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Parallel Year - Vendor Participation Best Practices

Introduction​

This knowledge base article is to better outline each vendor’s participation during the parallel year. These are several items that we have seen in the community that help move the process along more smoothly.

Best Practices​

Schedule a kick-off meeting with all LEAs, so they understand the new or updated processes of submitting data via the API​

  • Include submission documentation they can refer to during the submission process.
  • Include API Level 1 error message documentation.
  • Include troubleshooting best practices documentation.
  • Include a ticketing system for LEAs to open tickets when issues arise.
  • Include a Data Submission Dependency Chart, so that the LEAs understand the system’s data loading requirements.

Schedule Weekly Support Calls.​​

  • Include all participating LEAs in the call.
  • The agenda should include:
    • Address training issues
    • Identify and address, open ticket and when they will be released.
      • Identify possible short-term temporary workarounds.
    • Request LEAs to send questions before the call so vendor can prepare any screenshot documentation without displaying any Personal Identifiable Information (PII) data. Doing this will allow the calls to be recorded and shared in the future​.
    • Have a sandbox with demo data that can be used during meetings and training.
    • Demo how to solve problems LEAs have identified​.
    • Move to a weekly release cycle to incorporate recent fixes quickly.
      • This will allow the LEAs to resolve outstanding issues more quickly.

Distribute a weekly bulletin that discusses:​​

  • Identify items that are being deployed in the weekly release.
    • Note recent fixes and new features.
    • Provide changes to recommendations, modified workarounds, and best practices related to the release.
  • Identify known bugs​, with possible future release dates.
  • Publish the URL for documentation of known issues.
    • LEAs can learn about all reported issues from the current community.
    • Keeping duplicate issues from being over reported.
  • Highlight recent bug fixes and changes to recommended actions​
  • Discuss workarounds, FAQs, and items uncovered during the week​
  • Send out the recorded meetings, so that the LEAs can go back and listen to recordings.