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In SIMS or SIMS.net, a CTF is a Common Transfer File: an XML export of pupil or student data for a defined recipient and purpose. To create one, open Routines > Data Out > Export CTF (your version may show Export General CTF or Export Partial CTF), choose the fields and students required by the receiving organisation, assign destinations, and click Export CTF. Then review the Exception Log and locate the XML in your installation’s configured CTF export folder.
There is no single set of fields, year groups, destination or student filter that is correct for every CTF. The receiving service’s current instructions take precedence. The detailed sequence below uses NFER Online Assessments as an example, followed by the differences documented for other CTF workflows.
What a CTF file is in SIMS
In this school-management context, CTF means Common Transfer File. SIMS creates the file as XML so another authorised school-data service, local authority process or assessment system can import pupil-level information. A CTF is not a document that you edit in a word processor, and it is unrelated to files for the computer game The Sims.
The file is built for a particular transaction. A transfer between schools, an assessment return, a key-stage collection and an online-assessment upload can all use CTF technology while requiring different data, pupils and destination codes. Treat the recipient’s specification as part of the procedure rather than assuming that a “full” or “partial” export is always appropriate.
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SIMS installations also differ. A menu may be called Export CTF, Export General CTF or Export Partial CTF; the configured output folder can differ; and some screens contain fields that another version does not. NFER’s help page, modified 19 November 2024, warns: “depending on your version of SIMS, some screens may have slightly different wording to those shown here.”
For the general route and the recipient-specific examples in this guide, see the NFER Online Assessments instructions, Lancashire County Council’s CMJ and CML guidance, Kent’s Key Stage Data Collection guidance and the iTRACK support procedure.
Check the purpose before opening the export screen
Have the receiving organisation’s current instructions open before selecting anything in SIMS. Confirm the following details with the person or service that will import the file:
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- Purpose: for example, an assessment upload, school transfer, local-authority return or another defined workflow.
- Data items: the exact SIMS sections the recipient requires, such as basic details, SEN information, scores or outcomes.
- Student scope: current students, already-exported students, a year-group range, a named group or a full list.
- Effective date: whether the recipient specifies today’s date or another collection date.
- Destination: a school, local authority, country or alternative destination code.
- Export type: a general, partial or full CTF, if the receiving service distinguishes between them.
- File hand-off: whether the XML is uploaded to a portal, imported by another school or delivered through an approved local process.
Do not copy settings from an earlier export merely because the screen looks familiar. A setting that is correct for one recipient can produce a file that another service rejects or interprets incorrectly.
Open the CTF export routine
- Sign in to SIMS with an account that is permitted to run the required data-export routine.
- Open Routines > Data Out > Export CTF.
- If that exact item is absent, look for Export General CTF or Export Partial CTF. Some recipient guides show a further CTF level, written as Routines > Data Out > CTF > Export CTF.
- Compare the screen labels with the recipient’s instructions. If the expected routine or fields are missing, stop and ask the school’s SIMS administrator rather than selecting a different export type by guesswork.
The menu name is a version and configuration issue, not an indication that one label is universally correct. The receiving service’s guide and your local SIMS administrator should resolve any mismatch.
Worked example: NFER Online Assessments
The following sequence is specifically for the NFER Online Assessments upload described in its help-centre article. It is an example of a CTF workflow, not a universal SIMS template.
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1. Choose the data sections
In the export screen’s section for data to export, select Student Basic Details and SEN Information. For this NFER procedure, leave the other boxes unticked. A description field may be available; it is optional and may not appear in every SIMS version.
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Under Student Options, set the Effective Date to the current date. Set the view to Current Students, tick Include students already exported, and select Refresh Students. Refreshing repopulates the student list using those choices, so do it before making the final selection.
3. Select the NFER year groups
For the NFER upload covered by the guide, choose years 1–6. The learners should then appear in the list. This year-group range belongs to that upload instruction; do not carry it into a different assessment, transfer or local-authority return without checking the recipient’s current specification.
4. Assign the destination
Select all students in the destination field and set the destination to England for every row, as required by the NFER upload instructions. Destination values are part of the receiving service’s import rules. A different service may require a named school, local authority or another code instead.
5. Export the XML
Click Export CTF. SIMS may display prompts while it builds the file. Read each prompt and follow the recipient’s instructions; do not dismiss an exception or warning without checking what it refers to.
6. Read the Exception Log
When the routine finishes, review the Exception Log. Resolve errors or omissions before uploading the file. If a pupil expected by the recipient is absent, or the log identifies a data problem, ask the SIMS administrator to correct the underlying record or export settings and regenerate the file.
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7. Record the filename
SIMS reports the filename it created. The NFER guide gives the pattern XXXXXXX_CTF_ENGLLLL_00Y.xml. In that pattern, the first placeholder represents the school’s Department for Education number. The remaining characters identify the CTF and destination information used by that workflow; preserve the filename exactly when uploading.
8. Find the file and upload it
Look in the CTF export directory configured for your school, then use the receiving service’s authorised upload process. NFER notes that many installations use C:SIMSSTARTCTFOUT, but this is an example rather than a guaranteed path. If the folder is not present or you cannot access it, contact local IT support or the SIMS administrator.
How documented CTF workflows differ
The table separates the published procedures so that settings from one recipient are not mistaken for general SIMS rules.
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| Recipient or collection | Purpose | Menu or routine | Data and student rules | Destination or folder notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NFER Online Assessments | Upload to NFER Online Assessments | Routines > Data Out > Export CTF; version-dependent wording may differ | Student Basic Details and SEN Information; current students; include already-exported students; refresh; years 1–6 for the documented upload | Set every selected row to England; example filename XXXXXXX_CTF_ENGLLLL_00Y.xml; commonly configured folder may be C:SIMSSTARTCTFOUT |
| Lancashire County Council CMJ/CML | CMJ and CML CTFs, including a Home Educated case | Use the CTF routine specified in the Lancashire guide | Scenario-specific selections; the guide’s Home Educated case has no actual destination school for a General CTF | Use an alternative destination and a destination LA/Other for that case; published example is SIMS > Star > CTFout |
| Kent Key Stage Data Collection | Return pupil-level scores or outcomes for the collection | Use the SIMS CTF export route in the collection guidance | Collection-specific pupil data; current guidance must be checked for the relevant collection year | Note the configured CTF import and export directories because they vary by installation |
| iTRACK | Import into iTRACK | Routines > Data Out > CTF > Export CTF | Select iTRACK’s specified export data; use Current Students, include already-exported students, refresh, and export a full list rather than a partial list for this import | Assign the required destination, check the Exception Log and use the configured CTF export directory |
The Lancashire instructions are issue 2.0 from November 2021, and the Kent material is indexed for the 2023 collection. Check the current collection or local-authority instructions before reusing either document.
Choosing fields and students without over-exporting
Fields
Only select the sections named by the receiving service. NFER’s example requires Student Basic Details and SEN Information, while a key-stage return concerns pupil-level scores or outcomes. Those requirements cannot be substituted for one another. If a guide does not list a field, ask the recipient or MIS administrator whether it is required rather than adding unrelated sections.
Current versus already-exported students
The Current Students view and the Include students already exported option are independent choices. A recipient may need only current pupils, or may require current pupils even when SIMS records that they were included in an earlier export. NFER and iTRACK both explicitly use these settings in their documented workflows; another service may not.
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Full versus partial lists
iTRACK specifically instructs users to export a full list for its import. A partial list can be correct for a different task, such as a narrowly defined transfer or correction. Do not interpret “full list” as a universal requirement, and do not switch to partial export merely to reduce the file without recipient approval.
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Destinations
A destination tells the receiving workflow where the records belong. NFER’s example uses England for every selected row. Lancashire’s Home Educated scenario has no actual destination school, so its guide uses an alternative destination and a destination LA/Other. These are different situations; choose the value specified for the transaction you are performing.
Where SIMS saves the CTF
SIMS writes the XML to the CTF export directory configured by the school’s installation. Published examples include:
C:SIMSSTARTCTFOUT, cited in the NFER procedure.SIMS > Star > CTFout, shown in the Lancashire guidance.
The examples do not establish a single default for every school. Kent’s guidance also advises users to note their import and export directory settings because they can vary. If the completion message gives a filename but Windows search does not find it, ask the SIMS administrator which server or workstation holds the configured CTFOUT location. Avoid creating a new folder and exporting again until the configured path is confirmed, because you could end up looking in the wrong location or generating duplicate files.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Exception Log and troubleshooting
The export routine is missing
Check for the alternate labels Export General CTF, Export Partial CTF or the additional CTF menu level. If none is available, your account may not have the required permissions or your installation may use a different role configuration. Contact the SIMS administrator with the SIMS version and the recipient’s procedure.
Expected pupils do not appear
Confirm the view, effective date, year-group or other selection criteria, then select Refresh Students. Check whether the workflow requires Include students already exported. If the pupils are still absent, verify their SIMS records and ask the administrator to determine whether an enrolment, date or data-quality issue is preventing selection.
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The Exception Log reports an error
Read the log before sending the file. iTRACK’s support material discusses errors such as missing UPNs in its own workflow. A missing identifier, invalid destination or incomplete record can make the receiving service reject the XML. Correct the underlying SIMS data or selection, export again, and retain only the file that has passed the recipient’s checks.
SIMS displays prompts during export
Prompts can require confirmation or identify records that need attention. Follow the recipient’s documented response and record any message that remains after the export. If the prompt is unclear, stop before uploading and ask the administrator; accepting an unknown option can change the student scope or data content.
The file cannot be found
Use the filename shown by SIMS and check the configured CTF export directory, including any network location used by your school. The example paths above are not universal. If the directory is inaccessible, local IT support or the SIMS administrator can identify the correct location and permissions.
The receiving service rejects the XML
Compare the file with the recipient’s requirements: export type, required fields, effective date, student list, destination and full-versus-partial selection. Recheck the Exception Log and regenerate the file after correcting the specific mismatch. Do not alter the XML manually unless the receiving organisation explicitly documents that process.
Handling the file after export
A CTF contains school pupil or student data. Use the receiving organisation’s authorised upload or transfer route and follow your school’s established data-handling process. The cited procedures explain how to create and locate the XML, but they do not establish one universal retention period, encryption method or storage policy for every school. If the recipient has a naming, upload or deletion requirement, follow that requirement and your local policy.
A repeatable checklist
- Identify the recipient and exact purpose of this CTF.
- Read the current recipient instructions and note required fields, pupils, dates, destination and export type.
- Open the version-appropriate SIMS CTF routine.
- Select only the specified data sections.
- Set the view, effective date and already-exported option exactly as instructed.
- Refresh the student list and verify the names or year groups.
- Assign each destination according to the workflow.
- Export the CTF and respond to prompts.
- Review the Exception Log and fix reported problems.
- Record the generated filename and retrieve the XML from the configured CTF export directory.
- Upload or transfer it through the authorised recipient process.
If you remember only one rule, make it this: a CTF is not a one-size-fits-all export. Use the receiving service’s current field and student requirements, then verify the Exception Log and configured output folder before the XML leaves the school system.
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