Synchronizing ManageBac+ and OpenApply helps schools maintain consistent student and family information across both platforms. Before enabling synchronization, schools should confirm that key settings and data requirements are aligned.

This guide walks through the preparation steps required to ensure a successful sync, including year level configuration, student information checks, parent account activation, and completing a data quality review.

Overview

This guide is intended for schools using both ManageBac+ and OpenApply who are preparing to enable synchronization between the two systems.

To successfully enable sync, both platforms must have matching configurations and compatible data. ManageBac+ Support can assist with reviewing your setup through a complimentary data quality analysis before activation.

Checklist

• The Year Levels configured in ManageBac+ and OpenApply must match in number and sequence.
• All enrolled students must have unique e-mail addresses in both systems.
• All enrolled students must have unique Student IDs in both systems.
• Parent accounts in OpenApply must be activated. (Parents of enrolled students.) This ensures their e-mail addresses are unique.
• Both ManageBac+ and OpenApply accounts must be on the same (current) academic year.
• ManageBac+ Support will provide complimentary data quality analysis.

Timeline

On average, we recommend allocating 1-2 weeks to confirm all six steps and go live with synchronization between both systems. This time is significantly shortened if one or both systems are new accounts.

Review Year Level Mapping

For ManageBac

ManageBac+ > Settings > School Settings > Grades & Levels

1. Review the enabled year levels in ManageBac.
2. Confirm that OpenApply has the same number and sequence of year levels enabled.
3. Ensure there is a one-to-one correlation between year levels in both systems.

For OpenApply

OpenApply > Settings > Admissions

To review your enabled years on OpenApply, please navigate to Settings > Admissions > Programme.

Tips & Best Practices

• Review and clean student and parent data before requesting synchronization.
• Ensure student email addresses and Student IDs match exactly between ManageBac+ and OpenApply.
• Complete the academic year transition in both systems before enabling sync, especially during the beginning or end of the school year.

Warnings & Important Notes

Verify Student Email Addresses and Student IDs

Verify Student Email Addresses

OpenApply > Settings > Forms

1. Confirm that the Student Email field has been added to your OpenApply application forms.
2. Review the field settings, including the label, required status, instructions.
3. Save changes and ensure the field is placed correctly on the form.

Export and Review Student Email Data

OpenApply > Settings > Import & Export

1. Export students with the statuses Enrolled, Graduated, and Withdrawn.
2. Include the following export fields:
   • Student Fields
   • OpenApply ID
   • First Name
   • Last Name
   • Email
   • Student ID
3. Check for blank or duplicate email addresses.

Important Note: Users with blank or duplicated e-mail addresses will be excluded from sync.
Please make sure to include Archived students.

OpenApply Support can assist with:

• Creating dummy email addresses where required.
• Bulk updating blank email addresses.
• Checking for duplicate email addresses.

Export and Review Student IDs

Student IDs must be unique. As a best practice before enabling sync, we ask schools to review the Student IDs on their systems.

Important Note: For schools that do not use the Student ID field, our Support Team can help generate unique IDs and update your systems directly.

We ask that student IDs match precisely across both systems prior to enabling sync.

Activating Parent Accounts

As ManageBac+ requires each parent to hold a unique e-mail address, only activated parents from OpenApply will sync to ManageBac+.

Checking for Activated Parents

OpenApply > Rosters > Families > Filter > select Enrolled.

All parents with a key symbol next to their name have activated accounts. 

This key symbol also appears next to the parent names on the student profile > Parents & Guardians.

An activated account effectively means that the record is login-able, i.e. parents can login to the system. You can re-send a welcome e-mail to any activated account.

Bulk Activate Parent Accounts

Activating a parent account typically means that the parent will receive a welcome e-mail inviting them to login to OpenApply for the first time.

For most schools enabling ManageBac+ & OpenApply sync, they do not need parents to login to OpenApply. In this case, you can de-activate the welcome e-mail before activating accounts.

1. Navigate to OpenApply > Settings > Admissions > Status & Notification
2. Disable the Parent Welcome Email option before activating accounts if you do not want parents to receive new login invitations.

Please note that when you have finished activating the parent accounts; to turn this back on. This will enable new applicants and families to receive their Welcome Email.

1. Navigate to Roster > Families and filter for enrolled students 
2. Select all relevant families.
3. Select Activate Parent Accounts.

A key symbol will appear next to the names of activated parents. Remember to turn your parent welcome e-mails back on! (Reverse the steps before).

Current Academic Year

Before enabling synchronization, ensure that both ManageBac+ and OpenApply have transitioned to the same current academic year.

Student grade levels should match across both systems. For example, a student listed as Grade 12 in OpenApply should also appear as Grade 12 in ManageBac+.

Tutorials are available in our online support centre and linked below:

• Transitioning to a new academic year in ManageBac+
• Transitioning to a new academic year in OpenApply

Data Quality Analysis

When your systems are ready for review, contact ManageBac+ Support to request a complimentary Data Quality Analysis.

Include the following information in your request:

• School name
• ManageBac+ subdomain
• OpenApply subdomain
• Request title: MB-OA Data Quality Analysis

ManageBac+ Support will verify:

• The enabled year levels on ManageBac+ & OpenApply match in number and sequence
• Student E-mails and IDs match in both systems
• Parent accounts have been activated
• Both systems are on the current academic year

Related Articles

• ManageBac+ Integration with OpenApply for Admissions, Enrolment & Faria Unified Family Experience 
• OpenApply & ManageBac+ Sync Ongoing Management
• OpenApply Mini Profile in ManageBac: Configure and Display Student Information

Frequently Asked Questions

Can ManageBac+ and OpenApply sync if year levels do not match?

No. Year levels must have a one-to-one match in both number and sequence before synchronization can be enabled.

Can only some year levels be synchronized?

Partial synchronization is supported. 

Will students with duplicate email addresses synchronize?

No. Students and parents with blank or duplicate email addresses will be excluded from synchronization until the data is corrected.

Do parents need to log in to OpenApply before synchronization?

Parents do not need to actively log in, but their OpenApply accounts must be activated in order for their records to synchronize with ManageBac+.

How long does the synchronization preparation process take?

Schools should generally allow 2-3 weeks to complete the required checks and prepare both systems. The timeline may be shorter for new accounts.

What information should I provide when requesting a Data Quality Analysis?

Include your school name, ManageBac+ subdomain, OpenApply subdomain, and the request title MB-OA Data Quality Analysis.

In Summary

• Confirm ManageBac+ and OpenApply configurations match before enabling synchronization.
• Review student, parent, and academic year data to prevent sync issues.
• Complete a Data Quality Analysis with ManageBac+ Support before going live.

Following these preparation steps helps ensure a smooth synchronization experience between ManageBac+ and OpenApply.