A school management system will touch every part of your school: admissions, fees, teaching and parents. Choosing well saves years of frustration. These are the questions we suggest asking any vendor, including us.
- Can it produce our terminal report cards in the format our parents expect?
- How are fees billed, and can it record cash, bank and Mobile Money payments?
- Can parents receive SMS updates on fees and results?
- What happens if the internet goes down during the school day?
- How will our existing student and fees records be moved in?
- Who owns our data, and can we export it at any time?
- How are teachers, bursars and administrators trained?
- What does support look like during exam and reporting periods?
- How are user permissions controlled?
- What will it cost in year one, and every year after?
Look at the reporting period first
End of term is when a school system is under the most pressure. Ask to see the full process of producing report cards, from score entry to printed report, before you decide.
Ask about support, not just features
Most frustration with school software comes from slow support at critical moments. Ask who you will call, and how quickly they respond.
If you'd like to see how QF EduFlow answers these questions, we're happy to arrange a demonstration for your school.