Overview
This product release introduces significant enhancements to data management, progress tracking, and reporting flexibility within Planning & Self-Study (P&SS). These changes focus on providing more robust historical records, supporting comprehensive documentation, and increasing visibility for institutional leaders.
The following updates are detailed in this documentation:
- Capture and Share Curriculum Snapshots: Create permanent, read-only versions of curriculum maps for accreditation and audits.
- Attach Evidence to Action Updates: Upload up to five files (100 MB each) directly to action updates to centralize supporting documentation.
- Monitor Real-Time Progress: Utilize the enhanced "In Progress" page and "Dean’s View" to track submission statuses and organization-specific stats.
- Detailed Measure Targets: Leverage the removed character limits to enter comprehensive target statements without truncation in the UI or reports.
Curriculum Map Versioning
The versioning feature allows for the creation of snapshots of a curriculum map at any point in time. Each snapshot acts as a read-only copy. This functionality allows for ongoing updates to a current map without the loss of access to previous versions.
Using snapshots is especially valuable for:
- Program reviews and Self-Studies.
- Accreditation processes where historical evidence is required.
- Internal audits to track how curriculum evolves over time.
Creating a New Snapshot
To capture the current state of your curriculum map:
- Select the option to Save a Snapshot.
- Enter a unique name and a brief description to help the team identify the version later.
- Save the snapshot to create a permanent, read-only record.
Viewing and Organizing Versions
All saved snapshots are available in a central list organized by date. This view allows for:
Efficient switching between versions to review historical changes.
Editing the name or description of an existing snapshot to keep records clear.
Deletion of outdated versions that are no longer needed for reporting.
Reliable Historical Records
Snapshots accurately reflect the curriculum map exactly as it existed at the time of saving. Even if courses, outcomes, or measures are later added, revised, or deleted in the live system, the snapshot remains unchanged. This ensures data remains consistent for reporting and evidence.
Sharing Curriculum Maps
Specific snapshots can be shared with colleagues or external reviewers using two methods:
- Export to PDF: A professional, read-only PDF of any snapshot is available for download. This file includes all program and version details.
- Share Online: A secure, view-only link to any snapshot can be generated for instant digital access.
File Attachments for Action Updates
This update introduces file attachment capabilities for action updates within Planning & Self-Study (P&SS). This feature enables users to centralize documentation by linking evidence directly to assessment work. Administrators and Contributors can upload and manage attachments on action updates wherever those actions are available to them.
New Attachment Capabilities
Supporting evidence, such as documents, spreadsheets, images, and PDFs, can now be uploaded during the creation or editing of action updates. This functionality is available in the following workflows:
- Assessment Plans: Includes Program and Course assessment plans.
- Past Findings: Accessible when viewing measure results from previous reporting years.
- Organization Management: Located within the Actions tab.
Review and Reporting
Attachments remain visible and accessible throughout review interfaces and generated reports:
- Review Screens: Attachments appear in the assessment plan review interface and the Organization Management Actions tab.
- Static Reports: Files are surfaced in both HTML and PDF assessment plan reports.
- Data Exports:
- Strategic Plan Outcome Reports: Available in HTML format.
- Comprehensive Plan Export (CSV): Includes a new column titled Action Update Attachments which lists all associated files.
- Plan Action Detail (CSV): Includes full attachment details.
Technical Specifications
- File Limit: Maximum of 5 files per action update.
- File Size: Up to 100 MB per file.
File Types: All standard supported formats.
Note: The system displays an error message if an upload does not meet these specifications.
Enhanced Progress Tracking and Expanded Dean's View
This update improves the In Progress page to provide Deans and Program Leads with immediate visibility into program status throughout the assessment cycle. These enhancements eliminate the need to navigate into individual projects to determine completion levels.
Automated Status Tracking
Plan cards now feature real-time status badges that update automatically based on program activity. This allows leaders to identify which areas require intervention at a glance.
- Status Categories: Each plan displays as Not Started, In Progress, or Submitted.
- Automatic Synchronization: When a program completes the submission process within an Assessment Plan, the status on the Program page reflects this change instantly.
Consolidated Dean’s View
For institutions utilizing the Dean’s view for plans involving multiple participating organizations, the Program page now offers a richer, more organized data structure.
Organization-Specific Stats
Each participating organization is listed individually under the parent plan with its own status badge. To facilitate rapid review, a Quick Stats section is provided for every entity:
- Default Visibility: The first organization’s statistics are expanded by default upon loading the page.
- Flexible Navigation: Subsequent organizations remain collapsed but can be toggled individually or expanded as a group.
Outcome and Results Mapping
To ensure granular oversight, every organization associated with a plan maintains a dedicated view for:
- Outcome Progress: Real-time tracking of goals.
- Results: Performance data categorized by the specific organization.
Enhanced Character Limit for Measure Targets
This update removes the previous character restrictions for measure target fields within the Planning & Self-Study (P&SS). This change allows for comprehensive target statements and detailed justifications without the need for abbreviated text.
Expanded Text Entry
Measure targets of any length can now be entered and saved across all primary assessment workflows. The full text remains intact without truncation in the following areas:
- Plan Outcome Page
- Curriculum Map
- Manage Measure
Interface and Usability Improvements
To maintain a clean and readable interface while accommodating longer text blocks, the UI now includes dynamic display options.
- View More / View Less Toggles: Long target descriptions are collapsed by default in high-density areas, such as the Outcome Performance Dashboard and Measure Definition screens, to prevent excessive scrolling.
- Full Text Retention: Selecting View More reveals the complete, untruncated target statement.
Reporting and Data Exports
All reporting tools now support the expanded character limit to ensure documentation remains complete:
- HTML and PDF Reports: Assessment plan reports now display the full measure target text.
- CSV Exports: Both the Plan Measure Detail and the Comprehensive Plan Export include the expanded content in the measure target columns.
Updated Measure Imports
The no limit behavior is also applied to bulk data uploads. When importing measures via CSV for either Organizational or Course templates:
- Validation: System validation no longer triggers errors based on the length of the target field.
- Instructions: The import template instructions now list the character limit for measure targets as N/A.