Understanding and Using the Data File Export in Service Link
- Meaghen Spencer (Unlicensed)
- Nancy Nguyen
What is the Service Link File Export
The file export is available to support BHSD’s monitoring and evaluation of the SLS program outcomes. The Service Link app automatically pulls student demographic information needed for the file, pre-populating those fields and populating the referral fields as entered by the SLS coordinators in the App. The available file export matches the fields available in the App with the exception of these fields which are available only in the file export:
Service Link Student ID (Service Link randomly generates this ID), Attendance % at Export, Coordinator (the person who entered the referral).
How the data from the file is used
The district coordinator should download the data quarterly, following the reporting schedule shared by the BHSD Evaluation Manager. Any coordinator affiliated with the district will download all data entered by any coordinator in their export.
The Coordinator should then review each sheet in the export to make sure all of the data anticipated in the file is available (e.g., is the number of events, series and referrals accurate? Increasing from the prior quarter?). Coordinators can also use this file to filter to any open, active referral case status, and determine whether all cases are logged accurately in the system.
The Coordinator may also review the data file with school district administrators and staff for accuracy. , Once verified, the data file is emailed to the BHSD Evaluation coordinator. Please note, that no personally identifiable information is stored in the file, as the export drops all PII and randomly generated IDs are assigned to students.
Only those referrals initiated in the current school year will be included in final reporting.
Data Export File Fields & Definitions
The data file export is CUMULATIVE, over the course of the year, and represents the referrals for ALL coordinators in the district.
What does the File Report look like
The File Export contains 4 separates tabs:
Students: List of students with demographic information and individual referral activities. It contains one row per student engaged with SLS.
Events: List of events which includes: Name, Type, Date, # of Attendees, School (which is entered as Location in the Event Form), Primary Purpose, Secondary Purpose, Setting, Audience, and Language.
Series: List of series which includes Name of event, Type of event, Date of First Event occurrence, Number of Attendees, School (which is entered as Location in the Event Form), Primary Purpose, Secondary Purpose, Setting, Audience, Language, and Cultural Adaptation.
Referral Export: Contains referral information for each referral made for a student. If a student received multiple referrals over the school year, they will have multiple rows of information in the file export.
De-identified Reporting Template
For more specific information about what the data file contains see this blank file here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Et-gTRDLJUSvuoia4VahERwAstZ4cjQiS1ZW0WVDd6w/edit?usp=sharing
How to Download the File
In order to download the file, go to the main Service Link page to File Export. Click on Download.
There are three options for downloading:
This Year (current) which will provide you a download of all students who have been referred in your district since July 1st and ANY referrals from prior school years that were adjusted after July 1st.
Last Year will provide a download of all students who were referred in your district in the previous school year.
Two years ago will provide a download of all students who were referred in your district in two years ago.
The file will be downloaded to your device/computer.
Data Quality in File Export
It is important to review the data in the file export to ensure that the data fields are complete and accurate prior to submitting to BHSD.
General Steps to Review Data Quality
Step 1: Review each sheet/tab and ensure the number of events and series matches what you would expect, AND that over time the number of events and series are increasing (e.g. are the number of rows in events and series increasing between quarters). Here is a Checklist from BHSD that provides key tasks to be completed related to data cleaning of the file:
Step 2: If data is missing, work with other coordinators, school/district administrators or support staff where to locate the missing information
Step 3: Make updates in Service Link web application
Step 4: Export data again, verify that the updates were applied.
Step 5: Submit reviewed data to BHSD. One coordinator should be assigned to submit/send the final report to BHSD.