Exporting Data
PowerSchool offers the following functions for exporting data:
- List Student
- Export Using Template
- Quick Export
- Direct Data Export (DDE)
- Direct Data Access (DDA)
- Data Export Manager
Users can select any student field and any related table data where there is a one-to-one relationship between the Students table.
Export Functions
Working With List Student
- Provides a two column list with specified data
- Allows user to:
- Create Report Title
- Select individual student fields to display
- Enter Column Headers for selected fields
- Utilize DATS to obtain specific data
- Format cell padding
- Add additional rows between student records
- Include gridlines
- Sort by selected fields (up to 3)
- Is limited to 15 fields
- Note- Omit the caret (^) and parenthesis within a List Student Report/Export
Building a Report or Export File
- Select data
- Click on Group Functions drop down arrow in bottom right hand corner of current student selection window
- Locate and click on List Students
- Enter Report Title
- Enter or select Field Name(s) to retrieve
- Enter Column Title Name for selected field name
- Enter desired Cell Padding
- Enter # of rows between breaks
- Select if report should have gridelines and/or be exported
- Select sort by field names and comparator
- Click Submit
Using DAT's in List Student
Name | Code | Description |
---|---|---|
Age | *age | Displays student current age |
Days in Attendance | *DA *DABS;Q1 |
Displays number of days student has been in attendance for the current school year Displays number of days student has been absent for Q1 |
Student Photo | studentphoto | Displays the students photo Note:Photo size cannot be adjusted |
Specific Period Information | *period_info;2(A);teacher_name *period_info;2(A);room *period_info;2(A);course_name |
Displays teachers name for specified period Displays room number for specified period Displays course name for specified period |
Formatting in List Student
Name | Code | Description |
---|---|---|
Combining Fields | *evaluate "city,state,zip" | Displays city, state, and zip within one report column, on the same line |
Field Concatenation | First_name) ~(Last_Name | Displays the First Name and Last Name field within one report column |
Count | *count | Renders a numbered list Note: can only be used in List Students Function |
Exporting Using a Pre-Built Template
An export template can be used for frequently exporting the same data sets.
Export Using Templates can:
- Export out a simple text tab-delimited file of the most commonly used columns
- Export fixed width columns used for importing into other systems where data is required to be in a specific format
- Export Templates for Students, Courses, Student Schedules, Staff, and Historical Grades data sets
- Note - Brackets [ ] are required when using Decode DATs
Creating an Export Template:
- Select Special Functions > Importing & Exporting > Templates for Exporting
- Click New
- Name the Template
- Select the type of data set to export
- Select delimited or fixed-field length (default is Delimited)
- Select the field delimiter and whether to surround field values with quotes (default is Tab)
- Select the End-of-line (record) delimiter (default is CR)
- Select whether or not to put column titles on first row
- Click Submit
Selecting the Template Fields:
Fields (columns) must be added to a Template once created
- Click on the 0 beneath the "# of Columns" for the desired template
- Click on New
- Enter the Column Header Name
- Enter the field name or DAT used to retrieve the desired data
- If no data is retrieved enter a default value for field if desired
- Enter Column Sort Order
- Enter Width of Column, if a fixed width is required, otherwise leave blank
- Select Alignment
- Click on Submit
Using Quick Export
Provides the same functionality as List Students plus:
- Exporting of fields from related student tables
- Format: [table name or number]Field Name
- Parameters can be used to create a more detailed list
- Data Access Tags (DATs) can be used to retrieve data from related tables
- Selection of field and record delimiters
- Include or not include column titles on the 1st row
- Surrounding of fields in double quotations
3 Things to Remember When in DDE and DDA
- DDE/DDA is not limited to only active students. Considering such, enroll_status may also need to be included within a query.
The following Enroll_Status assigned values can be used:- -1 Pre-Registered
- 0 Active
- 1 Inactive
- 2 Transferred Out
- 3 Graduated
- 4 Imported as Historical
- DDE/DDA is not limited by school. All records within a table are searched and returned if they meet the specifications applied. Values contained within the Schoolid field can be used to identify and or limit records by individual schools.
- School Ids can be found by navigating to District Setup > Schools/School Info from the Start Page
- The "Search only in records belonging to "specific school name" check box can be activated to include only records belonging to the school chosen in the school filter
- DDE/DDA is not limited to current year records. Yearid or termid may need to be included within queries.
- Yearid and termid can be obtained from the Start Page > School > Year & Terms > Edit Terms > Click on Desired Term
Working with DDE
DDE can be used to:
- Filter and view specific records in a single or multiple tables
- Create an export file
- Mine data in a safe place
It also:
- Can be accessed from the Start Page > System Menu
- Provides access to the entire database, active and inactive students
- Provides only read and export options
- Uses Role Administration security like Data Export Manager to access common tables
Note - Custom fields cannot be searched or filtered within DDE or DDA
Working with DDA
Access to DDA should be limited with page permissions.
Consider obtaining a backup of PowerSchool data before using DDA modification option.
DDA is used to:
- Filter and view specific records in a table
- Create an export file using all records link
- Change and/or delete records
It also:
- Provides access to the entire database, active and inactive students
- Uses Role Administration security like Data Export Manger to access common tables
- Can be a dangerous place as users with access can modify and delete data

Building a Search
Note - Custom fields cannot be searched or filtered within DDE and DDA
- Select a table to search
- Choose a field to filter on in the first menu
- Select a comparator from the second menu
- Equals (=)
- Does Not Equal (#)
- Contains (contains)
- Does Not Contain (!contain)
- Less Than (<)
- Greater Than (>)
- Less Than or Equal To (<=)
- Greater Than or Equal To (>=)
- Enter the search criteria in the third box
- Search all records or within
Exporting Data:
- Click on the Export Data link to create the export
- Select the fields to export by using the dropdown menu, if choosing fields from the current table, or manually enter the field names.
- When pulling fields from a related table, use the table name or table number, surrounded by square brackets [], in front of the field name
- Select field and record delimiters
- Select to surround fields and/or include column titles on the 1st row
- Select whether to export the DCID number (could be helpful if using export to later export data into a database extended table)
- Enter any sorting filed name options
- Submit
Matched Selection
Matched Selection allows for the filtering of records between two tables.
A selection of records is created from one table then matched with records with another selection in a related table.
Things to Remember:
- Match Selection cannot be used between all tables
- A distinct primary/foreign key relationship must exist between both tables
Four Steps in a Matched Selection
- Search and select the Who records
- Change to the table containing the What records and select ALL Records
- Click on Match Selection to select the Who records table
- Filter the records by the pertinent criteria to get the selection of records to export
Note - If PowerSchool cannot find a relationship, the following message will appear: No relation exists between these tables.
Exporting Using Data Export Manager
PowerSchool's Data Export Manager can be used to export data from PowerSchool tables, database extensions, and PowerSchool data sets into a test file. This function may be performed at the school or district level and may be performed for a student or staff selection.
Things to Remember:
- Information displays based on a user's security permissions
- Only data sources for which a user has "export access" to all required tables and fields will be available for selection. Shaded and non-selectable data indicates that field level access to specified data has been denied.
Export Categories:
- Tables - Top 22 PowerSchool tables followed by most other PowerSchool tables
- Database Extensions (Customized information in PowerSchool) - Replaces custom fields with a table, row, and fields model
- PowerSchool Data Sets - Approved, preexisting, or new export modules
- Additional Data Sets - All other data sets and third-party PowerQueries
- [Functional Categories] - Categories within PowerSchool which have display names, such as Attendance, Grading, or Scheduling
- [Uncategorized] - Functional Categories within PowerSchool without display names