Build Your Jenzabar Operations Handbook

Map Jenzabar One architecture and build a Day-1 admin reference handbook.

Introduction

30 Second Summary

Every college runs on a system that tracks students from their first inquiry all the way to graduation day. When that system needs changes or something breaks, someone has to know how it works inside and out.

In this project, you will build a comprehensive Jenzabar Operations Handbook in Microsoft Word. You'll map the full system architecture, document how modules connect to the student lifecycle, and create a Day-1 checklist for when you get system access.

What You'll Build

A structured Word document that serves as your go-to reference for Jenzabar One administration, built entirely from official documentation.

By the end of this project, you'll have:

A system architecture map showing how Jenzabar One's five core components connect and communicate.
A module-by-module reference tracing how the student lifecycle flows through the system from admissions to graduation.
A Day-1 Access Checklist listing every credential, role, and tool you need to request from IT.
Secret Mission: Build a troubleshooting decision tree for diagnosing the most common Jenzabar admin issues.

Do I need access to a live Jenzabar system?

No. This project uses only publicly accessible Jenzabar documentation. You don't need a live instance, a MyJenzabar.net account, or database access. When you do get system access later, your handbook becomes the companion guide you reference on the job.

Set Up Your Workspace

Before you can start researching and documenting Jenzabar One, you need a well-structured document to hold everything you learn.

In this step, you'll create your handbook file in Microsoft Word with a proper title page and section skeleton. You'll also bookmark the official Jenzabar documentation that you'll reference throughout this project.

In this step, get ready to:

Create and save your handbook document with a title page.
Build the document skeleton with five main sections.
Bookmark the official Jenzabar help documentation in your browser.

Create your handbook document

Your handbook will be a single Word document that grows with you throughout this project. Starting with a clean title page makes it feel like a professional reference from the beginning.

Press Cmd+Space (macOS) or the Windows key (Windows) to open your search bar.
Type Word and press Enter to open Microsoft Word.
Click Blank document to create a new file.
Save the file immediately by pressing Cmd+S (macOS) or Ctrl+S (Windows).
Name the file Jenzabar-Operations-Handbook.docx and save it to your Desktop.

Now set up the title page. On the first page of your document, type the following information, each on its own line:

Type Jenzabar Operations Handbook as the document title.
Type your full name on the next line.
Type your college name on the next line.
Type today's date on the next line.

Make the title stand out

Select the title text and increase its font size or apply a Title style from the Home tab's Styles section. This makes it visually clear that this is a cover page.

Build the document skeleton

A good reference document needs a clear structure you can jump to quickly. You'll create five main sections now and fill them in during the upcoming steps.

Press Enter a few times after your title page content to start a new area.
Type 1. System Architecture on a new line.
Select that line, then open the Styles section in the Home tab and click Heading 1.
Press Enter and type To be completed. as placeholder text below this heading.

Why use Heading 1 style?

Heading 1 creates entries in Word's Navigation Pane, which lets you jump between sections instantly. As your handbook grows, this navigation becomes essential.

Repeat this same process for the remaining four sections. For each one, type the heading text, apply Heading 1 style, then add To be completed. on the line below:

Type 2. Student Lifecycle & Modules and apply Heading 1 style, then add the placeholder text below.
Type 3. Roles & Permissions and apply Heading 1 style, then add the placeholder text below.
Type 4. Common Admin Workflows and apply Heading 1 style, then add the placeholder text below.
Type 5. Day-1 Access Checklist and apply Heading 1 style, then add the placeholder text below.

Save your document by pressing Cmd+S (macOS) or Ctrl+S (Windows).
Verify your structure by clicking View in the menu bar and enabling Navigation Pane. You should see all five headings listed in the sidebar.

Don't see all five headings in the Navigation Pane?

Make sure each heading line has the Heading 1 style applied, not just bold formatting. Click on a heading line and check the Styles section to confirm.

If a heading shows as normal body text, select it and click Heading 1 in the Styles gallery to re-apply the style.

Why aren't my headings showing in the Navigation Pane?

Open the Jenzabar Help Hub

The Jenzabar J1 Web help documentation is publicly accessible and contains detailed information about every module, role, and workflow. This is the primary source you'll reference throughout this project.

Open your web browser (Chrome or Edge).
Navigate to the Jenzabar J1 Web help documentation at https://jenzabarhelp.jenzabar.com/ews/help/J1Web/released/en/.
Bookmark this page by pressing Cmd+D (macOS) or Ctrl+D (Windows).
Confirm the page loads and you can see the help documentation table of contents.

What is this documentation site?

This is Jenzabar's official help hub for J1 Web, the modern browser-based administration interface. It covers system administration, registration, advising, user management, and more.

You don't need a login or a Jenzabar instance to read this documentation. Everything you need for this project is publicly available here.

✔️ Awesome, I've got everything!

Great. Make sure your document is saved and your browser has the Jenzabar help site bookmarked.

ⓧ I'd like to double check the full document structure

Here's what your Jenzabar-Operations-Handbook.docx should contain at this point:

Title page with: document name (Jenzabar Operations Handbook), your name, your college name, and today's date.
Heading 1: 1. System Architecture with placeholder text To be completed.
Heading 1: 2. Student Lifecycle & Modules with placeholder text To be completed.
Heading 1: 3. Roles & Permissions with placeholder text To be completed.
Heading 1: 4. Common Admin Workflows with placeholder text To be completed.
Heading 1: 5. Day-1 Access Checklist with placeholder text To be completed.

Your workspace is ready. Next up, you'll start filling in the System Architecture section by mapping how all the Jenzabar One components connect to each other.

Map the Jenzabar Architecture

Your workspace is ready. You have a clean document skeleton with five sections waiting to be filled.

Now it's time to fill in the most important section first: the system architecture. Understanding how Jenzabar One's components connect to each other is the foundation for everything else in this handbook. Without this map, troubleshooting feels like guessing.

In this step, get ready to:

Document the five core components of Jenzabar One in a structured table.
Write a data flow paragraph explaining how the components communicate.
List the technology stack that powers the entire system.

Document the five core components

Jenzabar One is not a single application. It's a suite of interconnected components that serve different users through different interfaces, all backed by one shared database.

In your Word document, scroll to the "1. System Architecture" section.
Delete the placeholder text "To be completed." and position your cursor there.
Insert a table with 4 columns and 6 rows (1 header row + 5 data rows).
Click Insert in the top menu bar.
Click Table, then select a 4x6 grid.

Type the following column headers in the first row: Component, What It Is, Where It Runs, Who Uses It.

Fill in Row 2 with: Component = J1 Web, What It Is = "The modern browser-based admin interface", Where It Runs = "Web browser (any OS)", Who Uses It = "Admins, registrars, staff".
Fill in Row 3 with: Component = J1 Desktop, What It Is = "The legacy Windows client application (built with PowerBuilder)", Where It Runs = "Windows workstation", Who Uses It = "Admins, legacy power users".
Fill in Row 4 with: Component = JICS Campus Portal, What It Is = "The student/faculty-facing web portal (built on ASP.NET with IIS)", Where It Runs = "IIS on Windows Server", Who Uses It = "Students, faculty, parents".
Fill in Row 5 with: Component = Microsoft SQL Server, What It Is = "The single database backing everything", Where It Runs = "Windows Server", Who Uses It = "All components (read/write)".
Fill in Row 6 with: Component = CAS - Client Application Services, What It Is = "A Windows service that runs scheduled jobs and relays emails", Where It Runs = "Windows Server (background service)", Who Uses It = "System (automated processes)".

What is CAS?

CAS stands for Client Application Services. It's a background Windows service (not a user-facing app) that handles two critical jobs: running scheduled database tasks and relaying outbound emails.

Think of it as the system's autopilot. It checks for work every minute without anyone needing to click anything.

Save your document by pressing Cmd+S (macOS) or Ctrl+S (Windows).
Verify your table has 4 columns, 6 rows (including the header), and all five components are filled in with descriptions.

Table not aligning properly?

If your columns are uneven, select the entire table, right-click, and choose AutoFit > AutoFit to Contents. This adjusts column widths to match your text.

Help me format my architecture table in Word.

Map the connections between components

A table of components is useful, but the real insight is understanding how data moves between them. This paragraph will be your go-to reference for diagnosing where a problem lives.

Position your cursor below the table you just created.
Press Enter to start a new line.
Type the following paragraph into your document:

Here is the text to type (adapt it to fit your writing style if you like, but keep the technical details accurate):

Data flow paragraph to include

"J1 Web and J1 Desktop both read and write to the same SQL Server database. This means changes made in either interface appear in both. JICS connects to J1 Web via the J1 API Root URL. CAS runs as a background Windows service that executes scheduled database processes (calling the stored procedure PROCESS_SCHEDULE$CHECK_STATUS every minute) and handles email relay. SSO can be enabled between J1 Web and JICS so users don't need separate logins."

Type or paste this paragraph below your architecture table in the document.
Bold the names of each component (J1 Web, J1 Desktop, JICS, CAS) within your paragraph so they stand out visually.

Why does this matter?

When something breaks in Jenzabar, the first question is always "which component owns this?" If a student can't see their grades on the portal, you now know JICS gets its data via the J1 API Root URL. If a scheduled process doesn't run, you know to check CAS and its stored procedure call.

This paragraph gives you the mental model to start troubleshooting from the right place.

Save your document.
Confirm that below your table you have a full paragraph mentioning SQL Server, J1 API Root URL, PROCESS_SCHEDULE$CHECK_STATUS, email relay, and SSO.

Document the technology stack

Knowing which technologies power each component helps you understand what skills you need, what your IT team manages, and what to ask about on Day 1.

Below your data flow paragraph, add a new line and type the heading "Technology Stack" formatted as Heading 2 style in Word.
Below that heading, create a bulleted list with the following items:

SQL Server - the shared database that all components read from and write to.
.NET Framework 4.8 - required for JICS Campus Portal (confirmed in JICS 2022.1 requirements).
IIS - the web server that hosts the JICS Campus Portal.
Windows Server - the operating system hosting the database, JICS, and CAS.
ODBC connections - used for integrations with external tools like PowerFAIDS (financial aid).
JSON configuration files - J1 Web settings overrides including JicsBaseUrl, ITContactEmail, and ITContactPhone.

Type each bullet into your Word document under the "Technology Stack" heading.
Bold the technology name in each bullet and keep the description as plain text.

What are JSON config overrides?

J1 Web allows schools to override default system settings using a JSON file. This is how your IT team customizes things like the JICS portal URL and the IT contact details that appear in error messages. You don't edit these files directly on Day 1, but knowing they exist helps when troubleshooting configuration issues.

Save your document.
Scroll through your "1. System Architecture" section. You should see the component table at the top, the data flow paragraph in the middle, and the technology stack bulleted list at the bottom.

Section looking disorganized?

Make sure your component table uses normal table formatting (not inline text). The data flow paragraph should be body text (not a heading). The "Technology Stack" line should use Heading 2 style so it appears indented under "1. System Architecture" in the navigation pane.

Help me organize my Jenzabar architecture section in Word.

✔️ My section looks complete

Your "1. System Architecture" section should now have three distinct parts: the five-row component table, the data flow paragraph, and the technology stack list. Save your file one more time to be safe.

ⓧ I'd like to double check the full section

Here's what your completed "1. System Architecture" section should contain:

A table with columns: Component, What It Is, Where It Runs, Who Uses It.
Five data rows: J1 Web, J1 Desktop, JICS Campus Portal, Microsoft SQL Server, CAS - Client Application Services.
A paragraph covering: both J1 Web and J1 Desktop read/write to SQL Server, JICS connects via the J1 API Root URL, CAS calls PROCESS_SCHEDULE$CHECK_STATUS every minute and handles email relay, SSO can be enabled between J1 Web and JICS.
A "Technology Stack" subsection with bullets for: SQL Server, .NET Framework 4.8, IIS, Windows Server, ODBC connections, JSON configuration files (JicsBaseUrl, ITContactEmail, ITContactPhone).

Sections 2 through 5 should still have their "To be completed." placeholder text.

Your architecture map is complete. You now have a clear picture of how all five Jenzabar One components connect. Next up, you'll trace how a student flows through the system from prospect to graduate, mapping each phase to the module that handles it.

Map the Student Lifecycle to Modules

Your architecture section gives you the big picture of how Jenzabar One's components connect. Now it's time to zoom into what actually flows through those components: student data.

Every student passes through a lifecycle at your college, from the moment they inquire about a program all the way through graduation and alumni status. Each phase of that lifecycle is handled by a specific Jenzabar module. In this step, you'll map that entire journey so you know exactly which module to look at for any student-related question.

In this step, get ready to:

Map each phase of the student journey to its Jenzabar module.
Detail the Registration module's key administrative areas.
Document supporting modules that handle communications, analytics, and finance.

Create the lifecycle flow

A student's journey through your college maps directly to Jenzabar modules. Each handoff from one phase to the next is a handoff from one module to another.

In your Word document, scroll to the 2. Student Lifecycle & Modules section.
Delete the placeholder text "To be completed." in this section.
Type a brief intro line: "Each phase of a student's journey is handled by a specific Jenzabar module:"
Create a numbered list with the following entries, bolding the module names:

Prospect/Inquiry Admissions (recruitment, applications, acceptance decisions).
Accepted Student Registration (course catalog, sections, enrollment).
Active Student Advising (academic plans, degree audits, retention tracking).
Enrolled in Courses eLearning (LMS for online/hybrid courses).
End of Term Grade Entry (faculty submit grades via J1 Web or JICS).
Financial Financial Aid (integrates with PowerFAIDS) and Accounts Receivable (billing).
Graduation Advancement (alumni/donor management).

Why map the lifecycle this way?

When a staff member reports an issue ("a student can't see their grades"), knowing this map tells you instantly which module to investigate. In that example, you'd look at Grade Entry configuration, not Registration.

PowerFAIDS is a separate financial aid product that integrates with Jenzabar through ODBC connections. It's not built into J1 Web directly, so financial aid issues may require checking both systems.

Save your document.
Verify that your numbered list has seven entries, each with a bolded module name. The flow should read naturally from first contact through graduation.

Detail the Registration module

Registration is the most complex module you'll manage day to day. It touches course catalogs, student enrollment, grade entry, and the Campus Portal. It deserves its own detailed subsection.

Below your lifecycle list, add a Heading 2 styled line: "Registration Module (Detail)".
Write an opening sentence: "The Registration Administration Hub is the central control panel for all registration-related configuration."
Create a bulleted list of the Hub's key areas:

Registration Settings (term setup, enrollment rules).
Grade Entry setup (faculty grading windows, submission workflows).
Course Overrides (capacity overrides, prerequisite exceptions).
Registration Definitions (custom field definitions, registration codes).
Campus Portal integration (Student Registration, Course Search, Student Grade Report).

After the bulleted list, add a note about the Hub's navigation structure: "The Hub options dropdown offers four menus: Summary, Admin options, Manage Definitions, and Settings."

What is the Campus Portal integration?

The Campus Portal (JICS) connects to J1 Web using the J1 API Root URL. Once connected, students can register for courses, search the catalog, and view their grade reports directly from the portal instead of contacting the registrar.

This is an optional setup. Not every school enables all three portal features. Your handbook documents them so you know what's possible when you get access.

Save your document.
Verify that your Registration subsection has a heading, an intro sentence, five bulleted areas, and a navigation note mentioning all four dropdown menus.

Document supporting modules

Beyond the core student lifecycle, Jenzabar includes modules for communications, reporting, campus life, and institutional operations. These come up less often but you'll still need to know where they fit.

Below your Registration subsection, add a Heading 2 styled line: "Supporting Modules".
Add brief entries (one to two sentences each) for the following modules:

Jenzabar Communications - Email campaigns and notifications. Supports SendGrid integration or CAS relay for sending messages.
Jenzabar Analytics - Reporting and dashboards for institutional data.
Student Life / Residence Life - Housing assignments and student conduct tracking.
Finance - General Ledger, Accounts Payable, and Fixed Assets.
HR - Employee positions and management.

Why does Communications mention two relay options?

Jenzabar can send emails through either a SendGrid integration or the CAS relay service you documented in your architecture section. Your college's IT team will have configured one of these. Knowing which one is active helps you troubleshoot email delivery issues.

Save your document.
Scroll through your entire Section 2. You should see three distinct parts: the numbered lifecycle flow, the Registration detail subsection, and the supporting modules list.

Section 2 feeling disorganized?

Make sure each part has its own heading (Heading 2 style). The lifecycle flow should be a numbered list, the Registration detail should use bullet points, and supporting modules should each be their own short paragraph or bullet.

Help me organize my Student Lifecycle section with clear visual hierarchy.

Your student lifecycle map is complete. You now know exactly which module to investigate for any phase of a student's journey. Next up, you'll document the permission system that controls who can access each of these modules.

Document the Roles & Permissions System

Your handbook now maps the full student lifecycle and which modules handle each phase. Next, you'll document something that directly affects your daily work as a Jenzabar specialist: who can access what.

J1 Web uses role-based access control, meaning every user's permissions come from the roles assigned to them. Understanding this system is critical because misconfigured roles are one of the most common support tickets you'll handle.

In this step, get ready to:

Explain the role-based access model and its key rules.
Create a reference table of common and module-specific roles.
Document the recommended rollout order for transitioning roles.

Explain the role-based model

J1 Web doesn't give users direct permissions to individual features. Instead, permissions are grouped into roles, and users are assigned one or more roles. This makes it easier to manage access at scale across an entire institution.

In your Word document, scroll to the 3. Roles & Permissions section.
Delete the placeholder text.
Type a heading (using Heading 2 style) that says Role-Based Access Control Model.
Below the heading, write a paragraph that covers these five key concepts:

Default roles are provided by Jenzabar for each module and should NEVER be directly modified. Updates from Jenzabar overwrite changes made to default roles.
Custom roles are created by copying default roles and then tailoring the permissions on the copy.
Users can belong to multiple roles simultaneously.
There is no limit to the number of custom roles you can create.
The J1WebADMIN user has unrestricted access to all features in the system.

Why can't you edit default roles directly?

When Jenzabar releases updates, the update process overwrites default roles with the new definitions. Any customizations you made directly to a default role would be lost.

By copying a default role first and customizing the copy, your tailored permissions stay safe through every update cycle.

Save your document.

List the key role categories

Jenzabar provides dozens of roles out of the box. Organizing them into categories makes it much easier to find the right role when setting up a new user.

Below your access control explanation, add a new Heading 2: Key Role Categories.
Insert a table with three columns: Category, Role Name, and Purpose.
Fill in the Common roles section with these four rows:

J1 Web User - provides basic access to J1 Web.
Communication Management Base - grants access to communications features.
System Administration Manager - grants access to system admin tasks.
User Management - grants access to user and role management pages.

Now fill in the Module-specific roles section with these rows:

Registration Module Manager - broadest control over the registration module.
Advising Module Manager - manages advising features and academic plans.
Residence Life Administrator - manages housing assignments and residence operations.
Student Life Module Manager - manages student conduct and activities.
Department Head roles - manage catalog and course sections for a department.
Registrar roles - handle student registration processes.
Faculty roles - manage courses, textbooks, and grade entry.

What is role-based access control?

Role-based access control (RBAC) groups permissions by job function instead of assigning them individually per user. When a new registrar joins, you assign them the Registrar role and they immediately have the same access as every other registrar.

This is why the Common vs. Module-specific distinction matters. Common roles give baseline access. Module-specific roles layer on top for specialized work.

Save your document.

Document the recommended rollout order

Jenzabar provides official guidance on the order you should introduce roles when transitioning users to J1 Web. Starting too broadly causes confusion. Starting too narrowly means repeated reconfigurations.

Below your role categories table, add a new Heading 2: Recommended Rollout Order.
Write a numbered list documenting the official recommended sequence:

1. Registration Module Manager - start here because it provides the broadest control over registration.
2. Department Head roles - add next for catalog and course section management.
3. Registrar roles - introduce for student registration processes.
4. Faculty roles - add last for course management, textbooks, and grades.

Below the numbered list, add a note explaining that for each role, you should start small, test access, then expand permissions.
Add a paragraph about the two troubleshooting tools for permissions:

The View Permissions page in the User Management hub shows which roles, permissions, and access each user currently has. Use this for troubleshooting "I can't access X" tickets.
The Display Data Access page in the User Management hub maintains data masks. Use the Associations popup to assign masks to roles.

Start small with each role

The official Jenzabar guidance emphasizes testing each role with a small group before expanding. Assign the role to one or two users, verify they can access what they need (and nothing they shouldn't), then roll it out wider.

Save Jenzabar-Operations-Handbook.docx.
Scroll through your 3. Roles & Permissions section. You should see three distinct subsections: the access control model explanation, the role categories table, and the rollout order with troubleshooting notes.

Your permissions reference is complete. You now understand who can access what and how roles are managed. Next, you'll document the common admin workflows you'll perform daily once you have system access.

Document Common Admin Workflows

You've mapped out who gets access to what in Jenzabar. Now it's time to document how they actually do things once they're in the system.

This section of your handbook covers the day-to-day tasks that a system administrator performs. These are the workflows you'll repeat most often once you have access, so documenting them now means you won't be scrambling to find the right menu path later.

In this step, get ready to:

Document user management workflows including activation, deactivation, and role assignment.
Record system administration tasks like scheduled jobs, logs, and SMTP configuration.
Write the official Registration Setup Checklist for when you get system access.

Document user management workflows

User management is the task you'll perform most frequently as a Jenzabar administrator. Faculty leave, new staff arrive, and permissions need adjusting every semester.

In your Jenzabar-Operations-Handbook.docx file, scroll to section 4. Common Admin Workflows.
Delete the placeholder text and add a Heading 2 titled User Management.
Below that heading, create a numbered list documenting these five key tasks:

Activating a user: Options > Activate > Yes, activate.
Deactivating a user: Options > Deactivate > Yes, deactivate.
Assigning roles: Find user > Manage system roles > type role name > select the role.
Copying roles between users: Options > Copy roles to another user > Copy System Roles window.
Viewing technical details for troubleshooting: Options > Detailed Views > Technical.

Under the Technical Detailed Views entry, add a note that this view shows authentication type, SQL Server information, and Person and Party Role AppIDs.

Why document menu paths?

These exact navigation paths come from the official Jenzabar documentation. When you get system access, you'll be able to follow them step by step without guessing which menu to open.

The Technical Detailed Views path is especially useful for troubleshooting login issues. It lets you see exactly how a user is authenticated and which database records are associated with their account.

Document system administration tasks

Beyond managing individual users, the System Administration Manager role handles the background infrastructure that keeps Jenzabar running. These are the tasks that prevent problems before users notice them.

Add a new Heading 2 titled System Administration Tasks below your User Management section.
Document the following responsibilities in a numbered list:

Managing scheduled jobs: View history and enable/disable jobs from the Scheduled Jobs History page.
Viewing system logs: The APPLICATION_LOG table is the primary resource for troubleshooting.
Configuring SMTP relay: Three options are available (document all three).
Managing SSO: Configure integrated sign-on between J1 Web and JICS via System Administration > System Settings > Product Installs and Sign In.
Managing archive configurations: Control how and when data is archived.

Under the SMTP relay entry, add a sub-list documenting the three relay options:

SMTP Relay Server via CAS (being disabled Spring 2026).
SMTP Relay Server via J1 Web (recommended).
Microsoft 365 Exchange Online via Microsoft Graph API.

Add a bold note after the relay options: schools using Exchange Online must migrate to the Microsoft 365 relay option by March 1, 2026.

Why does the SMTP deadline matter?

Microsoft is disabling Basic Authentication with SMTP Auth for Exchange Online. If your college uses Exchange Online for email, the old CAS relay method will stop working.

Documenting this now means you can flag it immediately on Day 1. Ask your IT team which relay method is currently configured and whether the migration has been completed.

Write the Registration Setup Checklist

Registration is the most complex module you'll manage. Jenzabar provides an official setup checklist that you should follow in exact order when you get access.

Add a new Heading 2 titled Registration Setup Checklist below your System Administration Tasks section.
Create a numbered list with these steps in this exact order:

Enable J1 Web logins.
Assign roles/permissions.
Review Registration Settings.
Set up J1 Web Grade Entry.
Set up Course Overrides.
Set up Registration Definitions.

Below the main checklist, add a sub-heading or bold label: Optional: Campus Portal Integration.
Document these three integration steps:

Configure JICS integration settings.
Set Registration settings for Student Registration, Course Search, and Student Grade Report.
Connect Campus Portal to J1 Web using the J1 API Root.

What is the J1 API Root?

The J1 API Root is the URL that JICS (Campus Portal) uses to communicate with J1 Web. Without this connection configured, students and faculty can't access registration, course search, or grade reports through the portal.

Save your Jenzabar-Operations-Handbook.docx file.
Review your section 4. You should now have three sub-sections: User Management (five tasks with exact menu paths), System Administration Tasks (five responsibilities with SMTP relay details), and Registration Setup Checklist (six ordered steps plus three optional integration steps).

Format for quick scanning

Consider bolding the menu paths (like Options > Activate > Yes, activate) in your Word document. When you're working in the live system, you'll want to find the right path at a glance without reading full paragraphs.

Your workflows section is complete. You now have a quick-reference guide for the tasks you'll perform most often. Next up, you'll build your Day-1 Access Checklist so you know exactly what to request from IT before you even touch the system.

Create Your Day-1 Access Checklist

Your handbook now has documented workflows for every common admin task you'll perform. That's powerful reference material, but there's still a gap. When you actually walk in on Day 1, what do you ask for?

In this step, you'll build the most immediately practical section of your handbook. A checklist of every credential, tool, and verification you need on your first day with system access.

In this step, get ready to:

List every account, role, and tool to request from IT.
Document what to verify immediately once you have access.
Compile training resources for ongoing learning.

List required access and credentials

A new Jenzabar administrator needs access to multiple systems that each require separate credentials. Without a clear list, you risk spending your first week chasing down logins instead of learning the system.

In your Jenzabar-Operations-Handbook.docx, scroll to section "5. Day-1 Access Checklist" and delete the placeholder text.
Add a subheading using Heading 2 style: "Required Access & Credentials".
Below the subheading, create a checklist (use Word's checkbox list or a bulleted list with empty square brackets) with the following items.

Include each of these access items as a separate checklist entry:

J1 Web account with System Administration Manager role (at minimum). Add a note that this gives you access to scheduled jobs, system logs, user management, and SMTP configuration.
J1 Desktop installation files and ODBC configuration. Note that J1 Desktop is the legacy PowerBuilder client still needed for some advanced configuration.
JICS Campus Portal admin access (Site Manager). This is the student and faculty-facing portal you'll configure.
SQL Server read access for running queries and viewing data directly.
MyJenzabar.net account for downloads, training videos, support tickets, and Jenzabar Academy certifications.
CAS (Client Application Services) installation if you'll manage scheduled processes and email relay.

Why so many separate accounts?

Jenzabar One has multiple interfaces (J1 Web, J1 Desktop, JICS) that each have their own authentication. They all connect to the same SQL Server database, but access to each interface is managed separately.

MyJenzabar.net is a completely separate vendor portal. It's where you download software updates, access training, and submit support tickets.

Document what to verify on Day 1

Once you have access, you need to quickly assess the health and configuration of the system. This "First Things to Check" list tells you exactly where to look.

Add a new subheading using Heading 2 style: "First Things to Check".
Create a numbered list with the following verification steps.

Include each of these verification items:

Verify the J1 Web version (shown at the bottom of J1 Web). Note why this matters: it tells you which features and patches are available.
Check the JICS URL setting by navigating to System Administration > System Settings > Product Installs and Sign In. This confirms the Campus Portal is properly connected to J1 Web.
Review the Data Impacting Performance block on the System Administration Hub. This checks SQL Server memory configuration, building code issues, and inactive students still marked active.
Review currently active roles and users in the User Management hub. This gives you a picture of who has access to what.
Check SMTP relay configuration status. Note the critical deadline: schools using Exchange Online must migrate to the Microsoft 365 (Graph API) relay option by March 1, 2026.

Why check SMTP relay first?

The March 2026 deadline for the Microsoft 365 migration is a hard cutoff. If your college uses Exchange Online and hasn't migrated yet, email sending will stop working after that date. Identifying this early gives you time to plan the transition.

List recommended training resources

Jenzabar provides structured training paths for administrators. Documenting these now means you can start working through them as soon as you have your MyJenzabar.net credentials.

Add a new subheading using Heading 2 style: "Training & Learning Path".
Create a bulleted list documenting each of the following resources.

Include these training resources:

Jenzabar Academy certifications. List the ones most relevant to your role: SaaS System Administrator, Communications Administrator, and Financial Aid Advisor. Note that these are online, self-paced courses that include an exam and a digital badge upon completion.
Training videos on learn.jenzabar.com. Specifically highlight "Workflow for IT" and "Workflow for Module Managers" as the most relevant starting points.
The Jenzabar Annual Meeting (JAM) for in-person training and networking with other Jenzabar administrators.
Unlimited Help Desk support, which is included with your college's annual maintenance contract for certified users.

Start with the SaaS System Administrator certification

This certification covers the broadest set of administration tasks and directly maps to the System Administration Manager role you'll be requesting. Completing it also unlocks unlimited Help Desk calls, which is invaluable when you're learning the system.

Save your Jenzabar-Operations-Handbook.docx file.
Scroll through section 5 and confirm you have three distinct subsections: the credentials checklist, the Day-1 verification list, and the training resources.

Your "5. Day-1 Access Checklist" section is now complete. All five core sections of your handbook are filled in.

Secret mission

Build a Troubleshooting Decision Tree

The five sections of your handbook give you the knowledge. But when something breaks at 4pm on a Friday, you need a faster path to the answer. In this mission, you'll build decision-tree flowcharts that walk you from symptom to solution in seconds.

Clean Up Your Resources

This project runs entirely locally, so there are no ongoing costs. Decide whether to keep your handbook file and browser bookmark, or delete them entirely.

Resources you used:

Jenzabar-Operations-Handbook.docx on your local machine.
Browser bookmark for the Jenzabar J1 Web help documentation.

Keep everything running

No action needed. Choose this if you plan to keep building on your handbook or referencing it on the job.

Your Jenzabar-Operations-Handbook.docx stays on your machine ready for updates.
Your browser bookmark stays available for quick access to the Jenzabar Help Hub.

Pause - I'll come back to this later

Since nothing is running, there is nothing to pause. Your file and bookmark stay where they are until you are ready to return.

Consider moving Jenzabar-Operations-Handbook.docx into a dedicated folder (e.g. Jenzabar-Reference) so you can find it easily later.

Delete - I don't want to use this again

Remove all project resources and start fresh.

Delete Jenzabar-Operations-Handbook.docx from your file system. On macOS, move the file to the Trash and empty it. On Windows, select the file and press Shift+Delete to permanently delete it.
Remove the Jenzabar Help Hub bookmark from your browser. In Chrome or Edge, right-click the bookmark and select Delete.

Nice Work!

Nice work! You've built a comprehensive Jenzabar Operations Handbook from scratch using official Jenzabar documentation.

This document serves as both your study guide and your on-the-job reference when you get system access.

Here's what you accomplished:

Mapped the complete Jenzabar One architecture and how its five core components share a single SQL Server database.
Documented the full student lifecycle from prospect to alumni and which modules handle each phase.
Built a Day-1 Access Checklist listing every credential, role, and tool to request from IT.
Created a troubleshooting decision tree for diagnosing common admin issues across login, scheduling, performance, and email.

You now have the foundational knowledge to step into the Jenzabar specialist role with confidence. When you get system access, this handbook becomes your companion guide for navigating the real system.

Ready to quiz yourself?