Welcome to your weekly EIS Bulletin!
We appreciate how busy your inbox can become, so EIS will only send out Support & News messages every Thursday.
If there is something critical that our customers need to know immediately, we will of course send a message straightaway –
that way you will know the EIS email needs urgent action.
Below we have summarised what is new this week… if you have any queries, please get in touch!
 |
Support InformationView all EIS Support Information on our Support Portal Available to Contract Customers only – please contact EIS to discuss our support services |
Release of the FMS Autumn 2020 Upgrade
We are planning to release the FMS Autumn 2020 upgrade files to all schools on SOLUS3 by 16:00 on Friday 15 January 2021.
To assist schools in completing this upgrade the following notice will be made available on our ServiceNow School Portal by Friday 15 January 2021:
KB0012737 FMS Autumn 2020 Upgrade Release (6.196)
Remote Access
It is important that any school using KLZ to access their FMS database remotely via the Internet should upgrade their FMS system as near as possible to the date that we will be updating our hosted servers otherwise users will not be able to access FMS remotely. Therefore, if schools do not upgrade FMS on their server on or around the date below, they will not be able to access FMS remotely until the school FMS is at the same version as the KLZ servers. EIS will be updating this remote connection between 17:00 on Friday 15 January 2021 and 06:00 on Monday 18 January 2021.
FMS Autumn 2020 Upgrade for EIS Hosted Customers
Following the release of the FMS Autumn 2020 upgrade – EIS SIMS Hosting customers should be aware that EIS will be upgrading the EIS Hosting Service between 17:00 on Friday 15 January 2021 and 06:00 on Monday 18 January 2021.
This means you will not be able to access the entire EIS Hosting Service during this time including, SIMS/ Discover or FMS and your Hosted files and documents.
If you have any questions on this please log onto the ServiceNow IT Portal to use the Chat Facility or to log a Ticket. Alternatively, call the Service Desk on 0300 065 8888.
Removal of Temporary Attendance Codes in SIMS KB0012474
A quick reminder to Attendance Officers that the temporary attendance codes in SIMS (including 7,8,9) that were activated by patch to assist with SAGE Reporting during the summer term 2020, should NOT be used for absences in the new academic year 2020/21.
Please read article KB0012474 for further details.
Full guidance on the use of the X and I attendance codes for COVID-19 related absence is available from the DfE at:
Cantium ServiceNow School Portal
On Friday 18 December, following the successful implementation of the ServiceNow Schools IT Portal for Schools, the EIS Support Portal at https://support.eisit.uk/ will be switched off
All users should access the ServiceNow IT portal for Schools from that date.
If you are having any problems accessing the new portal with the login credentials previously provided by email, please contact the Service Desk
From 1st November the following were made available on the ServiceNow IT Portal for schools:
- Notices – Sims Information, Information Notices, End of Year Information
- School Census pages
By the Friday 18 December the following will also be available on the ServiceNow IT Portal for Schools:
- Weekly Bulletin – weekly emails will be sent to schools containing a link to the Weekly Bulletin
- Newsletters – an email will be sent to schools containing a link to Newsletters
- Announcements – will appear as a banner or a featured new article
All incidents and requests must be logged via one of the following methods:
- ServiceNow Portal
- Chat function in ServiceNow to chat live with one of our dedicated Service Desk team members
- Alternatively, call the Service Desk on 0300 065 8888
If you would like to see older versions of the Bulletin along with the Newsletter then these can be accessed by going to https://cantium.service-now.com/csm?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0012595 on the new Support Portal.
How To Setup The SIMS Phonics Return: November – Mid December 2020
Following on from the DfE’s decision to cancel all Key Stage Assessments and Returns in the Spring/Summer of 2020. The Year 1 Phonics Return will be taking place shortly over November/December 2020.
This knowledge base article will explain how to import and setup the Phonics Year Assessment Wizard for your Year 2 Pupils.
If you have any queries please complete the SIMS Form in ServiceNow so that you can log a call online.
 |
Training & EventsView all EIS Training Courses on http://www.kentcpdonline.org.uk/ |
Upcoming Webinars
- W007 SIMS The Basics – Part 1 – Friday 8 January 2021 (11.00 – 12.00)
- W008 SIMS The Basics – Part 2 – Monday 11 January 2021 (11.00 – 12.00)
- W016 Personnel – Staff Absences – Tuesday 12 January 2021 (11.00 – 12.00)
- W006 Behaviour – Wednesday 13 January 2021 (15.00 – 16.00)
- W009 Exams – Setup and Manage Seasons – Wednesday 13 January 2021 (11.00 – 12.00)
- W013 Recording Attendance – Primary – Wednesday 13 January 2021 (11.00 – 12.00)
- W017 Personnel – Staff Training/Professional Details – Wednesday 13 January 2021 (11.00 – 12.00)
- W007 SIMS The Basics – Part 1 – Thursday 14 January 2021 (11.00 – 12.00)
- W024 Basic Attendance Reporting – Friday 15 January 2021 (11.00 – 12.00)
- W010 Exams – Process Entries – Monday 18 January 2021 (11.00 – 12.30)
- W019 Personnel – Service Terms – Monday 18 January 2021 (11.00 – 12.00)
- W008 SIMS The Basics – Part 2 – Tuesday 19 January 2021 (11.00 – 12.00)
- W032 Profiles – Part 1 – Tuesday 19 January 2021 (11.00 – 12.00)
- W033 Profiles – Part 2 – Friday 22 January 2021 (11.00 – 12.00)
- W007 SIMS The Basics – Part 1 – Tuesday 26 January 2021 (11.00 – 12.00)
- W018 Personnel – Employment Records – Tuesday 26 January 2021 (11.00 – 12.00)
- W008 SIMS The Basics – Part 2 – Wednesday 27 January 2021 (11.00 – 12.00)
Virtual User Forum – Focus on Attendance Reporting and Monitoring Attendance in the Current COVID Situation
If you have a support contract with EIS, why not register for your free place on the forum. This is being held on Wednesday 13 January 2021, between 10:00 to 11:00.
Delegates will get the opportunity to see how to report on issues such as X codes and comments logged in registers. There will be some free reports for delegates to take away and use, plus the opportunity to ask questions on best ways to monitor and report on attendance.
To register, click on the link below. You will then receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the training.
https://attendee.gototraining.com/r/3290759548598776066
SIMS Training
Cantium- EIS have put together a wide range of webinars for schools to access. The programme can be found at- https://support.eisit.uk/info-notice/sims-training-courses-webinars/
These webinars can be booked through Kent CPD online. Go to https://cpdschools.theeducationpeople.org/cpd/default.asp and search for the webinar number.
This programme is in response to feedback from schools that they would like remote sessions for training for a number of varied reasons. We have therefore put this comprehensive package together so that staff can access the webinars from home, school or offices as long as they are connected to the internet.
 |
Hot Off The Press! |
Preparation for the School Census Spring 2021
The School Census Home Page on the new ServiceNow School Portal is now updated with the latest information ready for completing your school census return in January. This page will be used to keep schools up-to-date on all the latest school census news.
The page can be accessed through the following link, as long as you have your login details for the new support portal. If you have not received an email with your login details, please contact the Service Desk as soon as possible on 03000 65 88 88.
We are still waiting for the Spring 2021 documentation from Capita on preparing for and producing the school census, so in the meantime we have re-published the documentation from last year.
The first Fileset, 1701, is available for download but Capita have warned us that this DfE file should be considered a beta version, as it generates false errors, particularly for attendance data.
For changes in the census for Spring 2021, please refer to the DfE.
Producing the Spring 2021 School Census using SIMS – Webinar
If you have a support contract with EIS, why not register for your free place on the webinar. This is being on held on Tuesday 12 January 2021, between 11:00 to 12:30.
The overview session will cover:
Preparing for the Spring 2021 census
Creating the census
Adding data to the panels
Validating and correcting common errors
Checking reports and authorising the census
To register, click on the link below. You will then receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the training.
https://attendee.gototraining.com/r/6783260376900937729
This will be our last Weekly Bulletin until the New Year so we would like to take the opportunity to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
For further information and to get in touch:
