SIMS Options 5 FAQ’S

What is the password to access Options 5? A password is required only if the Password.dat file is located in the SIMS. net folder. This is the same folder that contains OptionsW.exe. Options is accessible via the Focus menu in SIMS for all users who have been granted applicable permissions in System Manager. Users assigned to the…

Options “The external directory for this implementation does not currently point to the Sims .net directory”

Within the Options Module, and after selecting the Implementation (Via Tools/Implementation Manager) you may receive a message “The external directory for this implementation does not currently point to the Sims . net directory” You will need to set the file path to G:\Sims .net  (leaving a space between sims and the . )   Reviewed 31/720

Nova-T6 Transfer to SQL hangs

Nova-T6 Data | Export Curriculum and Timetable to SQL When sending the timetable to SIMS it just hangs or does not complete To resolve this issue, in SIMS run Tools | Validate Memberships Reviewed 31/7/20  KB25621 

Doubling up teachers for classes running at the same time

The way to double up teachers in SIMS is to go to the class timetable. This can be done via Timetable > New > Group and selecting the year, block and group. This will show you the classes under the group. When you right click the class you can select the option to Add Staff….

NOVA-T6 – How to split a double session period into two single periods

Within Nova T-6 click on Sessions This will show the groups and clusters on the left-hand side of the screen and the sessions on the right- hand side of the screen. Under the Sessions column (on the right hand side) right click on D (for double). This will then automatically change the D to two…

Nova-T6. SGDclash, SGDtable, SGDstaff error

Variations of error in Nova T sgdclash Tdraw celldata sgdtable TdrawCellData sgdstaff TdrawCellData sgdDays TdrawCellData sgdUnits TDrawCellData sgdAttributes TDrawCellData sgdPPATable TDrawCellData Explanation In some instances, the error can be avoided by not having the Year/Band timetable open in the background, or on another monitor (dual monitors), when making changes to the curriculum and timetable.   i.e. if…

Student with mismatched years not showing in Options

Options does not recognise students whose Year and Year Taught in are mismatched. To workaround this issue we need to temporarily amend the Year Group to match Year Taught In. If this year’s Year 10 are to be included in next year’s Year 10 Options implementation, then you must open the History by clicking the…

Converting a Maintenance Timetable to Construction

Maintenance timetables can only be transferred into SIMS once. To be able to re-use this timetable you will need to convert it to a Construction timetable. Open Nova T6 and load your maintenance timetable.   Once loaded, click Select Data > Load Dataset.   choose Create Construction Dataset and then click Next. You will then…

Two-week timetable out of sync

Before proceeding, please ensure that you have consulted with the Cover Supervisor and Attendance officer as you can lose Cover and Attendance marks entered in advance for the periods that you are changing. Browse to Tools > Academic Management > Apply Timetable Set the date range from the whole academic year to the period you…

Replacing a Teacher in Nova T6

If the incoming teacher is replacing an outgoing teacher and is taking over all of the curriculum responsibilities., edit both the code and name of the outgoing teacher in Plan | Teachers | Edit and overtype the outgoing teachers details with the replacing teacher. The timetable will be allocated to the new teacher. The new teacher…

Assigning a teacher to two classes in the same block at the same time

There are 2 alternatives: 1. Use Minimum Periods In the Model screen, Increase the minimum periods of, for example, a 5 period block, to 6 periods.  Do this by right clicking on the block and choosing Minimum Periods. In the block screen drag all but one of the classes on to fit in with the…

How to deal with a staff leaver’s timetable for Cover

This KB gives 3 scenarios to help you to provide Cover for a teacher who has left the school,   1    If a staff member leaves and the timetable is taken over by just one supply teacher then the best option is to replace the leaver in Nova with the Supply person.  The Supply person…

Students Missing from Options

In order for students to be available for Transfer in to Options they must be in a Band in the New Year. This is often an issue is a student joins the school after the main bulk of students have been Transfered to Options. Check the following steps The students are entered in the current…

How to use the Student Carousel Wizard

There might be occasions during the planning of the student curriculum when groups of students need to be transferred from one class to another during the course of the academic year. This is particularly useful if, for example, there are three groups of students attending Expressive Arts classes. At any one time during the academic…

How to handle rotations in the Timetable.

There are two ways to carry out Timetable rotations. The first is if the Students are rotating and the Teacher & Room are staying the same the other is if the students are staying within the same room and the teacher are rotating. If the students are rotating and the teacher is staying the same…

Nova T6 Documentation

Click here to download the Maintaining Nova document which supports training on Day 3 and Day 4 of the Nova T6 for New Users Course. Reviewed on 01/08/2019

Nova T6 Shortcuts

Add Items: Add a year: Click the + button at the top of the Year list. You can now enter the name for the year and the projected number of students. Add a block: Drag the Subject code over from the list on the right-hand side and drop it over the required band. Add a…

How do I set up Alternative Curriculum?

1. Select Data  | Alternative Curriculum 2. Click the New button 3. Enter the Prefix, Description and Subject as shown in the following graphic, and deselect the Always Active check box. If the intention was to schedule the unit at all periods of the cycle, then the Always Active check box would be left selected….

How do I make the registration periods appear on student timetables?

There is no need to create academic classes to match registration groups for Lesson Registration purposes because Lesson Monitor will offer Registration groups for selection in Take Register is is it set up to do so.  The only reason for creating academic classes to match registration groups for a registration period is so that they…

How do I change the order of the years on the Model Screen?

On the Model screen in Nova-T6, use CTRL and UP or DOWN arrow to change the order of the years.  This will correct the order on the Transfer Curriculum screen too.  It also changes the order in which the schemes appear in the browse on Curriculum Assignment by Scheme in SIMS .net (though not for…

How do I set up non timetabled classes?

For ‘extra classes’ in Nova-T6, all you need to do is: On the Model screen:  add a block for them in the correct year.  Add the class(es) to the block, with 0 periods. On the Classes screen: Assign the correct staff to the classes Assign Levels to the classes in Tools | Assign Levels There…

Unrecognised Teacher Codes when sending timetable.

Teachers Codes: In SIMS .net, check Focus | Person | Staff.  Change the status to All and search for the teacher in question by inputting part of the surname and/or forename.  If the person does not exist here, then they will need to be added, using the New button. Once the person has been entered…

What is the purpose of the Combing Chart?

The combing chart checks how well groups of  staffed classes will fit into the timetable.  It is useful to do this process before scheduling. Classes must be staffed and blocks must be built before using the combing chart. Blocks are staffed by teams of teachers.  Where at least one teacher is allocated to two blocks,…

Type mismatch when scheduling a block

Message appears in the right hand side of the Bands screen when a session is dragged over a particular period on the grid. This message also appears in the Clash information when trying to drag a row from the build onto the timetable Nova-T6 The message means that there is a Period Type on the…