PowerSchool FAQs

Table of Contents

1. General

1.1. What does it mean when I log in and get the error "Login page expired. Please re-login"?

2. PowerGrade

2.1. I created an assignment, but it doesn't show up in my spreadsheet.

2.2. What do I do if I am missing assignments from my Progress Reports?

2.3. Why does it look like I am missing assignments when I print reports from my gradebook?

2.4. Why is the assignment I created in PowerTeacher not showing up in my Gradebook?

2.5. How do I back up my PowerGrade data?

2.6. How often should I make backups of my PowerGrade data?

2.7. What is a data file?

2.8. How do I set up extra credit?

2.9. Can I print an individual student report for several students at one time?

2.10. Is there an easy way to preview a report before printing?

2.11. How can I change the color of the font and/or background of my spreadsheet?

2.12. What is the "Apply to other classes in group" option? How do I group classes together?

2.13. Can I have PowerGrade warn me before I change a score?

2.14. How do I change an assignment name, points possible, or category after it is set up?

2.15. How do I delete an existing assignment?

2.16. How do I move all scores in an assignment column up or down one place?

2.17. How do I override the final grade that a student is receiving?

2.18. How do I enter an exempt score?

2.19. How do I return a score to unrecorded?

2.20. Can I indicate that a student was absent and have that score count as 0 until he or she makes it up?

2.21. How do I record letter grades instead of numerical scores?

2.22. I do not want my spreadsheet to display assignments from Quarter 1. How do I do that?

3. PowerSchool Teacher

3.1. Why is the assignment I created in PowerTeacher not showing up in my Gradebook?

4. Searching

4.1. What are the definitions for the various student enrollment status codes (Enroll_Status)?

5. Exporting

5.1. In OS X, how do you make Internet Explorer automatically open Excel and import a downloaded export file from PowerSchool?

1. General

1.1. What does it mean when I log in and get the error "Login page expired. Please re-login"?

The login page has been on the screen too long without being used. Click on the refresh button in your browser and try again.

Back to Table of Contents

2. PowerGrade

2.1. I created an assignment, but it doesn't show up in my spreadsheet.

The date range must be selected correctly on the spreadsheet. Go to Preferences and Display and enter the dates for which you want to see assignments.

Back to Table of Contents

2.2. What do I do if I am missing assignments from my Progress Reports?

Check the options in the report setup to make sure all the necessary date information is correct.

Back to Table of Contents

2.3. Why does it look like I am missing assignments when I print reports from my gradebook?

Please read pages 9-10 of Using PowerGrade Reports

Back to Table of Contents

2.4. Why is the assignment I created in PowerTeacher not showing up in my Gradebook?

You may have entered an assignment date that has already passed. Make sure you have filled in the due date to be TODAY or LATER and that you have an Assigment Abbreviation for the assignment.

Back to Table of Contents

2.5. How do I back up my PowerGrade data?

The easiest way to back up your data is to select Make Backup from the File menu. This command sends a copy of your data file to the PowerSchool server. The PowerSchool server generally stores the last five backups you made. Note that making a backup to the PowerSchool server is different than just saving your work. A backup to the PowerSchool server saves not only the grades and assignments, but also items such as customized settings, preferences, and notes. If your computer crashes, retrieve students' grades from the PowerSchool server; however, if you do not made a backup of your data file, all the personalized settings are lost.

Alternatively, make a copy of your PowerSchool data file on your computer for use as a backup. Use the extension ".data" (Mac) or ".4DD" (Windows) on the data file. To make a backup, copy your PowerGrade data file to another location: the PowerSchool server, a network server, an external disk, or any combination of these.

It is a good idea to keep several backups; you might want to use both of these methods to back up your data file after every PowerGrade session. If you are not sure how to make a backup or which is your data file, contact your PowerSchool administrator.

Back to Table of Contents

2.6. How often should I make backups of my PowerGrade data?

PowerGrade, like all software, must be backed up frequently. The recommendation is to back up once a day.

Back to Table of Contents

2.7. What is a data file?

Your data file is where the system stores all your gradebook data and customized settings. It records everything you save in PowerGrade. Whenever you save your work in PowerGrade, all assignments, grades, and log entries are saved to your computer and on the PowerSchool server, if connected. However, any PowerGrade customizations are not sent to PowerSchool; preferences and other individual settings save only to your local computer.

Back to Table of Contents

2.8. How do I set up extra credit?

Create an assignment with zero points possible so that it does not count against students who do not have a score for it. When a student turns in extra credit, enter the score for this assignment. The points count towards their grades; however, since you set up the assignment with zero points possible, not having a score for this extra credit assignment does not count against students' final grades.

Back to Table of Contents

2.9. Can I print an individual student report for several students at one time?

Yes. Press and hold COMMAND (Mac) or CTRL (Windows) as you click the names of the students you want to include on the report. If the names are consecutive on the list, click the first name, scroll to the last student name you want, press SHIFT, and then click the last student's name.

Back to Table of Contents

2.10. Is there an easy way to preview a report before printing?

Yes. Open PowerGrade to the class. Select Preview Report from the Reports menu. Select the appropriate report. Alternatively, if you are editing the report, click Preview at the bottom of the page to preview the report you are editing.

Back to Table of Contents

2.11. How can I change the color of the font and/or background of my spreadsheet?

Select File, then Preferences. Change a number of settings related to the spreadsheet, including the font and background color.

Back to Table of Contents

2.12. What is the "Apply to other classes in group" option? How do I group classes together?

When adding an assignment to a class, you have the option to select the Apply to other classes in group checkbox. If you do this, the system adds the assignment to both the current class and the other classes in the same class group.

To put classes in a group, open PowerGrade to the class. Select Class Information from the Windows menu. Enter a Class Group Name. You create a class group when you enter the same name into two or more classes. Spell the group name the same for all classes in the same group; otherwise, PowerGrade creates separate groups.

Back to Table of Contents

2.13. Can I have PowerGrade warn me before I change a score?

Yes. Open PowerGrade to the class and select File, then Preferences. Click the Notification tab and make the selections. Your selections apply to all classes.

Back to Table of Contents

2.14. How do I change an assignment name, points possible, or category after it is set up?

Open PowerGrade to the class. Select Assignments from the Windows menu. Select the appropriate assignment. Change the necessary options. Click Accept.

Back to Table of Contents

2.15. How do I delete an existing assignment?

Open PowerGrade to the class. Select Assignments from the Windows menu. Select the appropriate assignment. Click Delete at the bottom of the window. Click Yes if you are sure you want to permanently delete the assignment.

Back to Table of Contents

2.16. How do I move all scores in an assignment column up or down one place?

To move scores down one position and insert a blank score, select the cell where you want a blank score inserted. Open PowerGrade to the class. Select Insert Score from the Utilities menu. Click Yes if you are sure you want to move the scores. A new blank score is now available, and all other scores shift down one position.

To move all scores up one, open PowerGrade to the class and select the score to be removed. Select Delete Score from the Utilities menu. Click Yes if you are sure you want to move the scores. All scores shift up one position.

Back to Table of Contents

2.17. How do I override the final grade that a student is receiving?

Open PowerGrade to the class. Double-click the final grade in the spreadsheet to open the override window. Enter the changes. Click Save.

Back to Table of Contents

2.18. How do I enter an exempt score?

Enter a score code that you defined as Exempt on the Scores tab of the Preferences page. Select File, then Preferences to view or modify exempt score codes.

Back to Table of Contents

2.19. How do I return a score to unrecorded?

Enter a score code that you defined as Unrecorded on the Scores tab of the Preferences page. Select File, then Preferences to view or modify unrecorded score codes.

Some teachers use NHI to indicate that a student has not handed in an assignment. For example, if you want to calculate NHI as zero points earned, then enter NHI in the Zero column of the Scores tab. In the spreadsheet, enter =NHI and that score displays as NHI. The points earned is zero.


Note: The codes are not case-sensitive.


You can also use this feature to create other special scores. For example, if a student is sick and you want to exempt that student from any work assigned during those days, enter Sick in a blank field in the Exempt column. Then, enter =SICK on the class spreadsheet. That score displays as Sick and is calculated as exempt.

Back to Table of Contents

2.20. Can I indicate that a student was absent and have that score count as 0 until he or she makes it up?

Yes. Enter Absent in the Count as Zero column on the Scores tab of the Preferences page. Select File, then Preferences to view or modify unrecorded score codes.

On the class spreadsheet, enter Absent and that score not only displays as absent on the spreadsheet and reports, but the system also calculates the score as zero points earned.

Back to Table of Contents

2.21. How do I record letter grades instead of numerical scores?

PowerGrade gives you the option of using letter grades rather than numerical scores for papers, projects, and other assignments. To use this function, open PowerGrade to the appropriate class. Select Windows, then Grade Scale. Enter the number in the Value field for each grade on the scale. The value is the percentage of points possible for the assignment that will be assigned to the student for that letter grade.

For example, if you want to be able to record a letter grade of B and you want a B to earn 85% of the points possible for the assignment, enter 85 on the grade scale for the value of B. The grade displays as a B in the gradebook but the system calculates the grade as 85% for the final grade.

Back to Table of Contents

2.22. I do not want my spreadsheet to display assignments from Quarter 1. How do I do that?

Select File, then Preferences. Click the Display tab and specify the desired range of dates. This applies to all of your classes.

Back to Table of Contents

3. PowerSchool Teacher

3.1. Why is the assignment I created in PowerTeacher not showing up in my Gradebook?

You may have entered an assignment date that has already passed. Make sure you have filled in the due date to be TODAY or LATER and that you have an Assigment Abbreviation for the assignment.

Back to Table of Contents

4. Searching

4.1. What are the definitions for the various student enrollment status codes (Enroll_Status)?

Definitions for Enroll_Status codes for students are as follows:
 
-1 = Preregistered
0 = Active
1 = Autocomm
2 = Transferred out
3 = Graduated

When might such a code prove valuable to know? Assume you are searching for a student who used to be in your system but whom you can no longer find. Search for inactive students by entering "/enroll_status#0" in the search students box. The definitions of the Enroll_Status codes can help you determine whether the student graduated or transferred out to another school.

Back to Table of Contents

5. Exporting

5.1. In OS X, how do you make Internet Explorer automatically open Excel and import a downloaded export file from PowerSchool?

In Internet Explorer 5.2 (current OS X version as of this writing), open Preferences under the Explorer menu and click on Receiving Files - File Helpers. Define a new helper as follows: Description: text/ps-export, Extension: .text, MIME type: text/ps-export. Click the Browse button next to the "Application:" heading and navigate to, and select, Microsoft Excel. Select the desired Download Destination from the "Download to" drop-down menu. And finally, select Post-Process with Application from the "How to Handle" drop down menu. Click the OK button to close the Edit File Helper dialog box and then click on the OK button to close the Internet Explorer Preferences dialog box.

From PowerSchool, download a sample export file using Quick Export. Find the file, click on it, and select Get Info from the File menu. Click on the General Information drop down menu, and pick Open with Application. Pick Microsoft Excel from the list of choices. If Microsoft Excel is not listed, pick Other and navigate to Microsoft Excel. Once Microsoft Excel has been selected for this one file, click on the button in the Get Info dialog box labeled Change All. From now on, exported files from PowerSchool should automatically open in Excel.

This latter step of selecting the default application to open the file using the Get Info command appears to be an additional needed step in OS X. Without this step, downloaded files open in TextEdit, regardless of how Internet Explorer's file helper settings are configured. Note that it is likely that these settings will cause any downloaded documents to open in Excel whose type is "Plain text document" and whose Creator code is "Not available".

Back to Table of Contents

Made with Temponautics ©FAQtor 1.2