Delete Requests in NJSLEDS

A record deletion request permanently removes a record from NJSLEDS. Records should only be deleted if they were submitted in error and do not represent a real student, staff member, or vacancy. If a record was ever part of your reporting responsibility, it should be inactivated in your local source system instead of deleted.

Deletion requests are submitted through the NJSLEDS Help Desk as a case. Delete templates are available for download from this page. Once you submit, you can track the request and review the results from your case.

Before You Submit a Deletion Request

Deletions are permanent. Once a record is deleted, it cannot be recovered. There is no preview, cancel, or undo option.

Only the original submitter can request a deletion. If your district did not submit the record, you cannot delete it.

If a record was ever your reporting responsibility, inactivate it instead.* Inactivation happens in your local source system. Re-upload the corrected file to NJSLEDS.

*This applies to Student Management and Staff Management only.

Delete or Inactivate?

The wrong choice can damage longitudinal data or fail to remove a record that should not exist. Use the scenarios in each submission type below to confirm deletion is correct. As a general rule:

Action	When to Use It
Delete	The record was submitted in error and does not represent a real person or position. No part of the record was ever your reporting responsibility.
Inactivate	The record represents a real person who was at one point your reporting responsibility, but is no longer (left, transferred, graduated, retired, etc.). Update the status in your local source system and re-upload to NJSLEDS.
Merge	A person has more than one identifier (SID or SMID) in the system, and both records have historical data that must be preserved. See Merge Requests in NJSLEDS.

File Format Requirements

Only CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited) (*.csv) files are accepted. Files in Excel format (.xlsx, .xls) or any other format will be rejected. Save the file as a CSV UTF-8 file before submitting.

Required Fields on Every Delete Template

Every record deletion template has three required fields that control how your deletion is processed. The column letters and valid values vary by submission type, but the fields work the same way across all templates.

Field	What It Does
DeleteFlag	Tells NJSLEDS whether you are deleting a single record or every record from a file. Two valid values: a record-level value specific to your template (see the Template Field Reference in each section below), or “Entire File.” Required on every row. Choosing “Entire File” removes all records from that file so they can be re-uploaded. District association is not affected.
FileID	Required only when DeleteFlag is set to “Entire File.” Enter the original File ID from your Submission History in NJSLEDS. When DeleteFlag is a record-level value, this column grays out. Leave it blank.
DeletionReason	Required on every row. Select the reason that matches your situation from the dropdown. Requests submitted without a Deletion Reason will not be processed.

Understanding the Template Color Coding

Each delete template uses color coding to show field status as you fill it in. Colors are supplementary. Always confirm your dropdown selections and data.

Color	Meaning	What to Do
Gray	Not applicable	Leave this field empty. It does not apply to your deletion type.
Red	Missing required information	A required field is empty. Fill it in before submitting.
Green	Complete	This required field has been filled in correctly. No action is needed.

How to Submit a Deletion Request

The submission steps are the same for all delete templates. The template and the available reasons differ. Choose your submission type in the next section.

Keep student and staff information inside the secure case and file upload process. Do not send a deletion request, a completed template, or record data by email under any circumstances.

Export the full record from NJSLEDS so you have the data you need to paste into the template.
Download the correct delete template from the section below.
Paste the record data into the template tab.
In the DeleteFlag column, select the record-level value or “Entire File” from the dropdown.
In the DeletionReason column, select the reason that matches your situation from the dropdown.
If DeleteFlag is “Entire File,” enter the File ID from your Submission History in the FileID column. Otherwise, leave FileID blank.
Resolve any red fields revealed by the color coding.
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. Make sure you are saving the template tab, not the instructions tab.
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.
Upload the completed CSV file to the case, then confirm the correct file name appears.

Case Form Selections

Dropdown	Selection
Type	Delete Record
Sub Type	The submission type for the record or file you are deleting
Sub Category	No additional selection needed

To delete multiple records from different files, each record needs its own row in the template. Submit each request type separately: field changes, merges and deletions each need their own case and their own file. After your deletion is processed, remove the deleted records from all future uploads to prevent them from being re-submitted.

Choose Your Submission Type

Select the request that matches the record you need to delete.

Student Management Deletion

Use the Student Management Delete template when a student record was submitted in error and does not represent a real student who was ever part of your district.

Delete or Inactivate? Student Scenarios

Scenario	Action	Why
A student record was created in the SIS but the student never attended or enrolled (for example, a record created during registration but the student never showed up).	Delete	The student was never part of your district.
A student was pre-registered but did not enroll in the district (for example, the family completed intake forms but chose a different school).	Delete	The student began the enrollment process but never completed it.
A student was reported with the wrong SID and the record has not yet been processed (for example, the SID was transposed or assigned to the wrong person, and the record is still in Unresolved or Associated SID status).	Delete	The record is tied to an incorrect SID and has not yet processed, so it must be removed before the correct SID can be used. If the record has already been processed, this may require a merge instead.
A student was reported through a system or data entry error (for example, test data, a placeholder record, the wrong file imported, or a training record accidentally uploaded).	Delete	The record should never have been entered in the system.
A student was pre-registered but has never enrolled in New Jersey (for example, an out-of-state family inquired but never relocated).	Delete	The student has no enrollment history in New Jersey.
A student has more than one SID, and both records have historical data (such as enrollment, assessment, or special education records tied to each SID).	Merge	Both SIDs have longitudinal data that must be preserved. See Merge Requests in NJSLEDS.
The record is in a transfer request status (for example, the student is being claimed by another district).	Inactivate	Transfer records cannot be deleted through this template. Inactivate the record in your local source system and re-upload. If a catastrophic error occurred (such as the entire wrong district file uploaded), contact the Help Desk.
The student was ever enrolled with your district, or the student left, transferred, or graduated.	Inactivate	The student has a valid enrollment history with your district. Update the status in your local source system and re-upload to NJSLEDS.

Valid Deletion Reasons

A student record was created in the SIS but the student never attended or enrolled.
A student was pre-registered but did not enroll in the district.
A student was reported with the wrong State Identification Number (SID).
A student was reported through system or data entry error.
A student was pre-registered but has never been enrolled in New Jersey.
An entire file was uploaded in error and needs to be removed. (Use this reason only when DeleteFlag is “Entire File.”)

Template Field Reference

Field	Column	Valid Values
DeleteFlag	Column DA	Record \| Entire File
FileID	Column DB	Required when DeleteFlag = “Entire File.” Otherwise leave blank.
DeletionReason	Column DC	Select from the dropdown.

Download the Template

Student Management Delete Template — Excel

Staff Management Deletion

Use the Staff Management Delete template when a staff record was submitted in error and does not represent a real staff member who was ever employed by your district.

Delete or Inactivate? Staff Scenarios

Scenario	Action	Why
A staff record was created in your local source system but the staff member never worked for or was employed by the district (for example, a record created during onboarding but the staff member never showed up).	Delete	The staff member was never part of your district.
A staff member was pre-hired but did not begin employment with the district (for example, the candidate completed intake forms but accepted a position elsewhere).	Delete	The staff member began the hiring process but never completed it.
A staff member was reported with the wrong SMID and the record has not yet been processed (for example, the SMID was transposed or assigned to the wrong person, and the record is still in Unresolved or Associated SMID status).	Delete	The record is tied to an incorrect SMID and has not yet processed, so it must be removed before the correct SMID can be used. If the record has already been processed, this may require a merge instead.
A staff member was reported through a system or data entry error (for example, test data, a placeholder record, the wrong file imported, or a training record accidentally uploaded).	Delete	The record should never have been entered in the system.
A staff member was pre-hired but has never been employed in New Jersey (for example, an out-of-state candidate applied but never relocated).	Delete	The staff member has no employment history in New Jersey.
A staff member has more than one SMID, and both records have historical data (such as employment, certification, or evaluation records tied to each SMID).	Merge	Both SMIDs have longitudinal data that must be preserved. See Merge Requests in NJSLEDS.
The staff member was ever employed by your district, or the staff member left, transferred, or retired.	Inactivate	The staff member has a valid employment history with your district. Update the status in your local source system and re-upload to NJSLEDS.

Valid Deletion Reasons

A staff record was created in the source system but the staff member never worked for or was employed by the district.
A staff member was pre-hired but did not begin employment with the district.
A staff member was reported with the wrong Staff Member Identifier (SMID).
A staff member was reported through a system or data entry error.
A staff member was pre-hired but has never been employed in New Jersey.
An entire file was uploaded in error and needs to be removed. (Use this reason only when DeleteFlag is “Entire File.”)

Template Field Reference

Field	Column	Valid Values
DeleteFlag	Column CH	Record \| Entire File
FileID	Column CI	Required when DeleteFlag = “Entire File.” Otherwise leave blank.
DeletionReason	Column CJ	Select from the dropdown.

Download the Template

Staff Management Delete Template — Excel

Staff Vacancy Deletion

Use the Staff Vacancy Delete template when a vacancy record was submitted in error. Unlike student and staff records, vacancy records cannot be inactivated. Deletion is the only option for vacancy records that should not exist.

When to Delete a Vacancy Record

Scenario	Why
A vacancy record was submitted due to a system or data entry error (for example, a test file was uploaded, a placeholder vacancy was created, or the wrong district’s staffing file was imported).	The record should never have been entered in the system.
An entire file was submitted in error.	The file should never have been submitted at all.

Valid Deletion Reasons

A record was reported through system or data entry error.
An entire file was uploaded in error and needs to be removed. (Use this reason only when DeleteFlag is “Entire File.”)

Template Field Reference

Field	Column	Valid Values
DeleteFlag	Column J	Record \| Entire File
FileID	Column K	Required when DeleteFlag = “Entire File.” Otherwise leave blank.
DeletionReason	Column L	Select from the dropdown.

Download the Template

Staff Vacancy Delete Template — Excel

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.

For the full walkthrough, including screenshots and file status definitions, see the Field Change, Merge and Delete Requests guide.

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