When does data sync from my MIS into Microsoft® 365™ or Google Workspace?

MIS data, including groups, is synchronised to RM Unify every evening. RM Unify Group Sync to Microsoft 365 and/or Google Workspace runs automatically overnight.

Is it possible to force a sync of RM Unify group data outside of the schedule?

Yes. Logged on as an RM Unify super admin, browse to the Groups page in the Management Console. Locate your desired group, click the Actions button and choose to Resync. It can take up to 30 minutes for the sync to complete.

Is it possible to force a sync of MIS data into RM Unify outside of the scheduled sync?

Yes. For schools using Groupcall Xporter, it is possible to run the sync job out of schedule. Simply log on to the server with Xporter installed, open the Xporter Management Console, select Jobs, right-click RMUnify-Data and choose to Run Job Now. It should complete the sync of MIS data to RM Unify in around ten minutes.

For schools using RM Integris, sign into the RM Unify Management Console as a super admin user. Under Synchronisation Status, 'Last Sync from MIS', click Resync.

Can I stop or pause the automatic group sync function?

You can stop automatic creation of new groups and classes by clearing the desired group type(s) on the Group Sync Settings page. However, clearing the group types boxes from this page will not pause or stop synchronisation of those groups which have already been created by the automatic group sync feature. If you would like further advice on pausing or stopping synchronisation of existing groups, please contact your usual support provider or the Cloud Support team.

Why can I not access the Group Sync Settings page?

You may have previously asked RM Support for Group Sync to be permanently disabled for all new and existing groups. In this case, the option 'Set up group sync to apps' from the Settings drop-down on the Groups page will be missing. Also, if you try to access the direct URL to the Group Sync Settings page, you will receive an error: "Access denied. Sorry, you are not authorised to access this page". Please log a call with RM Support to get this feature re-enabled if required.

Is it possible to see which staff are members of a group via RM Unify?

The RM Unify Management Console displays student membership of MIS groups only, but it does not display teacher membership of MIS groups. However, it is possible to view the Microsoft 365 Group, Microsoft 365 Class, or Google Class membership, directly in Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace as a user with the appropriate permissions.

Is it possible to add groups as members of a Microsoft 365 Group?

Microsoft do not currently allow this (at time of writing). Only individual members can be added to Microsoft 365 Groups. Driving group membership from the school's MIS via RM Unify, therefore, makes management of Microsoft 365 Groups much easier.

Can I change the Microsoft 365 Group name and/or primary email address?

Yes, a group owner or administrator can change the group name and/or primary email address in Microsoft 365. However, there is no write-back feature, so the group will retain its original name and email address when viewed in the RM Unify Management Console. Future membership and group changes will continue to sync from RM Unify to Microsoft 365 but none will revert the group name or email address to their original value. It is possible to change the 'Name identifier' attribute used to create new Microsoft 365 Groups, but this will not retrospectively update any groups that have already been created. As an RM Unify super admin, navigate to the RM Unify Management Console, Groups, 'Set up group sync to apps' and edit the 'Name identifier'.

Can I change the Google Class name?

Yes, the owner or teacher of a class can change the name in Google Classroom. However, there is no write-back feature, so the class will retain its original name when viewed in the RM Unify Management Console. Future membership and class changes will continue to sync from RM Unify to Google because the underlying unique Google Class ID remains the same, but none will revert the class name to their original value. It is possible to change the 'Name identifier' attribute used to create new Google Classes, but this will not retrospectively update any classes that have already been created. As an RM Unify super admin, navigate to the RM Unify Management Console, Groups, 'Set up group sync to apps' and edit the 'Name identifier'.

Why have my new Google Classes not been created?

There is an upper limit in Google Workspace for users being owners of Google Classes. The maximum is 10,000 classes. Once a user hits this limit, the class creations will fail.

If you suspect that you may have reached this limit (e.g. if you are a large school, or have large numbers of groups syncing with Google Workspace, for a number of years etc.) you should create a new, dedicated RM Unify super admin and name it appropriately, e.g. ClassroomAdmin2019@<scope>. Once the new RM Unify super admin has been created, browse to the Group Sync Settings page and select that admin as the sole group owner, then Save the change. Classes should now be created following the overnight sync, or via manual 'Creates' via the Actions button.

What happens when I change the RM Unify admin user selected as group owner?

If you change the selected RM Unify admin user (group owner) on the Group Sync Settings page, this will only take effect for the Groups and Classes created from that point onwards. Pre-existing Groups or Classes will not be retrospectively updated with the new admin user.

Can I manually create Microsoft 365 Groups, Microsoft 365 Classes, or Google Classes?

If you need to manually create Microsoft 365 Groups, Microsoft 365 Classes, or Google Classes, it is possible to do this for individual groups via the Actions button (against each group) in the Groups page. The create should complete in around 30 minutes.

Do Microsoft 365 Groups, Microsoft 365 Classes, or Google Classes get deleted?

When an MIS group is deleted from MIS and therefore from RM Unify, the corresponding Microsoft 365 Group/Class or Google Class is not deleted. This is intentional, as there may be resources and data within Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace which you wish to preserve or archive. Once archived, a Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace admin can manually delete the Group/Class.

It is also possible, however, for an RM Unify admin to manually delete a Microsoft 365 Group, Microsoft 365 Class, or Google Class, even if the MIS group still exists. From the Groups page, select the Actions button next to the group and select 'Delete [group\class] from...'.  If an RM Unify admin later wants to recreate the Microsoft 365 Group/Class or Google Class for the same MIS group, they can do this from the same Actions button and a new Group or Class is created with a new, unique ID.

Note: Where an MIS group is deleted, it is removed from the RM Unify Management Console, which then removes the ability to delete the corresponding Microsoft 365 Group/Class or Google Class. However, the ability of an RM Unify admin to better manage these deleted groups is currently being considered for release and will be publicised when live within the Management Console.