SVC Directed Self Placement Reporting Method

Summary

The SVC Directed Self Placement Reporting Method outlines the procedures to pull data from the Math DSP and the English DSP submissions in Formstack and process them through an Excel workbook. The end goal is to generate the numeric codes that must be entered into ctcLink in order to process the students' directed self placement outcomes.

Body

In this article:  SVC DSP/Directed Self Placement, ctcLink, Formstack, Excel

Problem

This Knowledge Base article outlines the method to pull submission data from the Formstack Math DSP and English DSP web forms so that they can be entered into ctcLink. The data are exported from Formstack and processed through an Excel workbook, which will produce the correct code to be entered into ctcLink in order to document the directed self placement outcome for the student.

Solution

Overview

Step 1 – First, log into FormStack using these instructions.

Step 2 – Find the web forms, and export the submissions.

Step 3 – This section primarily outlines how to export the submissions into Excel.

Step 4 – Once you have the submissions downloaded, transfer them into the correct Excel workbooks, and update those workbooks.

Step 5 – Column K (Outcome) generates the number value that you will enter into ctcLink. Column L (Outcome Value) should reflect the expected outcome coded into Column K, acting as an expedient double check for understanding that numeric code. Of course, the English DSP has a different set of outcomes than the Math DSP.

Step by Step

Step 1: Logging Into FormStack

SUMMARY: First, log into FormStack using these instructions.

  1. Navigate to the FormStack Login Page at: https://admin.formstack.com/.

Navigate to the FormStack Login Page at: https://admin.formstack.com/.

  1. Provide your Username/Email Address for login.
    1. Note that the Password box is not present.
    2. Note that you can log in with Google or with Apple. DO NOT LOG IN WITH THESE OPTIONS.
  2. Click the blue Next button in order to reach the box to provide your password.

Click the blue Next button in order to reach the box to provide your password.

  1. As a non-Admin user, you should be taken directly to the Forms page.

Step 2: Navigating to the DSP Web Forms

SUMMARY: Find the web forms, and export the submissions.

  1. From the Forms page, find the Directed Self Placement folder, and click on it.

From the Forms page, find the Directed Self Placement folder, and click on it.

  1. In the Directed Self Placement folder, click on the web form for which you wish to pull data.

NOTE: In the following examples, I will pull data from the Directed Self Placement for English web form. However, the process is the same for the Directed Self Placement for Math web form.

  1. Once you click on the link to enter the Directed Self Placement for English web form, you may need to provide a password specific to this web form.
    1. Note that the Directed Self Placement for Math web form has its own, separate password and that you will need to do this when entering that web form too.
    2. If there are no responses in the web form, you will not be prompted for the password. You will be taken directly to the web form. For the most part, however, there will be responses, and you will normally need the passwords.
  1. Enter your password, and click on Access Submissions.

Enter your password, and click on Access Submissions. Contact the Formstack Administrator of the DSP web forms for the Access Submissions password.

  1. After entering the password, you should reach the actual submissions.

After entering the password, you should reach the actual submissions.

Step 3: Exporting the Submissions (and Filtering)

SUMMARY: This section primarily outlines how to export the submissions into Excel.

  1. Click on the check box to the left of the Date submitted section.
  1. Click the Export button.

Click on the check box to the left of the Date submitted section. Then, click the Export button.

  1. When you click on the Export button, you will have a list of export file format options. Select the to Excel option to export the submissions into Excel.

When you click on the Export button, you will have a list of export file format options. Select the to Excel option to export the submissions into Excel.

  1. Open the file that was exported, and save it to a folder that you create to keep these records whenever you export and download them.
    1. That way, you have a stable place where you know to expect the data to be.
    2. Also, you will have a stable copy of the actual data that you can go back to if there are any questions about a submissions. These submissions will also still be in FormStack, so you can always repeat this process to get to them if the exported copies are not available.

Open the file that was exported, and save it to a folder that you create to keep these records whenever you export and download them.

NOTE: You can always get to the submissions that you exported by going to your Downloads folder, just like for any attachment that you download.

Note: You can always get to the submissions that you exported by going to your Downloads folder, just like for any attachment that you download.

NOTE: When you open the exported Excel file, you may notice that it is in a Protected View mode. Click on Enable Editing in order to exit this mode and save this workbook.

NOTE: When you open the exported Excel file, you may notice that it is in a Protected View mode. Click on Enable Editing in order to exit this mode and save this workbook.

  1. Save As the Excel workbook to the folder that you created to house these submissions.

Save As the Excel workbook to the folder that you created to house these submissions.

Step 4: Updating the DSP Data Processing workbooks

SUMMARY: Once you have the submissions downloaded, transfer them into the correct Excel workbooks, and update those workbooks.

NOTE: Keep a template copy of both workbooks (the Math workbook and the English workbook) that you never use. Make a copy of each, and use those copies as your working copies. That way, you have the assurance that you have the original process, even if the working copy is compromised (for example, if a formula gets erased, and you can’t get back to it).

  1. Open up the working version of the DSP English Data Processing.xlsx document.
    1. The DSP English Data Processing.xlsx document is just the DSP English Data Processing TEMPLATE.xlsx that you have saved to use so that you don’t modify the template version.
  2. In the submissions that you just downloaded, copy all of the data.
    1. NOTE: These data go all the way to Column AE, so be sure to copy all rows of data all the way from Column A to Column AE.
  3. Paste these data into the first blank row in the Worksheet tab of the DSP English Data Processing.xlsx document.
    1. Visually check that the data were pasted into the correct columns, so that the data fit with the existing data.
    2. Hit Save, once you have these records pasted into the Worksheet tab.

Paste these data into the first blank row in the Worksheet tab of the DSP English Data Processing.xlsx document. Visually check that the data were pasted into the correct columns, so that the data fit with the existing data. Hit Save, once you have these records pasted into the Worksheet tab.

  1. Go to Column AD (Unique ID) of the Worksheet tab, and copy all of the ID values in this field.
    1. You can copy only the Unique ID values for the new submissions that you have placed in this sheet. However, if you feel uncertain, just copy all of these values (even the old ones), as we’ll note the already processed submissions later.
  2. Click on the Conversions tab.
  3. Paste the Unique ID values (from the Worksheet tab, per Step 4, above) into the first blank cell in Column D (Unique ID) of the Conversions tab.
    1. NOTE: Do NOT use Paste Values or Paste Special. Simply paste the data into this section.
    2. NOTE: Keep these values as Text strings (they should paste like this automatically). Do NOT attempt to convert them into Numeric values, or the workbook won’t operate correctly.

NOTE: Keep these values as Text strings (they should paste like this automatically). Do NOT attempt to convert them into Numeric values, or the workbook won’t operate correctly.

NOTE: At this point, the Conversions tab might look like this. We will update the rest of this tab manually.

NOTE: At this point, the Conversions tab might look like this. We will update the rest of this tab manually.

  1. In Column A (Date Processed), manually fill in the date in which you are entering in the new submissions to be processed through ctcLink.
    1. The function of this column is to provide a record noting that the data have been processed into ctcLink, and on which day they were entered into that system.
  2. Update Column B through C and Columns E through L.
    1. NOTE: These columns have formulas in them. You will need to copy these formulas down WITHOUT any need to update the formulas (good news indeed!).

Update Column B and Columns D through K. NOTE: These columns have formulas in them. You will need to copy these formulas down WITHOUT any need to update the formulas (good news indeed!).

  1. Updating Columns B and C: Find the last cell in Columns B and C that has either Yes or No in it. Double click on the little green box at the bottom right or these selected cells. You should see the blank cells in this row populate with either Yes or No for all of the new Unique ID values in Column D.
    1. The values that say Yes have already been logged in this worksheet, in the existing records above. Ignore these records outright, as they have already been processed. Note that one field allows you to see if the particular DSP submission has been processed, while the other allows you to see if the submitter has been processed, regardless of the number of times submissions were provided.
    2. Look for any of the new records with values that say No, and enter those submissions into ctcLink.
  2. Updating Columns E through L: This step is just like Step B, above. The only difference is that you have to select all of the formulas from Column E through Column L in order to fill them in. Once you have done so, double click on the little green box, and you should see everything fill out.

Updating Columns D through K: This step is just like Step B, above. The only difference is that you have to select all of the formulas from Column D through Column K in order to fill them in. Once you have done so, double click on the little green box, and you should see everything fill out.

Step 5: Interpreting the Data

SUMMARY: Column K (Outcome) generates the number value that you will enter into ctcLink. Column L (Outcome Value) should reflect the expected outcome coded into Column K, acting as an expedient double check for understanding that numeric code. Of course, the English DSP has a different set of outcomes than the Math DSP.

Here are the numeric codes and the outcome values for the English DSP and for the Math DSP.

English DSP

NOTE: ctcLink Codes -1 through -3 indicate outcomes that do not require data entry into ctcLink. However, they do represent actual outcomes possible in the English DSP.

Here are the numeric codes and the outcome values for the English DSP.

Math DSP

Here are the numeric codes and the outcome values for the Math DSP.

What this fix will do (and what it won't):

This procedure will help to smooth and make uniform the process of extracting directed self placement outcomes and processing them for meaningful entry into ctcLink.

Related services

If you need assistance with this topic, please call the I.T. Helpdesk at 360-416-7766. 

For general comments on this knowledge-base write to Andy Heiser at andy.heiser@skagit.edu

Details

Details

Article ID: 164983
Created
Wed 3/12/25 3:39 PM
Modified
Mon 6/2/25 5:36 PM