Entering Data: Web Interface or Import?
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Setting up and entering data into a student information system is, unfortunately, often a time-consuming and complex process.  SchoolTool strives to provide a variety of methods appropriate to deployments of different scales and technical capacity.

Currently the two primary methods are:

* manual data entry via web forms;
* :ref:`spreadsheet`.

All these methods are accessed via the **School** tab, visible at the top of SchoolTool's screens to administrative users.

Where you are pulling data from outside sources, spreadsheet is likely to be most efficient.  When you're entering data not available in another digital format, or setting up the basic components of the system like years and timetables, the web interface is usually the friendliest route.  The web forms do a better job of guiding you step by step and validating input.

There remain a few forms that allow importing some basic data through comma separated value (CSV) files.  This method is being deprecated.

As we progress through setting up different parts of the system, we will discuss the various options at each step.   We will also note which steps can be skipped for different types of usage, such as an individual teacher using SchoolTool as a gradebook.
