The Compass SIS Writeback integration is currently in Early Access. For more information and to request early access, please reach out to Clipboard Support at support@clipboard.app.
Overview
This guide explains how to set up the Compass incoming integration and use the Clipboard's SIS Writeback feature for Compass integration.
This process requires IT Admin access.
To Set Up the Incoming Integration with Compass:
Prerequisites
Before setting up the Compass integration, ensure:
Compass will need to set up the API user for Clipboard on behalf of your school.
You have obtained the following credentials from Compass:
Your school's Compass domain (e.g., yourschool.compass.education)
API Key (provided by Compass)
Compass Integration Set-up Steps:
Go to Integration in Clipboard
Under Manage Integrations, choose an area of integration and click on the Edit icon for Source.
In the Source dropdown, choose Compass.
In the form, provide your school’s Compass domain and your Compass API key. When configuring the Absences integration, you will also need to provide the School System Type, following this format:
aus.[any state acronym (e.g., vic, nsw)].[public | catholic | independent]For example:
aus.nsw.independent,aus.vic.catholicDo not forget to turn on the integration by flicking the switch to green in the Manage Integrations page if you want the integration to run.
Please note that the following data can be pulled directly from the Compass API integration:
Students
Student photos
Guardian contacts
Medical conditions - Medical Action Plans cannot be synced via the Compass Integration at this time
Absences
Emergency Contacts
The Compass Person ID maps to an "internal SIS ID" field in Clipboard (NOT "SIS ID") that does not show in the user interface. The Compass "username" field maps to "SIS ID".
To begin the Outgoing Integration with Compass:
Understanding the Sync Behaviour
When you enable the integration, an initial sync will be performed to Compass. This is for all "initial" data
From then on out, entities will be synced
Prerequisites
Before setting up the Compass Writeback integration, ensure:
You have appropriate Administrator access in Compass to configure API connections
You have obtained the following credentials from Compass:
Your school's Compass domain (e.g., yourschool.compass.education)
API username (provided by Compass)
API password (provided by Compass)
Incoming Sync is set up from Compass to Clipboard for student data
The system uses Student IDs from your incoming sync to match records between systems
Ensure your student data is correctly synchronised from Compass to Clipboard before enabling Writeback
Staff in Clipboard must have their CompassPersonID set as the SIS ID in their Staff Profile.
Setting Up the Integration
Step 1: Access Integration Settings
Log in to your Clipboard account
Navigate to Integration in the left sidebar
Click on the Outgoing tab
Step 2: Configure Compass Connection
Click the Create button in the top right corner
In the "Edit an Outgoing Integration" form:
Set Destination to "Compass"
Enter the required authentication information:
Domain: Your Compass domain (e.g., yourschool.compass.education - omitting the
https://as per the example)API Key: Found in Compass > Tools menu > Login and Security as pictured below
Click Save to store your connection settings
Step 3: Initial Sync
When you first set up the Compass Writeback integration, the system will automatically perform an initial sync and:
Create Club Categories in Compass for all your Clipboard Activities
Create Clubs in Compass for all your Clipboard Teams
Establish mappings between Clipboard and Compass records
Important: The initial sync may take several hours, depending on the number of Activities and Teams in your system. You can monitor progress through the Integration Logs.
Step 4: Verify the Sync
After the initial sync completes:
Log in to your Compass system
Navigate to your Clubs section
Verify that:
Club Categories match your Clipboard Activities
Clubs match your Clipboard Teams
The naming is consistent between both systems
Troubleshooting
If you experience issues with your Compass Writeback integration:
Common Issues
Authentication Errors
Verify your Compass domain is correct, omits the
https://, and omits anything after the.educationCheck that your Compass API key hasn't expired or been reset
Ensure your Compass account has the necessary API permissions enabled
Contact your Compass administrator if you're unsure about API access
Initial Sync Failures
Wait for a few minutes to return to Compass, and force a hard reset with Cmd + Shift + R or Ctrl + Shift + R
Ensure no duplicate Activity or Team names exist in Clipboard
Clubs Not Appearing in Compass
Verify the parent Activity has successfully synced to Compass as a Club Category
FAQ
Q: Will changes made in Compass be overwritten by the Writeback integration?
A: Yes, potentially. Clipboard is designed to be the single source of truth for extracurricular data. Any changes to Club Categories or Clubs synced from Clipboard should be made in Clipboard to ensure consistency. Direct changes in Compass may be overwritten the next time the corresponding Activity or Team updates in Clipboard.
Q: What happens to my existing Compass Clubs when I enable this integration?
A: The initial sync will create new Club Categories and Clubs based on your Clipboard data. Your existing Compass Clubs that are not linked to Clipboard will remain unchanged. However, if you have existing Clubs you want to link to Clipboard Teams, contact Clipboard Support for guidance on the best approach.
Q: Can I control which specific Activities or Teams sync to Compass?
A: Currently, the integration syncs all Activities and all Teams within those Activities. Selective syncing is not available in the current implementation.
Q: How frequently does the sync occur?
The initial sync after enabling the integration may take several hours, depending on the volume of data.
When new entities are created or changes are made in Clipboard, they are queued immediately. Sync times will vary based on the number of changes or sessions created. If you experience sync delays longer than 30 minutes, please contact support at support@clipboard.app
Q: What happens if I archive an Activity that has Teams?
A: Currently, Activities with associated Teams cannot be archived in Compass through the integration. The integration only archives Activities (Club Categories) that have no Teams.
Q: What happens if I hide a Team?
A: This operation has no effect on Compass or any of the hidden Teams' Sessions in Clipboard, as it is designed to clean up the Clipboard Teams environment and make things clearer. It therefore also doesn't have an effect in Compass.
Q: What happens if the sync fails?
A: The system will automatically retry failed syncs using a progressive backoff strategy. If a sync continues to fail after multiple attempts, it will be marked as failed in the Integration Logs. You'll need to review the error message and either fix the underlying issue or contact Clipboard Support.
Q: A Student was in the wrong Team - What happens if I change historical team participation dates in Clipboard?
A: Backdating participation end dates won't update past sessions that have already occurred. Clipboard captures team membership at the time each session was created.
Getting Help
If you continue to experience issues with your integration, contact Clipboard Support at support@clipboard.app for assistance, including the following information:
Your school name
Your Compass domain
The specific Activities or Teams you're trying to sync
The approximate time when you encountered the issue
Screenshots of any error messages or unexpected behaviour
For additional support, contact support@clipboard.app.