Data Setup
Mass Communication · Data Setup
Super-power your Mass Communication.
Your Broadcast contact lists got you started. Add your people records — students, families and staff, each with a home language — by connecting your student information system yourself. Answer a few quick questions and we’ll point you to the videos you need.
Start here
Where are you with your people records?
Pick the option that sounds most like you. We’ll point you to the right video — and you can change direction at any time.
Coming from Broadcasts? Here’s why people records matter.
The contact lists we brought over are ready to send to as Groups, but they’re just names, emails and phone numbers. In Broadcasts, every message went out in one language to everyone, to up to 3 email addresses per contact. With people records, each family gets your messages in their own home language, and your standard groups (All Staff, All Parents, All Students and All People), which are empty right now, fill in on their own.
To connect your SIS, you’ll need: the Manage Data Setup permission (on by default for SIS Integration Only accounts) and your SIS credentials.
Getting started
What people records do for you.
Your student information system already knows who your students, families and staff are, and which language each family speaks at home. Data Setup lets you connect it to Mass Communication yourself, so your people records come in and stay up to date every night. It doesn’t change anything on your website, including your staff directory.
Data Setup Overview · 2:27
Nothing you choose is permanent.
You can edit settings, update credentials or add more data later — without starting over.
Who this is for
Usually your district’s IT or data lead.
- The Manage Data Setup permission — on by default for SIS Integration Only accounts; your district admin can add it to other roles
- Your SIS credentials — or someone who can get them
Just handed this task? That’s okay. Our team can walk you through it — .
What people records unlock
Your voice, text and email, super-powered.
- Messages in each family’s language. In Broadcasts, every message went out in one language to everyone, to up to 3 email addresses per contact. With people records, each family reads your message in their own home language, automatically.
- Groups that build themselves. All Staff, All Parents, All Students and All People are already set up, and empty until your people records come in.
- Families linked to students, so one message reaches every guardian.
- Full reach reporting for families and staff in Community Analytics.
- Ready for what’s next: Secure Document Delivery and Auto Notices run on student data.
Add home languages now, so translation is ready the first time you send. Make sure each family’s home language is filled in in your SIS.
Two ways to connect
API · left side of Data Setup
Your SIS is in the list.
- A direct connection we’ve already built for your SIS
- Connects field by field — the newer, simpler option
- Syncs every night, or any time with Sync Now
You’ll need: a client ID, client secret and API URL from your SIS.
SFTP · right side of Data Setup
Your SIS isn’t in the list.
- Works with almost any SIS that can export files
- Your SIS sends files to Edlio’s secure server on a schedule
- Just as secure, with more flexibility
You’ll need: a sample export file and the code your SIS uses for each school.
You can have one API connection and one SFTP connection, running at the same time. Some features, like auto notices, use SFTP files.
How setup works
Click + New Integration on Data Setup and pick your connection. For an API, the wizard has five steps:
- 1Set up in your SISInstructions written for your system — for PowerSchool, a plugin to install.
- 2CredentialsYour API URL, client ID and client secret. Edlio only reads your data.
- 3Connect & MapMatch each school in your SIS to its site in Edlio.
- 4DataChoose students, families and staff, and how accounts are created.
- 5ReviewCheck your summary, then connect.
SFTP follows a similar path, with file format, school codes and column mapping in place of credentials — plus an SFTP account for your SIS to send files.
After you connect: Data Logs shows how your data is coming in. See “How can I see my data after I connect?” below.
Jump to Data LogsNothing you choose is permanent.
You can edit settings, update credentials or add more data later — without starting over.
Ready for the next step?
Step 2 · Choose your connection
Is your SIS in the Data Setup list?
Open Data Setup on your dashboard. SIS platforms we’ve built direct connections for are listed on the left — that’s an API. Everything else connects through SFTP, on the right.
Which path is my SIS?
API · left side of the catalog
Direct connections
- Aeries SIS
- OneRoster (any OneRoster 1.1 REST API)
- PowerSchool SIS (with the Edlio plugin)
- Skyward (Classic) — being replaced by Skyward Qmlativ
- Skyward Qmlativ
- Sylogist
- Synergy
- Veracross
Don’t see yours? Use SFTP.
SFTP · right side of the catalog
File imports
- Infinite Campus
- Aspen
- FACTS / RenWeb
- Any SIS not in the API list that can export OneRoster or CSV files
Auto notices also run on SFTP files for most SIS platforms.
You can have both.
One API connection and one SFTP connection can run side by side. Some features, like auto notices, use SFTP files.
Step 3 · Connect with an API
Connecting your SIS with an API.
Data Setup via API Connection · 7:46
Before you start, gather
- Client ID — like a username for the connection
- Client secret — like a password for the connection
- API URL — the address of your SIS
With an API, the fix happens in your SIS.
Edlio reads your data exactly as your SIS sends it. If a field is missing or wrong, update it in your SIS.
Bring home languages with you.
Translation uses the home language on each family’s record. Check that it’s filled in for your families in your SIS before your first sync.
Do you also want to use auto notices?
Step 3 · Connect with SFTP
Connecting with SFTP.
Data Setup via SFTP · 7:18
Before you start, have ready
- A sample export file — a CSV from your SIS — OneRoster if your SIS offers it
- Your school codes — the code your SIS uses for each school
Your SIS decides when files arrive.
Schedule your SIS to export files to Edlio regularly. [Recommended frequency — confirm with James]
Include a home language column.
Add each family’s home language to your parent file and map it during column mapping, so every family gets your messages in their own language.
Planning to use auto notices?
Good to know · Auto notices
Auto notices run on SFTP files.
For now, our Data Integrations team finishes auto notice setup with you. [Confirm wording with James — PowerSchool and Skyward Q]
Bring a simple CSV.
Auto notices use merge fields, so there’s no fixed template. Include the fields you want in your message — like a student’s name, an attendance code and a parent’s email.
What would you like to do next?
Step 4 · Monitor your data
Checking your data with Data Logs.
Data Logs Overview · 5:17
Data Logs shows errors (records we couldn’t bring in) and warnings (records that came in but need a look), plus a history you can step back through by date.
What are you seeing?
Step 4 · Fixing errors
Most fixes happen in your SIS.
Each row in Data Logs explains what happened, who it affects and how to fix it. Export the table and send it to your SIS vendor — it shows them exactly what to change.
Open any past sync.
Use the run selector at the top to open any past sync — handy if someone made SIS changes you didn’t know about.
Did that help?
Step 4 · Group counts
Clean logs, small group? Check its filters.
If your Data Logs look clean but a Mass Communication group shows fewer people than you expect, the group’s filters are usually the cause — not your data.
Few parents at the district level is normal.
Families are linked to the schools their children attend. Open a school’s group to check — if both the school and the district look wrong, contact us.
Did that help?
You’re all set
Your people records are connected.
Your data syncs automatically every night. Open People → Groups to see All Staff, All Parents, All Students and All People filled in, and check Analytics → Community Analytics to see who you can reach. Come back to Data Logs any time to see how your syncs are going.
Keep handy
- Help Center — Data Setup: Connecting and Managing SIS Integrations
- Data Logs — on your dashboard, next to Data Setup
Not ready to connect · Spreadsheet import
Import a spreadsheet of your people.
Not ready to connect your SIS? You can still add your people records by importing spreadsheets of your students, parents and staff. You get the same people records, groups and per-family languages. The difference: a spreadsheet is a snapshot, so you’ll need to import again whenever your data changes.
Step by step
- Import your students, parents and staff (students · parents · staff · linking families to students).
- Include a home language column for each family, so translation is ready the first time you send.
- Link families to students, so one message reaches every guardian.
Switch to Data Setup any time.
When you’re ready, connect your SIS and your people records update every night on their own, with no more re-importing.
What would you like to do next?
Get a hand
We’re happy to walk you through it.
Questions about Data Setup or importing your people? Here’s how to reach us.
Moving from Broadcasts
Email [email protected].
Or just reply to any of our Mass Communication emails. Tell us your school and where you’re stuck.
New to Edlio
Reach out to your project manager.
They’ll bring in our Data Integrations team.
Already live
Submit a ticket to Technical Support.
We’ll route it to Data Integrations. [Support link]
Before you connect
Five things to know.
These are the mistakes we see most often. Getting them right up front saves a lot of cleanup later.
- 1Fix data in your SIS, not in EdlioYour SIS is the source of truth. Edits made directly in Edlio are overwritten on the next sync.
- 2Use a permanent ID as the unique IDOn SFTP, map a student or staff ID from your SIS — never an email or a name, which can change and create duplicates.
- 3Give each parent their own emailIf two parents share an email, only one gets an app account. The other can’t log in.
- 4Plan rollovers with usPause your sync before a new semester or school year, and talk with our team before you resume.
- 5Your website isn’t includedData Setup updates the App and Mass Communication. Your website’s staff directory is managed separately.
After you connect · Data Logs
How can I see my data after I connect?
Use Data Logs. It shows how your data comes in after every sync and what to fix — so you can spot problems yourself instead of waiting to hear about them.
Find it in four steps
- 1Open Data LogsIt sits next to Data Setup on your dashboard. You’ll need the View Data Logs permission.
- 2Pick a syncUse the run selector to open your latest sync or any past one.
- 3Check the chartErrors (solid line) and warnings (dashed line) across recent syncs. The goal is zero, but a few warnings are normal.
- 4Open a rowSee what happened, who it affects and how to fix it.
What you can do there
Errors vs. warnings
Errors are records we couldn’t bring in. Warnings came in but need a look — like a student with no email.
Filter and search errors
Filter the list by error type, and open Learn More About Errors to look up any code. 50s are warnings and file checks; 100s are errors.
Export for your SIS vendor
Download the full report and send it straight to your SIS vendor. Most fixes happen in your SIS.
Open any past sync
Use the run selector to see a single sync — handy when someone changed the SIS.
No new data? Look for code 51.
Code 51, No Files Found, means your SIS didn’t place files in the SFTP folder. Your existing data stays untouched — check your SIS’s export schedule.
Want to see the records themselves?
Open Manage People to see every student, family and staff record that came in, and Community Analytics to see how many families and staff your messages can reach.
Help Center
Read more in the knowledge base.
Step-by-step articles to keep open while you work. Articles for the step you’re on are marked.