Adding and Configuring Exports
- 20 Nov 2023
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Adding and Configuring Exports
- Updated 20 Nov 2023
- 5 minute read
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Query Exports allow a user to extract data from Slate and display it in a manner that is appropriate for the end user. This may be used in queries, reports, merge fields and more.
How to add Exports
1. Click the Export button to define the data that will appear when the query runs. A popup appears with the following configurations:
Search - Use the Search function to quickly find a desired export.
Groups
Pinned - Click the Edit Pinned link to add frequently-used exports to the Pinned group.
Local Exports - Click the Local Exports check box to display all exports that have been added to the instance.
Slate Template Library - For queries not built on a Configurable Joins base, check Slate Template Library (STL) to display all available exports within the STL, even if they have not yet been added.
Exports - Click the Exports that should be included within the Query.
Click Select All to select all the exports within a group.
2. Click Save. The selected exports are added to the query.
Configuring an export includes the following:
Status - Make an Export Active or Inactive. Inactive exports will not be included in the results.
Name - Alter the display name of the Export. The Export will be seen as the column in the list of results.
Width - Set the width of an Export's column for fixed-width exports or to truncate a value to keep it under a certain length.
Export Value - If the Export is a custom field, define the exact value to export.
Format Type - Configure an appropriate format type. See the chart below for available format types.
Null Value - Provide a value to appear when there is no value for a record.
Winter Wonder 2021: Deactivate multiple query parts at once!
Exports, filters, sorts, and joins can now be activated or deactivated in bulk.
Ctrl+click an export to select it and as many others of the same kind as you want, then click the Deactivate icon at the right and confirm.
You can also use Ctrl+Shift+click to highlight every export, filter, sort or join in a sequence.
Format Types
Selecting a Format Type precisely defines the format mask (i.e., the way it displays) for values exported in the query:
Type | Description | Format Mask | How the data will display |
|---|---|---|---|
Bit | Bit prompts save Yes and No values as 1 and 0 | Yes, No | Yes will display in place of a 1 No will display in place of a 0 |
Date | Define the formatting and components of the date that should appear | yyyy-MM-dd dd | 2015-12-03 3 |
DateTime | Define the formatting and components of the date and time that should appear | MM/dd/yyyy hh:mm:ss tt | 12/01/2015 04:35:08 PM |
Real | Specify how numbers should be formatted, including #'s or decimals | #,###.00 | 1,250.00 |
Int | Specify how numbers should be formatted | #,### | 1,250 |
Money | Display exported data in a monetary format. | c | $3.65 |
String (Upper Case) | Display exported data in all upper case letters. | N/A | BIOLOGY |
String (Lower Case) | Display exported data in all lower case letters. | N/A | biology |
String (Proper Case) | Display exported data in proper case format where the first letter of each word is upper case and the rest are lower case. | N/A | Biology |
Distribution | Determine where numbers fall in a distribution. | Interval of 4 | 1, 2, 3 or 4 depending on which quartile the value falls within |
Custom SQL (use @val) | Manipulate the value using custom SQL | (case when try_convert (int,@val) <5 then 'Y' else 'N' end)
replace(@val,'-',") | Y will display if the value is less than 5. N will display if the value is greater than 5
20-15 will display as 2015 |
Configuring Export Values
Custom Fields with prompts
If a custom field uses prompts, up to five alternative export values may be displayed in the results of a query.
Each prompt is configured with an alternative Export Value. For example, the export value may contain the institutional SIS code for that prompt.
When configuring the Entry Term field export within a query, a prompt's Export Value may be displayed in the results, rather than a prompt's Value.
When the query runs, the alternative Export Value will display in the results for that export column:
Ref | Name | Entry Term |
|---|---|---|
195842204 | Sampson, Penelope | F15 |
195235100 | Smith, John | F16 |
560485320 | Binns, Jason | S15 |
Best Practices
Be consistent when adding export values! For example, if an export field needs to be added to a file that will export to an external system like an SIS, ensure that all associated prompts use the same Export Value configuration (i.e., if the SIS code needed is stored as Export Value 3, then all associated prompts should have their respective SIS code stored as Export Value 3 as well).
Extended Values
A custom field that uses prompts may be configured with a Short Value. For example, a Major field that uses an associated prompt list.
Tips
A school will sometimes add Short Values for academic program prompts which are known internally with shorter names or codes. The Short Value will be displayed in other areas of Slate, like within an application tab on the student record.
If Value is selected, a query export will return the Short Value if a short value exists for a prompt.
Ref | Name | Major |
|---|---|---|
195842204 | Sampson, Penelope | ME |
195235100 | Smith, John | MBA |
560485320 | Binns, Jason | MUSE |
In order to override this behavior, select Extended Value. This will export the full value of a prompt rather than the Short Value.
The query will then return the full prompt value in the query results:
Ref | Name | Major |
|---|---|---|
195842204 | Sampson, Penelope | Mechanical Engineering |
195235100 | Smith, John | Business Administration |
560485320 | Binns, Jason | Music Education |
Fields that store multiple values
Configuration options will customize how values are sent. For example, a Slate record may have the following information stored in a Race field.
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
White
In order to export all values in the query, configure the export to return All Field Values and add an optional Separator.
Selecting All Field Values will return all the values stored in a field for a record.
Define how multiple values are to be separated. Common separators include: , | ~ -
Tips
The Separator setting can be left blank and values will not be separated.
The query results will display like this:
Ref | Name | Race |
|---|---|---|
195842204 | Sampson, Penelope | American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, White |
What's the order?
For ordered fields, the index value matches the order number. For unordered fields, values are ordered alphabetically.
Display One Value
Alternatively, just one precise value can be exported:
Under All/One? select the Single Field Value at Selected Index option to return only one value.
Choose which Index Number value should be exported (e.g., 1 will return the first value for the field, 2 will return the second value for the field).
The query results will then display like this:
Ref | Name | Race |
|---|---|---|
195842204 | Sampson, Penelope | Asian |
Asian is the second value that is stored within the Race field for this record, and so would be returned when 2 is entered as the Index Number.
Display null values
A value may not exist in Slate for a particular record. When a value does not exist, the export column will be blank (NULL).
A query can be configured to export race information that looks like this:
Ref | Name | Race |
|---|---|---|
195842204 | Sampson, Penelope | American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, White |
195235100 | Smith, John | White |
560485320 | Binns, Jason |
|
A particular value can be included in an export even if a value does not exist.
For example, when exporting race information to an external system, an export value of "Unknown" can display when a record does not have a Race value.
Configure the export to include a Null Value setting.
The query results will then display like this:
Ref | Name | Race |
|---|---|---|
195842204 | Sampson, Penelope | American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, White |
195235100 | Smith, John | White |
560485320 | Binns, Jason | Unknown |
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