The Common Black College Application (CBCA) integration allows schools to receive CBCA data and documents through an automated process.

The integration consists of two source formats:

• The Common Black College Application - Applications source format: Imports the application data for students who have submitted a CBCA application to your institution.

• The Common Black College Application - Documents source format: Imports application Materials to your instance.

These files are delivered to your database from the Common Black College Application via SFTP.

Step 1: Creating the CBCA ID field

Both CBCA source formats rely on a unique identifier to match records and documents on import.

📝 Your institution may already have a CBCA unique identifier field that can be used for matching imports. Look through all of your existing fields before creating a new one.

To create a CBCA ID field:

1. From the main navigation, select Database.

2. Select Fields.

3. Select New Field.

4. Configure the following settings:

   • Status: Active

   • Scope Category: Records

   • Scope: Application

   • ID: cbca_id

   • Name: Common Black College Application ID

   • Field Type: Free Text

   • Unique for Merging: Value contains a unique ID which identifies a single record for merging
     

5. Select Save.

Step 2: Sharing an RSA key pair with CBCA

To share an RSA key pair with CBCA and receive your SFTP credentials:

1. Follow the instructions in Provisioning SFTP User Access to generate an RSA public-private key pair.

2. Wait approximately 1-3 business days while CBCA adds your public key to the CBCA SFTP site.

Your CBCA contact will provide SFTP connection information, including:

• SFTP hostname/URL

• SFTP username

Step 3: Creating a CBCA service account

Once you have received your SFTP credentials from CBCA, you’ll create a service account in Slate.

To create the CBCA service account:

1. From the main navigation, select Database. 

2. Under Users & Access, select User Permissions.

3. Select New User.

4. Configure the following settings:

   • First name: CBCA

   • Last name: Service Account

   • Email: [email protected]

   • User Type: Service Account (Remote)

   • Username: Enter the username provided by CBCA in Step 2: Sharing an RSA key pair with CBCA.

   • SSH Private Key: Enter the contents of the private key file you generated in Step 2: Sharing an RSA key pair with CBCA.

5. Select Save. 

Save the username and password in a password manager so you can reference them later in this article.

Step 4: Adding the Applications source format

This source format automatically imports Common Black College Application applications.

To add the CBCA source format in Slate:

1. From the main navigation, select Database.

2. Under Import and Data Processing, select Source Format Library.

3. In the Search Library box, enter “Common Black College Application - Applications”.

4. Next to Common Black College Application - Applications, select Add.

5. In the popup, select Add.

6. Confirm the browser dialogue.

Step 5: Mapping the Applications source format

Remapping the file

1. Select Source Formats in the Import and Data Processing section.

2. Find the Common Black College Application - Applications source format and select Remap to confirm destinations and to set up additional data mappings for this Source Format.

Field mappings

Some Slate destination fields are already mapped to data points included in the Common Black College Application file. These include mappings from Technolutions, as well as your mappings from previous years.

Required mappings

In general, you can make any changes to the mappings to suit your process and custom field structure.

However, there are a few exceptions. These mappings are critically important for a successful import:

• Common Black College Application ID

• Application round

• Entry Term

Round Mapping

Round mapping lets Slate create an application in the appropriate round for each record in the Common Black College Application file.

Round structures vary by institution. Think carefully about your round mappings to be consistent with your process.

App: Round

App: Round lets you map to a specific Application Round in Slate and create applications.

You may also map any source field to the App: Round Override destination. App: Round Override lets you map a specific application round to override the App: Round mapping for specific records.

The following are examples of how fields in this source format might be mapped.

Example 1: using stat with static Rounds

In this example, we assume you have a single, static round per application type, re-used year to year.

Our example institution has the following rounds:

• First Year Regular Admission

• Transfer Admission

• First Year Early Action

• Non-Degree Admission

• Dual Enrollment Credit

The CBCA format contains a field called Status (stat), which can be used to map applications to this static rounds. Below is an example of how the mapping would be configured:

Example 2: Using term and stat with term-specific rounds

If, instead of using static rounds, you use term- or year-specific rounds, an additional field called term can be used together with stat to create a field fusion that can be mapped.

In this example, you have two rounds: First Year Admission - 2025 Fall and First Year Admission - 2025 Spring.

To create appropriate source values for this round structure, create a field fusion using the term and stat fields. This produces the values in the following table, which can be mapped to App:Round

Add the server and file path

When you receive your SFTP credentials from CBCA, they will also share target paths for the files associated with this format. The path lets Slate fetch the correct files from CBCA when they are placed in that directory each morning.

To add the path to the source format:

1. In the source format’s main page, select Edit.

2. Select the Import Automation tab.

3. Paste the target path in the Import Path/Mask field.

4. Select Save.

Field names and descriptions

The meaning and name of each field in this format can be found in the following CBCA document:

Step 5: Adding the Documents source format

This source format automatically imports Common Black College Application materials.

To add the CBCA source format in Slate:

1. From the main navigation, select Database.

2. Under Import and Data Processing, select Source Format Library.

3. In the Search Library box, enter “Common Black College Application - Documents”.

4. Next to Common Black College Application - Documents, select Add.

5. In the popup, select Add.

6. Confirm the browser dialogue.

Step 6: Remapping the Documents source format

Remapping the file

1. Select Source Formats in the Import and Data Processing section.

2. Find the Common Black College Application - Documents source format and select Remap to confirm destinations and to set up additional data mappings for this Source Format.

Field Mappings

The Common Black College Application ID field must be mapped.

Remap Values

Add the server and filepath

When you receive your SFTP credentials from CBCA, they will also share target paths for the files associated with this format. The path lets Slate fetch the correct files from CBCA when they are placed in that directory each morning.

To add the path to the source format:

1. In the source format’s main page, select Edit.

2. Select the Import Automation tab.

3. Paste the target path in the Import Path/Mask field.

4. Select Save.