EduDesk Guide for School Administrators
This comprehensive guide will help school administrators effectively manage the EduDesk system, oversee IT operations, and ensure optimal support for your educational institution.
Getting Started
Administrator Dashboard
After logging in with school administrator credentials, you'll see an enhanced dashboard with administrative sections:
School Overview: Key metrics and system health
User Management: Tools for managing staff accounts
Subscription Settings: Plan details and billing information
School Profile: School information and configuration
Reports & Analytics: Comprehensive reporting tools
System Settings: Platform configuration options
School Profile Management
Updating School Information
Keep your school profile accurate and up-to-date:
Go to "Administration" > "School Profile"
Click "Edit Profile"
Update school details:
School name and type
Address and contact information
Website and social media links
School logo and branding elements
District affiliation
Click "Save Changes"
Department Configuration
Organize your school into logical departments:
Go to "Administration" > "School Profile" > "Departments"
View existing departments
Click "Add Department" to create new ones
For each department, specify:
Department name
Description
Location/building
Department head
Use "Edit" or "Delete" to manage existing departments
Location Management
Track physical locations within your school:
Go to "Administration" > "School Profile" > "Locations"
Click "Add Location" for new entries
Specify details:
Building name
Floor/wing
Room numbers/identifiers
Purpose (classroom, lab, office)
Use the location map to organize and visualize your campus
User Management
Managing Staff Accounts
Oversee all user accounts in your school:
Go to "Administration" > "User Management"
View all users with filtering and search options
Click on any user to:
View detailed profile
Edit account information
Adjust role and permissions
Reset password
Deactivate account if needed
Adding New Users
Bring new staff members into the system:
Go to "Administration" > "User Management"
Click "Add User"
Enter user details:
Email address (school email recommended)
First and last name
Role (Teacher, Staff, IT Admin, etc.)
Department assignment
Contact information
Choose to either:
Set initial password
Send invitation email (recommended)
Click "Create User"
Bulk User Import
For adding multiple users efficiently:
Go to "Administration" > "User Management"
Click "Bulk Import"
Download the CSV template
Fill in user information following the template format
Upload the completed CSV file
Review the import preview
Confirm the import
Role Assignment
Ensure users have appropriate system access:
Go to "Administration" > "User Management"
Select a user
Click "Edit User"
In the "Role" dropdown, select the appropriate role:
Teacher/Staff: Basic ticket submission
IT Staff: Ticket processing and knowledge base editing
IT Administrator: Full system management
School Administrator: School-wide oversight
Click "Save Changes"
Subscription Management
Viewing Subscription Details
Monitor your EduDesk subscription:
Go to "Administration" > "School Subscription Settings"
View current plan details:
Subscription tier (Basic, Pro, or Premium)
Renewal date
Payment method
Feature access
User license count
Storage allocation and usage
Upgrading Your Plan
Access additional features when needed:
Go to "Administration" > "School Subscription Settings"
Click "Upgrade Subscription"
Compare available plans
Select your desired tier
Review new features and pricing
Confirm billing information
Complete the upgrade
Managing Storage
Monitor and optimize your storage allocation:
Go to "Administration" > "School Subscription Settings" > "Storage"
View current usage statistics:
Total storage used
Available storage
Usage by category (tickets, knowledge base, etc.)
Implement storage optimization if needed:
Archive old attachments
Remove unnecessary files
Upgrade storage if consistently near capacity
Billing Information
Manage payment details and billing history:
Go to "Administration" > "School Subscription Settings" > "Billing"
View and update payment method
Access billing history and invoices
Set up tax exemption if applicable
Configure billing notifications
System Oversight
Monitoring System Health
Keep track of system performance and usage:
Go to "Administration" > "System Health"
Review key metrics:
Active users
Ticket volume and trends
Response and resolution times
Knowledge base usage
Storage utilization
System performance indicators
Announcement Management
Communicate important information to all users:
Go to "Administration" > "Announcements"
Click "Create Announcement"
Compose your message:
Title and content
Priority level
Display duration
Target audience (all users or specific roles)
Schedule or immediately publish
Manage existing announcements
Reporting & Analytics
Accessing Administrative Reports
Generate insights into IT operations:
Go to "Reports" in the main navigation
Access administrator-specific reports:
System Usage Report
User Activity Report
Subscription Utilization Report
Storage Analysis Report
Department Performance Report
Custom Report Creation
Build reports tailored to your needs:
Go to "Reports" > "Custom Reports"
Click "Create Report"
Select data sources and metrics
Configure filters and parameters
Choose visualization options
Save the report for future use
Report Scheduling
Automate regular reporting:
Open any report
Click "Schedule"
Set frequency (daily, weekly, monthly)
Choose delivery method (email, dashboard)
Add recipients
Select file format
Save schedule settings
School-Wide Settings
Customizing System Appearance
Brand the platform for your school:
Go to "Administration" > "System Settings" > "Branding"
Upload your school logo
Set primary and secondary colors
Customize welcome messages
Configure email templates with school branding
Preview and save changes
Notification Configuration
Manage system-wide notification settings:
Go to "Administration" > "System Settings" > "Notifications"
Configure email notification settings
Set up in-app notification preferences
Customize notification templates
Define escalation rules for critical issues
Security Settings
Ensure system security:
Go to "Administration" > "System Settings" > "Security"
Configure password policies:
Minimum length and complexity
Expiration periods
Account lockout settings
Set up two-factor authentication requirements
Configure session timeout settings
Review security logs periodically
Knowledge Base Administration
Overseeing Content
Manage your school's knowledge resources:
Go to "Knowledge Base" > "Administration"
Review existing articles and categories
Approve or reject pending articles
Feature important articles on the homepage
Archive outdated content
Monitor usage statistics
Content Organization
Structure knowledge for easy access:
Go to "Knowledge Base" > "Administration" > "Categories"
Create logical category structure
Organize articles within categories
Set visibility permissions by role
Create featured collections for common topics
Integration Management
Directory Service Integration
Connect with school directory systems:
Go to "Administration" > "System Settings" > "Integrations"
Select "Directory Services"
Configure connection to:
Google Workspace
Microsoft 365
LDAP/Active Directory
Map user attributes
Set synchronization schedule
Test and activate the integration
Email Integration
Set up email-to-ticket functionality:
Go to "Administration" > "System Settings" > "Integrations"
Select "Email Integration"
Configure inbound email settings
Set up email processing rules
Customize auto-response templates
Test the configuration
Best Practices
User Onboarding
Ensure smooth adoption across your school:
Create a structured onboarding plan:
Initial announcement and introduction
Training sessions by role
Quick reference guides
Designated support contacts
Consider a phased rollout by department
Identify and train department champions
Collect and act on early feedback
System Governance
Establish clear management policies:
Document administrative procedures
Define role responsibilities
Create a change management process
Establish data retention policies
Develop disaster recovery procedures
Schedule regular system reviews
Data Management
Maintain system integrity:
Implement regular data audits
Archive old tickets and attachments
Clean up inactive user accounts
Monitor storage usage trends
Back up critical configuration settings
Document custom configurations
Performance Optimization
Keep the system running efficiently:
Review and optimize automation rules
Clean up unused custom fields
Archive old knowledge base articles
Monitor and address slow-performing reports
Optimize file attachment sizes
Schedule maintenance during off-hours
School Year Transitions
End-of-Year Procedures
Prepare for the academic year transition:
Go to "Administration" > "System Settings" > "School Year"
Click "Year-End Procedures"
Select appropriate actions:
Archive old tickets
Update grade levels
Prepare for staff changes
Reset usage statistics
Document configuration changes
Update department structures if needed
Beginning-of-Year Setup
Start the new year properly:
Update school profile information
Review and adjust user accounts:
Deactivate departed staff
Add new staff members
Update role assignments
Review and refresh knowledge base content
Set up new announcement for returning users
Configure new SLA targets if needed
Troubleshooting
Common Administrative Issues
Solutions for frequent challenges:
User Access Problems
Verify user account status
Check role assignment
Confirm email address is correct
Reset password if necessary
Subscription Issues
Verify payment method is current
Check for expired credit cards
Confirm billing address is correct
Contact billing@edudesk.org for assistance
Integration Failures
Verify API credentials
Check connection settings
Test connection manually
Review synchronization logs
Performance Concerns
Review automation rules
Check for excessive custom fields
Monitor database size
Contact support for optimization recommendations
Getting Help
For administrator-specific assistance:
Email admin-support@edudesk.org
Include your school name and administrator ID
Provide detailed description of the issue
Attach screenshots if applicable
Mention troubleshooting steps already attempted
Premium subscribers can also access:
Priority phone support
Scheduled consultation sessions
Dedicated account manager
Custom implementation assistance
By following this guide, you'll be able to effectively manage your school's EduDesk implementation, ensuring optimal IT support operations and user satisfaction throughout your educational institution.