Support Resources
  • 01 Oct 2024
  • 7 minute read
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Support Resources

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Article summary

Technolutions offers a comprehensive array of educational and support resources for its users to enhance their use of Slate. These resources can be accessed on the  Discover Slate page. 

To access Discover Slate: 

  1. From the main navigation, select  Database. 

  2. From the section Support Resources, select Discover Slate. 

An AI-powered search at the top of the page offers immediate and accurate answers to questions about Slate. The content is automatically sourced from the Knowledge Base and upcoming Community Conversations, as well as from an FAQ system consisting of questions and answers generated by Technolutions staff. The content is filtered based on the type of user accessing the search, and relevant questions and typo corrections will be auto-suggested so that the best possible answers are surfaced with relevant snippets.

By leveraging the solutions in the Knowledge Base and Community Forums, you can develop effective operations and carry out critical troubleshooting in the most timely manner. These resources provide a wealth of information that can help resolve most challenges. And if additional support is needed, our extensive network of Preferred Partners is available to provide expert assistance. With these powerful tools at your disposal, you can be confident in your ability to tackle any task and achieve success!

Level I - Guided Exploration

Self-guided support resources offer a convenient and efficient means to enhance your proficiency in using Slate and address any questions you may have. These resources comprise troubleshooting guides and other on-demand learning opportunities, making them the ideal starting point.

Troubleshooting

Consider the steps in our Troubleshooting guide. This resource is designed to help you define your question more clearly and create a pathway to test solutions.

Knowledge Base

Our Knowledge Base is a vast library of resources frequently updated with the latest information on Slate. It offers comprehensive information and resources, including documentation, training videos, webinars, technical articles, and more, enabling you to promptly find the answers you require. Staying up-to-date on the latest features and best practices for using Slate is essential to maximize its potential. The Knowledge Base as the initial point of reference when you or your team have any questions.

Learning Lab

Learning Lab, our learning management system, is the perfect way to introduce your teams to key concepts and essential functionality. We recommend that all database decision-makers and users with specialized roles, such as marketing, take a Fundamentals of Slate course. With the additional  beginner, intermediate, and advanced courses, users can gain a more in-depth understanding of communications, queries, permissions, portals, and more. All courses are self-paced and interactive, allowing you to learn at your convenience.

Slate Showcase

Your institution can take advantage of a Clean Slate environment , which draws from the Slate Showcase database, to access functional examples of every essential Slate-based operation.

Using the Slate Suitcase tool, your team can easily copy functionality from Showcase into your production or test environment and jump-start any project.

Level II - Community Exploration

The Slate Community is a valuable resource that provides swift and efficient solutions, exemplary recommendations on optimal methodologies, and strategic guidance derived from years of collective user experience. The resources available cover a wide variety of topics and leverage the larger Slate community, which includes guidance from Community Ambassadors, Slate Preferred Partners, and Technolutions experts.

Community Forums

Our Community Forums provide comprehensive guidance and support for any questions you have. By leveraging the expertise of Technolutions staff, Preferred Partners, Community Ambassadors, and experienced Slate users, you can benefit from the collective knowledge of an experienced and engaged community, helping you maximize the value of your investments in Slate. Plus, your question helps other users who encounter similar issues in the future.

Community Conversations

Community Conversations are interactive, online discussions. Community Conversation topics include everything related to Slate, from how to organize your events to how to manage staff turnover. Navigate to your Home Slate or Discover Slate to register for an upcoming conversation.

Join a Community Conversation to take advantage of the opportunity to interact with peer institutions, broaden your professional network, and gain valuable insights into best practices. You will benefit from a dynamic and engaging online discussion and gain a deeper understanding of Slate and make the most out of your experience. Navigate to your Home Slate or Discover Slate today to register.

Slate Innovation Festival

Once a year, the entire Slate community comes together for the Slate Innovation Festival. The Slate Innovation Festival brings together admissions counselors, operations staff, technical staff, directors, deans of admission, vice presidents of enrollment, advancement staff, and companies who partner with Slate to exchange ideas focused on best and emerging practices across Slate and higher ed. 

Level III - Advanced Exploration

These resources provide custom, dedicated, and advanced services for facilitating your projects and priorities.

Slate Preferred Partners

Technolutions works closely with our Preferred Partners, a network of Slate-focused companies that provide a wide variety of additional support options.

The Slate Preferred Partner Program recognizes companies that offer technical and strategic assistance while also providing meaningful contributions to the higher education community. Slate Preferred Partners gain exclusive access to resources that provide a deeper understanding of product functionality, processes, and best practices.

Engage with Preferred Partners for dedicated on-campus and remote services, including implementation, consulting, and operational support.

Additional Resources

Slate Labs

Slate Labs are dynamic, in-person experiences led by Technolutions staff. Highly interactive in nature, these events include new feature sneak peeks, specific feature focus groups, and more.

Slate Labs aims to develop and test experimental features and functionality in Slate that help institutions improve their processes and efforts. The program provides a platform for collaboration between Slate users, Technolutions, Preferred Partners, and more, allowing them to develop and refine new ideas and approaches.

Through Slate Labs, Technolutions pushes the boundaries of what is possible and equips institutions with the tools they need to stay ahead of the curve in a rapidly evolving landscape. The program represents a commitment to our ongoing innovation and development and a dedication to meeting the needs of higher education professionals and their organizations.

These events are offered periodically throughout the year.

Feedback

Slate is a platform that values the insights and contributions of its diverse community. Through Feedback, we offer a direct channel for you to offer input on current features, recommend new additions, and suggest improvements or fixes for existing tools. Feedback also enables you to comment on and vote for ideas submitted by others, creating a collaborative space for innovation and creativity.

As a community-driven platform, we are committed to meeting the needs and expectations of our users. By actively seeking and incorporating feedback, we strive to continually enhance the functionality and user experience of Slate.

Slate Status

Slate provides an online status portal that can determine whether a site-down issue is related to your institutional DNS or single sign-on configuration or is related to a broader concern.

Client Success Team

Your Client Success Team provides ongoing guidance throughout your implementation and year-to-year administration of your Slate database.

Support Desk Ticket Guidelines

The Support Desk is reserved for specific categories/questions that meet the criteria listed below. All items outside of the listed categories should be posted in the Community Forums. By focusing on these items, our team is able to efficiently and effectively address these questions.

When submitting a ticket

Ensure that the ticket's topic matches one of the available categories to select from. If a ticket is submitted outside the scope of the listed categories, we will redirect it to the Community Forums where Technolutions staff, Slate users, Preferred Partners, and Community Ambassadors can engage, share, and learn together. See Understanding the Scope of the Support Desk for more details.

Your ticket should satisfy one or more of the following:

Qualification

Description

Ticket Menu Options

Contains sensitive or confidential information

This includes student data or client specific information that would not be suitable to discuss or display in a public forum but is necessary for troubleshooting (e.g., suspected issues with staff using Slate, PII such as SSN or access credentials that can't be generalized in a post).

  • Litigation Hold

  • Suspected Vulnerability

Requires the Support Desk's unique abilities

This includes the usage of tools only available to Technolutions staff Slate (e.g., access issues).

  • Deletion of objects not available in retention policies

  • Financial Aid Letter PDF Batch source formats

Relates to critical system processes

This includes time sensitive issues that would significantly impact vital processes (e.g., unsuccessful application submissions, rule execution and scheduled import/export failures).

  • Application Navigation or Submission Error

  • Decision Release Error

Finally, add some of the resources below to help facilitate our work:

  • Links to internal Slate resources—such as the affected records or objects—which will include "/manage" in the URL.

  • Screenshots, which we prefer over Word document or PDF attachments.

  • Links to posts you may have started in the community about this issue, if applicable.


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