SCS File Formats — Version 1.1
June 22, 2010
REVISION HISTORY
Version
1.1
Date
Posted
07/01/10
Date of
Change
06/22/10
1.0
02/25/10
02/25/10
0.1
12/31/09
12/7/09
Description
Under Records containing errors, removed example of a
student record, which included outdated rule 2080.
Incorporated note for new rule, SCS2390: SCS08 must not
equal 01 (Enrolled) for the EOY collection.
Light organizational and formatting edits. Updated date and
doc version number. Regenerated TOC.
Final Draft: Incorporated Section 1.6, Validations Results
Sample File, including 1.6.1 SCS Validation Errors, and
1.6.2 Cross-Validation Errors.
Initial Draft
Massachusetts Department of Education
SCS File Formats — Version 1.1
06/22/10
Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Revision history.................................................................................................................................2
Table of Contents ..............................................................................................................................1
Introduction ......................................................................................................................................2
Using the File Format Guide ........................................................................................................................ 2
Student Course Schedule File Format ............................................................................................3
Student Course Schedule Files ........................................................................................................................... 3
Student Course Schedule File ...................................................................................................................... 4
1.1 File Export ........................................................................................................................................................ 4
1.2 Header Record Definition ................................................................................................................................. 4
1.3 Data Record Definition ..................................................................................................................................... 4
1.4 Sample SCS File ............................................................................................................................................... 5
1.5 Transmission Results Sample Files ................................................................................................................... 6
1.5.1 Records Transmitted Successfully ............................................................................................................ 6
1.5.2 File Upload Errors – Records Not Loaded ................................................................................................ 7
1.5.3 Records Containing Errors ........................................................................................................................ 8
1.6 Validation Results Sample Files ....................................................................................................................... 9
1.6.1 SCS Validation Errors ............................................................................................................................... 9
1.6.2 Cross-Validation Errors ........................................................................................................................... 10
Table of Contents
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Massachusetts Department of Education
SCS File Formats — Version 1.1
06/22/10
Introduction
INTRODUCTION
The Student Course Schedule System (SCS) is an on-line, secure data collection of student course
records. Districts use the SCS online application to transmit files containing student course records
for each student enrolled in the district.
Using the File Format Guide
This document contains detailed information about the file structures of the Student Course
Schedule files. In addition to the header information, data record information, and sample files,
this document includes samples of files returned from SCS for the various results that can occur
during each step of the collection process.
For a more detailed explanation of each of the data elements required by these files, see the SCS
Data Handbook.
Introduction
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Massachusetts Department of Education
SCS File Formats — Version 1.1
06/22/10
STUDENT COURSE SCHEDULE FILE FORMAT
When you are transmitting data, all the fields required by the file format must contain information,
even if the information simply identifies the field as "not applicable." There can be no empty
fields in a transmitted file. Data transmission files generate reports that are stored in the Reports
section of the Student Course Schedule system.
The Reports section consists of the Transmission Report, Validation Report, Cross Validation
Reports, and the Summary Reports.
Student Course Schedule Files
The SCS files contain all the data that will be submitted for student course records, during each
collection period. Cross validations between SCS and SIMS will occur to ensure that every student
in SIMS, reported as enrolled and attending classes within a district, is reported in the SCS data
collection. Likewise, every student reported as taking a class taught in a district school in SCS is
reported as enrolled and in attendance in that district, in SIMS. These matches will be based on
the SASIDs reported in SIMS and SCS.
Cross validations will also occur between SCS and EPIMS to ensure that every course taught in
EPIMS will have at least one student reported as taking that course in the SCS data collection.
Meanwhile, every class reported in a district school in SCS is reported in EPIMS. These matches
occur based on the school identification number, subject-area course, class section, and term
reported, in EPIMS and SCS.
Notes:

Out-placed special education students do not need to be reported. Special education
students taking courses offered within the district must be reported.

If Kindergarten and Pre-K students are reported in SIMS, student course data for those
students must be reported in SCS.

SCS08 must not equal 01 (Enrolled) for the EOY collection.
Student Course Schedule File Format
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
SCS File Formats — Version 1.1
06/22/10
Student Course Schedule File
The SCS file is a comma delimited file and requires a set number of commas per record. Files
should have a .txt or .csv extension. There are no requirements for file name. Districts can use
their own naming conventions.
1.1 File Export
Each record within the SCS file must contain 12 commas, and the file can contain any number of
records. Districts can transmit multiple SCS files.
Note: Due to the large size of the SCS files and to facilitate error tracking and correction, districts
are encouraged to transmit one file for each school to be reported.
1.2 Header Record Definition
A header record is required and is the first record in every file. The purpose of the header record is
to identify the collection, the file type, and the organization code of the district or the school
uploading the data. These three elements are separated by commas and must be written in
uppercase.
File Header
SCS,STUDENT_COURSE_DATA,00440000
In the example above, SCS identifies the collection, STUDENT_COURSE_DATA identifies the
file type, and 00440000 identifies that the file is from Brockton Public Schools.
1.3 Data Record Definition
Data records are required and immediately follow the header record in every file transmitted to
SCS. There is no limit to the number of data records contained in a file. All fields in the SCS
record are required.
Data
Element
Definition
Length
Type
SCS01
SCS02
SCS03
SCS04
SCS05
SCS06
SCS07
SCS08
SCS09
SCS10
SCS11
SCS12
SCS13
LASID
SASID
School ID
Local Course Code
Subject Area-Course
Class Section
Course Term
Course Enrollment Status
Course Level
Credit Available
Credit Earned
Letter Mark
Numeric Mark
1–32
10
8
1–20
5–7
1–20
2
2
2
1–5
1–5
2
1–5
Alphanumeric
Alphanumeric
Alphanumeric
Alphanumeric
Alphanumeric
Alphanumeric
Alphanumeric
Alphanumeric
Alphanumeric
Numeric with up to 2 decimal places
Numeric with up to 2 decimal places
Alphanumeric
Numeric with up to 2 decimal places
For permitted values of each data element, see The SCS Data Handbook.
Student Course Schedule File Format
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
SCS File Formats — Version 1.1
06/22/10
1.4 Sample SCS File
Here is a file of seven student course schedule records—with no errors—submitted by Boston:
File Name: 00350005.txt
SCS,STUDENT_COURSE_DATA,00350000
103602,1111111111,00350005,1234,12099M,SECTION01,01,02,01,20,0.00,99,20
26101,2222222222,00350005,AB42012,01066,SECTION02,32,01,02,40,0.00,88,40
26114,3333333333,00350005,BNRT5678,04204,SECTION03,33,02,03,9999,9999,99,100
200143,4444444444,00350005,MATH-02,02072,SECTION04,41,04,01,10,0.00,55,55555
27126,5555555555,00350005,SCIENCE,03204,SECTION02,42,02,02,11,4.25,02,99999
14789,6666666666,00350005,SOCIAL,04260,SECTION03,43,03,04,12,3.50,15,20
14789,7777777777,00350005,SCIENCE,03204,SECTION02,43,03,04,12,3.50,15,99999
Student Course Schedule File Format
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
SCS File Formats — Version 1.1
06/22/10
1.5 Transmission Results Sample Files
When districts transmit files, several different files may result for a download by districts. The
number of files will depend on the accuracy of the data in the file, as compared to the data
maintained in SCS. The file names will reflect the type and transmission result of the original file
and have a .txt extension. The file names will not relate to the file name of the original file at all.
Files can be re-named after downloading.
1.5.1 Records Transmitted Successfully
Records that pass the first stage of error checking are processed in SCS, using the business rules
established for the collection. The data elements in each record are checked for formatting and
content errors and for their relationship to other data elements. Records that contain no errors are
transmitted successfully. SCS displays the total number of these records and makes them available
for download, but the list is not displayed since the records have not been changed in any way.
Here is a file of six student course records, transmitted successfully, with no errors:
File Name: scs_transmission_success_5523.txt (5523 = system-assigned transaction number.
not need to take note of this number.)
SCS,STUDENT_COURSE_DATA,00350000
103602,1111111111,00350005,1234,12099M,SECTION01,01,02,01,20,0.00,99,20
26101,2222222222,00350005,AB42012,01066,SECTION02,32,01,02,40,0.00,88,40
26114,3333333333,00350005,BNRT5678,04204,SECTION03,33,02,03,9999,9999,99,100
200143,4444444444,00350005,MATH-02,02072,SECTION04,41,04,01,10,0.00,55,55555
27126,5555555555,00350005,SCIENCE,03204,SECTION02,42,02,02,11,4.25,02,99999
14789,6666666666,00350005,SOCIAL,04260,SECTION03,43,03,04,12,3.50,15,20
Student Course Schedule File Format
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
SCS File Formats — Version 1.1
06/22/10
1.5.2 File Upload Errors – Records Not Loaded
When files are transmitted, or uploaded, to the DOE’s server, the records are checked first for
invalid or missing SASIDs, and the correct number of fields, represented by the correct number of
commas in each record. (Student course records must have 13 fields/12 commas and no special
characters.)
If a record fails one or both of these tests, the record will be added to the File Upload Error List.
This list is generated immediately upon transmission. The list can be viewed on-line and
downloaded. (If more than 1000 records have errors, the list is not displayed.) The name of the
downloaded file (scs_file_upload_error.txt) indicates that the records had file upload errors. In the
downloaded file, the error information is displayed within quotation marks (" ") and appended at
the end of the record, after an additional comma.
It is important to understand that records on the File Upload Error List are not uploaded to the
DOE’s server. If you need a list of these unprocessed records, you must download the File Upload
Error List.
Once again, the errors that would cause records to be added to the File Upload Error List are as
follow:


The incorrect number of columns (or commas) in a record. (All records in each file type
require the same number of fields.)
An invalid or missing SASID (a SASID of incorrect length or containing characters other than
numbers).
Here is a file of one student course record, rejected by the system, because of a file upload error:
File Name: scs_file_upload_error.txt
SCS,STUDENT_COURSE_DATA,00350000
201023,3333333333,00350005,7420,04203,SECTION03,22,03,03,+10,10.00,55,51,"SCSF60 Invalid Record/Special character reported"
Student Course Schedule File Format
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
SCS File Formats — Version 1.1
06/22/10
1.5.3 Records Containing Errors
SCS displays the records that have one or more errors, according to the business rules, and makes
these records available for download. As with the file upload errors, transmission errors are added
to the end of each record, following a comma. They are enclosed in quotation marks and separated
within the quotation marks by semicolons.
Records in this list appear in an Error List within SCS. Correct records using the Single Add/Edit
function or transmitting a corrected file. Once a record is corrected, it is removed from the Error
List, and the record is added to the Records Processed without Error list.
Here is a file of two student course records, which contain transmission errors:
File Name: scs_transmission_error_5532.txt
SCS,SCS_transmission_errors,00350000
Course Letter mark (SCS12) and/or Course Numeric mark (SCS13); "
103501,2222222222,00350005,5678,01056,SECTION02,21,02,02,100,100.00,20,,"Invalid/Missing
Course Credit Earned ; Invalid/Missing Course Numeric Mark ; "
201023,3333333333,00350005,7420,04203,SECTION03,22,03,03,10,10.00,55,,"Invalid/Missing
Course Numeric Mark ; "
Course Enrollment Status (SCS08) not valid for the reporting period
Student Course Schedule File Format
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
SCS File Formats — Version 1.1
06/22/10
1.6 Validation Results Sample Files
1.6.1 SCS Validation Errors
During the validation step, SCS validates records across all of the districts files transmitted for the
collection. Next, SCS displays the records that have one or more errors, according to the
validation rules, and makes these records available for download. As with the file upload errors,
validation errors are added to the end of each record, following a comma. They are enclosed in
quotation marks and separated within the quotation marks, by semicolons.
Records in this list appear in an Error List within SCS. Using the Single Add/Edit function, correct
the errors. Once a record is corrected, it is removed from the Error List, and the record is added to
the Records Processed without Error list. Errors can also be resolved by uploading a corrected file.
Records in the Validation Errors file are displayed in the following format:
System name-Data in error [data description], error message
Here is a sample file of student course records, which contain validation errors:
File Name:
scs_06150000_scs_validation_errors_527.txt
SCS,scs_validation_errors,06150000
06150505,1024247712,01001,AB9,01 [school,sasid,course,section,term],"SCS3001 – School
Identification Number (SCS03)/ SASID (SCS02)/ Subject Area Course (SCS05)/ Class
Section (SCS06)/ Course Term (SCS07) combination must be unique within a district
[school,sasid,course,section,term]; "
Student Course Schedule File Format
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
SCS File Formats — Version 1.1
06/22/10
1.6.2 Cross-Validation Errors
During Cross Validation with either EPIMS or SIMS, and according to the cross-validation rules,
SCS displays the records that have one or more errors, making these records available for
download. Cross validations between SCS and SIMS, and between SCS and EPIMS, will occur
during the SCS validation and certification steps.
Records in the Cross Validation Errors file are displayed in the following format:
System name-Data in error [data description], error message
Here is a sample file of student course records, with cross validation errors:
File Name: scs_06150000_scs_cv_errors_829.txt
SCS,scs_cv_errors,06150000
SIMS-1024247712 [sasid],"SCS4020 – Student Course Record not Reported or Reported by a
Different District [sasid];"
SCS-06150505,01001,AB9,01 [school,course,section,term],"SCS5010 - Class reported in SCS
not reported in EPIMS [school,course,section,term];"
Student Course Schedule File Format
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