Compliance Help: Saving work for 7 years

michael_orme

I am a teacher, and in schools, we need to keep the original of student work for 7 years on a secure server. When the department requests a student, our Head of Senior Schooling just accesses the students folder, and uploads the whole thing. Effectively, I would prefer to download the file, as I need to preserve the feature tree, as that is what is marked (not the final output). That has been the preferred way with Autodesk products for years.

Since OnShape doesn't allow us to download, I need ideas on how to be compliant. It can't be under my own name, as if a teacher dies, move schools, retires, or shuts down their account, the files aren't available any more. I can't download the model as a STEP file, as it isn't the original submission (I need the feature tree included).

How are other schools / companies managing this sort of thing? How do I store every student submission for 7 years in a way that can be easily accessed by our school or state reps???

Ste_Wilson

Seven years?! That's madness! How many classrooms are taken up with filing cabinets!

If you have an educator account and are using assignments and things I guess make sure there is an 'admin' account which has account details with the dept and is in all classes as well as yourself, or other staff member.

If you have an edu enterprise account I think that solves this problem as it will always be accesable by the admin.

john_rousseau

In industry, STEP files are used for similar compliance requirements. Onshape is a modeling service, so I don't know what "original submission" means. The work is generated in Onshape. I can't see that your state compliance requirements say anything about feature trees. Where is this requirement coming from?

As you know, Onshape does not use files. It uses databases to store your design work. I agree with @Ste_Wilson, an Education Enterprise plan is a better way to satisfy your compliance requirements.

Ste_Wilson

Seven years?! That's madness! How many classrooms are taken up with filing cabinets!

If you have an educator account and are using assignments and things I guess make sure there is an 'admin' account which has account details with the dept and is in all classes as well as yourself, or other staff member.

If you have an edu enterprise account I think that solves this problem as it will always be accesable by the admin.

john_rousseau

In industry, STEP files are used for similar compliance requirements. Onshape is a modeling service, so I don't know what "original submission" means. The work is generated in Onshape. I can't see that your state compliance requirements say anything about feature trees. Where is this requirement coming from?

As you know, Onshape does not use files. It uses databases to store your design work. I agree with @Ste_Wilson, an Education Enterprise plan is a better way to satisfy your compliance requirements.

michael_orme

The requirement for feature trees is because we need to have something available for remarking. We don't just mark the final output, we also mark processes. If the student appeals anytime in 365 days, then we need to provide the original work to be remarked by an impartial person. If the teacher is no longer at the school (for instance if the assignment is at the end of a term, and a teacher leaves after marking), then the school needs access to remark. If the student still appeals, then it gets sent to the board for review.

You are correct that the free educational edition is not suitable for this. I will advise the QLD ITD forum of your reply so we can transition to Autodesk Fusion. I appreciate your reply.

michael_orme

Hopefully this doesn't double post. I tried posting it, but it didn't appear.

The work is supposed to be stored so that it can be re-marked if an appeal is made. We don't just mark the final output, we mark their processes (used in the feature tree) as well. If we mark the work at the end of a term, then leave the school, the school needs access to the original work to follow the appeal process. The school is supposed to be able to handle the appeal process, which means that they need access to the submitted work. The student can then appeal the schools decision and it goes to the board.

To remain compliant, we hand over all work to the school.

You are correct that the free educational version does not provide this flexibility. I will post in the QLD ITD forum that we either need to get someone to review the Enterprise edition and pay for the functionality (if it exists), or transition to another cloud based service that does.

MDesign

It seems absurd to me to let regulations drive such a decision vs choosing the best tool for the goal. Rating compliance above future applicability (which is what teaching is all about) is just well frustrating. If onshape is determined to be the best tool to use...To serve the students the best we should find alternatices to the limitations like compliance. Lil vent from me as I know all to well the limitations placed on me by a public highschool when they place priority on liabilities vs productivity and growth. 😡

Ste_Wilson

@michael_orme

I think the free version could work, it just means you need to be a little more on the ball about making sure the 'admin' account is involved in all classes and assignments. It's not undoable.

The edu ent version would do what you need, I've used it previously.

wayne_sauder

@michael_orme

You might want to research all the information. I'm not sure Fusion is much different. I don't fully understand your requirements, nor have I studied (in depth) what this Autodesk statement means for Fusion users.

(Fusion 360 stores data indefinitely as long as your subscription is active, but if your subscription is canceled or expires, you can access your data in "Basic Access mode" for 365 days; after that period, your data may no longer be accessible.)

nick_papageorge_dayjob

Yeah, I can't imagine Fusion would solve your problems. Their data is all cloud based also.

That's such a weird requirement. Is any student really going to come back after the class ended to question their grade? Maybe a few days later they will, but 7 years? Come on. Is this high school or college?

It sounds like your school should switch to Creo and hoard useless data files of class projects for 7 years:)