Guest Post: Migrating Your School Technology Devices to Qmlativ

#Tips Read time:
Is your district considering a move from SMS 2.0 to Qmlativ? Here is a look at all School Technology solutions and how your current devices will work with the new Qmlativ software.

To make sure the same devices will be able to work with Qmlativ even if your district initially purchased them for SMS 2.0, School Technology has developed new software for a few of the products that directly integrate with Qmlativ. School Technology also has some exciting new features your district can look forward to after migrating!

Tardy Kiosk

For Qmlativ, School Technology has developed SchoolTRAK, a new web app with additional functionality from what is available in SMS 2.0. Any Tardy Kiosk hardware your district uses with SMS 2.0 will migrate to work with SchoolTRAK. Skyward also has a Tardy Kiosk written into its Qmlativ software that is similar to what is in SMS 2.0. The hardware can connect to it but it is not automated. An attendant needs to click through the prompts on the Skyward screen for each entry. The hardware can only be automated with SchoolTRAK.

Along with automation, SchoolTRAK introduces new features such as the option to create web kiosks on any device that can run a web browser (Chrome tested). The tardy type the kiosk enters can also be customized to always enter a specific tardy type for every entry, or to follow period rules set by the district. For example, a period rule can be set to mark a student tardy from the start of the period to ten minutes after class starts. After ten minutes the student is marked as absent. SchoolTRAK also includes the highly requested ‘out’ type, which tracks students leaving campus.

Key takeaway: For any Tardy Kiosk hardware that was purchased for SMS 2.0 to be automated with Qmlativ, SchoolTRAK will need to be purchased and implemented.

Positive Attendance

For Qmlativ, Positive Attendance is an add-on module for SchoolTRAK that is currently in beta. This module includes all the Tardy Kiosk features listed above that make up the base SchoolTRAK software, and adds the functionality to take attendance along with tardies. The Positive Attendance module adds a ‘present’ code to SchoolTRAK to mark a student as ‘present’ when they check-in. A SchoolTRAK kiosk can be set to always enter a ‘present’ code or it can follow period rules the district has set. The period rules with the Positive Attendance module has an additional option from the base SchoolTRAK. For example from the start of the passing period to three minutes after the bell a student is marked ‘present’, then three to ten minutes into the period the student is marked ‘tardy’, and after ten minutes into the period the student is marked ‘absent’.

Key takeaway: For any Positive Attendance devices purchased for SMS 2.0 to work with Qmlativ, SchoolTRAK will need to be purchased and implemented.

ID Badging

For ID Badging, there are no noticeable differences on the user end of the software between the SMS 2.0 and Qmlativ versions. All the features and functionality are the same and the software integrates with the same ODBC connection type. However, due to the different database structures between SMS 2.0 and Qmlativ, a new configuration is needed to work with Qmlativ.

Key takeaway: An implementation will need to be purchased and scheduled to switch your ID Badging software from the SMS 2.0 compatible version to the Qmlativ compatible version.

Time Clocks

All of our time clock models for SMS 2.0 can migrate to Qmlativ. Districts who have Windows touch clocks for SMS 2.0 will have a more noticeable change after migrating their clocks to Qmlativ than districts with Legacy clocks. Districts with Linux touch clocks will have the least noticeable change.

All of the clocks will need to have the software switched over to the Qmlativ version.

Windows touch clocks (TT3): The time clock software for Qmlativ is new and written by School Technology. It is based on school districts' feedback. This interface has an improved design that is more user friendly and streamlined than SMS 2.0, with additional features to be added in the future.

Linux touch clocks (TT7 and TT10): The Linux time clock software for Qmlativ uses the same user interface design as SMS 2.0, so the end user will see no noticeable difference (only the back-end configuration is different).

Legacy time clocks (G2): The Legacy time clock interface for Qmlativ will look and function the same as the SMS 2.0 interface. However, with the software change, a new server may need to be set up on campus for the Legacy clocks to integrate with Qmlativ.

Key takeaway: For all time clock models, an annual software license and one-time implementation will need to be purchased and scheduled to switch the software on your clocks from the SMS 2.0 compatible version to the Qmlativ compatible version.

Visitor Management

School Technology’s Visitor Management solution functions separately from Skyward and is not affected by the Skyward software your district uses. The main Visitor Management software, NSOR check, criminal background check, and employee background checks will all function the same and not be affected by your district’s Skyward migration. However, the optional student pickup add-on that directly integrates with SMS 2.0 is not available for Qmlativ at this time.

Key takeaway: All optional add-ons for Visitor Management are unaffected by Skyward migrations with the exception of the student pickup SMS 2.0 integration. That add-on is not available for Qmlativ at this time.
 

Food Service

Most of our solutions for SMS 2.0 Food Service, such as POS terminals, keypads, scanners, and biometric readers are plug-and-play devices that will have all the same functionality (such as auto-queue and dual-keypad) with no need for any updates to work with Qmlativ Food Service. There are only two changes to note: First, automatic cash drawers are not currently supported in Qmlativ, but they can still be used manually. Second, direct vending machines are not supported at this time, but may be available in the future with Qmlativ.

Key takeaway: Automatic cash drawers are not currently supported by Qmlativ food service and will need to be utilized manually. Direct Vending machines are also not currently supported and are unable to be integrated with Qmlativ at this time.



Have more questions or want a quote for migrating your School Technology solutions? Email sales@k12sta.com or call (877) 436-4657.
 

Follow-Up Resource: Learn More About Migrating to Qmlativ

Learn more about migrating to Qmlativ in this document.