How to join and use the Learning Records Service For Awarding Organisations
Transcription
How to join and use the Learning Records Service For Awarding Organisations
Version 1.2 November 2012 How to join and use the Learning Records Service For Awarding Organisations Follow the steps to register and use the LRS The purpose of this document is to take you step-by-step through the process of registering with the Learning Records Service, selecting the business services for your organisation, while supporting you at each stage as you go live with uploading qualification data. Navigate this document using the links below in the process diagram or the bookmarks panel on the left of the page. Help and support We recognise that you are a new customer to the service and to ensure you receive the help and support you need; every time you contact the helpdesk, state that you are a Developing Customer and give your Organisation Name. The helpdesk will prioritise your query. Step 1: Why use the Learning Records Service (LRS)? Step 2: Choose business services Step 3: Sign up for selected business services Step 4: Design and plan Step 5: Build solution Step 6: Test solution Step 7: Go live Step 8: Load data NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED PR01 How to join and use the LRS v1.3 January 2013 Uncontrolled if printed 2 Step 1: Why use the Learning Records Service (LRS)? Return to home The Learning Records Service (LRS) will provide you with documentation and further information about the benefits of working with us at this initial engagement stage. We advise that you read: The Personal Learning Record (PLR) - an overview for Awarding Organisations – introduces you to the Learning Records Service, provides a high-level overview of the PLR, walks you through the learner journey and has supporting information. Case Studies – read how organisations are benefiting from using our services. Your initial contact will be your Account Manager, or you can phone the LRS Customer Helpdesk on 0845 602 2589. State you are a Developing Customer and provide your name, and organisation name. This will ensure your request will aim to address your query as a priority. Continue to Step 2: Choose business services from the LRS Service Catalogue NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED PR01 How to join and use the LRS v1.3 January 2013 Uncontrolled if printed 3 Step 2: Choose business services Return to home > Go back to Step 1: Why use the Learning Records Service (LRS)? At this preparation stage, we guide you through the services on offer and how we can help to ensure you choose the right ones for your organisation. A brief description of our services for Awarding Organisations Verifying Unique Learner Numbers (ULNs) – used by Awarding Organisations to check the information given to them by their centres is correct. Maintaining achievement data – Awarding Organisations create, update, withdraw and reinstate Qualification Credit Framework (QCF) and National Qualification Framework (NQF) award data to the Personal Learning Record. Credit Transfer Query (CTQ) / Perform a credit check – allows Awarding Organisations to find out if a learner’s claim to a specified Achievement that has been awarded by another Awarding Organisation is valid. Creating and updating ULNs – some Awarding Organisations need to create and update ULNs for their learners. Read further information about our services for Awarding Organisations in Appendix A. Please note: we are encouraging all organisations to start using the Date of Birth and Gender fields for verifying ULNs where this is possible. This will help improve the accuracy of the verification process. What you need to do next Action From the Awarding Organisation: Implementation Planning page, you will find these documents to: Download and complete the AO Implementation Plan Questionnaire – this will help you choose the services you require. Return the completed questionnaire to your Account Manager. It will help us estimate the support you may need. Download the AO Implementation Plan Template – this is a checklist that will help you plan key milestones and you will confirm these with your Account Manager before starting work. Plan on how you will use the Event Data Challenge service. You need to complete Section 4 of the Organisation Registration Form with your details of your nominated contact that will be responsible for dealing with Data Challenges referred to you by the LRS. It may be that there is no individual but a team dealing with them. Your initial contact will be your Account Manager, or you can phone the LRS Customer Helpdesk on 0845 602 2589. State that you are a Developing Customer and be ready to give your name and organisation name. Continue to Step 3: Sign up for selected business services NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED PR01 How to join and use the LRS v1.3 January 2013 Uncontrolled if printed 4 Step 3: Sign up for selected business services Return to home > Go back to Step 2: Choose business service from the LRS Service Catalogue Now that you’ve decided on the service(s) you wish to register for, you will need to complete and return the following two forms to the LRS Customer Helpdesk. 1. Verifying Unique Learner Numbers (ULNs) and Maintaining achievement data including Credit Transfer Query (CTQ) Action The forms are available from the Awarding Organisations registration documents page: 1. Awarding Organisation Agreement – before you sign you must read the supporting documents: i. Service Charter – sets out the levels of service in support of Awarding Organisations, Learners, Providers and Careers Information and Advice practitioners in their use of the Personal Learning Record (PLR). ii. Data Management Policy – sets out how learner achievement data supplied by Awarding Organisations will be acquired, stored, maintained and shared. iii. Security Policy – security of the information stored and processed by the LRS System and the associated services which are developed and managed. iv. Privacy Notice – All learners must understand how their qualification data is used, and choose to allow others to view their Personal Learning Record. If you do not have a direct relationship with learners, you must instruct your centres to provide a copy of the Privacy Notice to their learners so that they understand how their data is used. 2. Organisation Registration Form – complete all sections, including section 4 with details of the person in your organisation responsible for dealing with Event Data Challenges. 2. Creating and Updating Unique Learner Numbers (ULNs) Are you an Awarding Organisation who is also responsible for registering learners? Action If you are, you will need to follow the instructions for New registrations to sign up and use the LRS Organisation Portal. Your initial contact will be your Account Manager, or you can phone the LRS Customer Helpdesk on 0845 602 2589. State that you are a Developing Customer and be ready to give your name and organisation name. Continue to Step 4: Design and plan NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED PR01 How to join and use the LRS v1.3 January 2013 Uncontrolled if printed 5 Step 4: Design and plan Return to home > Go back to Step 3: Sign up for selected business services You can use one of the following three methods to access and use services: 1. Portal – Single transaction: you will be using the LRS Organisation Portal to submit or edit one record at a time via our secure Portal. There is no further work for you to do because this is an off-the-shelf solution and you can begin right away. Continue to Step 4: Portal – Single transaction 2. Portal – Batch load transaction: enables you to submit xml or csv batch files of multiple records via our secure Portal. Continue to Step 4: Portal – Batch load transaction 3. Web Services: develop your own automatic system for the transferral of data in single or batch file transactions - verifying ULNs, maintaining achievements and creating/updating ULNs. The LRS will provide a check against your operating model and services selection to help ensure you are using those services that make best fit with your business needs. Continue to Step 4: Web Services NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED PR01 How to join and use the LRS v1.3 January 2013 Uncontrolled if printed 6 Step 4: Design and plan continued Return to home > Go back to Step 4: Design and plan 1. Portal – Single transaction | 2. Portal – Batch load transaction | 3. Web Services 1. Portal – Single transaction You can now begin reading the guidance for how to use the LRS Organisation Portal – single transaction. Verifying Unique Learner Numbers (ULNs) and Maintaining achievements (including Perform a credit check) Awarding Organisation User Guide (explains how to manage your users, verify ULNs and maintain achievement data via single and batch transaction) Access the online tutorials for Awarding Organisations: Managing achievements Learner verification Please note: we are encouraging all organisations to start using the Date of Birth and Gender fields for verifying ULNs where this is possible. This will help improve the accuracy of the verification process. Contact the LRS Customer Helpdesk with any queries on 0845 602 2589. State that you are a Developing Customer and be ready to give your name and organisation name. Continue to Step 7: Go live NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED PR01 How to join and use the LRS v1.3 January 2013 Uncontrolled if printed 7 Step 4: Design and plan continued Return to home > Go back to Step 4: Design and plan 2. Portal – Batch load transaction Using the Portal – Batch load transaction facility, enables you submit xml or csv batch files of multiple records via our secure Portal. You can download an output file for Verify batch files and an error file for Achievement batch files. Verifying ULNs Maintaining achievements (including Perform a credit check) Creating/updating ULNs via a batch file (up to 200 ULNs can be verified and 200 achievements loaded at a time) Verifying Unique Learner Numbers (ULNs) and Maintaining achievements (including Perform a credit check) Awarding Organisation User Guide (explains how to manage your users, verify ULNs via single and batch transaction and maintain achievement data via single and batch transaction) Access the online tutorials for Awarding Organisations: Managing achievements Learner verification Please note: we are encouraging all organisations to start using the Date of Birth and Gender fields for verifying ULNs where this is possible. This will help improve the accuracy of the verification process. Contact the LRS Customer Helpdesk with any queries on 0845 602 2589. State that you are a Developing Customer and be ready to give your name and organisation name. Continue to Step 5: Build solution – Portal - Batch load transaction NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED PR01 How to join and use the LRS v1.3 January 2013 Uncontrolled if printed 8 Step 4: Design and plan continued Return to home > Go back to Step 4: Design and plan previous page 3. Web Services Web Services is a system-to-system solution for your organisation to connect with the LRS Organisation Portal. You will need a Developer (an expert in Web services development) to create your solution. We will provide support on issues specific to the LRS platform. However, we cannot help with issues specific to your platform, for which we would expect your own IT staff to be expert. Once you’ve completed the Developer Registration Form to develop your own Web Service for uploading qualification data, you will be able to access the Developers’ Team Site. Once you have received the login details for the Developers’ Team Site, you will be able to access the technical documents: Verifying Unique Learner Numbers (ULNs) and Maintaining achievements (including Credit Transfer Query (CTQ)) Getting Started Guide for Developers Developing an LRS Interface Guide Please note: we are encouraging all organisations to start using the Date of Birth and Gender fields for verifying ULNs where this is possible. This will help improve the accuracy of the verification process. Contact the LRS Customer Helpdesk with any queries on 0845 602 2589. State that you are a Developing Customer and be ready to give your name and organisation name. Continue to Step 5: Build solution – Web Services NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED PR01 How to join and use the LRS v1.3 January 2013 Uncontrolled if printed 9 Step 5: Build solution Return to home > Go back to Step 4: Design and plan 1. Portal – Single transaction | 2. Portal – Batch load transaction | 3. Web Services Now that you have decided to use Portal – Batch load transaction or Web Services, you will need to read the documentation: 1. Portal – Single transaction You do not have to build a solution for Portal – Single transaction. Go back to the guidance for Portal – Single transaction 2. Portal – Batch load transaction Verifying ULNs Awarding Organisation User Guide (explains how to manage your users, verify ULNs and maintain achievement data via batch load transaction) Batch toolkit for Awarding Organisations: o Prepare a Verify Batch (Awarding Organisations) o Schemas (if using XML) Maintaining achievement data (including Perform a credit check) Awarding Organisation User Guide (explains how to manage your users, verify ULNs and maintain achievement data via batch load transaction) Batch toolkit for Awarding Organisations: o Preparing an Achievement Batch (Awarding Organisations) o Schemas (if using XML) o Quick reference guide - Prepare an Achievement Batch Contact the LRS Customer Helpdesk with any queries on 0845 602 2589. State that you are a Developing Customer and be ready to give your name and organisation name. Continue to Step 6: Test solution – Portal - Batch load transaction NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED PR01 How to join and use the LRS v1.3 January 2013 Uncontrolled if printed 10 Step 5: Build solution continued Return to home > Go back to Step 5: Build solution 3. Web Services The following documents are available for all services, including: Submit achievement batch, View achievement batch and Credit Transfer Query (CTQ), ULN web services; Find by Demo, Find by ULN, Register single learner, Update learner, Submit LRB batch and Get LRB batch output (please refer to ULN web services for more information). The documents listed below can be accessed from the Developers’ Team Site and you will need your login details. You will have received the login details after registering with us as a Developer. If you have any queries about this, contact the LRS Customer Helpdesk on 0845 602 2589. Action Complete and return the Awarding Organisation Business Model Questionnaire to [email protected] or fax to 02476 825681 – this completed questionnaire enables us to provide you with feedback, for example, should any part of your solution not comply with our expected business model. If you are developing any of the ULN web services, you will also need to complete and return the LRB Business Model Questionnaire and the LRS will provide feedback on your solution. Reference material Web Services Quick Reference Guide for Awarding Organisations Web Services Interface Specification Developing an LRS Interface Guide Testing Guide Test Scripts Software Development Kit and Guide (for Maintaining achievements only) Contact the LRS Customer Helpdesk with any queries on 0845 602 2589. State that you are a Developing Customer and be ready to give your name and organisation name. Continue to Step 6: Test solution NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED PR01 How to join and use the LRS v1.3 January 2013 Uncontrolled if printed 11 Step 6: Test solution Return to home > Go back to Step 5: Build solution 1. Portal – Single transaction | 2. Portal – Batch load transaction | 3. Web Services A test environment is available should you wish to use it – information is listed below. If you are developing a Web Service, you must undertake testing. If you are testing Portal - Batch load transaction or a Web Services solution, you will need to refer to your completed Awarding Organisation Business Model Questionnaire. 1. Portal – Single transaction Testing is not required for Portal – Single transaction. You can read the guidance and begin using the LRS Organisation Portal right away. Go back to the guidance for Portal – Single transaction 2. Portal – Batch load transaction You have an option to test batch loading data – this is not a requirement. However, we expect at a minimum, that you have used the Validation tool. Verifying Unique Learner Numbers (ULNs) and Maintaining achievements (including Perform a credit check) Complete the Testing Application Form to gain access to the Sandpit environment, if required. We recommend you use the Validation tool to check your achievement batch file. Read the Testing Instructions and use the Sandpit Test Data file which contains ULN details for your use. Use the Sandpit environment to test the batch files you have prepared. Contact the LRS Customer Helpdesk with any queries on 0845 602 2589. State that you are a Developing Customer and be ready to give your name and organisation name. Continue to Step 7: Go live NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED PR01 How to join and use the LRS v1.3 January 2013 Uncontrolled if printed 12 Step 6: Test solution continued Return to home > Go back to the previous page 3. Web Services Verifying Unique Learner Numbers (ULNs) and Maintaining achievements (including Credit Transfer Query (CTQ)) There are two environments available for testing and you will need to complete the Testing Application Form to gain access to either or both: Sandpit environment – this is for adhoc testing to ensure your solution works. Compatibility environment – our check that your solution meets our requirements (Compatibility check). Read the Testing Instructions and use either the Sandpit or Compatibility Test file, which contains ULN details for your use. The services that require a Compatibility check are: o Maintaining achievements o Credit Transfer Query (CTQ) There are Compatibility test scripts available for Verify testing, should you wish to use these but it is not mandatory. Refer to the Awarding Organisation Web Services Known Defects document. Compatibility checking Required for Maintaining achievements including Credit Transfer Query (CTQ) Refer to Testing Instructions Complete the Compatibility Check Request Form Run the Compatibility Verify, Achievement batch and Credit Transfer Query (CTQ) Test Script Send both of the above together with evidence to the LRS Business Team who will check the test results and notify of any issues or provide sign off that the check has passed A compatibility check is not required for verifying ULNs. Contact the LRS Customer Helpdesk with any queries on 0845 602 2589. State that you are a Developing Customer and be ready to give your name and organisation name. Continue to Step 7: Go live NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED PR01 How to join and use the LRS v1.3 January 2013 Uncontrolled if printed 13 Step 7: Go live Return to home > Go back to Step 6: Test solution 1. Portal – Single transaction Access was granted as part of sign up to using the Production environment, you can begin verifying Unique Learner Numbers (ULNs), maintaining achievement data including Perform a credit check, if you have the appropriate access. 2. Portal – Batch load transaction Check that you have completed the following before going live: Have you completed testing which must have included using the Validation tool? o If yes, you will already have access to the LRS Organisation Portal and can begin verifying ULNs and maintaining achievement data including Perform a credit check, if required. o If not, ensure you have used the Validation tool and completed testing. 3. Web Services Maintaining achievements including Credit Transfer Query (CTQ) Check that you have completed the following before going live: Have you completed testing your solution, if verifying ULNs? Have you passed your Compatibility check, if maintaining achievement data? o If yes, complete and return the Live Web Service Connection Form to the LRS Customer Helpdesk, who will then process your request and provide you with a digital certificate. If you are a Management Information (MI) Supplier, you will need to ensure your customer understands how to complete the Live Web Service Connection Form and what to do with the digital certificate. o It not, ensure you have completed the above steps so you can use your new Web Service. o Don’t forget to update your WSDL with the production version. Contact the LRS Customer Helpdesk with any queries on 0845 602 2589. State that you are a Developing Customer and be ready to give your name and organisation name. Continue to Step 8: Load data NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED PR01 How to join and use the LRS v1.3 January 2013 Uncontrolled if printed 14 Step 8: Load data Return to home > Go back to Step 7: Go live Begin using the LRS Organisation Portal. As a reminder, you can review the data you’ve submitted by using the following reporting functions on the LRS Organisation Portal: View submitted achievements Report for Awarding Organisation uploaded achievements Contact the LRS Customer Helpdesk with any queries on 0845 602 2589. State that you are a Developing Customer and be ready to give your name and organisation name. NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED PR01 How to join and use the LRS v1.3 January 2013 Uncontrolled if printed 15 Appendix A – List of services for Awarding Organisations Business service Unique Learner Number (ULN) Portal – Single transaction Web Services Portal – Batch load transaction Personal Learning Record (PLR) Learner Achievement Upload Learner Data Achievements Service description Service hours Verify ULNs using one of the three services available. 24 x 7 Upload learner achievement data using Portal – Single transaction, Portal – Batch load transaction or Web Services. Create, update, withdraw and reinstate learner achievement data. Verify a credit claimed by a learner for a specific QCF unit awarded by another Awarding Organisation is valid. The check is carried out by an authorised user via the LRS Portal – Single load transaction or Web Services. Developer Service Development Support for Portal – Advice and guidance to help organisations develop an interface. Batch load transaction and Web Access to Developers’ Team Site. Services Compatibility testing and Access to Compatibility environment. verification for Web Services Review and certify Web Services to connect to Production environment. Sandpit Services for the LRS Access to the LRS application Sandpit environment for practice, testing and training. Application Reporting Management Information (MI) reporting Pre-defined report available. service Validation tool Batch validation tool Validates learner achievement batch files and is available from the LRS website. UK Register of Learning Providers (UKRLP) Provision of the UKRLP The UKRLP is a web Portal that shares key information about learning providers, including their UK Provider Reference Number (UKPRN). It is used to search for learning providers’ details. LRS Customer Helpdesk First and second line service desk A single point of contact for customers and users of the LRS’ business services, available by support. phone and e-mail: LRS Customer Helpdesk: 0845 602 2589 / [email protected] UKRLP Helpdesk: 0845 202 1600 / [email protected] NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED PR01 How to join and use the LRS v1.3 January 2013 Uncontrolled if printed 16 LRSBS0080 LRSBS0081 LRSBS0082 LRSBS0032 24 x 7 Credit Check Query Reference number LRSBS0140 LRSBS0240 LRSBS0180 08.00-18.00 (10 x 5) Monday-Friday LRSBS0181 LRSBS0190 24 x 7 LRSBS0071 24 x 7 LRSBS0250 09.00-17.30 (8.5 x 5) Monday-Friday LRSBS0090 08.00-20.00 (12 x 6) Monday-Saturday LRSBS0071 NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED PR01 How to join and use the LRS v1.3 January 2013 Publication Code – PR01 Uncontrolled if printed 17