Using PTOManager.co m to create a Student Directory May 4, 2009 L.P.S. VIPS Meeting

Things We Use Each Year PTOManager.com – Use current data for your students/families updated from Permission Form (see sample) (**VERY important**) – Student/Family list from school office for comparison and clarification Microsoft Word Microsoft Excel Microsoft Publisher

We use this form to obtain updates and permission to include them in the directory Gathering Data and Permission (Merge with Word) This is my info: Please feel free to contact me

Step 1: Download Student Data Note: Be sure you’re using the most updated information on your students/families After you log in, click on “Reports” on top row Then click on “Students” on left menu and “Search” at bottom right of screen (leaving all drop down menus blank so that all students will show) Once all the names appear, click “Save list to my computer” at bottom of left menu

Sample of “Reports” & “Students” Search on PTOManager.com

Step 2: Excel Spreadsheet “File Download” dialog box appears and gives you 3 choices. Click “Open” A new Excel spreadsheet will open – with very narrow columns – you can widen and rename columns at your discretion later “FILE” “SAVE AS” right away to a handy folder for easy access – We usually refer to it in the title as “Working Copy”, etc. (i.e. “Student Directory working copy”)

Sample of “Open” Excel

Step 3: Indicate Permission Level Add 1 column to the left side of your spreadsheet – We label ours “DNI/MIA” DNI means “Do Not Include” (per the permission form) MIA means “Missing in Action” because they did not return the form ….even after several attempts/prompts by us asking them for it. An “x” here means we rec’d the form WITH permission – You will sort on this column in the Working Copy For DNI/MIA notations, clear all information except Student name, grade, teacher Insert “Opt Out” in Phone field, so that’s what will print out

Step 4 : “Class Listings” Save another copy of this Original Excel “as is” to use later to create class listings – Use “class listing” in the title as you save it Example: “Student Directory for class listings” These records, with each student having their own row, is how we prepare the class listings – Three-way sort on Grade Teacher Student Last Name

Step 5: Sort Excel Spreadsheet (Working Copy) Each Student has their own record/row to start with. – We want all the siblings grouped together and in alpha order, so we do a 3-way sort by STUDENT LAST NAME, VOLUNTEER NAME, then STUDENT FIRST NAME This will also show us which students have multiple households, which we’ll need to know later. There will be multiple rows for those students – We insert new columns for Student (sibling) 2, 3 and 4’s name, grade and teacher and leave the columns blank for now (“Student 2”, “Grade 2” and “Teacher 2”, etc., to mentally link them)

Sample of Sorting Records

Sample of Adding Columns

Step 6: Format Excel We “move” the data from the original row up and over into those fields for each sibling This way each family has one row/record It saves paper when printing the directory Delete rows with blank student names Since we “moved” the student data from the siblings’ rows, we now sort on “Student First Name” Highlight and delete the records that now are blank in that field. (i.e. Lenski goes from 600+ student rows to 450 family records, so we’re deleting about 25%.)

Step 7: Add Second Households To allow for students with multiple households we Add matching columns at very end of report with a reference to “second …..” or “Guardian” These columns will correspond with the Parent information columns from main report “Move and Paste” second household info from “Main” report area to the end columns, so that they match up Delete those “old” rows where the second parents used to be

Sample of Parent Columns from Main Report

Sample of Parent Columns for Second Households

Step 8: Merge with Word Using Microsoft Word, create a new merge document and choose “Directory” or “Catalog” as the type, depending upon your Word version – Insert all the fields you want to show in the directory Don’t include any dashes or parenthesis in Student area, or those will show for siblings’ lines…even if there aren’t any siblings! Double space after the final field is entered, so the end result will be double-spaced between records – You can manipulate the fields so be arranged however you prefer – Use a font that is easy to read (Arial, Calibri, etc.)

Sample Family Record Format

Sample of Extra Graphics in Blanks

Sample of Correct Merge

Step 9: Wrapping it Up We use Publisher to copy and paste these merged records into our 2-column format We modify, format and then insert the additional pages we want to include – Class Listings – PTO Roster of Officers and event coordinators – School Calendar of Events – Business Directory with paid ads (“Yellow Pages”)