SKYWARD DOCUMENTATION - SKYBUILD – FINANCE
SkyBuild Exports Manual - Finance
Overview
What is SkyBuild, and how is it used?
Basic Export Information
Key Terminology for using Export or Import File Builders
Export File Builder
Overview
Importing a Pre-Built Export Interface
Running an Export
Export File Viewer
Created: 8/1/2014
Page 1 of 8
Version 05.14.06.00.06
SKYWARD DOCUMENTATION - SKYBUILD – FINANCE
SkyBuild Exports Manual - Finance
Overview
What is SkyBuild, and how is it used?
Basic Export Information
Key Terminology for using Export or Import File Builders
What is SkyBuild, and how is it used?
SkyBuild is the tool that can move data between Skyward and other systems. There are two
main ways that SkyBuild is used.
The first way that SkyBuild is utilized is to take data that is currently being stored and
tracked in Skyward, and put it into a data file so that it can then be loaded into another
piece of Software. This is an Export from Skyward.
The other way to use SkyBuild is to take data from a file; often times created from another
system, and then load that data into Skyward. This is an Import into Skyward.
Utilizing SkyBuild can help reduce data entry time in either Skyward or the other system a
district is using. It can help ensure consistency of data across the different databases.
SkyBuild Exports can also be used as an alternate reporting tool.
Basic Export Information
SkyBuild is split into Imports and Exports, then under Exports there are two additional
options.
1. Export File Builder:
a. In this area you can use Skyward provided export templates or create your
own. This tool offers the most flexibility in creating export files.
2. Export File Viewer:
a. This area is used in connection with Export File Builder. Any files created from
the Builder that are setup to "Save Exported File in Database" can be
accessed from here. This is basically used to download those files to your
local computer and for file management (deleting old files).
Key Terminology for using Export or Import File Builders
There are some key terms that will be important to know when working in both Export and
Import File Builders. These terms relate to the three most important pieces of setting up an
Export or Import file.

Interface: An Interface is another name referring to the Export or Import Template.
When working with custom exports or imports, the Interface is the first piece that
needs to be set up. All other pieces of the template are connected to it. When
running the export or import, you will select the Interface to run, and all parts
associated with it will be created/processed.

File: Files are the individual sets of data that are either being pulled out of
(exported) or uploaded into (imported) Skyward. When doing either an export or
import, multiple Files may be associated with one Interface. This means that if you
run an export for an interface that has multiple files attached, you will end up with
Created: 8/1/2014
Page 2 of 8
Version 05.14.06.00.06
SKYWARD DOCUMENTATION - SKYBUILD – FINANCE
the same number of individual data files to be used with the other system. Files also
contain many of the ranges that should be set when creating an Export, and many
update options for an Import.
Files used with Export or Import File Builder must be a fixed width or delimited file.
There are a variety of delimiters that Skyward can handle as well. The extension of
the file will not matter for it to be processed, as long as the data in it is formatted as
either fixed width or delimited with a supported delimiter.

Fields: Fields are the individual pieces of data that are either being pulled out of
Skyward (exported) or updated from a file in Skyward (imported).
Fields are attached to the different Files as the type of the file will have an effect on
the fields that are available. If you think about a File being organized as a table with
rows and columns, the rows are the different sets of data and the columns are the
individual fields that make up those records
Export File Builder
Overview
Importing a Pre-Built Export Interface
Running an Export
Overview
Export File Builder is the tool used to create most export files in Skyward. Users have the
ability to use pre-built interfaces or create a custom export interface.
Fixed Asset data may be exported by Tag Number through Skybuild. The Export File Builder
option includes two export interfaces, the BMI Tag Number Export and the Tab Delimited
Tag Number Export.
When exporting using either interface, an exception report will be generated when assets
could not be included in the file. An Export File View option is available to allow review of
created files.
To access the Export File Builder navigate to Financial Management > Administration >
Skybuild.
Select Export File Builder.
Created: 8/1/2014
Page 3 of 8
Version 05.14.06.00.06
SKYWARD DOCUMENTATION - SKYBUILD – FINANCE
The Export File Builder browse displays.
If any Interfaces already exist, they would display in the browse. Along the right side are
several options that have various purposes.
Add: Use this option to build a custom Export from scratch. For detailed information on this
option click the link below, then Creating an Export from Scratch.
 Note: The documentation for this option is written from the Student Suite
perspective under Creating an Export from Scratch but the concept is the same for
Business Suite.
 Export File Builder – then click Creating an Export from Scratch
Edit: Use this option to update the options associated with the selected interface. Since
there are none on the screen above, the button is inactive.
Delete: Use the Delete option to remove a selected Interface from the system along with all
Files and Fields associated with it. Again, since there is no Interface on the screen the
button is inactive. This button will also be inactive when an Interface that you have not
created is selected and you are not a System Wide user.
Clone: This option is helpful when wanting to either set up a similar export to one you have
already created or when troubleshooting issues with an Export. It will create a new Interface
with the same Files and Fields, and all ranges and options associated with them. You can
then modify them as needed for the new export.
Import Interface: Use this option to find pre-built Interface templates provided by Skyward
at the request of other software vendors. When setting up an export for a specific software
vendor, it is best to first go into this area to see if a pre-built template is available.
Back: Will close the Export File Builder screen and return you to the Export Options page.
Save Interfaces to File: Use this option in connection with the Load Interfaces from File
option. This allows you to take all of the Interfaces that are set up in the entity, and save
them to a specified server location. You could then go to the location they were saved and
then email desired Interface templates to other districts or entities.
Created: 8/1/2014
Page 4 of 8
Version 05.14.06.00.06
SKYWARD DOCUMENTATION - SKYBUILD – FINANCE
Enter the location where you want the interfaces saved to in the UNC Path field. Then click
Export. A report will be created indicating any errors and/or specify the files that were
successfully saved.
Load Interfaces from File: As stated above, this option could be used in connection with the
Save Interfaces to File option. This option allows you to take a shared Interface template
file and save it to a server location, then that location could be entered when using this
option. All Interface templates in that location will be loaded into the entity and the
Interfaces will be available for your use.
Enter the location where the interface templates that were shared with you were saved in
the UNC Path field. Upon clicking Import, a report will be generated listing the interfaces
uploaded into the entity.
Note: There are special permissions within the server that must be set up for this
location to work. If this is for an ISCorp customer, they will have to get assistance
from them. If the district IT staff is not sure how to set up the permissions, they can
create a Hardware Service Call with Skyward.
Importing a Pre-Built Export Interface
Use the Import Interface option to access pre-built interfaces for Fixed Assets.
From the Export File Builder main screen, click the Import Interface button.
The available interfaces for Fixed Assets are:
 BMI-EXP - BMI Tag Number Export
 TAB-DEL - Tab Delimited Tag Number Export
Expand the interface record to review the details of the File(s) and Fields pulled.
Created: 8/1/2014
Page 5 of 8
Version 05.14.06.00.06
SKYWARD DOCUMENTATION - SKYBUILD – FINANCE
Click Select to import the highlighted standardized export interface layout.
This will clone the selected Interface into the Export File Builder main screen so that you will
be able to update options with it. Just as if you had built it from scratch.
Running an Export
Once the Interface, File(s), and Fields have been set up/verified, you are now ready to run
the export and create the data files. With the Interface highlighted in the Export File Builder
browse, select the Export button.
A process will be added to the print queue, and when complete a report will be generated.
Processing time depends on the amount of data being pulled, and the number of flies being
generated.
Created: 8/1/2014
Page 6 of 8
Version 05.14.06.00.06
SKYWARD DOCUMENTATION - SKYBUILD – FINANCE
The report displays details of the data files created such as where they were saved (written)
to, the status and processing time of the files attached to the interface, and any errors that
were encountered during processing for each file.
When the Location Data indicates that the file was written to the Database, it means that
the interface was set to Save Exported Files in Database. If a UNC Path was used, and it
was successful, it would list the path on the report in place of Database.
You can then go to the location where the files were saved to get a copy of data file. If it
was saved in the database, then you can go to Export File Viewer to download and save a
copy of the file.
Export File Viewer
Navigate to Financial Management > Administration > Skybuild > Export File Viewer.
Files saved in the database are found here. Each file is its own line, even if it was part of an
Interface with multiple files. Use the Date Created, Export Name, and File columns to
identify the file(s) you wish to download.
Created: 8/1/2014
Page 7 of 8
Version 05.14.06.00.06
SKYWARD DOCUMENTATION - SKYBUILD – FINANCE

View: Select the View button to download a copy of the selected data file. A prompt
will display to open or save the file.

Delete: Click this to permanently remove the selected file.

Mass Delete: Click this to delete multiple files at the same time. If you have flies
being created frequently and saved within the database, it is a good idea to run this
frequently perhaps even as a Scheduled Task. Only users with a minimum of 5/1
Security Access to Export File Viewer will see this option.
Created: 8/1/2014
Page 8 of 8
Version 05.14.06.00.06