Detailed Setting Descriptions

At the same site

The maximum number of times they can be placed at the same site.

In the same class

Looking at the Class field on the position level of a placement, it will prevent students from being allocated to a placement with the same position-level Class.

In the same topic

Looking at the Topic field on the position level of a placement, it will prevent students from being allocated to a placement with the same position-level Topic.

In the same shift

Looking at the Shift field on the placement request, it will prevent students from being allocated to the same Shift.

In the same region

Looking at the Region field on Site record, it will prevent students from being placed within the same Region

With the same Subject,

Semester, Year, Study

mode, Placement grade

This set of options can be used to ensure a student does not unnecessarily get placed multiple times for the same requirement.

Are limited to same region

Student and Site records have a “Region” field. If this box is ticked, then students will only be able to preference, and be allocated to, sites that are in the same region as the student.

Are restricted from negative site associations

Students or Placement Officers can indicate negative or positive site associations (e.g., sites that would be conflicts of interest).

If this box is ticked, students will not be able to preference, or be allocated to, the sites they have a negative bias toward.

Must meet all school mandatory checks

This disables the effect of School-wide mandatory checks. Note that checks specific to this placement group will still be required.

Date checks validated against placement group end date

If this is ticked, all check Value dates are compared to the placement group end date – ensuring checks do not expire during placement.

Preference based on finalised

This setting only looks at “allocations finalised for student” placements when considering things such as maximum number of times the student has attended the site. This can help prevent a number of situations, including students guessing their allocations before they have been finalised.

Allocation requires approval

This option is useful when students self-allocate or create their own placements. Allocation occurs as usual, but an “approved” option will appear next to each student in the allocation screen in the client if this is checked.

In Sonia Online, students will see where they have been allocated for placement, but the site name will say “pending approval” if the placement has not been approved.

Hide unapproved allocations

Used in conjunction with the above setting. When this option is checked, students will not see the name of their placement site until the placement has been approved.

Students can’t be placed in the same site more than once

This sets a general rule. This rule can be overridden with the sub-rule of “unless there are no other options”.

Do not show site contact details until N days before placement start date

Designed to prevent students from contacting sites too early.

Can view requested sites that have yet to confirm places

Allows students to put in their site preferences before placement requests have been “confirmed”.

Let them see sites they are ineligible for

Allows students to see why they are ineligible for a site when preferencing. For example, the site may have a Check that the student has not met. Allowing students to see this means they might work to become eligible – perhaps by passing that missing check. Another scenario could be that their potential allocation would break one of the other rules defined on this page.

Let them see sites regardless of being allocated

Allows students to continue to see sites during Preferencing period even after they have been allocated.

Let them see sites regardless of preference quota being exceeded

A preference quota can be set on the placement request of popular sites. This setting allows that site to remain visible, but not selectable, once that site’s quota has been reached.

Do not show allocated placement if they have not met their mandatory checks

Once allocations have been finalised, students will be able to see the details of the site they have been assigned. This setting hides allocations from students who have not met their mandatory checks.

Hide filters

This determines if the filters on the Review and Preference screens are visible to students.

Show site comment

The site comment field is on the placement request and can be filled in by the site when they confirm a placement request. This setting allows students to see the site’s comment.

Show placement group progress

A bar graph will display on the Home page in Sonia Online for the students to show how many approved hours have been submitted (Actual Duration) against the number of hours required in that placement group (Expected Duration).

Show placement group competency progress

A bar graph will display on the Home page in Sonia Online for the students to show progress toward the Competencies assigned within the placement group.

Students can create placements

Displays a [Create] button on the Placement Group in Sonia Online for students, allowing them to select the site they are attending for placement. The sites they can choose from are displayed in a dropdown list pulled from the Active Sites list in Sonia. Once picked, the student is allocated to the site.

Hide mentor names during placement creation

Used in conjunction with the above setting. When students create their placement, a mentor field will appear for them to select (or create) a mentor. This setting hides that field so that they cannot define a mentor.

Supervisors can enter student duration

Allows Supervisors to enter the Actual duration of their students.

Supervisors can enter student grades

Allows Supervisors to enter the placement Grade of their students.

Supervisors can enter student information

Allows Supervisors to modify the Student Information on the placement request, such as meeting place, parking.

Supervisors can add/edit positions

Allows Supervisors to edit position information for each student on their roster

Placement request other

Displays placement request-level custom fields. Only custom fields visible to students are shown.

Site other

Displays site-level custom fields.

Site attributes

Displays the fields on the “Attributes” page of a site - Descriptor, Focuses and Region. Students can also use the filter to search for sites with specific attributes.

Site student information

Displays the “Student information” from the placement request. This section consists of Meeting Place, Parking, and Student Notes.

Regardless of their topics

Default setting – student major/minor are not used to restrict placement

Containing any topic with at least one of their topics

The placement must have a position with a topic that matches at least one of the student’s topics.

Containing any topic with at least one of their majors

The placement must have a position with a topic that matches at least one of the student’s majors.

Containing only their topics

The placement position topics must match the student’s topics with no additional topics.

Containing only their majors

The placement position topics must match the student’s majors with no additional topics.

Containing any topic with at least all of their topics

The placement can have positions with many topics, but all of the student’s topics must contained in that placement.

Containing any topic with at least all of their majors

The placement can have positions with many topics, but all of the student’s majors must contained in that placement.

Containing any topic with at least one of their non-major topics

The placement must have a position with a topic that matches at least one of the student’s minors (i.e., a topic that is not labeled as major).

Maximum number of preferences

The number of preference slots a student will see when selecting preferences.

Minimum number of preferences

The minimum number of preferences that must be selected before the students can save their selections.

Maximum number of times a student can preference the same site

Restricts the number of time students can select the same site, both within the current placement group as well as others they may be in.

Show placement position details

If placements contain positions, show the details of these so that the student can differentiate between multiple placements at the same site. For example if a school was taking 3 students, this setting would allow the students to see what classes and subjects are available with that school.

Students must select a specific placement position

If there are Positions that make each placement unique, this setting forces students to pick an individual placement rather than any place at the site.

Students can modify preferences

Allows students to modify the order of their preferences during the “preference open” date range.

Show preference documents

Allows students to add documents to each preference. Use case: if sites will be logging in to Sonia Online to view their candidates, the preference documents (e.g., cover letter, resume/CV) will be visible to them.

Show preference comment

Allows students to add comments to each preference, perhaps to indicate why they like this site. This is visible to the placement officers but not to the site.

Show placement request preference dates

Some sites have application periods that do not coincide with the Placement Team’s processes. This setting allows students to see preference dates that would be unique to individual placement requests.

Site driven

Sites/placement staff create appointment timeslots that can be picked by permitted students.

Student driven

Students indicate the interview time they have arranged with a site.

Maximum times a student can allocate themselves

Limits the number of placements students can allocate themselves to within the placement group.  

Days before placement students cannot unallocate themselves

Restricts students from unallocating themselves from their placement too close to the placement start date.

Students cannot unallocate themselves from placement

Restricts students from being able to back out of a placement once allocated

Students cannot unallocate themselves from past placement

This setting ensures that students can’t delete evidence of a placement in the past. For example, if they had been allocated, but decided not to attend, they wouldn’t be able to remove the placement a week or two later.

Students’ selected dates are based on placement request dates

This applies to Split placements. If this is set, then a student can only pick the complete date range of the placement request – they can’t pick a day here and a day there.

Number of students restricted to estimated places

Each placement group has an “Estimated Places” field on the Details page. Used in conjunction with the Key Event, “Students can join placement group”, this setting will close the placement group to new students when the Estimated Places value is reached.

Imported students with the default subject will be added automatically

On the Details page of a placement group is a “Default Subject” field. This optional field can be populated with Subject/Semester/Year values. If this setting is selected, and a student enrols in the default subject for a placement group, they will be automatically added to the placement group.

Students withdrawn from the default subject will be removed automatically

For schools using the automated Student Importer tool. If a student comes through as no longer enrolled in the Default Subject defined on the placement group, they will be automatically removed as long as they do not have an allocation.

Restrict based on default subject

Allows students to join the placement group ONLY if they are already enrolled in the Default Subject.

Auto-enrol student into default subject

If a student joins the placement group and is not enrolled in the Default Subject, Sonia will create an enrolment record on the student.

Restrict on Mandatory checks

Restricts the student from joining if they have outstanding checks relevant to this placement group.