Digitization of school management systems is a more recent phenomenon but has been around long enough to have gone through several stages of evolution and iterations. Pandemic years marked a watershed moment in this evolution cycle, accelerating the penetration and acceptance of these systems across schools while at the same time bringing forth the issues that had thus far remained hidden with the existing management systems and software.
During the pandemic, the schools used the school management software far more intensively and extensively, and in turn, discovered the lacunae they had otherwise missed. In their many interactions with our teams at Schoolpad, several schools’ management shared their concerns and the realization that their existing school management systems lacked the computational ability and other critical functionalities to handle the routine workflow generated by their school. The result was that they ended up paying for systems that barely met their requirements and failed to give the desired outcomes. And when the schools tried to connect with the vendors to address these efficiency issues, the required support was rarely offered.
Also Read: The Simplest Hack Every School Must Know To Ensure Their Staff Uses The ERP Optimally
To address these issues, we brainstormed and identified the following 3 ways through which schools can ensure their school management software perform optimally, and also give them an option to make a switch if they start falling short.
1. Good Data Policies Save The Day
We have already dealt with the importance of good data practices and how regular data audits and backing up all the important data on the cloud and local servers can help schools navigate issues like data migration in case they need to switch products. One of the biggest hurdles that schools face when it comes to school management software is rooted in data lock-in. A system that has been used by a school for a while contains a lot of data stored manually and otherwise, that is difficult to migrate to a new system. The schools are also worried about losing critical data in these cases which leads to inertia and prevents schools from switching to a system that is more efficient and suited to their needs.
The best way to manage this concern, as we had stated in our previous blog, is to backup data regularly and in an easily readable and accessible form. All essential information like transactional data including fee details with payment instruments like cash, cheque, etc. must be backed up with proper admission numbers for quick reference. Staff information, student data including all the saved attributes, and examination data including report cards, individual subject scores, and other assessment reports must all be saved in clean, readable forms like excel sheets that are easily importable on other systems, are excel exportable and uploaded on the cloud as well as local servers. A day must be set aside annually or every six months for this audit and backup. In this way, the schools not only ensure that they don’t lose any critical data but also are confident to switch products as and when needed without the fear of compromising stored information.
2. Check the Data Backup Policy of Your Vendors
While it is good to take responsibility for your own data and have robust data policies within the school, the school management must also know that their vendors are equally responsible and accountable for their data. Before entering into an agreement with a vendor, the management must ensure they understand the data policies of their vendor. All vendor organizations backup data periodically. The school management must not only know the frequency of these data backups but also keep a periodic check on whether or not this backup policy is being adhered to. The management can send weekly reminders, and also call for screenshots from their vendors to make sure their data is being regularly backed up as per the promised policy.
Also Read: Local Vendor vs Specialized Organization: A quick guide to choosing the right option for implementing a school management software for your school
3. Stay In Know About Your Vendor
One of the more innovative ways to make sure the school management system delivers optimum results is to stay in the know about the vendor organization. The management must keep in regular touch with their vendors to understand how they are growing, what new schools they are adding to their rosters, and what additions they are making to their line of products. In this way, the school management not only remains updated about their vendors’ technological advancements and newer tools but also avoids being blindsided in case their vendor is planning to switch industries or shut down their services.
Ultimately, the onus to optimize the outcomes expected and obtained from the school management system rests with the school, and with a few tweaks in their approach, they can derive maximum benefits from these excellent technological tools.
Want to learn more about how Schoolpad can offer you school management software and services that can address your key concerns? Want to know how we can help you grow at an accelerated pace? Please feel free to get in touch with us at connect@schoolpad.in . You can also click on the request a demo link and one of our coaches will get in touch with you.
