Terra Dotta Glossary of Terms
The Terra Dotta (TD) Glossary is the directory of key terms for Terra Dotta's enterprise solutions. Terms in the TD Glossary are organized alphabetically from A to Z. This article covers glossary terms from A to M. See the Terra Dotta Glossary: N to Z article for the remaining terms.
For easy navigation of this glossary of terms, the following links are provided:
Important Note: Client sites are loaded with functionality to support the broad range of Terra Dotta enterprise solutions for Education Abroad, Travel Management, and International Student and Scholar Services. Slight variances in terminology may occur depending on the Terra Dotta solution referenced. For example, the term "applicants" and "users" are synonymous. Your site will display the term relevant to your office.
A to C
Academic Objective (F-M or J) Record: Also known as an "AO" record, this is the primary record for all F, J, and M students at an institution. The AO is the record administrators will use to manage your student/scholar files in Terra Dotta, with options to create this record in TD Admin or the SEVIS Admin. An institution may choose to configure one or multiple AO records on their site based on education level or program type. Only administrators listed as Designated School Officials (DSOs) or Alternate Responsible Officers (AROs) for a campus site will have access to view the SEVIS Admin.
Account Info: This is where the basic account information such as office name, institution/company name, institution abbreviation, office address, Contact 1 email, Contact 1 name, etc. can be entered/edited. Located in Settings > Account Info.
Additional Services Section: An area of the application page where applicable optional materials will appear.
Admin Console: The administrative experience in Terra Dotta Study Abroad. Comprised of an "Applications", "Programs", and "Configuration" card which contain links to key admin features. The Admin Console can be set as the default landing page after an admin user logs in.
Admin Home: The classic page from which an admin is able to access admin settings and other options, such as saved queries and reports. The Admin Console is the current workspace for admin users in the Study Abroad product.
Advanced Layout Editor: This tool allows web designers to upload HTML files for the header/footer areas of the layout and make more advanced design changes. After a web designer has completed their work on the sandbox site, Terra Dotta will review the code and then install it on the client’s production site. Available for Hosted clients on the sandbox sites only and to Installed clients by request.
Advising Application: A type of application started by applicants who want to get additional information before applying to a specific program. An admin user may utilize advising applications to gather information about the interests of the applicant in order to help guide their application decisions. Advising applications can be required, optional, or turned off completely. For Study Abroad offices using Deployment Rules, the Advising Program offers a comprehensive advising option.
AlertTravelerTM: A mobile app that allows you and your travelers to receive real-time destination reports and alerts pushed to your device when paired with your current Terra Dotta license. Features a check-in button to allow travelers to easily signal their status during an emergency.
Analytics: The reporting tool of the Admin Console used to create queries and reports.
Applicant: Someone who logs in to a site with the intent of searching for and/or applying for a program. For ISSS clients, applicants are referred to as "users".
Applicant Experience: This is Terra Dotta Study Abroad's applicant interface that focuses on how applicants interact with the software and experience the application process. To move from the "Classic" interface to the Applicant Experience, enable the feature by navigating to Settings > System Features > Interface Settings.
Applicant Home: Default landing page after an applicant/user logs in to a site. This page shows all applications, emails sent from within the Terra Dotta software site, and the applicant's profile.
Applicant Home Page Loading Messages: These are custom messages that appear during the several seconds that it takes to preload the Applicant Home page in the Applicant Experience. Use these messages to provide useful reminders or fun quotes. Located under Settings > System Features > Interface Settings.
Applicant Parameter: Standardized information fields about applicants where the data can be populated from a SIS data source or manually entered by the applicant. These are attributes regarding the applicant, not the application. Therefore, the data is the same for that person even if they have multiple applications on file. An admin can view the applicant parameters from the "Profile" tab of the application's management interface. An applicant can view these parameters from the “Information” section of the applicant's profile. Examples: GPA, Address, Gender, Major, Minor, Ethnicity
Application: A digital version of the document(s) an applicant needs to complete in order to request to join a program. An application can consist of various requirements, or process elements, such as questionnaires, learning content to review and mark as read, materials to sign, and/or an assessment to take. For ISSS clients, an application is referred to as a "record".
Application Admin Manager: A sophisticated management interface dedicated to the view and edit actions that an admin routinely performs on a program application. Referred to as the admin's full view of an application in the Admin Console.
Application Cycle: Commonly referred to as an "app" cycle. A combination of a term and a year. This feature determines the availability of the term of study for which your applicants may apply. Examples: Fall 2019; Academic Year 2020-2021
Application Finder: Used by admins to search for, view, and perform batch actions on applications in the Admin Console. The Progress audit is also accessible from this feature for offices using rules-based app cycles.
Application Itinerary Record: A record assigned to an application that indicates a start date, an end date, and a location in which the applicant will be during that duration. Application itinerary records determine when an applicant enters the abroad and returnee phases, whether or not they are included in the SIS refresh, and whether or not they will be found in a locator search. Also see Program Itinerary Record.
Application Layout: The organization of panels on the application page. The Application Organization tool in the Admin Console allows for the ability to customize the order in which application requirements will display on the application page.
Application Tag: A “digital sticky note” that can be easily added/removed from applications. Commonly used for querying. Application tags can be created and edited under Settings > Application Tags.
Application Triggers: A feature of the Admin Console which allows admins to set conditions that when true for an application trigger an action to take place, including the deployment of automated notifications.
Assessment: A type of process element that takes the form of an online quiz where the applicant answers multiple choice questions and immediately sees their score. Often used as a learning tool to gauge one's understanding of important information.
Beta: A label used for a feature in the software that is available for use yet may present a significant site-wide change or shift in how an admin user has been accustomed to performing actions within Terra Dotta in the past. A beta feature continues to take shape, and client feedback is highly encouraged. As a best practice, clients should thoroughly review documentation, explore functionality in a sandbox environment, and prioritize office-wide training to ensure a smooth transition with features carrying the beta label.
Campus Site: Name of approved institutional campus as listed in SEVIS. Clients can configure the SEVIS Admin on their site to add multiple campuses of instruction and assign relevant Designated School Officials (DSOs) or Alternate Responsible Officers (AROs) to each site.
Cascading Style Sheet (CSS): Every layout has a CSS that determines the common graphical styles that will be used throughout the site. The CSS can have a major effect on the styles an admin user tries to create in the WYSIWYG editor and is a common reason why content appears differently on the actual webpage than it does when working in the WYSIWYG editor. The CSS can determine styles for such items as paragraph headings, spacing, font style/size, and the way hyperlinks behave.
Case System: The section of the Terra Dotta Support Portal that allows client to communicate directly with Terra Dotta, monitor activity on open cases, and reference closed cases. Live clients how have question or are experiencing unexpected behavior in the software can address these issues by opening a case via the Case System in the Support Portal.
Classic: A term used to reference features from the software's original interface. There are classic features that are not supported for use with updated experiences for applicants in the Applicant Experience and admins in the Admin Console.
Classic Interface: This is the term used to reference the original interface in the software. It is the alternative to using the Applicant Experience.
Community Forums: Available in the Support Portal, the Community Forums are spaces where Terra Dotta clients can participate in community discussions with other Terra Dotta software users and post ideas for future development of the software. Ideas can then be promoted by other Terra Dotta clients, and the ratings help Terra Dotta developers decide which features to address in future releases.
Content Management: A unique configuration space within the Admin Console used to create and update process elements.
Cost Sheets: A feature used to communicate and manage program costs through the use of parameter-mapped costs items, cost sheet templates, app cycle-specific cost sheets, real-time calculations, and more. Available for use when the Applicant Experience is enabled.
Course Approvals: A fully electronic course approval process focused on approving specific courses for a student’s study abroad experience. Includes selection of foreign and home courses, submission of an approval request, and status update by an Approver.
D to F
Data Access Object (DAO): A type of permissions restriction that can be assigned to individual staff members or permission groups to restrict what they see. For example, a staff member could be restricted to see only program and applicant information for one specific program or for a specific program group. Data access object restrictions are configurable at the very bottom of the permissions page for each staff member within Staff > Staff Permissions.
Data Import / Export: A tool used to export data from Terra Dotta software into Excel or to import data from Excel into the software. This can be used to update data in the site or to import legacy records. It is a very powerful tool with the potential to change/delete data permanently from the site. It is recommended that only experienced users be granted access to this tool. Located under Maintenance > Data Import/Export.
Deadline: The final day on which potential applicants are able to begin a new application. Also the final day on which existing applicants can complete items in their pre-decision application. The application will be locked after the deadline has passed and will remain locked until it moves into the post-decision phase which will happen when the decision date is reached. If the decision date is before the deadline, it is considered "rolling admissions", and the application could move into the post- decision phase before the deadline is reached. See also “Decision Date”.
Decision Date: On this date, any applicant with a status other than "Pending" will be notified via email to login to the site. They will then learn if their application has been waitlisted/accepted/rejected. Accepted/committed applications move into the post-decision phase on this date. If the decision date has already passed when the application status is changed, the applicant is immediately notified and moved into the post-decision phase which is called a "rolling admissions" application cycle. See also “Deadline”.
Decision Letters: Enabled under Settings > System Features > Features tab. When enabled, applicants will see a decision letter the first time they log in after moving into the post-decision phase. The decision letter tells them if their application was accepted, rejected, or waitlisted. Decision letter text can be customized based on program type under Process > Decision Letters.
Dependent Application/Profile: An application or profile can be given a principal application/profile which makes it the dependent application/profile.
Deployment Rules: A robust system used to deploy requirements to applications when designated conditions are met. Used by offices that have the Applicant Experience enabled and in lieu of process maps.
Document Center: Area in the software where admin can upload or create documents. Files can be organized by folders and are accessible to other admin with the document center permissions. Once a document is in the document center, it can be linked to from other webpages or attached to applications. Located under Site > Document Center.
Document Types: When applicants attach documents to their applications, they indicate the available category to which the document belongs. Document types can be enabled, created, and edited under Settings > System Features > Process Options with Applicant File Upload.
Email Signature: A standard signature line that can be configured to automatically appear on all emails an admin sends through the software. Located under "Admin Settings" from the Admin Console. Use the WYSIWYG editor to create the signature that will be used.
External Applicant: The internal/external distinction is used to distinguish between the profiles and applicants that are registered with your office’s institution and those who are registered with other home/partner institutions. An external applicant will usually be one that has provided their name and email address to your site to obtain login credentials. Programs and applicant parameters can be configured to apply only to external applicants.
Facilitator: A default permissions group which defines general site admin users as facilitators. This group is used for the general admin users who work in the software regularly and who should be included on the staff listing page and publish an appointment schedule. Permissions granted to a facilitator will vary depending on what permissions are granted to them on the individual level or to the facilitator group as a whole.
Featured Programs: Program groups can be configured as "Featured" which places them on the "Featured Programs" tab on the public program search page. They also appear in the general program search with a star to indicate that they are featured.
Federal School Code (FSC) Table: A list of institutions and codes created by the U.S. government and used for federal financial aid purposes. Terra Dotta applications use this list as the means of unique identification of institutions for purposes such as external applicants’ self-identification of home institution.
Friendly URL: A way to shorten the URL of a webpage so that the link looks much shorter/cleaner. For example, you could change https://studyabroad.terradotta.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Abroad.ViewLink&Parent_ID=0&Link_ID=ABE2CD98-B0B3-2CD9-BA7B39D43888366A to http://studyabroad.terradotta.com/?go=ContactUs.
G to I
Image Library: Collection of all the images that have been uploaded to the site and that are available for use in email notification editors. Located under Settings > Image Library.
Incoming Program: A type of program where there is a program-level setting for location, dates, and partner institution. Used to process applications from foreign students who want to study at the institution as exchange students. Only external applicants are permitted to apply to incoming programs.
Integrated User: A user that logs in to your site through a secure campus login (SCL) integration. The user's core data fields (name/email/gender/DOB) along with SIS-mapped parameters and addresses are populated through an integration with your student information system and human resources data sources (SIS/HR). If your site is not integrated with another database, all of your site users will be considered "non-integrated".
Interface Settings: A section of the system settings page where an admin can activate the Applicant Experience, set applicant home page instructions, and customize applicant home page loading messages. Located under Settings > System Features > Interface Settings.
Internal Applicant: The internal/external distinction is used to differentiate between the profiles and applicants that are registered with your office’s institution and those that are registered with other home/partner institutions. An internal applicant is one that is registered with your office’s institution. If your site is integrated, these applicants will log in using their institution credentials, and their core information will automatically populate from your information system. Programs, process elements, and applicant parameters can be configured to apply only to internal applicants.
Itinerary Record: Please refer to the definition for either “Application Itinerary Record” or “Program Itinerary Record”.
Itinerary Warnings: On the administrative homepage, a panel will appear to alert admins to any application that is missing itinerary information. Click the "Generate Report" button to get the details of those applications and enter travel dates if available. Itineraries are necessary for applications, and it is highly recommended that all applications have them. See also “Application Itinerary Record.”
J to M
Key: The key is the code or abbreviation that is stored in the database but not displayed to site users. It is also the option that appears in the SIS export or SEVIS report. The "key", along with the "value", are the two parts that comprise a Value Lookup Table. This feature takes a required code or abbreviation and expresses the option values in in a more user-friendly way. Example: For a "U.S. State Codes" lookup table, the value for North Carolina is expressed as the key "NC".
Knowledgebase: A collection of articles, videos, and documentation that can be searched by using keywords to find information about specific features in Terra Dotta or to help troubleshoot issues. Also referred to as the "KB". Located from within the Terra Dotta Support Portal.
Landing Page: This page serves as the default page to which an admin user is routed after logging in to the site. Configure the landing page to be the Admin Console by navigating to Admin Home > Admin Settings > Landing Page.
Layout: Each Terra Dotta site comes with a standard "stock layout" that can be minimally customized to use the selected colors/banner/footer. The layout is the "graphical skin" of the website and refers to the areas that cannot be customized through the WYSIWYG editors.
Learning Content: A type of process element that serves as an informational page that the applicant can review and check off as having been read. The informational page can include text, images, and/or video.
Locator Search: A tool used to find who is in a specific location on a specific date or between a range of dates. This tool finds all applications with a status or status alias of "Accepted" or "Committed" and allows the admin to search by the application or program location (city, country and/or region) and application or program dates. Located under Applicants > Locator Search.
Material: A process element that can refer to a Material Submission, a Payment Material, or a Signature Document.
Material Submission: A type of process element where the applicant is given instructions for something that is to be turned in to the office and marked as received by a staff member.