Configuring Teacher Entry for Attendance in Teacher Access

You can configure the Entity Group Year Configuration of the Attendance module to determine the functionality and access teachers have when entering attendance in Teacher Access. These attendance options enable you to set when teachers can take attendance, how teachers take attendance, and what columns are available for teachers for attendance entries. Within these columns you must attach at least one Attendance Type code and can also specify the Attendance Reason.
These configurations are specific to your Entity and to the school year.

Listed below are the sections for configuring teacher entry for attendance in Teacher Access.

  • Configuring Teacher Entry and General Attendance Options

  • Adding Teacher Entry Column Headers

Scroll past the video to access the step-by-step instructions.

You may see fields in the following media that do not apply to your state. Please reference the written documentation for guidance on fields applicable to your state.

Audio Transcript

Configuring teacher entry for attendance in Teacher Access enables you to determine the functionality and permissions your teachers will have when entering attendance in Teacher Access. To begin, we’ll navigate to the Entity Group Year Configuration setting within the Attendance module. For our example, the options on the General tab here can be left at their default. Heading over to the Teacher Entry tab, we can begin configuring the fields on this screen as necessary. The Teacher Entry Cutoff Type field lets us specify when teachers can enter attendance. The No Cutoff Time option enables teachers to enter attendance from midnight until 11:59 p.m. Selecting Specific Time will display the Specific Time field where we would specify the time that teachers have to save their attendance. The # Minutes After Period Start and # Minutes After Period End options give us the # Minutes field where we would enter how many minutes teachers have after the start or end of a period to enter attendance. With the Attendance Window option, we’ll get the Start Time and End Time fields. This enables us to determine the time range teachers have for entering attendance. For example, if we wanted teachers to have from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. to enter attendance, we would specify those times. The Duration option enables us to specify the number of minutes after the start of each period that teachers can begin entering attendance, along with how long the attendance-taking period will be open for. For example, teachers can start entering attendance three minutes after a period starts and they must have their attendance saved within the next five minutes. The last option is By Period. This enables us to specify certain cutoff types for each period. For our example, we want all teachers to have until 4 p.m. to enter attendance, so we’ll select the Specific Time option and enter the time. Checking the Restrict Teacher Attendance Updates box tells the system that once a teacher saves their attendance, they won’t be able to go in and update their selections. We’ll need to specify which attendance periods to restrict. Let’s select all periods. The Allow Teachers to Modify Previous Attendance box enables teachers to go back and modify attendance from a previous day. If we check the box, we’ll need to specify how many previous days teachers can modify attendance for. We can also choose to limit the attendance periods where previous days' attendance can be updated. Because we want this to apply to all periods, we’ll leave this blank. The Use Mark All Students Present on Tile option enables teachers to mark students as present from the tile screen, without having to go into the list of student names. Let’s check this box to enable this option. Let’s check the Use Teacher Perfect Attendance Confirmation box. This allows teachers to confirm that all students are present. We then need to determine if we want to use special class counts. Checking the corresponding box will allow teachers to view the total number of any attendance records that are flagged to include special class counts. We can then enter the Special Class Counts Label. What we enter here will display as the header of that column in our teachers' attendance area. Next, we need to choose our Multi Period Class Count Method. This option only impacts how attendance is counted in the Excused, Unexcused, and the optional Special Class Count columns of the Daily Attendance screen in Teacher Access. For example, if we wanted any class that meets for more than one period to only have attendance taken, we would select the A – All Multi Periods as One option. The C – Consecutive Periods as One option is only going to let teachers take attendance for a class that meets for two or more periods and will count as one period present or absent. The E – Each Period option would allow teachers to take attendance during each period individually. Let’s select this option for our example. We’ll check the box for Allow Teacher Comments. The Default Attendance Type option is what is recorded in Teacher Access if no modifications are made to a student’s record. Typically, the default is Present, but we can override that and specify the override if necessary. We’ll accept the default for this example. The Present Background Color specifies what color students’ desks will be when teachers take attendance via the seating chart option. This defaults to white, but we’ll select green to easily represent students being present for the day. Let’s save our changes. Next, we need to specify our teacher entry columns. These are the different columns that teachers have available for how to mark their students. The system provides a present column by default. We’re going to create a column for Absent and a column for Tardy. We’ll click Add Teacher Entry and enter in Absent for the Teacher Entry Column field. This will be our first column, so the Display Order field can be left as is. If teachers are taking attendance via seating chart, students will display as red once they’re flagged as absent. Let’s click Save & Select Attendance Types to select which attendance types teachers will have available for selection. In our case, we’ll choose Teacher Absence Unexcused. We could save this selection and select attendance reasons, but most of the time teachers won’t know the reason why their students are absent. We’ll simply click Save. We’ll repeat these steps to create our Tardy column. The Display Order can be left at 2, and we’ll choose the color we want to display when students are marked as tardy. Let’s save and select the attendance type. We’ll choose Tardy Unexcused and save our selection. We see that our teacher entry columns have been created. Now that you know how to configure teacher entry for attendance in Teacher Access, you can be sure that your teachers are set up to take student attendance.

Configuring teacher entry for attendance in Teacher Access enables you to determine the functionality and permissions your teachers will have when entering attendance in Teacher Access. To begin, we’ll navigate to the Entity Group Year Configuration setting within the Attendance module. For our example, the options on the General tab here can be left at their default. Heading over to the Teacher Entry tab, we can begin configuring the fields on this screen as necessary. The Teacher Entry Cutoff Type field lets us specify when teachers can enter attendance. The No Cutoff Time option enables teachers to enter attendance from midnight until 11:59 p.m. Selecting Specific Time will display the Specific Time field where we would specify the time that teachers have to save their attendance. The # Minutes After Period Start and # Minutes After Period End options give us the # Minutes field where we would enter how many minutes teachers have after the start or end of a period to enter attendance. With the Attendance Window option, we’ll get the Start Time and End Time fields. This enables us to determine the time range teachers have for entering attendance. For example, if we wanted teachers to have from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. to enter attendance, we would specify those times. The Duration option enables us to specify the number of minutes after the start of each period that teachers can begin entering attendance, along with how long the attendance-taking period will be open for. For example, teachers can start entering attendance three minutes after a period starts and they must have their attendance saved within the next five minutes. The last option is By Period. This enables us to specify certain cutoff types for each period. For our example, we want all teachers to have until 4 p.m. to enter attendance, so we’ll select the Specific Time option and enter the time. Checking the Restrict Teacher Attendance Updates box tells the system that once a teacher saves their attendance, they won’t be able to go in and update their selections. We’ll need to specify which attendance periods to restrict. Let’s select all periods. The Allow Teachers to Modify Previous Attendance box enables teachers to go back and modify attendance from a previous day. If we check the box, we’ll need to specify how many previous days teachers can modify attendance for. We can also choose to limit the attendance periods where previous days' attendance can be updated. Because we want this to apply to all periods, we’ll leave this blank. The Use Mark All Students Present on Tile option enables teachers to mark students as present from the tile screen, without having to go into the list of student names. Let’s check this box to enable this option. Let’s check the Use Teacher Perfect Attendance Confirmation box. This allows teachers to confirm that all students are present. We then need to determine if we want to use special class counts. Checking the corresponding box will allow teachers to view the total number of any attendance records that are flagged to include special class counts. We can then enter the Special Class Counts Label. What we enter here will display as the header of that column in our teachers' attendance area. Next, we need to choose our Multi Period Class Count Method. This option only impacts how attendance is counted in the Excused, Unexcused, and the optional Special Class Count columns of the Daily Attendance screen in Teacher Access. For example, if we wanted any class that meets for more than one period to only have attendance taken, we would select the A – All Multi Periods as One option. The C – Consecutive Periods as One option is only going to let teachers take attendance for a class that meets for two or more periods and will count as one period present or absent. The E – Each Period option would allow teachers to take attendance during each period individually. Let’s select this option for our example. We’ll check the box for Allow Teacher Comments. The Default Attendance Type option is what is recorded in Teacher Access if no modifications are made to a student’s record. Typically, the default is Present, but we can override that and specify the override if necessary. We’ll accept the default for this example. The Present Background Color specifies what color students’ desks will be when teachers take attendance via the seating chart option. This defaults to white, but we’ll select green to easily represent students being present for the day. Let’s save our changes. Next, we need to specify our teacher entry columns. These are the different columns that teachers have available for how to mark their students. The system provides a present column by default. We’re going to create a column for Absent and a column for Tardy. We’ll click Add Teacher Entry and enter in Absent for the Teacher Entry Column field. This will be our first column, so the Display Order field can be left as is. If teachers are taking attendance via seating chart, students will display as red once they’re flagged as absent. Let’s click Save & Select Attendance Types to select which attendance types teachers will have available for selection. In our case, we’ll choose Teacher Absence Unexcused. We could save this selection and select attendance reasons, but most of the time teachers won’t know the reason why their students are absent. We’ll simply click Save. We’ll repeat these steps to create our Tardy column. The Display Order can be left at 2, and we’ll choose the color we want to display when students are marked as tardy. Let’s save and select the attendance type. We’ll choose Tardy Unexcused and save our selection. We see that our teacher entry columns have been created. Now that you know how to configure teacher entry for attendance in Teacher Access, you can be sure that your teachers are set up to take student attendance.


  1. To configure teacher entry and general options, complete the following sub-steps.
    Step Information

    The teacher entry and general attendance options in the Entity Group Year Configuration of the Attendance module enable you to determine when teachers can take attendance and determine the functionality available when teachers take attendance through Teacher Access.

    1. Verify you are in the correct Entity and school year by checking the information at the top left of the screen.
    2. Select Menu > Administrative Access > Attendance.
    3. Select Entity Group Year Configuration under Settings.
      Expected Result

      You see the General tab of the Entity Group Year Configuration Details screen.

    4. Select the Teacher Entry tab at the left of the screen.
      Expected Result

      You see existing teacher entry details and columns, as well as daily attendance configurations.

    5. Under the Teacher Entry Restrictions heading, choose the Teacher Entry Cutoff Type from the drop-down list.
      Step Information

      If teachers do not enter attendance by the cutoff time, they cannot record attendance. Any attendance entries must then be entered by the office.

      Expected Result

      If you selected No Cutoff Time, skip to sub-step m.

      If you selected Specific Time, the Specific Time field displays. Skip to sub-step g.

      If you selected # Minutes After Period Start or # Minutes After Period End, the # Minutes field displays. Skip to sub-step h.

      If you selected Attendance Window, the Start Time and End Time fields display. Skip to sub-step i.

      If you selected Duration, the # Minutes After Period Start and Duration (Minutes) fields display. Skip to sub-step k.

      If you selected By Period, the Teacher Entry Cutoff Type for each period displays. Continue to the next sub-step.

    6. Choose the Teacher Entry Cutoff Type for each Period.
      Expected Result

      For each period where you selected No Cutoff Time, no additional fields display. Skip to sub-step m.

      For each period where you selected Specific Time, the Specific Time field displays. Continue to the next sub-step.

      For each period where you selected # Minutes After Period Start or # Minutes After Period End, the # Minutes field displays. Skip to sub-step h.

      For each period where you selected Attendance Window, the Start Time and End Time fields display. Skip to sub-step i.

      For each period where you selected Duration, the # Minutes After Period Start and Duration (Minutes) fields display. Skip to sub-step k.

    7. Enter a Specific Time to cut off teacher attendance entry or click the Clock icon to enter the current time.
      Step Information

      For example, you could enter 04:00 PM to indicate all attendance should be entered by teachers by 4:00 p.m. each day.

      Skip to sub-step m.

    8. Enter the # Minutes to identify when teachers are no longer allowed to enter attendance.
      Step Information

      For example, you could enter 10 to indicate teachers have until 10 minutes after the start or end of the period to enter their attendance records, depending on which option you selected for the Teacher Entry Cutoff Type field. Once the cutoff time is reached, teachers cannot add or modify attendance records.

      Skip to sub-step m.

    9. Enter the Start Time or click the Clock icon to enter the current time.
      Step Information

      For example, you could enter 08:00 AM to indicate teachers can begin entering attendance at 8:00 a.m. each day.

    10. Enter the End Time or click the Clock icon to enter the current time.
      Step Information

      For example, you could enter 04:00 PM to indicate attendance should be entered by teachers by 4:00 p.m. each day.

      Skip to sub-step m.

    11. Enter the # Minutes After Period Start.
      Step Information

      For example, if you do not want teachers to take attendance until five minutes after the period has started, you would enter 5.

    12. Enter the Duration (Minutes).
      Step Information

      For example, if you want teachers to take attendance within 10 minutes of the period starting, you would enter 10.

    13. Check the box for Restrict Teacher Attendance Updates if you wish to prevent teachers from taking attendance for the class more than once.
      Step Information

      When checked, any changes must be made administratively.

      Once the teacher records attendance, a message displays indicating attendance cannot be updated.

      Expected Result

      When checked, the Attendance Periods to Restrict field displays. Continue to the next sub-step.

      If you did not check the box, skip to sub-step o.

    14. Enter one or more Attendance Periods to Restrict or click the Magnifying Glass icon to choose from the drop-down list.
      Step Information

      You can click outside of the selection box once you have made your selections.

    15. Check the box for Allow Teachers to Modify Previous Attendance if appropriate.
      Step Information

      You would leave this box unchecked if you want all attendance updates from previous days to be completed administratively.

      Expected Result

      If you checked this box, the Number of Previous Days to Allow and Attendance Periods to Allow fields display. Continue to the next sub-step.

      If you did not check this box, skip to sub-step r.

    16. Choose the Number of Previous Days to Allow from the drop-down list.
    17. Enter one or more Attendance Periods to Allow or click the Magnifying Glass icon to choose from the drop-down list.
      Step Information

      You can click outside of the selection box once you have made your selections.

      Leaving the field blank will include all values.

    18. Under the Daily Attendance Configurations heading, check the box for Use Mark All Students Present on Tile if appropriate.
      Step Information
      When checked, teachers can mark the entire class present from the individual class Tile on the Attendance Class List in Teacher Access.
    19. Check the box for Use Teacher Perfect Attendance Confirmation if appropriate.
    20. Check the box for Use Special Class Counts if appropriate.
      Step Information
      If you check this box, the Include in Special Class Counts box will display when creating or modifying Attendance Type codes. You must check this box in order for counts to calculate.

      The system automatically tallies and displays attendance totals for Excused, Unexcused, and Tardy attendance categories within Teacher Access. Your organization may wish to also track other attendance counts. You can use special class counts to track instances when a student was not in class due to a school-related event if you only check the Include in Special Class Counts box on school-related attendance types. Alternatively, if you check the Include in Special Class Counts box on all attendance types, this column displays a sum of all student attendance records.

      Expected Result

      When checked, the Special Class Counts Label field displays. Continue to the next sub-step.

      If you did not check this box, skip to sub-step v.

    21. Enter the Special Class Counts Label.
      Step Information

      The special class counts label modifies the heading of the Special Class Counts column on the Daily Attendance screen. For example, you could enter "School-Related Absences."

    22. Choose the Multi Period Class Count Method from the drop-down list.
    23. Check the box for Allow Teacher Comments if appropriate.
    24. Verify the Default Attendance Type or check the box for Override if necessary. If you checked the box, enter the Default Attendance Type Override.
    25. Choose the Present Background Color from the drop-down list.
      Step Information

      This determines the background color teachers will see when students are marked Present when taking attendance via the Seating Chart attendance mode.

      You can use the color panel to choose the appropriate color or enter the color number in the text entry field. You must click Save after you have made your selection.

    26. Choose one of the options near the top left of the screen to save your work.
    OptionDescription
    Save & Back Saves the teacher entry options and you return to the General tab of the Entity Group Year Configuration Details screen.
    Save Changes Saves the teacher entry options and you remain on the Teacher Entry tab of the Entity Group Year Configuration Details screen.
    Expected Result

    You have successfully configured teacher entry and general attendance options.

  2. To add teacher entry column headers, complete the following sub-steps.
    Step Information
    Teacher entry column headers enable you to determine the types of attendance teachers can record for students in Teacher Access. You must attach at least one Attendance Type to the teacher entry record to enable teachers to enter attendance. You can also attach Attendance Reasons if you wish to grant teachers the ability to specify reasons when taking attendance through Teacher Access.

    Before you begin, attendance types must be created if you want to link each teacher entry to an attendance type as you are adding them.

    1. Verify you are in the correct Entity and school year by checking the information at the top left of the screen.
    2. Select Menu > Administrative Access > Attendance.
    3. Select Entity Group Year Configuration under Settings.
      Expected Result

      You see the General tac of the Entity Group Year Configuration Details screen.

    4. Select the Teacher Entry tab at the left of the screen.
      Expected Result

      You see existing teacher entry options and columns.

    5. Under the Daily Attendance Entry Columns heading, click Add Teacher Entry near the right of the screen.
      Expected Result

      You see the Add Teacher Entry screen.

    6. Enter the attendance heading title teachers should see in the Teacher Entry Column field.
      Step Information

      A column for Present is supplied by default. Skyward recommends adding an Absent column at a minimum. You should add a column for Tardy if teachers will be responsible for tracking tardiness. You can add other columns for teachers to use if appropriate. For example, you could designate a column for Unx Trdy for teachers to use to indicate a tardy that is unexcused.

      The options set up in the Entity Group Year Configuration of the Attendance module determine how teachers can record attendance.

    7. Verify the Display Order or enter the correct order if necessary.
      Step Information

      The field defaults to the next available number in ascending order.

      If necessary, under the Daily Attendance Entry Columns heading on the Entity Group Year Configuration Details screen, you can click Reorder Teacher Entries near the right of the screen to place the teacher entries in the appropriate order. The order of the teacher entry columns affects the order that they display on the Daily Attendance screen in Teacher Access.

    8. Choose the Background Color from the drop-down list.
      Step Information

      This field determines the background color teachers will see when students are marked with an attendance type attached to this attendance column when taking attendance via the Seating Chart attendance mode.

      You can use the color panel to choose the appropriate color or enter the color number in the text entry field. You must click Save after you have made your selection.

    9. Click Save & Select Attendance Types near the top left of the screen.
      Step Information

      You should only click Save if you plan to attach attendance types at a later time.

      Expected Result

      You see the Select Attendance Types screen.

    10. Check the box for each attendance type you wish to add to the teacher entry column.
      Step Information
      Note: Skyward recommends not attaching any attendance types that are also used by the office staff entering attendance administratively. This prevents teachers from being able to override attendance entered by the office using those attendance types.

      You can check the box at the top of the Select column to include all attendance types.

      You can select as many attendance types as you wish. If you select multiple attendance types for the column, teachers will see a drop-down list to select the correct type. If you configure only one attendance type for the column, the entry method the teacher will see depends on how the teacher is taking attendance. If the teacher is taking attendance using the student list, the teacher will see a radio button to select the attendance type. Alternatively, if the teacher is using the seating chart to take attendance, the teacher will see a drop-down list with the single attendance type option available.

    11. Choose one of the options near the top left of the screen to save your work.
      Step Information
      Save & Select Attendance Reasons Saves the attendance type you selected and you see the Select Attendance Reasons screen. Continue to the next sub-step.
      Save Saves the attendance type you selected and you return to the Teacher Entry tab of the Entity Group Year Configuration Details screen. If you wish to view examples of how the teacher entry column headers you added will appear in Teacher Access, review the expected result of sub-step m.
    12. Check the box for each attendance reason you wish to add to the teacher entry column.
      Step Information

      You can check the box at the top of the Select column to include all attendance reasons.

      You can select as many attendance reasons as you wish. If you select multiple attendance reasons for the column, teachers will see a drop-down list to select the correct reason. If you configure only one attendance reason for the column, the entry method the teacher will see depends on how the teacher is taking attendance. If the teacher is taking attendance using the Student List attendance mode, the teacher will see a radio button to select the attendance reason. Alternatively, if the teacher is using the Seating Chart attendance mode to take attendance, the teacher will see a drop-down list with the single attendance reason option available.

    13. Click Save near the top left of the screen to save your work.
      Expected Result

      You return to the Teacher Entry tab of the Entity Group Year Configuration Details screen, which displays the teacher entry column you added under the Teacher Entry Restrictions heading.

      The image below displays the Teacher Entry tab. Under the Teacher Entry Restrictions heading, Specific Time is selected for the Teacher Entry Cutoff Type. The box for Restrict Teacher Attendance Updates is unchecked and the Allow Teachers to Modify Previous Attendance is checked. The Number of Previous Days to Allow field is set to 5 and the Attendance Periods to Allow field displays the selected periods of 1-8. Under the Daily Attendance Configurations heading, the boxes for Use Mark All Students Present on Tile, Use Teacher Perfect Attendance Confirmation, and Use Special Class Counts are unchecked. A - All Multi Periods as One is selected for the Multi Period Class Count Method. The box for Allow Teacher Comments is checked and the Default Attendance Type is hard-coded as Present with the Override box unchecked. The Present Background Color is white.

      The Daily Attendance screen in Teacher Access will display with the configured settings for taking attendance. The image below displays the Daily Attendance screen with the Seating Chart attendance mode for Communications 0001 with drop-down menus to indicate attendance for each student.

      The image below displays the Daily Attendance screen, which displays the Student List attendance mode with a radio button for each student indicating if the student is absent, tardy, excused, or present.

Result(s)

You have successfully configured teacher entry for attendance in Teacher Access.