Electronic Record Forms (ERFs) allow records to be synchronized from MDS to Data Manager. One ERF is used for each assessment uploaded from MDS.
Note: When two or more partial assessments are uploaded for the same child within a fifteen (15) day period, only one (1) ERF will be used. ERFs that are allocated from a higher level in the hierarchy will be used (“burned”) prior to ERFs that were purchased directly by that organization level.
Licenses for ERFs and MDS are distributed from the Hierarchy Organization menu. Users with assigned permissions can allocate ERF and MDS licenses to lower levels within their organizations.
To allocate or remove an ERF license, see ERF Management.
Note: To allocate ERFs, users must have the Manage ERF/MDS privilege assigned to them and licenses available at their hierarchical level. Staff privileges are assigned from the Staff Administration menu. See Assigning MDS Licenses to Staff.
Mobile Data Solution (MDS): A software license that is included in the eKit and is downloaded then allocated and assigned to a user to assess children without the need for a paper protocol or internet access.
Electronic Record Forms (ERFs): Forms that are needed with an eKit/MDS license in order for a child’s assessment to be uploaded from the MDS software to a Data Manager account.
Allocate: When MDS licenses and ERFs are given from one organizational level in the hierarchy to another. This function occurs in the Data Manager under the MDS License Management page for licenses and under the ERF Management page for ERFs when allocating.
Assign: When MDS licenses are given or “assigned” to staff members. This function occurs on the Mobile Data Solution page in Data Manager under the Staff Administration tab. Once a license is assigned to a user, he or she will have the ability to download the MDS application.
Burning: When an assessment is uploaded remotely from MDS to Data Manager. Once the upload process occurs, an ERF is used or burned. Any ERFs allocated from the root level will be burned first while ERFs allocated from a higher level will be burned next. Purchased ERFs will be burned last. For example, the state purchased 500 ERFs and allocated 50 ERFs to District 1. District 1 purchased 50 ERFs. All ERFs allocated from the root would be burned first and the purchased ERFs would be burned last.
Deactivate: An MDS license that has been assigned to a user is taken away from that user. This function occurs on the Mobile Data Solution page of Data Manager under the Staff Administration tab. Once the license is deactivated, the user will no longer have access to the MDS application.
Non-Root-Level (user): A user with permissions to allocate MDS licenses and ERFs to one organizational level below him or her. This user has the ability to assign MDS licenses to staff members at his or her own organization level.
Purchased: When MDS licenses and ERFs are bought by any organization level. When a school district or agency uses its local funds to purchase an MDS license and ERFs, the license and ERFs are placed at the local (district or agency) hierarchical level. The license and ERFs will appear as “Purchased” under the MDS and ERF Management sections. (Additional ERFs and MDS licenses can be purchased through customer service.)
Remove: The action of taking either an MDS license or ERFs away from an organization level. This function occurs in the Data Manager under the MDS License Management page for licenses and under the ERF Management page for ERFs.
Root Level: The highest or top level of the Data Manager Account hierarchy.
Root-Level Administrator: The user who has the ability to allocate MDS licenses and ERFs and to assign MDS licenses to any level of the organization.