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First Setup Guide

Configure DEEPS for your institution with this comprehensive setup guide.

Initial Configuration

Launch DEEPS for the First Time

When you first start DEEPS, you'll be guided through essential setup steps:

  1. License Verification - Confirm your educational institution license
  2. Institution Profile - Configure your university/college details
  3. Database Setup - Initialize the local student database
  4. Administrator Account - Create your first user account

Institution Configuration

Basic Information Setup

Configure your institution's basic details:

Institution Name: [Your University Name]
Department: [Your Department/Faculty]
Academic Year Format: 2023/2024 or 2023-2024
Grading System: Letter grades (A, B, C...) or GPA scale

Registrar Office: [Contact Details]
Academic Office: [Contact Details]
IT Support: [Contact Details]
Email Domain: @youruniversity.edu

Academic Structure

Define your institution's academic organization:

Year Structure: - Traditional 4-year undergraduate programs - Graduate programs (Masters/PhD) - Professional programs with different durations

Semester/Term System: - Semester-based (Fall/Spring) - Quarter-based (Fall/Winter/Spring/Summer) - Trimester system - Custom academic calendar

Database Initialization

Local Database Setup

DEEPS creates a secure local SQLite database to store student records:

📁 DEEPS Data Directory
├── 📁 databases/
│   ├── students.db          # Main student records
│   ├── courses.db           # Course definitions
│   └── academic_history.db  # Historical data
├── 📁 exports/              # Generated reports
├── 📁 imports/              # Excel file processing
└── 📁 backups/              # Automatic backups

Database Security

DEEPS implements multiple security layers:

  • Local-only storage - No data transmitted externally
  • Encrypted connections - Secure database access
  • User authentication - Role-based access control
  • Audit logging - Track all data changes

User Account Management

Administrator Account Creation

Set up your first administrator account:

  1. Username: Choose a memorable administrator username
  2. Password: Create a strong password (minimum 8 characters)
  3. Email: Institutional email for notifications
  4. Recovery: Set up account recovery options

User Roles and Permissions

Configure different access levels for your team:

Full System Access: - User account management - System configuration changes - Database backup/restore - All reporting features

Processing and Reports: - Import exam results from Excel - Generate student reports - Process graduation requirements - View academic history

Student Records: - Access complete student records - Generate official transcripts - Process enrollment changes - Create senate documents

View Access Only: - View processed reports - Access student summaries - Export basic data - No editing capabilities

Data Import Configuration

Excel Template Setup

Configure DEEPS to work with your existing Excel formats:

Standard Column Mapping: - Student ID/Registration Number - Student Name - Course Code - Course Name - Marks/Grades - Academic Year/Semester

Custom Field Configuration: - Additional student information fields - Institution-specific course codes - Special grading categories - Academic status indicators

Import Validation Rules

Set up automatic validation for imported data:

  • Student ID format validation
  • Grade range checking
  • Course prerequisite verification
  • Duplicate detection
  • Missing data alerts

System Preferences

Display and Interface

Customize the DEEPS interface for your workflow:

Theme Selection: - Light theme (default) - Dark theme for low-light environments - High contrast for accessibility

Layout Preferences: - Default report formats - Column display options - Page size for large datasets

Backup Configuration

Set up automatic data protection:

Automatic Backups: - Daily incremental backups - Weekly full system backup - Retention policy (30 days default)

Backup Location: - Local backup folder - Network drive for institutional backup - External storage integration

Verify Your Setup

Test System Functionality

Before processing real data, test your DEEPS installation:

  1. Import Sample Data
  2. Use provided sample Excel files
  3. Verify column mapping works correctly

  4. Check data validation rules

  5. Generate Test Reports

  6. Create sample transcript
  7. Generate pass/supplementary lists

  8. Test PDF export functionality

  9. User Access Testing

  10. Create additional test user accounts
  11. Verify role-based permissions
  12. Test password reset functionality

Sample Data Download

DEEPS includes sample datasets for testing:

  • Sample student records (anonymized)
  • Example course structures
  • Template Excel files for lecturers
  • Test report outputs

Network Setup (Multi-User)

Shared Database Configuration

For multi-user environments with shared access:

  1. Network Storage Setup
  2. Configure shared network drive
  3. Set proper read/write permissions

  4. Test network connectivity stability

  5. Concurrent Access Management

  6. Limit simultaneous editors
  7. Enable automatic conflict resolution

  8. Configure user session management

  9. Network Security

  10. Use VPN for remote access
  11. Enable network encryption
  12. Configure firewall rules

Setup Completion Checklist

Verify your DEEPS setup is complete:

Basic Configuration: - [ ] License verification completed - [ ] Institution profile configured - [ ] Administrator account created - [ ] Database initialized successfully

Data Management: - [ ] Sample data import tested - [ ] Column mapping configured - [ ] Validation rules active - [ ] Backup system enabled

User Management: - [ ] User roles defined - [ ] Staff accounts created - [ ] Permissions tested - [ ] Password policies set

System Testing: - [ ] Sample reports generated - [ ] Export functionality verified - [ ] Performance acceptable - [ ] All features accessible

Next Steps

Your DEEPS system is now ready for production use:

  1. Learn the User Interface - Get familiar with DEEPS features
  2. Import Your First Data - Process real exam results
  3. Generate Reports - Create institutional documents

Setup complete? Start using DEEPS with the User Guide.