view have been added to the WA client.  The student view is called "Student Intake Partial Import Fields" and the import displays on the student area More toolbar drop-down list as "Import Students  (Partial Intake)".  This import may be used to batch update missing fields.  

Additionally, other student fields may be batch added or edited with the student Batch Edit functionality. 

1. Go to the student area. 

2. Select and subset the students to update. 

3. Select Batch Edit from the More toolbar drop-down. 

4. Check the fields you wish to update.  Remember that every student record that displays on the grid will be updated. 

5. Select the field value. 

6. Click Save. 

Race and Ethnicity

Ethnicity and Race are included on the ctcLink student integration/import file with "Yes" or "No" indicated in the cells.  

When a ctcLink record is sent with "No" in all the ethnicity/race cells on the import file, the student is Hispanic/Latino = No since "No" is a valid selection for this field, but the record is missing required race information for NRS reporting on Tables 1, 2, and 2A.  Students with Hispanic/Latino = Yes count on the NRS demographic tables in the Hispanic/Latino column, but at least one race must still be selected for the student to be included on the NRS tables. 

For example, in the screenshot below, one student was sent on the ctcLink integration/import file with Hispanic/Latino and all race columns as "No", and the other student was sent with Hispanic/Latino "Yes" and all race columns as "No".  The race checkboxes at the student Demographic tab/Demographics panel in LACES are unchecked.  Because at least one race is not selected, neither of these students will count on the NRS tables even if they meet all other requirements to be an NRS participant, including having a period of participation. 

At least one race must be entered in both records. 

Race may be updated in one of three ways:

1. Update the data in ctcLink so the LACES student record will be updated on a subsequent integration/import.  

2. Manually update each LACES record. 

3. Prepare a partial intake import file and import the updated LACES student race fields. 

However you decide to update the race fields, make sure you understand how subsequent imports may affect the changes made in the LACES student record. 

• The data sent from ctcLink is the source of the record and the integration/import "knows" the last data values imported or updated.

• If the integration/import detects that any of the race values in the import file are different AND at least one of the values is “Yes”, then it will overwrite the Race values in LACES.  This allows updates to be made in LACES, but allows an update in ctcLink to overwrite LACES values since ctcLink is the source of the record.

Note the result in the following scenarios.  

Scenario 1:

1. All race fields on the integration/import file are "No". 

2. User checks at least one race checkbox in the LACES student record. 

3. Student is on a subsequent integration/import but the values are still "No."

Result:  Because nothing was changed on the integration/import file, the LACES values will not be overwritten.  

Scenario 2:

1. All race fields on the integration/import file are "No". 

2. User checks the American Indian or Alaska Native race checkbox in the LACES student record. 

3. Student is updated in ctcLink and is on a subsequent integration/import with Asian set to "Yes".

Result:  Because at least one value on the integration/import file is now "Yes", the ctcLink record is the source.  The student's race in LACES is updated to Asian, and American Indian or Alaska Native is unchecked.   

Scenario 3:

1. Black or African American is "Yes" on the integration/import file.  

2. User additionally checks the White race checkbox in the LACES student record. 

3. Student is updated in ctcLink and is on a subsequent integration/import with all races removed. The values on the integration/import file are "No". 

Result:  Because the subsequent integration/import file did not have at least one value set to "Yes", the LACES record is not overwritten.  The student's races in LACES are both Black or African American and White.    

To manually update students records or prepare a partial intake import file, you must first find the records missing race. 

1. Go to the student area. 

2. Display all students, Current Fiscal Year students, or other selection of records.

3. Click the >Searches link at the top left of the student grid. 

4. Expand the NRS search category by clicking the arrow (if not already expanded).

5. Select the Student Diagnostic Search at the end of the list. 

6. The row "Students missing ethnicity/race information" will populate with the students missing race data.

7. Drilldown on the number to display the records on the grid.

8. Apply the view "Student Intake Partial Import Fields".

9. The race columns will display "No." These students DO NOT have a selected race.    

10. You can either:

• Open each record and manually update race at the Demographics tab/Demographics panel, OR

• Export the records and prepare a partial intake import file by entering values on the exported file.  

  • • Note that when you export the "Student Intake Partial Import Fields" view, the values for the ethnicity/race columns will display True or False.  This is the same as Yes or No. 

Last update: 6/21/2024