NOTE: Post-launch integrations are not possible on Terra Dotta ISSS sites.

Sometimes a client is not able to integrate their Terra Dotta site with campus data systems when it is first launched, for example if the institution's IT folks do not have the necessary resources to devote to the integration project at that particular time.

In these cases, there is the option to schedule a "post-launch integration" project once the site is live. 

Considerations

Terra Dotta recommends integrating a site before going live, if possible. This is because post-launch integrations, once they do occur, require more time and coordination than a standard pre-launch integration would have done. In addition, a post-launch integration requires scheduling downtime for a live site and so will have some impact on users. The project should be scheduled to avoid important application deadlines and when overall traffic to the site is expected to be low. Finally, because of the additional time and coordination involved, a post-launch integration has a higher cost than a standard integration.

Project Overview

If at all possible, the custom URL portion of the integration should be completed pre-launch. This will prevent having to change any links to the site that are already in place.

The following outline assumes that the custom URL has already been completed and only the campus authentication, SFTP/SSH folder setup, and SIS/HR data file (for either Study Abroad or Travel Registry) need to be completed.

1. Schedule the post-launch integration project with Terra Dotta by opening a new case in our support portal. Please provide as much notice as possible, as the project must be scheduled around Terra Dotta's regular pre-launch integration pipeline.
2. Review Terra Dotta's integration documentation (see links above), then schedule a meeting via the case to discuss the requirements in detail.
3. Complete the steps for SFTP/SSH folder setup.
4. Transfer a draft of the SIS/HR data file to the SSH folder for Terra Dotta to review. We will respond with a list of any necessary edits that need to be incorporated into the file.
5. Update the file with the list of edits, then send a completed SIS/HR file with production data. Production data is required because this is the file that will later be imported into the live Terra Dotta site.
6. Provide us the information about your authentication system. Then, our engineers will set up and test authentication on the live Terra Dotta site (authentication testing will not be visible to users).
7. Schedule a 'cutover' date when the new data file and authentication will be turned on for existing users. The site will be unavailable for one business day while Terra Dotta is making the necessary changes and updates.
8. Communicate the scheduled downtime to your site's users by sending out an email and/or posting an announcement on the site's homepage.
9. Provide us with a spreadsheet that lists all the site's existing users, with one user per row. The user's email address should be in the first column, matched with the same user's UUUID from the data file in the second column. We will use this spreadsheet to convert the user accounts from non-integrated to integrated on the cutover date.
10. Data from the SIS/HR file will overwrite previously-entered profile information that is stored in the site. If you want to retain any manually-entered profile information, run a profile export from Terra Dotta and save the document in a secure place.
11. On the cutover date, functional office users as well as campus IT should be available for testing and troubleshooting.

The overall timeline for a post-launch integration is usually 4-6 weeks.