Assembly SIMS Integration - migration from Zinet

Andy Larking 25-11-2019 12:55:00 0 0

 ** This article only applies to existing SchoolBooking customers that are currently using the Zinet application for integration with SIMS.  This will include most SchoolBooking customers that signed up to our service before December 2019 **

If you are a looking to setup MIS integration for the first time, please use this article in getting started.

** Note : If you are already using Assembly at your school, Skip to Step 10 **
** PDF download below **

Step 1 – Record Zinet settings

Go to the computer you already have Zinet installed and take notes of the SIMS configuration.  Go to Application Menu – Configuration – Datasource.  Record and keep the following settings (you’ll need them later) :

Username :
Password   :
Server            :
Database    :


Step 2 – Before you start

  • We recommend that the Assembly Connector is installed on your SIMS Server - or at least another server with access to your SIMS.
  • If you run hosted SIMS, you may need to request an External Connector from your hosted SIMS provider. If your hosted SIMS setup does not allow for an external connector to be installed, please contact us on customer.services@schoolbooking.com
  • You will need administrator rights to install the connector onto the machine and start the Assembly Connector and Assembly Updater services.
  • Supported versions of Windows are:
    • Windows Server 2008 SP2 (64 bit machines only)
    • Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1
    • Windows Server 2012
    • Windows Server 2012 R2
    • Windows Server 2016
    • Windows 7.1 SP1
    • Windows 8.1
    • Windows 10
  • The local system account on the server must be able to access *.assembly.education URLs. If you have network level filtering (such as proxy servers or firewalls), you should add an allow rule for *.assembly.education URLs to the web filter on ports 80 and 443.
  • Please note: the Connector should only be installed on one machine. If you wish to switch the machines it is installed on, you must first uninstall it and then reinstall it on the new machine.
  • If you get stuck at any point during the installation please us contact customer.services@schoolbooking.com or 03333 446433 for support and, if necessary, to arrange a remote session with our dedicated support team

Step 3 – Register on Assembly

  •  Enter the invite code letsassemble2020, then your email and create a password.
  •  Ensure that you have consulted and accepted the terms of service, then click Sign up.
  •  An email will be sent to the address you signed up with - follow the link in this email to activate your Assembly account.

Step 4 – School Information

  •  Start typing your School name to narrow down the search, then select from the list.
  •  You can also narrow down the search by entering the school postcode.
  •  Select SIMS as your school’s MIS Provider from the dropdown list and press Continue.

Step 5 – Download the installer

  •  Press the Download SIMS Assembly Installer button to start downloading the connector installation file.
  •  Ideally you should install the connector on a server which has SIMS installed on it. If that is not possible, you can use a server or dedicated machine with direct access to your server.  This will most likely be the machine you previously had Zinet installed on.
  •  You will need to have Administrator privileges for the server on which you install the connector.

Step 6 – Get started with the connector configuration

  • Please note: you may also have to install .NET 4.5 as part of the installation process (you will be prompted to do so).
  • Click Get Started to begin.
  • If you are experiencing issues with the Assembly Installer tool starting up, you can have a look at the Assembly support guide on bypassing the proxy, which may be the cause of the issue.

Step 7 - Connection

  •  Click Connect to test your connection to the Platform.
  •  If your school uses a Proxy server, the address (and if, necessary, credentials) should be entered on this page. We will try our best to detect your proxy settings and pre-fill this section.
  •  If you have a proxy server and the address is not found automatically, you can get this information by going to Control panel -> Network and Internet -> Internet options -> Connections -> LAN Settings.
  •  If you have network level filtering (such as proxy servers or firewalls), you should add an allow rule for *.assembly.education URLs to the web filter on ports 80 and 443, for the local system account.
  •  Once you have successfully tested the connection, click Next Step.

Step 8 – Authentication

  •  Enter the Key and Secret to authenticate your connection. These can be found by going to the Assembly platform in your browser and scrolling down to the Access Credentials area of the Connector section.
  •  Once successfully authenticated, click Next Step.

Step 9 – MIS Configuration

  • Open the SIMS.net client and login as a user with admin access.  From Step 1 you should have a ‘Username’.  In SIMS go to Focus – System Manager – Manage Users, and search for the user from Step 1 and open the details.  Go to Section 3. Groups.
  •  Assembly needs the following permissions.  Some of these you will already have for this user (from when you first setup the old Zinet client)
  •  Click Add on the groups section:

    Administration Assistant
    Class Teacher
    Senior Management Team
    Personnel Officer
    Third Party Reporter
    Assessment Operator
    Cover Manager
  •  Once the user has been placed in the relevant groups, click Save to complete the process. 
  •  You can now close SIMS and go back to the Assembly Connector App and enter the Connection Information recorded from Step 1:
    • Hostname: enter the ‘Server’ details recorded in Step 1
    • Database: enter the ‘Database’ details recorded in Step 1
    • Username: enter the SIMS ‘Username’ from Step 1.
    • Password: enter the SIMS ‘Password’ from Step 1.
    • Click Authenticate
    • Once successful, click Finish to complete the process.
    • If you run in to any issues at this point of the installation, please see contact our support team customer.services@schoolbooking.com or call 03333 446433.
    • That's the Connector setup completed. Now you need to authorise the SchoolBooking App in Assembly

    Step 10 – Authorising SchoolBooking in Assembly

    •  At this point you will need to verify that the SchoolBooking App can access the designated scopes of your school’s data through a Data Access Request. You should only click Authorise App if you have authority to do so.
    •  Please check the scopes that you are authorising.
    •  If the app has any optional scopes, you will have to actively opt-in to agreeing to share this data by ticking the box next to the scope name. Even if you decide not to share this additional data, you will still be able to authorise and use the app. Once you have checked the scopes, you can authorise the app. That's it! You're done....


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