Introduction

The School Fields setting in openSIS allows institutions to manage and organize additional school-related information using categories and fields. Administrators can manage default fields provided by the system, create custom categories, and add custom fields based on institutional requirements.

This section helps institutions customize school information management while maintaining a structured configuration system.

Navigation

Go to:

Settings → School → School Fields

Purpose of School Fields

The School Fields section is used to manage school-related information and organize it into categories.

Using this section, administrators can:

• View default categories and fields available in the system
• Enable or disable existing fields
• Create custom categories
• Add custom fields within categories
• Edit or delete custom categories
• Edit or delete custom fields

This provides flexibility for institutions that require additional school-related information beyond the default system fields.

Understanding Categories

The left panel displays all available field categories.

openSIS includes some default categories such as:

• General Information
• WASH Information

Institutions may also create their own custom categories.

Custom categories can later be:

• Edited
• Deleted

Categories help organize school-related fields in a structured manner.

Creating a New Category

To create a custom category:

1. Open the School Fields screen
2. Click + Add New Category
3. In the Add Field Category popup, enter:
   • Category Title
   • Sort Order
4. Click Submit

The new category will now appear in the category list.

The Sort Order controls the display sequence of categories within the School Fields section.

Understanding Fields

When a category is selected, the system displays all fields associated with that category.

The field listing displays:

• Field Name
• Field Type
• Field Visibility Status

Administrators can manage both default and custom fields from this section.

Default system fields can usually be enabled or disabled, while custom fields can additionally be edited or deleted.

Adding a Custom Field

To add a custom field:

1. Select the required category
2. Click Add Custom Field
3. In the Add Custom Field popup, enter:
   • Field Name
   • Field Type
   • Default Value (optional)
4. Configure additional options if required:
   • Required — makes the field mandatory
   • Hide — hides the field from display
   • All Schools — applies the field across all schools
5. Click Submit

The new field will now appear under the selected category.

Field Types

The Field Type determines the type of information stored in the field.

Depending on institutional requirements, administrators may configure different field types for collecting and organizing school information.

Managing Custom Categories and Fields

Custom categories and fields can be managed later as institutional requirements evolve.

Administrators can:

• Edit custom categories
• Delete custom categories
• Edit custom fields
• Delete custom fields
• Enable or disable fields

This helps institutions maintain flexible and updated school information structures.

Common Uses of School Fields

Institutions commonly use School Fields to:

• Store additional institutional information
• Organize custom school-related data
• Create operational categories
• Maintain structured information management
• Support institution-specific workflows

Best Practices

Institutions should:

• Use clear and meaningful category names
• Avoid duplicate field creation
• Organize fields logically within categories
• Review unused fields periodically
• Maintain consistent naming conventions

Proper organization improves usability and long-term data management.

Conclusion

The School Fields setting in openSIS allows institutions to customize and organize school-related information using categories and fields.

By properly managing categories and custom fields, institutions can maintain structured, flexible, and institution-specific information management workflows within the system.