Staff record 2016/17 - Data collection schedule
Staff record 2016/17 - Data collection schedule
Version 1.0 Produced 2016-10-20
This document is designed to guide higher education providers (HEPs) through the stages of data submission for the Staff record.
| August 2016 to March 2017 | HEPs' local preparation |
| Early March 2017 | Validate data locally using validation kit |
| July 2017 | Preparation guide released |
| August 2017 | Full data collection system opens |
| 30 September 2017 | Return date |
| 16 October 2017 | Commit date |
| 16 October 2017 to 10 November 2017 | Data quality checking period |
| 10 November 2017 | Last submission |
| 14 November 2017 | Sign-off |
August 2016 to March 2017: HEPs' local preparation
HEPs should read the Coding manual and associated documentation for details of the requirements for the return.
During these months HEPs will need to load and maintain local Staff record systems including: starters/leavers, promotions and grade information.
Early March 2017: Validate data locally using validation kit
The validation kit is made available to download from: Validation kit. The first version of the kit is a roll-on using the previous collection's Business stage quality rules and is released early to assist HEPs in preparing their data whilst the new rules are finalised at HESA. The second release of the validation kit containing the Business stage quality rules for the current collection will be made available in late April 2017.
The kit enables HEPs to test their data locally against the Business stage quality rules ahead of the main collection opening in the summer. HEPs are strongly encouraged to use the validation kit as part of their data preparations.
July 2017: Preparation guide
In advance of the return deadline HESA releases a preparation guide. This provides further guidance of the requirements for the collection year, with particular reference to any areas HESA's statutory customers wish providers to pay particular attention to during coding and submission.
Notification of the publication of this guide will be sent to Staff record contacts, and is also circulated on sector mailgroups such as the HESA-Staff JISC mailgroup. If you would like to join HESA-Staff mailgroup please contact Institutional Liaison.
August 2017: Full data collection system opens
The full HESA data collection system opens around 6 weeks ahead of the return date providing HEPs with the opportunity to further test files against the full range of Quality rule checks ahead of the return date deadline.
HESA monitors all transactions on the system to ensure HEPs are progressing reasonably and not encountering difficulties.
The data collection system will open a few months before August, whereby functional components of the system are being released incrementally leading up to full functionality being released by early August. These early releases of the system serve to give the providers the earliest possible sight of quality rules and system reports.
30 September 2017: Return date
HEPs are required to send one complete data file that has passed the Business stage quality rules to HESA by 30 September 2017.
A single Business stage quality rule failure will result in no data being imported into the system.
Data which fails the Quality rules will not be considered to have been returned to the Agency.
16 October 2017: Commit date
HEPs are advised to send complete data that has passed the Exception stage quality rules to HESA by 16 October 2017. This schedule allows the maximum amount of available time for data quality checking.
Data which fails the Quality rules will not be considered to have been returned to the Agency.
16 October 2017 to 10 November 2017: Data quality checking period
The data quality checking period is an iterative process during which HEPs may need to submit, commit, review and decommit their data several times to ensure the final submission is credible. The suite of web reports should be reviewed by the provider to ensure that the data submitted is a credible representation of your HEP.
During this period Data Quality Analysts at HESA will also examine data committed by all HEPs. If any anomalies are found queries will be raised through Minerva. Nevertheless HEPs are in a better position to recognise more detailed anomalies within their data, using local knowledge of the intricacies of their own HEP. As a consequence HEPs are required to either resubmit their data to amend these anomalies, or provide an explanation through Minerva as to why these apparent anomalies are genuine.
Upon satisfactory completion of this process data will be set to credible.
10 November 2017: Last submission
In order to meet obligations for hand-over of data to its customers, HESA needs to receive all data files by 10 November 2017.
14 November 2017: Sign-off
As part of the data quality assurance procedures, HESA requires the return to be signed-off by the head or acting head of your organisation. This verification offers both the providers and HESA assurances regarding onward use of the data. Sign-off completes the data collection process.
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On the system your HEP's data will be set to credible and a new icon will be made available from where the sign-off form can be downloaded and completed. Once completed, the form should be scanned and emailed back to [email protected]. Please note that the transaction number on the sign-off form must correspond to that of the data being signed-off. |
Note: HEPs should download and keep copies of all relevant reports that they are likely to need during the year. This will be necessary as access to the site will be restricted after the collection has closed.
Need help?
Contact Liaison by email or on +44 (0)1242 388 531.