Before transitioning to the new year, export grades, attendance and unit plans and check your data, following this checklist.
Your data stays in ManageBac+ from year to year. Even so, take a snapshot of this year first, before students move, classes are archived or term dates change.
- Before you transition (this guide)Steps 1 to 3 below.
- TransitionThe six main steps. Transitioning to the Next Academic Year
- After you transitionPermissions, final checks and opening up. Recommended Steps After Transitioning Your Account
Checklist
Skip anything that does not apply to your school, such as add-ons or integrations you do not use.
| Step | What you do |
|---|---|
| 1. Save a copy | Report cards, term grades, attendance and unit plans |
| 2. Programme settings | Task categories and grade scales, unit templates, project templates |
| 3. Connected systems and people | iSAMS, OpenApply and other systems first; leavers and staff changes |
Step 1. Save a copy of this year
In this video: Step 1. Save a copy of this year
1A. Generate report cards
Report Cards add-on only. Make sure report cards were generated for the term that has just finished. If they were, and no grades have changed since, go to 1B. If not, generate them now, so you have a record of classes and results before grade levels and rosters change. See Report cards.
1B. Export term grades
- Using ManageBac+ report cards: each time a report set is generated, Excel files of class term grades (grades, rubrics, ATLs and comments) are saved in Reports > Reports History and kept there. If you generated reports recently and grades have not changed, go to 1C.
- Not using ManageBac+ report cards: export term grades from each class before archiving classes or changing members: Gradebook > Term Grades > Export to Excel.
1C. Export attendance
Attendance add-on only.
Attendance percentages: go to Insights > Attendance Manager > Percentage.
- Choose what to exportSelect the Year, the Academic Year and Academic Term: All.
- ExportSelect Export to Excel and save the file outside ManageBac+.
- RepeatDo this for each year level.
Attendance categories: open the Reporting tab, choose Homeroom or Classes, then follow the same three steps.
1D. Export unit plans
Units carry over to next year automatically, matched by subject and year level (for example, this year's MYP 5 Design units appear in next year's MYP 5 Design classes). Transitioning or archiving classes does not lose units.
We still recommend saving every unit plan as a PDF at the end of each year: a record of what was taught, which helps with programme evaluations such as the IB five-year review. Skip this if you have recently done it.
- Open the curriculumGo to Insights > Curriculum > Whole-School Curriculum and choose the programme.
- Generate the PDFsSelect Bulk Generate PDF Planners. You can generate by subject and include reflections from previous years.
- Save the ZIP filesDo this for every subject and keep the ZIP files outside ManageBac+.
Step 2. Review programme settings
In this video: Step 2. Review programme settings
2A. Task categories and grade scales
Go to Settings > your programme > Assessment to set assessment frameworks, task types, categories and grade scales.
- Changing a framework (for example turning off Criteria assessment) affects past and current tasks.
- New default types, categories and scales only apply to classes created after you set them. Set them before you create next year's classes.
2B. Unit planner templates
Make bigger template changes now, before teachers start planning for the new year. Go to Settings > your programme > Curriculum.
- Turn sections of the unit planner on or off in the right-hand panel.
- Edit the hints and headings unit authors see.
- Choose what appears At-a-Glance, which controls what students and parents can see.
- Select Reset Template to go back to the programme's default.
2C. Project and essay templates
Check the Community Engagement (including CAS) and project templates (Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge) that are on by default, so they are ready when you create new year groups.
- Open the templatesGo to Settings > your programme > Project-based Learning > Pre-built Templates.
- CustomiseUse the Overview, Framework, Rubric, Forms and Terminology tabs to change labels or add sections and assessment options.
- Turn on by defaultTemplates marked Enable Project by Default are added to new year groups automatically.
Do not delete items from the pre-built templates, so your worksheets keep meeting IB requirements. More in Core projects.
Step 3. Connected systems and people
If users come from another system, such as OpenApply, iSAMS or another SIS, transition that system first: update grade levels and archive leavers there.
Synced systems update each student's grade level, but not the year group they belong to. You still need Step 2B: move year groups up and archive leavers.
In this video: Step 3. Connected systems and people
3A. iSAMS
iSAMS integration only. Roll over iSAMS before you continue. Contact iSAMS support for how to do this.
3B. OpenApply
OpenApply integration only. Transition OpenApply before you continue: Transitioning Years Step-by-Step Guide.
3C. Other systems
If another SIS or MIS is connected, update grade levels there before you transition ManageBac+. For advice on integrations and data, talk to the Faria Schools Technology team.
3D. Archive students who are not returning
If some leavers were not archived by your SIS update, go to Settings > School Directory, find the student and select the Archive student icon at the end of their row.
3E. Update staff
Go to Settings > School Directory.
- Archive teachers or admins who have left. Their classes, units and tasks stay available to others unless you archive or delete them.
- Promote teachers who become subject heads or coordinators to admin.
- Add new staff one at a time or in bulk: Adding users via bulk import.
Next step
Now follow Transitioning to the Next Academic Year.