Less morning admin.
More time for people.

Staff previously opened each absence email, read the details, found the student in eTap and manually entered the attendance information and parent comments. I saw an opportunity to reduce that repetitive work while leaving questionable cases with the attendance officer.

I proposed the system, developed the workflow and continue to maintain it. The current implementation connects Gmail to eTap using Node.js, TypeScript and Playwright browser automation, with a local processing ledger.

I used Gemini CLI assistance during development. The operational system follows programmed rules; it does not use a generative AI service to interpret absence notifications or make attendance decisions.

Between 5pm and 8:45am, the worker reads absence notifications, matches students, applies rules for dates and attendance codes, and adds parent comments. At 8:45am it emails a summary of completed work and cases needing follow-up. Daytime handling belongs to staff.

The workflow includes duplicate checks, protection for existing attendance codes and checks after saving the attendance entry and comment. An email is marked read after successful verification. Uncertain or failed cases remain available for staff review.

As of September 2026, the system has been in real use for around a month. I report typical volumes of 30–40+ notifications a day and approximately 150 handled during a flu surge. These are workload figures, not counts of entries completed automatically.

The attendance officer reports a daily saving of more than an hour, closer to two. Some messages need no new entry and others need human follow-up; the value comes from completing routine work and organising the remaining decisions for staff.

The system depends on the school computer, connectivity, an active eTap session and the vendor’s web interface. I maintain it as the workflow evolves; staff review the morning handover and resolve exceptions.

This is an internal school system. The public illustration shows the process without exposing student records. Implementation details here are based on the project briefing; operational use and time savings are reported by me and the attendance officer.

The transferable work is understanding a repetitive task, connecting existing systems, defining clear rules, checking outcomes and handing exceptions back to people. This project brings together development, practical judgement and ongoing support.