Summary
This article explains how school admins and staff can create a manual tag (e.g., Focused Group) and then use it to build a custom Attendance Insights dashboard to monitor students with attendance concerns.
Overview
Manual Tags in Orah allow your school to group students manually for tracking purposes, such as a watchlist for students with ongoing attendance issues.
Once a manual tag is created and assigned to students, you can use it as a filter in Attendance Insights to build a dedicated dashboard view for this group.
Applies to: School Admins, Pastoral Leaders, Attendance Staff.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1 - Create a Manual Tag
Go to the Admin Console.
Select Tags.
Click Add New Tag.
Enter a tag name such as Focused Group.
Set Tag Type to Manual Tag (turn off the Smart Tag toggle).
Select the students you wish to include in this watchlist.
Click Save.
Step 2 - Use the Tag to Create an Attendance Insights Dashboard
From the left navigation, go to Location → Attendance → Insights.
Click the + icon next to Main Board to create a new view.
Name your view Focused Group (or similar).
In the filter bar:
Set your date range to Last 30 days.
Select the Tag filter.
Search for Focused Group and select it.
Click Apply.
Review the widgets that appear on the dashboard. Hide any widgets you don’t need by clicking Hide Widget, and leave only the relevant attendance metrics.
Click Save to finalise your custom view.
Your custom Attendance Insights view will now show data only for students assigned to the Focused Group tag, making it easy for staff to monitor students at risk.
Best Practices / Tips
Use clear and consistent tag names (e.g., Attendance Watchlist, Focused Group, Support Required).
Avoid creating too many manual tags, keep them purposeful and aligned with school processes.
Update your watchlist regularly by editing the tag and adding/removing students.
Consider sharing the custom dashboard with pastoral or academic staff who monitor student wellbeing.
FAQs
Can teachers see manual tags?
Yes, teachers with appropriate permissions will see manual tags applied to students on their class or house lists.
Can one student have multiple tags?
Absolutely. Tags can overlap, a student may be part of multiple tracked cohorts.
Do manual tags update automatically?
No. Manual tags require manual updates. If you need automation, consider using Smart Tags instead.
Will my custom Insights view be visible to others?
Views are saved to your account. You can share screenshots or export data as needed.
Troubleshooting
I can’t find the tag in Attendance Insights.
Ensure the tag was created under Admin Console → Tags.
Ensure the tag type is Manual Tag, not Smart Tag.
Check that at least one student is assigned to the tag.
My dashboard is showing “0” values.
Confirm your date range includes days when attendance was recorded.
Make sure students in the tag actually have attendance data in the selected period.
Widgets look cluttered or irrelevant.
Use Hide Widget to simplify your view.
Rearrange or recreate the board if needed.
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Prefer a visual guide?
Click the Scribe walkthrough below to see every step with screenshots and highlighted actions.