Linking to a Student Record System to Automatically Update Student Numbers

Using our new API suite, HEIs can automatically add or update Courses / Modules, including the student numbers.

You can connect our API (see details in this article) to your Student Record System (SRS) - or any record system that includes the relevant information - and have the SRS add or update your Courses.

CLA would recommend attaching the AmendCourse API only to the SRS if you do not wish to have lots of empty courses added to the DCS. However you can choose to also have your SRS add courses to the DCS using the SubmitCourse API.

The details of the API and how it can and cannot be used can be found in our Course API knowledgebase article: https://cla.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360034158373-Course-API

For attaching the API to your SRS, you will need support from your technical teams and possibly your student record teams or services. You should also consider the following:

• Are your Course Codes aligned? For the AmendCourse call, only courses with matching Course Codes will be updated (you can update other courses as you do now). For the SubmitCourse non-aligned Course Codes could lead to duplicated courses being added to the DCS.
• When are your student numbers refreshed in the Student Record System? If this is before June 15 rollover in the DCS you could find student numbers are all '0' by the time of rollover.
• Are you linking the same API to different systems. This should be fine but please let CLA know so we can highlight any potential issues.
• Are you updating the status? If so, please take great care not to delete courses that are still required as this is permanent. Not including status in the call is safe and will keep the status the same.

We will not be completing a direct integration with Student Record Systems, instead the onus is on the HEI to connect to your SRS.

However we are happy for SRS third-parties to use the API centrally (similarly to how Reading List providers currently integrate). Please advise your SRS providers to get in touch at [e-mail] to discuss them integrating with the DCS.