SIMS 7 - Principles of Integration

SIMS 7 has been around for many years and has tried and tested interfaces used by 100s of technical integrators across the world.

Options  

At present, it needs a local application for most data exchanges with SIMS 7.  The full list of choices are:

• Use an existing import export format such as CTF/ATF/AIF
• Use command reporter to automate the SIMS 7 reporting engine.  This is simple for many exports, but less suitable for complex reports on attendance and assessment. It is read only as the name suggests.
• Use .Net on premise DLLs to access SIMS APIs which are in 2 modes
  • Partner APIs - typically these 'speak' XML and are simple and consistent to implement.
  • The internal SIMS 7 API calls which allow for a wide range of data exchanges but may be quirky and implementations and various styles have been used.
• For lightweight data needs One Roster / RAP APIs may meet your needs without the need for an on-premise application.

Direct SQL Access / Publication of Schema is not supported and may invalidate warranties. 

Changes recommended to schools to improve security from 2023 such as the forced encryption of SQL connections may also impact upon direct SQL access whereas our underlying database classes will include any changes required to support these recommendations.

Next Generation (NG) SIMS is already in use with customers.  The initial strategy is to keep the SIMS 7 database as the source of truth which leaves current integrations 'as is'.  An example of this is the new Take Register web module.  Whilst we have plans for web APIs in addition to One Roster and RAP, we are not currently able to share a meaningful roadmap for TIs.

There are a small number of areas where internal APIs are not supported which includes:

• Database access scaffolding,
• Assessment Individual Reports (IR) - Generation - We do support access to generated IRs. 
• Assessment Templates and Marksheets. Alternative APIs are available to obtain Aspects, Results, Result Sets.
• Profiles Generation - We do support access to the generated documents.

Usually applications work by 'Lifting and Shifting' a block of data to the external system which is much easier than real time access to implement.  ESS applications such as Teacher App demonstrate that real time access is possible but the cost of developing the infrastructure is much higher than the lift and shift model.

Think carefully about the data needed, change tracking APIs are available and work best when external data structures mimic the logical structures within SIMS.  They work less well when structures diverge.  For example SIMS stores a collection of phone number links from a person to a phone number.  If the external structure has name and phone number in the same entity then the change record would simply be for the phone number and not the person with that number.

Pre-requisites

In order to be able to develop for SIMS 7 (excluding One Roster / RAP and DeX) requires:

• A copy of SIMS (Chargeable)
• A copy of training data (1 data set Included in the SIMS charge) 

You need SIMS to compile your application / test it.

You need training data to comply with GDPR in development, test and for sales demos.