Overview

Attendance Codes in openSIS define the attendance statuses that can be assigned to students during attendance entry.

These codes are used by teachers and administrative staff when recording attendance and help institutions track student attendance accurately throughout the school year.

Common attendance codes include:

• Present
• Absent
• Tardy
• Late
• Half Day
• Excused Absence
• Unexcused Absence

Attendance Codes ensure consistency in attendance reporting and help institutions comply with attendance policies and reporting requirements.

Accessing Attendance Codes

To access Attendance Codes:

Settings > Attendance Settings

The Attendance Settings screen displays:

• Attendance Categories
• Attendance Codes
• Attendance Code Settings
• Entry Permissions
• State Code Mappings

Administrators can create and manage attendance codes based on institutional requirements.

How Attendance Codes Are Used

Attendance Codes are used whenever attendance is recorded within openSIS.

Depending on the configuration, attendance may be entered by:

• Teachers
• Administrative Office Staff
• Both Teachers and Office Staff

The selected attendance code becomes part of the student's attendance history and is used in attendance reports and analytics.

Attendance Categories

Attendance Codes are organized within Attendance Categories.

A category represents a collection of attendance codes used for a specific attendance workflow.

For example:

Student Attendance

This category may contain codes such as:

• Present
• Absent
• Tardy
• Late
• Half Day
• Excused Absence
• Unexcused Absence

Institutions may create additional categories if needed.

Common Attendance Codes

Present

Indicates that the student attended school or class as expected.

Example

A student attends all scheduled classes for the day.

Absent

Indicates that the student was not present.

Example

A student does not attend school for the entire day.

Tardy

Indicates that the student arrived after the expected start time.

Example

A student arrives a few minutes late to class.

Late

Indicates that the student was delayed in attending school or class.

The institution may define how Late differs from Tardy according to local attendance policies.

Half Day

Indicates that the student attended only part of the scheduled school day.

Example

A student arrives late or leaves early and attends only half of the instructional day.

Excused Absence

Indicates that the absence has been approved or excused according to institutional policy.

Example

• Medical appointment
• Family emergency
• Approved school activity

Unexcused Absence

Indicates that the absence was not approved or documented.

Example

A student misses school without a valid reason or required documentation.

Attendance Reporting

Attendance Codes directly affect:

• Daily attendance reports
• Period attendance reports
• Attendance summaries
• Student attendance history
• Compliance reporting

Accurate attendance code configuration ensures reliable reporting throughout the system.

Why Attendance Codes Are Important

Attendance Codes help institutions:

• Standardize attendance tracking
• Improve attendance reporting accuracy
• Support compliance requirements
• Monitor student attendance trends
• Maintain consistent attendance records

Proper attendance code management ensures that attendance information remains meaningful and actionable.

Best Practices

• Use clear and descriptive attendance code names.
• Maintain consistent attendance definitions across the institution.
• Review attendance codes periodically.
• Avoid creating duplicate attendance codes.
• Ensure teachers and office staff understand the purpose of each attendance code.