Introduction
Classter allows institutions to customize system terminology to better suit their specific operational needs. This manual explains how to modify terminology, manage entity names, enable or disable fields, and work with different field types.
Based on the Understanding Main Entities & Institutional Structure guide, you can customize your institution’s terminology as shown below.
Accessing and Editing Terminology
To customize terminology:
- Access Settings: From the Classter Dashboard, navigate to Configuration > Main Settings > Customize Terminology. This section lets you modify standard terms and define institution-specific terminology.
- Edit Terminology: Select a term, update the name, define the plural form, and specify the language (culture), add a description of the term’s use or relevant synonyms, and choose the appropriate category under which the term and its field will be placed in the student form. The terminology change will apply only to the specific language in which the change is made (e.g., English (UK)).
- Save & Apply Changes: Save your modifications, then refresh your session by logging out and back in to see the updates.
Default vs. Custom Terminology
The default terminology is used across all modules in the Classter platform, including reports, dashboards, menus, student records, and configuration fields.
Once customized, the new terminology replaces the default terms throughout the system, including user interfaces, student records, reports, drop-down selections, field names, and system-generated documents.
Customizing Main Entities Terminology and Other Fields
Classter allows you to customize not only the terminology for main system entities but also various other configurable fields. This ensures that institutions can tailor the platform to match their specific operational and academic structures.
Understanding Tabs in Terminology Customization
Classter’s terminology settings are organized into different tabs, each serving a specific purpose:
- General: Global terminology settings that apply across the entire system.
- Custom Student Fields: Modify fields related to student details, such as additional personal or academic information.
- Custom Teacher Fields: Adjust terms related to educators, including job titles, qualifications, or even salary related field.
- Custom Other Contacts: Customize terms for contacts who are neither students nor teachers, such as relatives, suppliers, companies, agents etc. and associated fields.
- Admissions: Fields related to the admissions process, including application statuses, financial data, consents.
- Inclinations: Covers linguistic variations, name inflections, and different grammatical forms for better localization.
- Educational Program: Customize fields for academic programs, courses, and curriculum, including alternative assignments, lookup fields, and other attributes that support admissions, student records, and program management.
- Employment Data: Adjust terminology for employment-related fields, including bonuses, employment types, legal relationships, and operational status.
Enabling and Disabling Fields
Some fields are enabled by default, while others can be activated/deactivated based on institutional needs.
Fields enabled by Default
Navigate to Configuration > Customize Terminology.
Active and Inactive field.
Toggle fields on or off, as needed. Save your changes.
Once activated, an icon will appear in the top right corner of the field, indicating it is active.
Field Types Explained
Classter provides multiple field types for structured data entry:
- Lookup: A drop-down list with predefined options.
- MultiLookup: A drop-down allowing multiple selections.
- Free Text: An open text field for manual input.
- Date Picker: A field for selecting calendar dates.
- Checkbox: A simple on/off toggle for boolean values.
Refreshing Changes
After modifying terminology, users must refresh the academic period or log out/log in to see the changes applied across the system.
Using Default vs. Custom Fields
Before creating a custom field, always search if a similar default field already exists, even if the terminology is slightly different.
Using default fields instead of custom ones is highly recommended, as it ensures:
- Better system integration
- Consistency across modules
- Easier system updates
Examples of Terminology Customization
a. Authorized – Unauthorized Absences (General Tab)
- Go to Customize Terminology
- Search for the term Absence.
- Update the default terms:
Default: Authorized Absence → Custom: Excused Absence
Default: Not Authorized Absence → Custom: Unexcused Absence
- Modify the terms as needed and save your changes.
✅ Your custom terminology is now applied!
b. Student Fields (Custom Students Tab)
Keep in mind that the first seven fields are part of the Basic Data/ Student’s Basic Data section in the student form, while all other fields below them belong to Various Data/Custom Fields.
Enabling a Lookup Student Field
To enable a lookup student field, follow these steps:
- Special Student Field 3 (renamed Study Difficulties – Plural) → Click Enter Values to access the dropdown list configuration.
- Edit existing dropdown values or add new ones as needed.
✅ The lookup field will now display a single selectable value from the predefined list. You can find it in the Student Card under the Basic Data section.
Enabling a Custom Text Student Field
To enable a custom text student field, follow these steps:
- Student Text 1 (renamed Height) → Open it and toggle the switch ON.
- Save your changes
✅ The field is now active and will appear as a text input where you can enter the relevant information. You can find it in the Student Card under the Various Data section.
c. Educational Program Custom Fields
Enabling an Educational Program Field
Activate the Educational Program Indication field and rename it to Educational Program Type. This field is linked to a dropdown list with the following options:
- Full-Time
- Part-Time
- Progression Full-Time
- Progression Part-Time
- Repeating Year
Where to Find It
Once set up, this field will be available in:
- Advanced Filters → View Students per Educational Program
- Student Form → Educational Program Details
Note on Alternative Fields
To enable other Alternative fields, activate the “Enable Alternative Assignments” setting under General Settings > Student Form > Educational Program Parameters. These fields will only be visible once this option is turned on.
For more details on Educational Program fields, check out: Custom Educational Program Fields.
Additional Examples of Terminology Customization
Classter allows customization of key terminology under the following categories:
Location
Defines different types of locations within an institution:
- Institution, Institute, Campus, Country, City, School, Level, Center, Department, Faculty.
Building
Represents specific infrastructure within a location:
- Campus, City, Level, School, Department.
Grade
Represents academic progression levels:
- Year, Program, Course (as program), Certificate, Stage.
Stream
Represents academic pathways and subdivisions:
- Track, Pathway, Specialization, Focus Area, Semester/Term/Quarter, Year.
Educational Program Category/Specialization
Classifies academic programs and specializations:
- Specialization, Study Type, Study Mode, Block, Track.
Student
Defines alternative terms for students:
- Learner, Pupil, Scholar.
Teacher
Defines alternative terms for teachers:
- Educator, Instructor, Tutor, Professor, Lecturer.
Subject
Represents academic courses or modules:
- Module, Course, Unit.
Group
Defines student learning structures:
- Class, Cohort, Section, Team, Club.
Thesis
Defines different research and academic writing requirements:
- Dissertation, Research Paper, Final Project.
Internship
Represents professional training experiences:
- Traineeship, Apprenticeship, Work Placement, Practicum.
Attendance & Progress
Tracks student progress and participation:
- Logbook, Register, Tracker, Record.
Scholarship
Represents financial aid options:
- Grant, Fellowship, Financial Aid, Tuition Waiver.
Consents
Defines different authorization and permission types:
- Permission, Approval, Agreement, Authorization.
Conclusion
By following this guide, institutions can effectively tailor Classter’s terminology to fit their operational needs, ensuring clarity and consistency across all modules. Regular updates and best practices will help maintain a streamlined experience for users.
