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Empower Site Set Up Process (Annotated)

The Site Setup Process

Because each district is a little different with different data, scales and needs, each site build is more complex than simply signing in to the software.

There are four parts to consider when setting up your Empower site. They are covered in this article.

  1. Site Build & Setup
  2. Coaching & Strategic Planning
  3. Data Connections
  4. Standards


1) EXECUTE CONTRACT

Upon Request, Empower's sales department will send a brief questionnaire to gather data needed to prefill a contract which can then be sent and executed by all parties. This is the trigger for the rest of the process. Once the agreement is signed, your Empower Sales Rep will send you an email to introduce you to your Empower Coach and schedule your Implementation Planning Meeting (7)

2) SITE BUILD & SETUP

Based on the information gathered previously, we will begin building your Empower instance right away. If you are hosting on your own server, the first thing we will need are credentials to access the server (3)

3) Hosting

If Empower is hosting, no action is needed by the user at this step. If the user is hosting, THIS ARTICLE outlines server specs and what Empower needs to access the server.

4) URL Created

Once your unique Empower URL is ready, your Empower Coach will send you an email containing the URL and a temporary admin account (until SIS data is connected(11)).

5) QA Testing

Our QA team will immediately begin testing the site to make sure it is up to our quality standards for your launch (14).

6) COACHING & STRATEGIC PLANNING

This can begin as soon as the agreement is executed (1). A link will be sent to the user to book an hour (7) with their Empower Coach to discuss goals, dates, milestones and the SMART steps to reach them including Professional Development (8).

7) Implementation Planning Meeting

Don't neglect this. It is one of the most important factors in a district's success. During this hour, Empower will learn about your vision and milestones. The deliverable is a customized Empower Implementation Plan filled with tasks, dates, instructions and resources designed to ensure that CBE and Empower are successful in your community. This plan will be sent to you by your Empower Coach shortly after the meeting along with links to book the recommended PD sessions (8).

8) Book PD

Links to schedule the PD recommended in your Empower Implementation Plan (7) will be sent to you after that meeting. If you want to schedule other sessions unconnected to your PD plan, of course you can always reach out to your Empower Coach.

9) Work the Plan

The Plan (7) contains detailed steps for all of your selected processes. They are time-based and have check boxes so that your team and ours can ensure success.

10) Quarterly Check-ins with Empower Coach

Your Empower Coach wants to connect with you personally at least quarterly in order to check and adjust your Plan. The Coach will reach out to you to that end. You can always give us a call as well if any need arises.

11) DATA CONNECTIONS

Depending on how your district manages user data, this process can vary in scope and schedule. The sooner it begins and the more care is taken, the smoother and faster it goes. THIS ARTICLE discusses data connections more in depth and how Empower handles them. Your Empower will guide you through the process from start to finish.

12) Data Troubleshooting

Connecting to the SIS (11) can be a tangled process and it is important along the way to be checking the data and giving Empower specific examples of anything that is not as expected. THIS ARTICLE and the videos in it discuss how to check your data in Empower.


THIS FLOW CHART outlines common SIS connection issues and may help diagnose the issue you are experiencing. It is also helpful to look at before each school year to make sure all new data is as expected in Empower.

13) Data Confirmed by Client

Once the connections (11) are created and data looks as expected, Empower will send a form to be signed to serve as confirmation that active troubleshooting (12) can stop. Any future issues can be managed through the helpdesk (16).

14) Distribute Accounts to Users

THIS ARTICLE and accompanying video show a few ways to distribute user accounts to stakeholders.

15) STANDARDS

The standards are obviously a critical part of this standards-based system. Empower has great tools to load (16) and manage (18) your content.

16) Load Standards

THIS ARTICLE discusses the different ways Standards can be loaded into Empower.

17) Standards Troubleshooting

THIS FLOW CHART will help you diagnose whether or not your standards are in good shape and what to do if not.

18) ONGOING ASSISTANCE, TROUBLESHOOTING AND STATUS CHECKS

Once you're launched, we hope you'll have smooth sailing, but just in case, we stay in close contact. Aside for us reaching out to you, you have a few ways you can get your needs met by reaching out to us as well. Contact your representative or our helpdesk for any needs. 



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