Student & Guardian Self-Service Portal

1. Overview & Business Value#

This comprehensive operational guide details the architecture, business workflows, configuration parameters, and execution steps for Student & Guardian Self-Service Portal within SmartERP.

Empower students and parents with responsive web portals for course registration, timetable viewing, fee payments, and grade reports.

{screenshot:student-and-guardian-self-service-portal-overview-dashboard}

2. Prerequisites & Security Access Groups#

• Required Modules: smarterp_higher_education, smarterp_student_records
• Security Groups:
  • Admissions Officer (Technical ID: smarterp_higher_ed.group_admissions_user)
  • Registrar / Academic Dean (Technical ID: smarterp_higher_ed.group_registrar_manager)
  • Faculty Member / Instructor (Technical ID: smarterp_higher_ed.group_faculty_user)
• Master Data Dependencies: Faculties, departments, ECTS modular curricula, academic semesters (Ethiopian/Gregorian calendar), tuition fee schedules, and student master files.

3. Step-by-Step Configuration & Execution#

Step 1: Navigating to the Module Interface#

1. Log into your SmartERP instance at https://smarterp.et/odoo.
2. Open the main App Switcher (grid icon in the top-left corner).
3. Select the Higher Education app icon.
4. From the top navigation bar, open Higher Education → Academic Registry → Students / Admissions / Courses / Grading.

{screenshot:student-and-guardian-self-service-portal-app-switcher-navigation}

Step 2: Creating and Parameterizing Records#

1. Click the New button in the top-left control panel.
2. Complete the mandatory fields in the record form:
   • Student ID Number (Mandatory): Unique institutional student registration identifier
   • Full Name & National ID (Mandatory): Legal name matching Ministry of Education (MoE) enrollment records
   • Academic Program & Faculty (Mandatory): Approved undergraduate or postgraduate modular program
   • Semester Term (Mandatory): Active academic term adhering to ETA curriculum guidelines
3. Configure optional operational parameters and localized tags as required:
   • Course Prerequisite Override (Optional): Authorized waiver for advanced module enrollment
   • Tuition Sponsorship (Optional): Cost-sharing agreement or private employer corporate sponsorship
   • Dormitory & Campus Facility (Optional): Assigned residential block and meal plan access
4. Click the Save icon in the control bar to commit the record.

{screenshot:student-and-guardian-self-service-portal-record-creation-form}

Step 3: Validating and Processing Transactions#

• State Transitions: Execute operational state progression (Applied → Admitted → Registered / Enrolled → Active Study → Grades Finalized → Graduated).
• Ledger & System Impact: Semester registration automatically generates student tuition invoices in Accounts Receivable; fee settlement via Telebirr/CBE Birr marks student financially cleared.
• Audit Verification: Automated recording of author ID, timestamp, and immutable revision history.

{screenshot:student-and-guardian-self-service-portal-transaction-processing-state}

Modern University Portal Architecture#

SmartERP features a secure, responsive web and mobile portal built on modern web frameworks. Students, faculty advisors, and guardians access self-service tools tailored to their institutional roles without requiring backend ERP client access.

Student Portal Features & Navigation#

Upon logging into the portal (https://portal.university.edu.et):

• Dashboard: Next upcoming lecture, active semester SGPA, cumulative CGPA, outstanding fees, and campus announcements.
• Course Enrollment: Search curriculum courses, view syllabus details, check seat availability, and submit add/drop requests.
• Weekly Class Timetable: Interactive, color-coded weekly schedule showing lecture rooms and instructor names.
• Grades & Unofficial Transcript: View continuous assessment marks and download official PDF grade slips.
• Digital Fee Settlement: Direct one-click tuition payments via Telebirr and CBE Birr.
• Document Requests: Request official transcripts, letters of recommendation, or bonafide student certificates online.

Guardian & Sponsor Portal Access#

For sponsored scholars or undergraduate students authorizing parental access:

1. Guardians receive secure credentials linked to their ward's student profile.
2. Real-time visibility into:
   • Daily attendance percentages and absence warning alerts.
   • End-of-term grade reports and academic standing status.
   • Fee invoice balances and payment confirmation receipts.
3. Direct electronic communication channel with the assigned Department Academic Advisor.

Security & Single Sign-On (SSO)#

The portal supports enterprise authentication mechanisms:

• Single Sign-On (SSO) integration with university LDAP, Active Directory, and Google Workspace for Education.
• Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) via SMS OTP or authenticator apps for grade viewing and financial transactions.

4. Advanced Configuration Points#

• Automated Actions & Scheduled Tasks (Crons):
  • Education: Compute semester GPA and cumulative CGPA (smarterp_higher_ed.ir_cron_cgpa_calc): Runs at the end of each examination period to compute student academic standing
  • Finance: Generate semester tuition fee invoices (smarterp_higher_ed.ir_cron_tuition_invoices): Runs prior to semester registration deadline
• Custom Print Templates & Reports:
  • Official Student Academic Transcript (MoE & ETA Standards)
  • Semester Course Registration & Clearance Slip
  • Student ID Card with Cryptographic QR Verification
  • Examination Results & Faculty Grade Distribution Ledger
• Multi-Company Rules: Record-level security isolation under Company 1 (Ashewa Technology Solutions S.C.), preventing cross-company ledger leakage across parent and subsidiary legal entities.

5. Comprehensive Troubleshooting Matrix#