AMUSMIS

User Manual

AMU‐SMIS User Manual

This handbook is prepared for the best use of (AMU-SMIS) while administering students’
placement
process.

Note: This user manual is partial covering administering accepted students and it will be
updated soon to cover the whole placement process

[ Handbook for Arba Minch University Student Management Information System ]

This handbook is prepared for the best use of (AMU-SMIS) while administering students’ placement
process. 1
 1. Introduction

As you are in higher education industry, you've probably heard for years about the revolution
the computerization of systems would bring to work process in managing students’ files. As
with so many promises of revolution, the changes haven't been materialized in your University
context yet. However, a new suite of tools, called Arba Minch University Student Information
Management System, can be used to enhance your manual student information system by taking
advantage of the computerization of systems with complete replacement of your labor-intensive
system.

2. What is Arba Minch University Student Information Management System?

Arba Minch University Student Information Management System (AMU-SMIS) is

web
application, meaning it runs on a server and is accessed by using a web browser. The server
which hosts AMU-SMIS is located in the main campus of the University, but it can be
anywhere
in one of the three campuses, Ababya, Chamo or Nech Sar. You and your students can access
the system from anywhere with a local area net work connection in the campuses.

At its most basic, (AMU-SMIS) gives the registrar tools to place students to their respective
departments and generate students Id number and generally automate the admission process of
students into the University system. Aside from admission control, (AMU-SMIS) offers a
wide
variety of tools that can make your students file record system more effective. It provides an
easy way to manage curriculum, course offering, students’ registration, attendance, grade and
transcript record, class and exam schedule, dormitory, meal and heath service, cost sharing and
billing, withdrawal, readmission and transfer processes. Let's take a quick look at each of these
features and how they might be used.
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3. AMU-SMIS Basics

In this section, we’ll cover the basics of the AMU-SMIS interface and some of the options
you have when setting up your admission process. As I mentioned earlier, AMU-SMIS is
a
web-based tool which can be accessed through a web browser. This means that in order to
use AMU-SMIS you need a computer with a web browser installed and at least a local area
network connection. You also need to have the web address (called a Uniform Resource
Locator, or URL) of a server running AMU-SMIS. You can then get the server address from
the system administrator.

After you've gotten the URL, open your web browser and type the address (http: //smis.
amu.edu.et ) in the address bar. You'll then be taken to the main screen.

4. The AMU-SMIS interface

When you first visit your AMU-SMIS site, you'll see the main screen which presents you
with the login screen, as shown in Figure 1-1 Your username and password will depend
on how your system administrator set up your role in the system for you.

Figure 1-1 AMU-SMIS main screen

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Take a moment and familiarize yourself with the interface. AMU-SMIS uses a number
of
interface conventions throughout the system. The login screen is presented in the middle of the
screen. Just above the login screen you'll see the University logo with name of the system.

5. Having an Account
Right in the middle of the screen, you'll find a login screen that says "Login." as shown in Figure 1-1. As
I
indicated above your username and password will depend on how your system administrator set up
your role for you in the system. AMU-SMIS has a number of roles: Registrar, College/Institute and
Students, other roles will be included in the future as AMU-SMIS is under development. In AMU-SMIS
all
users can not register their own accounts. Accounts will be registered in the system by default
according to the roles assigned to users by system administrator. You'll need to find out from your
system administrator how to enroll your account as one of the roles available in the system.

Once your account has been created for you then you will have a verified account. Subsequently your
account automatically will be associated with your assigned role in the system.

6. First Look after you logged in to AMU-SMIS

Once you have successfully confirmed your account and logged in, you will find yourself back at
the main page. As Figure 1-2 shows, your username will now be displayed at the top of the
screen.
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 Figure 1-2 Main screens after login with a user account as registrar

Let's start with the upper right-hand corner of the main screen after login, as shown in Figure1-
3. There you'll see the name of your user name as entered when the system was created. Either
your system administrator entered your role name by hand or he got it from university’s
database.

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 Figure 1-3 Main screens after login with a user account as AMIT

If you look at the upper-right corner, you'll see the date and the time and your user name when
you logged in to the system. It reads “October 26, 2011, 3:48 am | Change Password | registrar |
Log Out” and your username is, displayed as an unclickable word since it is assigned to you by a
system administrator. From this screen you cannot edit your user name but you can change
your password. Click on Log Out if you want get out of the system. Let's take a moment and
change your password to customize the site and help your security.

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 1) Start by clicking the Change Password button on the upper right hand side of the screen.
Your password change form will look like Figure 1.4

2) You'll see your username and a blank for your password. If you want to change
password , do it here
3) You can then change the password the system has stored for you but this does not
mean that you can change your user name.

7. Adding students to the system

Let's start with the dashboard to announce news items to the students of the University that
department selection, meetings that needs students attendance or orientation are coming soon.
The dashboard is a special type of notice board. Everyone in the system can read the postings,
and the news will be automatically emailed to them if they are registered to the system. It's a
good tool for making general announcements and sending reminders to students about
upcoming events.

By now, you're probably wondering as a registrar, "When the heck do I get to add our Ministry
of Education assigned students to my system?" I've provided some background here so you'll
understand some of the options you have. But now is the time to start the admission process

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and place students in their respective departments according to their preference so let’s get
started with placement.

It is possible to add accepted students into the system by either (1) importing list of students
who are already recorded on excel or by (2). Recording students one by one Let us see each
one step by step:

A. Importing list of accepted students from excel file

Importing list of accepted or assigned students is the first activity within an AMU-SMIS, you will
engage with when you deal with students’ admission process. Think of this tab as a tool which helps
you to add your assigned students into your system - AMU-SMIS.

Adding students in to the system is a very easy step, however. To add one:
1. Open an excel file with at least the following nine fields (This file could be a list of students
file which is send to your university from Ministry of Education on yearly bases or a list of
registered students for various programs in the university under distance and continuing
education programs of weekend and summer)
1. First Name
2. Middle Name
3. Last Name
4. Sex
5. Region
6. College
7. Program
8. Program Type
9. EHEECE Total Results

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Figure 1.5 Sample excel file which is ready for import.

Please note also that, entry for sex, region, college, program, and program type have predefined
entries as the document is usually sent from Ministry of Education for regular students. Please
read list of possible values for each field. For example, possible values for sex are Male (M)
and
Female ((F). Please make sure that you get the value that you want to enter. Finally save your
excel file in comfortable place in your computer so that you will locate it easily when you
upload it to the system.

2. Then click on “Placement" tab in your logged in account and then you will get the
following page which will displays a placement page.
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 Figure 1.6 Placement page

3. Click "Import Newly Accepted Students" menu which is found under "Accepted
Students" main menu and then you will get the following page.

Figure 1.6 Placement page

4. Select the academic year that the students are accepted or assigned from Ministry of
Education. This is like students’ batch number. Then click "Choose File" or "Browse..."
which is found just below selected academic year of students to locate your excel file you
prepared in first step earlier.

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 5. After you locate your excel file you saved in the 1 st step of this process, then please click
the "Upload" button. After you submit your excel file to the system, then the system
scans each row for valid data entry and display an error message if there is any error on
your excel file or a success message which confirms your import which is displayed as
follows. You can also repeat your import task for each excel file you have on hand.

Figure 1.7 Placement page after you successfully imported your students

B. Recording accepted students one by one

Adding students list one by one is the other way to add students in to AMU-SMIS. With
AMU-SMIS you can also easily add students to your system. The page that helps you to adds
students’ list one by one works like a simple web application right in your browser, as you can
see it in Figure 1-7. Simply type the name of your students directly into the field and click the
"Submit" button. The system will validate all user entry and record the given data if all
submitted values are valid and display the following success message.

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However to add students one by one, do not forget to click "Add Accepted Students" menu
which is found under "Accepted Students" main menu. Below is the page that you will get is
like in Figure 1-8

Figure 1-8 page that helps you to adds students’ list one by one

8. Getting the list of accepted students

Once you imported your students, you'll see a screen telling your attempt to add students’ list
was successfully saved as in Figure 1.7 and now you want to get the full list of accepted
students. To get a full list of added/imported students on your page:

1. Click "List Accepted Students" menu which is found under "Accepted

Students" main menu. By default the system displays list of students who are
imported/added in the current academic year as follows as in Figure 1.9

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Figure 1.9 A Page that shows list of accepted students

2. But you might be inquisitive to see the list of students who are accepted in another
academic year, do not worry just select the academic year and click the "Search"
button. You can also display students only from a specific college.

9. Deleting list of accepted students

In case you might have imported/added some wrong lists of students do not lose your sleep; to
err is only human and you have always a chance to repair your mistake.
Hence in order to delete accepted student/s from the system take a simple step in the following
1. Select the student/s that you want to delete.
2. Click the "Delete Selected" button which is found at the bottom of the page.
3. The system deletes the selected student/s and display the following success
message.

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 Figure 1.10 A Page that shows how to delete wrongly accepted list of students

10.Generating Student ID/Number?

Generating students ID Number is one of the most important activities in the process of
admission and in order to generate student ID, please select "Generate Student ID" menu
which is found under "Accepted Students" main menu. Then the system displays a
summarized page that details number of students awaiting student ID assignment which is
displayed as follows.

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 Figure 1.11 A Page that shows summary of students awaiting ID/Number

Based on the summery you get, you are expected to command the system for which academic
year, college, program and program type of students you need to generate students’ ID. Just on
same page of summary, you will see an option with drop dawn options that will enable you to
make a selection for which academic year, college, program and program type that you want to
generate students’ ID.

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 Figure 1.12 A Page that shows summary of students awaiting ID/Number

After you make a selection click "Search" button, then the system displays list of students who
didn’t get an ID as indicated in Figure 1.13

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Figure 1.13 A page that shows students that do not get ID Number

Now it gets simple just select all students for whom you want to generate student ID and click
"Generate ID" button, then the system generate student ID based on the following pattern.
PROGRAM/COLLEGE/NUMBER/YEAR
Example
Regular Arba Minch Institute of Technology student ID.
RAMIT/001/04
Regular College of Natural Sciences student ID.
RNS/001/04
Extension Arba Minch Institute of Technology student ID.
EAMIT/001/04

Note: If you want to change program type and college’s short name, please contact your system
administrator.

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Here is the success page that you will get after you generate student ID.

Figure 1.14 success pages that shows after you generate student ID.

To view the ID generation result, please click “Export/Print student ID” menu which is
found under “Accepted Student” menu in the “Placement” section/tab and you will find
the page which prompts you to select the academic year, college, program and program type.

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Make your selection and click “Search” button and you will find the report as follows.

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From the above page you can click the PDF icon to export the report in PDF and click the
Excel icon to export the report in Excel.

If you are looking for further assistance/help, please contact Mereb Technologies using the
following address:
Cell: +251 911 525141
Tel.: +251 118 200048
Email: info@mereb.com.et

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