Both EDFI ODS and EDFI API
We are excited to announce that the integrated solution can run directly off the district EDFI ODS or as EDFI API connection.
The EDFI API is a turnkey solution where the district can go live quickly, requiring only credentials to be up and running.
As screenshots below show, both implementations look very similar. Districts decide which type of implementation they prefer - the EDFI ODS or EDFI API.
Implementation EDFI ODS vs EDFI API

Ed-Fi ODS | Ed-Fi API | |
Installation | Install on district server. | Turnkey solution |
Speed of implementation | Project | Immediate. Provide Ed-Fi ODS/API OAuth 2.0 Client Credentials authorization and the district can go live. |
Version compatibility | When districts upgrade to a new version, code must also be upgraded. | Version compatible. District upgrades ODS and is still compatible. |
ODS Health check | Yes. Suggest where the issues are and how to fix. | As API information has limited access to the integrity of the database to verify. Does check for limited possible issues and misalignments in the database. |
Google classroom | Difficult to set up and has to be done by the district. Takes long. Many API scopes. Google must verify thoroughly, taking time. Must be maintained by district. Additional overhead for district. Token security. Individual Google modules must be added and maintained. Ed-FI Google tables must be sync. |
Full ready and approved. Turnkey ready |
Dashboard | ODS dashboard and Visual dashboard |
Visual dashboard |
Importing | Data can be imported directly back into the ODS. This is a huge advantage. | Data is imported back to the ODS via a REST API call. |
Speed | Might be slightly faster and not noticeable. | Might be slightly slower and not noticeable. |
Refresh | Data is always current. | Refresh once a day. |
Edit | Yes, when a change is made. Example: a student’s email is saved directly into the ODS. Similarly, if an ODS alignment is fixed, it is immediate in the live database. | When data is changed, it stays on the external API database. |
Student 360 | ||
SIS view | ||
Scheduler View | ||
Roster info | ||
Launchpad | ||
Screenshot | ![]() |
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The above screenshots show that both ODS and API implementations look very similar. | Above [ODS] shows this is the ODS dashboard. Both looks very similar. |
Above [API] shows this is the API dashboard. Both looks very similar. |