Official Site of The State of New Jersey
Field Change Requests in NJSLEDS
A field change request corrects values that are already in the statewide student or staff record. Use a field change request when the record exists, the identifier is correct, and the underlying information in NJSLEDS is incorrect.
Field change requests are submitted through the NJSLEDS Help Desk as a case. The request template is provided inside the case form, and you can track the request and review the results from your case.
Field Change or Merge?
Field changes and merges solve different problems. Use the table below to confirm you are submitting the correct request.
| Request Type | When to Use It |
|---|---|
| Field Change | Same person, same identifier, wrong data on the record. The record exists in NJSLEDS and one or more demographic fields need to be corrected or updated. |
| Merge | Same person, two or more identifiers in the system. Submit a merge request to consolidate the records into one. See Merge Requests in NJSLEDS. |
File Format Requirements
How to Submit a Field Change Request
The submission steps are the same for student (SID) and staff (SMID) field changes. The template and the fields you can change differ. Choose your submission type in the next section.
- Export the current record from NJSLEDS so you have the existing values in front of you.
- Open a case using Steps 1 and 2 in How to Submit an NJSLEDS Help Desk Case (PDF). If the Known Issues screen appears, select None of the above, then select Next.
- Confirm your name, email address and district ID, then enter your phone number and extension, if applicable.
- Route the request using the dropdown menus shown below, add a short description in Details, and submit the form.
- On the next screen, download the Template File for Upload that matches your submission type. Download the Sample Template File for Reference if you want to see a completed example.
- Fill in the Current columns with the values as they appear in NJSLEDS now.
- Fill in the New columns with the values from your local source system, including fields that are not changing.
- Complete the Confirmation of Change cell.
- Save the template tab as a CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited) (*.csv) file. When Excel prompts to confirm saving only the selected tab, select OK.
- Upload the completed CSV file to the case, then confirm the correct file name appears.
Case Form Selections
| Dropdown | Selection |
|---|---|
| Type | ID Change Management |
| Sub Type | Change Request (First Name, Last Name, etc.) |
| Sub Category | Student Management or Staff Management |
Submit each request type separately. Field changes, merges and deletions each need their own case and their own file. Multiple records of the same request type belong in one correctly completed template.
Choose Your Submission Type
Select the request that matches the record you need to update.
Student Field Change (SID)
Use the SID Field Change template when a student record in NJSLEDS has incorrect demographic information that needs to be corrected. In the case form, select Student Management as the Sub Category.
Fields You Can Change
| Field | When to Change It |
|---|---|
| First Name Middle Name Last Name |
The student’s name has changed, or the name was originally entered incorrectly (misspelling, wrong order, transposed first and last name). |
| Date of Birth | The date of birth in NJSLEDS is incorrect due to a data entry error and needs to be corrected. |
| Gender | The gender on the Student Management record is incorrect or the student has had a gender marker change. |
| Confirmation of Change | Required on every submission. Confirms that the requested changes are accurate. |
City of Birth and Country of Birth are no longer used in identity matching and cannot be changed through a field change request as of June 12, 2026.
Where to Get the Template
The SID Field Change template is available inside the case form after you submit the case details. It is not available for download from this page.
Staff Field Change (SMID)
Use the SMID Field Change template when a staff record in NJSLEDS has incorrect demographic information that needs to be corrected. In the case form, select Staff Management as the Sub Category.
Fields You Can Change
| Field | When to Change It |
|---|---|
| First Name Middle Name Last Name |
The name is misspelled, in the wrong order, or has changed (marriage, divorce, court order, or other change). |
| Former Name | The former name on the staff record needs to be corrected or updated. |
| Date of Birth | The date of birth on the Staff Management record is incorrect due to a data entry error and should be corrected to match identification or HR records. |
| Gender | The gender on the staff record is incorrect or the staff member has had a gender marker change. |
| Social Security Number | The Social Security Number on the SMID record was entered incorrectly, or the staff member has received a new SSN (rare, but can happen in cases such as identity theft). |
| Confirmation of Change | Required on every submission. Confirms that the requested changes are accurate. |
Where to Get the Template
The SMID Field Change template is available inside the case form after you submit the case details. It is not available for download from this page.
After You Submit
From the NJSLEDS Home page, select View All Cases and open your case number to track the request. The Requested and Processed Files table shows the uploaded file, the requested date, the Outcome File, the processed date and the current file status.
Review the Outcome File even when the request processes successfully, since it gives the result for each record you submitted. If any records fail, correct them and upload a new file in the same case rather than opening a second case. Once the change is confirmed, update your local source system before your next NJSLEDS upload so the records stay aligned.
For the full walkthrough, including screenshots and file status definitions, see the Field Change, Merge and Delete Requests guide.
Why Field Changes Require a Request
- NJSLEDS is designed to track data over time, not just store the most recent submission. It creates a historical view of each student, which requires consistency between past and current data.
- The business rules that support reporting and analytics rely on the accuracy of historical data. When new data contradicts what was previously submitted, it triggers validations or quality checks. This helps prevent errors such as duplication or unintended overwrites.
- When corrections are needed, we ask for a change request to document the reason for the update. This helps maintain transparency and ensures we have a clear record of why the data changed. It’s not intended to create barriers, but to protect the integrity of the information in the system.
- Accurate and consistent data is essential for compliance, funding, and reporting. Your data informs decisions at many levels, from student support to statewide policy. Ensuring quality helps us all operate with confidence.
