Manual Migration: Your 8-Week Onboarding Guide

This guide is designed for schools moving to Arbor using the Manual Migration service. It outlines the step-by-step tasks, data imports, and training to complete over your 8-week onboarding journey as you set up your new Arbor MIS.

💡 What is a Manual Migration?

On our manual migration journey, you will set up your Arbor MIS from scratch. Your project team will gather data from your current MIS and manually enter or bulk-import it into your new, blank Arbor site so you are fully prepared to take attendance and remain census-compliant from Day One.

🛠️ Onboarding Essentials

Before starting site setup, ensure you and your team can access these essential tools:

• Onboarding Spaces Portal: Log into your Spaces portal to track weekly tasks and view guided resources for each stage of your setup.

• Arbor Foundations Training: Log into The Arbor Training Hub to complete your 6 pre-go-live courses. Complete the nomination survey sent during your first week to ensure all key staff receive Training Hub accounts.

• Data Entry Checklist: Download and use the Manual Migration Data Entry Checklist (available in Spaces) to manage and track your data entry throughout your onboarding journey.

📅 Week-by-Week Guidance

📌 Note: Throughout all these steps, log into your Spaces portal for additional information, guidance, and video tutorials.

Week 1: Kick-Off, Check School Details & Create Pastoral Structure

• Watch Onboarding Kick-Off Video: Log into Spaces and watch your Kick-Off video covering project roles, process overviews, and support channels.

• Staff Nomination & Training: Log into the Arbor Training Hub to activate your account. Complete the survey sent via email to nominate additional staff for Training Hub and Spaces access.

• Access Your Arbor Site: Log into your new Arbor MIS (access details sent via email).

• Start Arbor Setup: Configure School Details, Academic Years (working chronologically from oldest to newest, e.g., 2023/24 before 2024/25), Terms, Holidays, Pastoral Structure (Year Groups & Registration Forms), and Morning/Afternoon Registration sessions.

• Initial Staff: Optionally create 1–2 staff profiles manually for colleagues assisting with initial site setup.

Week 2: Entity Importers & Staff Setup

• Understand Entity Importers: Watch the Entity Importers Run-through and Validation training videos in Spaces or The Arbor Training Hub.

• Download Templates: Extract relevant Entity Importer spreadsheets from Arbor (School > Data > Import > Entity Importers) and begin gathering bulk data from your current MIS.

• Test & Bulk Import Staff: Import 2 staff members first to test the process. Once confirmed, populate the remaining staff into the template and upload. Ensure all profiles include work emails and business roles.

• Assign Teachers to Reg Forms: Go to Students > Enrolment > Registration Forms and assign your imported teachers to their respective registration forms.

• Notify Third Parties: Contact external software providers to inform them that you’re moving to Arbor and share your Go-Live date so they can prepare to switch integrations.

Week 3: Staff Profiles & Data Entry

• Staff Management Training: Complete training on the staff profile, covering profile navigation, permissions, working periods, and logging/analysing staff absences.

• Staff Training Check-In: Confirm that administrative and key staff are actively progressing through their assigned Arbor Foundations pre-go-live courses.

• Finalise Staff Imports: Complete any remaining staff template uploads so all staff accounts are active.

• Continue Data Entry: Keep downloading data from your current MIS and populating your remaining Entity Importer templates (e.g., student/guardian details), tracking progress on your checklist.

Week 4: Importing Students & CTFs

• Student Profile Training: Complete student profile training covering student records, overview tabs, and SEN status.

• Create Intake Season: Set up an Intake Season in Arbor to enable bulk enrolment.

• Import CTFs & Enrol Students: Import student CTFs linked to your Intake Season. Enrol them into year groups and registration forms.

• Fix Enrolment Start Dates: Email myonboarding@arbor-education.com so the Onboarding Team can run the Enrolment Dates Script to correct start dates for students that joined prior to your created intake season. Once confirmed, manually off-roll left students and adjust mid-year joiners.

Week 5: Preparing Attendance Data & Day 1 Modules

• Plan Priority Operations: Decide on "Day 1 Modules" (e.g., Meals, Payments, Parent App) and review the Priority Operations Guide to configure them.

• Prepare Attendance Importer: Download the Attendance Template Entity Importer. Request historical attendance exports from your current MIS provider, to be extracted after your final register on your last day of term.

• Format & Upload Data: Upload completed Entity Importer sheets and spot-check imported student profiles.

Week 6: Readiness for Go Live

• Go-Live Audit: Review the Readiness for Go Live article to confirm site readiness.

• Finalise Imports: Upload any remaining Entity Importers and confirm 100% completion of student, guardian, staff, and attendance data.

• Verify Staff Training Completion: Ensure all staff (especially teachers taking registers) have completed their Arbor training and know how to take a register.

• Onboard Staff: Send out your unique Arbor URL along with welcome emails, teacher/admin quick-start guides, and login troubleshooting resources.

Week 7: Go Live Week & Day One Operations

• Verify Staff Logins: Ensure all staff can access the live site and resolve any login queries using the troubleshooting guide.

• Take Live Registers: Record morning and afternoon class attendance live in your new Arbor MIS!

• Connect Third Parties: Follow the Connecting Third-Party Applications Guide to activate integrations with 3rd-party systems.

• Module Support: Attend any final or specialised training sessions to fine-tune your Arbor MIS.

Week 8: Onboarding Complete & Handover

• Onboarding Complete: Your onboarding comes to an end! Transition to Customer Success/Support.

• Finalise Training: Complete any remaining courses on the Arbor Training Hub (training access remains valid for 1 year from onboarding start).

• Expand Arbor Usage: Review the Preparing to Set Up and Launch Your Modules guide to plan the future rollout of additional features (e.g., Interventions, Clubs, or Trips).

📊 Core Milestones Overview