Integration Options for MIFARE/RFID cards

If you select RFID/Mifare cards, the next step is to set up an integration which enables Flexishools to sync with your student ID cards. You can do this via Wonde, or traditional User Sync.

What is Wonde?

The Wonde User Sync is a modern solution that provides a simpler and more reliable setup.

How it works

• Your school syncs data from its system to Wonde
• Wonde securely manages and maintains this connection with your school
• We connect to Wonde’s platform, rather than directly to your school’s server

What setup involves

• Your school works directly with Wonde to establish the data connection
• Once complete, we request access to your school’s data via the Wonde portal
• No software is installed on your school’s servers

What is needed from the school

• Partnered and set up with Wonde (or willing to partner and be set up with Wonde)
• Ensure chip data from cards is shared/stored in Wonde

Key benefits

• No server installation or maintenance required by your IT team
• Fewer points of failure (no passwords expiring or local server changes)
• Easier troubleshooting and ongoing support
• Sync runs from our central environment, which we can monitor and maintain

The Legacy User Sync is a traditional integration method. The User Sync process synchronises user information (student or staff ID, name, etc) between your current staff/student source database and Flexischools.

How it works

• A sync tool is installed on a school-managed server
• The tool connects directly to a database the school maintains (usually SQL)
• Data is sent from the school server to our system on a scheduled basis
• We use an SQL database provided by you which holds info including Student Name, Student ID, Card Serial Number
• Commonly we use a school’s Papercut/Synergetic/similar database
  • Importantly, the Student ID/Number just needs to be any sort of unique identifier where the parents will know what it is when they need to enter it
• Our UserSync software is installed to one of your servers with access to this DB(You can set up a custom view if you wish to only expose the relevant data)
• We use Task Scheduler to have it run in the background on a regular basis
• It would then sync these details up to Flexischools and create cards in a “prelinked” state. They aren’t yet usable in this state and stay like this until parents set up real accounts for the students.
• The Student ID acts as an identifier linked to the actual card number, like a Key/Value pair
• When the Parent sets up a real student account, they are prompted to enter the Student ID
• This Student ID is used to locate the “pre-linked” card created previously, and moves it to the real student without the parent needing to know this hidden number
• After this, the card can then be used with our POS integrations and have transactions logged against the user
• The sync would continue to run periodically (usually every 15 minutes), so any new or updated cards get synced too
• If a card is replaced, our UserSync would automatically find the existing account on our end that holds the Student ID, and update the card number there without any action needed from the parent

What setup involves

• Coordination with your IT team
• Remote access to the school server to install and configure the sync tool
• In some cases, setup may be done via screen sharing, though this can be slower and more difficult

Ongoing considerations

Because this sync relies on school infrastructure, it can be affected by:

• Database changes or migrations (e.g. moving the database to a new location)
• Service account password changes or expiries
• Server or firewall changes that block the connection

If any of these occur, the sync may stop working until adjustments are made.

The User Sync application system requirements are:

• SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)
• Internet Access from the server Specifically, only need to reach FM_WS_Meals Web Service
• Service Account with local admin access on the server