Session Management

Overview

The Session Management feature allows administrators to create and manage academic sessions (also known as academic years or terms). Sessions serve as the parent container for intake periods and define the overall timeframe for academic activities.

Viewing the Table

To access the Session Management table:

1. Navigate to Backend from the main navigation
2. Click on Session from the backend menu
3. The table displays all academic sessions in the system

Table Columns

The Session table displays the following information:

• S/N - Serial number for the current page
• Name - Name of the academic session (e.g., "2024/2025 Academic Year", "2024 Session")
• Start Date - When the session begins (formatted as local date)
• End Date - When the session ends (formatted as local date)
• Status - Current status badge:
  • Active - Session is currently in progress
  • Inactive - Session has ended or not yet started
• For Kainos - Whether this session includes Kainos programs:
  • Yes - Session supports Kainos
  • No - Not a Kainos session
• For Admission - Whether this session includes admission-based programs:
  • Yes - Session supports admission programs
  • No - Not an admission session
• Intake Count - Number of intake periods associated with this session

Searching

Find academic sessions quickly using the search feature:

• Search by session name
• Enter keywords in the "Search sessions..." field
• Results filter automatically as you type
• Search works across all session records in the table

Filtering

Refine your view using the filter options:

• Click the Filter button in the toolbar to access filters
• Available filter criteria include:
  • Status (Active/Inactive)
  • Kainos eligibility (Yes/No)
  • Admission eligibility (Yes/No)
  • Date range filters
• Apply multiple filters simultaneously
• Active filters display as removable tags below the search bar
• Clear individual filters by clicking the tag's X
• Use Clear All to remove all filters at once

Actions

Each session record provides these action buttons:

• View (Eye icon) - Display complete session details:
  • All session information
  • Start and end dates
  • Program eligibility settings
  • List of associated intake periods
  • Related statistics and enrollment data
• Edit (Edit icon) - Modify session information:
  • Update session name
  • Change start and end dates
  • Toggle active/inactive status
  • Modify program eligibility (Kainos, Admission)
  • Update session settings
• Delete (Trash icon) - Remove the session:
  • Shows confirmation dialog before deletion
  • Permanent action that cannot be undone
  • Warning: Deleting a session may affect associated intake periods
  • Consider marking as inactive instead of deleting

Sorting

Organize the table by clicking on sortable column headers:

• Sortable columns: Name, Start Date, End Date
• First click: Sort ascending (A-Z for names, oldest first for dates)
• Second click: Sort descending (Z-A for names, newest first for dates)
• Sort indicator (arrow) shows current sort direction
• Non-sortable columns: Status, For Kainos, For Admission, Intake Count

Pagination

Navigate through session records using pagination controls:

• Select items per page: 10, 20, 50, or 100 records
• Use navigation buttons: First, Previous, Next, Last
• Jump directly to a specific page using the page selector dropdown
• Total session count shown in table header: "Sessions [count]"
• Current page and total pages displayed in pagination bar

Permissions/Access

Access control for Session Management:

• Currently: Permission guards are commented out (under development)
• Planned permission: VIEW_SESSION for viewing sessions
• Additional permissions will be required for create, edit, and delete actions
• Contact your system administrator if you cannot access this feature

Screenshots

Common Workflows

Creating a New Academic Session

1. Click the Create Session button in the toolbar
2. Enter the session name (e.g., "2024/2025 Academic Year")
3. Set the start date (usually beginning of academic year)
4. Set the end date (end of academic year)
5. Select program types this session will support:
   • Check "For Kainos" if Kainos programs will run
   • Check "For Admission" if admission programs will run
6. Set status to "Active" if this is the current session
7. Click Save to create the session
8. Create associated intake periods in Intake Management

Finding the Current Active Session

1. Click the Filter button in the toolbar
2. Select Status: Active from the filter options
3. Click Apply Filters
4. The table shows only active sessions
5. Typically, only one session should be active at a time
6. Click View to see details and associated intakes

Closing a Completed Session

1. Search for the session by name
2. Click the Edit (pencil) icon in the Actions column
3. Change the status from "Active" to "Inactive"
4. Verify the end date is correct
5. Click Save to close the session
6. Ensure all associated intakes are also closed
7. The status badge will update to "Inactive"

Planning Sessions for the Academic Year

1. Determine the number of sessions needed (usually 1 per year)
2. Click Create Session for the new academic year
3. Name it clearly (e.g., "2025/2026 Academic Year")
4. Set start date (e.g., September 1, 2025)
5. Set end date (e.g., August 31, 2026)
6. Select appropriate program eligibility
7. Keep status as "Inactive" until ready to begin
8. When the time comes, edit and activate the session
9. Create intake periods for this session

Reviewing Session History

1. View all sessions by clearing any active filters
2. Sort by Start Date (descending) to see newest first
3. Click View on any past session to see:
   • How many intakes were associated
   • Program types that ran
   • Duration of the session
4. Use this information to plan future sessions
5. Export data if needed for annual reports

Managing Overlapping Sessions

1. Filter by Status: Active to see active sessions
2. Check the date ranges to identify overlaps
3. Edit sessions to adjust dates if needed
4. Ensure only one session is active per program type
5. Verify intake periods don't conflict between sessions
6. Close old sessions before starting new ones