Registration preferences

|	Permissions required to access this module:
Section:
System Management
Permission(s):
Access PARS management options
Access PARS preferences

Registration preferences are global settings that affect appearance and behaviour of the register screen only. Any changes made to these settings (apart from those concerning registration times) have no effect on the way that other attendance mark entry screens work.

Registration preferences are accessed via the System management section of the PARS main menu. The menu along the top of the screen has the following items:

Operational preferences

These preferences affect the functionality of the register screen. These preferences do not affect people using the Attendance view screen.

• AM/PM cutoff time

Set this to match the time when the PM session starts.

• Allow changes to existing marks

Choose between "Automatically" and "Allow error correction".

"Automatically" means that any attendance mark can be overwritten by anyone.

"Corrections only" means that if a person has saved a mark on the register, they can change it. No one else will be able to overwrite that mark, except the person who recorded it in the first place.

• Warn if register is not in the current day

A pop up message saying "WARNING! The register you are about to view is not for today as indicated by your computer's system clock" will be displayed when trying to access a register that does not take place in the current school day.

• Prompt for a reason for Unexpected Arrivals

The teacher will be requested to enter a reason whenever they add an unexpected arrival to the register

• Auto down

Set this to "Move down" and the next row on the register will automatically be selected whenever the teacher enters an attendance mark.

• Warn if pupils have notices

When a register is loaded, a pop-up will inform the teacher where one or more pupils on the register have a notice.

• Show assignment information

When a register is loaded, the pop-up information window will either show or hide information regarding outstanding homework.

• Verify session marks after saving

After a session register is saved, the marks in the database will be compared with the marks that are expected. If a discrepancy is found, an error message will be displayed.

• Display message upon exiting register

A pop-up message containing custom text will be displayed when a user closes the register. Enter the custom text in the box below this drop-down. Below the text entry box choose the "Number of buttons". Use "Ok only" if the message is a simple notification or "Ok and cancel" if the notice may require that the user is returned to the register.

• Clicking on a name in the register changes the mark

Allows the user to enter/change attendance marks by clicking on a student's name.

Mobile view clicking on a name on the register changes the mark

Allows the user to enter/change attendance marks by clicking on a student's name when using PARS Connect.

• Clicking on a name can only set a present

Allows the user to enter present attendance marks by clicking on a student's name.

• Enable Attendance-based notice alerts

Set this to "Yes" to allow the configuration of "Attendance Alerts" in Group management. Groups of pupils can be set up and monitored so that whenever they receive a specific Attendance mark (e.g. "N"), one or more staff members are instantly alerted via a pop-up message. Alerts are only send if the Register being taken is for the current school day, and if the staff members involved are PARS users.

• Double period behaviour

When recording behaviour incidents via a register for a double period, the user will be asked if they want PARS to create an additional copy of the behaviour incident in the second half of the double.

• Display comment box after entering a late

Gives the option to automatically display a comment entry box when marking a pupil as late. Users can still opt to not enter a comment.

• Mark all present button uses this code

Sets the mark to be used in conjunction with the mark all present button. This can be set to present, or any user-defined code which has a statistical meaning of present.

Display preferences

These affect the appearance of the register and can be used to limit the number of options on the register screen and can also be used to hide or display different columns on the register.

• Show student details

Hide or display a pop-up panel with information (and where available a photograph) about each pupil as their name is clicked on the register. The panel can also be hidden/displayed via the register screen itself.

• Display Signing in status on register

If the Signing in module is being used, a column will be displayed on the register showing the last time that a pupil signed in or out. The cell in the column will be coloured red if they are signed out and green if they have signed in.

• Display External status on register

The configure external status module allows swipe cards to be used to monitor Attendance. If the module is not being used, hide the column on the register using this option.

• Allow 'Recycle previous session marks'

The "Recycle session marks" button on the register will copy the marks recorded in the current session's register into the lesson register. Hide the option here if you do not want teachers to be able to do this.

• Show email button

Adds a button allowing the teacher to email all students on the register screen.

• Gifted and talented display

Choose the wording to be displayed for Gifted & Talented students.

• Show Assignment diary button

Gives the option for display the Assignment diary button on the main register menu, or subcategorise it under the Extras button.

Session modification

If a pupil is absent from a session register but registers as "present" for a lesson register later on in the same session, their session mark can be automatically changed to a late (or any other mark). Note that these settings only work to modify existing marks, if no mark exists (e.g. because the session register is missing/incomplete) then nothing changes will be made.

• Allow automatic session lateness - Use this code

Use these two settings to select an attendance mark to award to an absent pupil who registers as present later on in the session

• Allow alternative lateness code - Use this code

Use these two settings to give pupils an alternative attendance code if they are more than a certain number of minutes late. This is typically used to issue the U code where pupils are very late arriving to school.

• Allow automatic session explanation

If a pupil has an absence (N code) recorded in their session register and later on in the same day an explanation mark is recorded (e.g. an "M" mark is entered if the pupil has been to the doctor, "E" if they've been excluded, etc.) the session mark will be altered to match the explanation mark.

Registration times

• Registration times

Alter the times when the AM and PM registers are taken here.

Behaviour Preferences

• Show merit/demerit/neutral icon

If a behavioural incident is recorded via the current register, an icon will be displayed in the appropriate column on the register.

• Show faded merit/demerit/neutral icon

This setting can be used to display a faded icon to indicate that an incident has been recorded at some time during the current day.

Detention/removal preferences

These preferences affect the way that Detentions and Removals columns & symbols appear on the register. They also affect the notification messages that are displayed on accessing a register.

If a detention or removal column is visible on the register screen, a cell in the column may contain a "hammer" or a "Red card" symbol (in the detention and removal columns respectively). This indicates that the pupil concerned has a detention or removal either recorded today, or due to be served today. The symbol that appears may be modified as explained on the register page.

• Display detention column

Shows or hides the detention column on the register

• Display detention recorded today

Shows or hides a symbol indicating that a detention was issued at some point today.

• Display detention recorded in register

Shows or hides a symbol indicating that a detention was issued via the register.

• Display detentions to be served later today

Shows or hides a symbol indicating that a detention is to be served later today.

• Check for weekend detentions

Shows or hides a symbol indicating that a detention is to be served on the weekend.

• Display detentions to be served later tomorrow

Shows or hides a symbol indicating that a detention is to be served tomorrow.

• Display removal column

Shows or hides the removal column on the register

• Display removal recorded today

Shows or hides a symbol indicating that a removal was issued at some point today.

• Display removal recorded in register

Shows or hides a symbol indicating that a removal was issued via the register.

• Display extra class column

Show or hide a column on the register containing a symbol that indicates any Extra classes that may be occurring now or sometime today.

Highlight symbols

Each of the highlight symbols will appear on this section. You can assign a colour to each of the symbols, and the symbol will then appear in that colour on teachers' registers. For more information about highlight symbols, go to the group manager page.