Higher-ed institutions manage troves of sensitive personal, financial and academic data on students, prospects, employees and vendors. That’s why the ability to maintain control of it is paramount.
A student information system is the best way to keep that information secure, accessible and manageable. But choosing a reliable and trustworthy vendor requires more due diligence than just the traditional three bids and a buy.
With so many student information systems on the market today, it can be hard to separate credible and reliable vendors from the hucksters. Don’t get swayed by low-cost estimates, lofty promises and too-good-to-be-true timelines.
In this post, we’ll explore the key factors to consider when selecting an SIS for your institution. We’ll cover the importance of data portability, how to avoid vendor lock-in, and essential questions to ask potential vendors. By understanding these core issues, you can make an informed decision and ensure your institution remains in control of its data. Here’s what we’ll cover:
- Data Portability: What It Is and How to Avoid Vendor Lock-In
- Why and When You Need Control of Your Data
- Simplifying the Data Transfer Process for Schools
- How to Ensure Data Portability in Your SIS
- Data Tactics that Create Barriers and Lock Customers In
- Six Questions to Ask a Student Information System Vendor
If you’re in the market for a new student information system, check out our Ultimate Guide to Higher-Education Student Information Systems for a comprehensive overview of SIS basics and resources to help select the right system.
Data Portability: What It Is and How to Avoid Vendor Lock-In
A student information system shouldn’t be viewed as just a software platform. Instead, it’s the central hub for campus and administrative operations.
It requires a data partner who helps your team properly collect, manage and store data so it’s not only actionable but also makes everyone’s jobs easier.
Data portability is an institution’s right to move its information to another application, program, vendor or cloud service. Data portability also allows a school to export data to another format that is usable and without significant hassles.
Whether you want to switch for ease of use or because you’re able to get a better deal, the inability to port data to a new provider can be damaging to your school’s operations.
When a vendor limits a client’s data portability, also known as a “walled garden” or “siloes,” it reduces the school’s data control and potentially locks them into that vendor.
Why and When You Need Control of Your Data
If your student information system is performing well, you might wonder why data portability is an issue.
Hopefully, you’ll never know, but it’s important to be prepared.
A higher education institution, like any business or organization, houses data tied to various departments, including admissions, financial aid, billing and the registrar. There are times you may need to export data or work with a third-party application and your school should have the ability to make business decisions related to its data.
Following are a few scenarios that illustrate the importance of data portability.
Financial Aid Data
Many schools use free government software systems like EdExpress and EdConnect to administer financial aid to students. To access these programs, the financial aid office transmits data between software applications to build its compliance reports.
If your student information system can’t easily port the requisite data and send it in the proper format, then it could impact students’ financial aid disbursements and potentially your school’s accreditation.
Admissions and Marketing Communications
Some admissions departments operate third-party software for targeted functions, such as email or text message blasts to prospects.
Data from your customer relationship management (CRM) tool – including names, email addresses, phone numbers and other information – need to flow correctly into the third-party application for a successful campaign. If the data is incomplete, unreadable or contains inaccurate information, the marketing campaign wastes time and resources.
These kinds of mishaps not only reflect poorly on your institution but also result in a loss of potential students.
Learning Management Systems
Most colleges use learning management systems (LMS) to manage course content and curriculum. The student information system and the LMS need to seamlessly transfer real-time data on registration, grades and transcripts.
If there’s a delay in transmission, student records and course availability won’t be updated or accurate – a major frustration for students, faculty and administrators who depend on the data being correct.
Changing Systems
When switching to a new student information system, data will need to be ported from the old system to the new one. That necessitates compliant, transferable data – and the ability to move data at all.
An unscrupulous vendor might restrict your data management or charge high fees to facilitate the move. This is not only unethical but poses an enormous roadblock for future upgrades down the road.
Porting data is a complex task and not only requires expertise but also meticulous attention to detail and communication for your data to be transferred successfully.
Finding the best approach to data migration depends on many factors. An experienced implementation partner will help you evaluate the options and choose the data migration process that works best for your school.
How APIs Work With a Student Information System
Your student information system should offer most of the functions that a school needs, but also handle a range of API integrations.
Simplifying the Data Transfer Process for Schools
When Huntingdon College, a small, four-year liberal arts college in Montgomery, Ala., wanted to upgrade its student information system, data portability and third-party integrations were must-have features.
Campus Cafe simplifies the data transfer process, says Anneliese Spaeth, the school’s Vice President of Technology.
For example, Huntingdon uses a third-party scheduling software program called UniTime to manage its class scheduling.
Huntingdon’s SIS transfers student registration information to UniTime, which uses the data to schedule classes and sections. The result is more effective and efficient scheduling so students receive the courses they want and need for graduation.
As the information flows in real-time between systems, Huntingdon has control over its data, which improves operations and the student experience.
“This has revolutionized registration and the control that we have over our data,” Spaeth notes.
Find out why Huntingdon College chose Campus Cafe Software’s cloud-based student information system to streamline student data management.
How to Ensure Data Portability in Your SIS
If you’re unsure whether your school’s current SIS software facilitates data portability, or you are looking to move from spreadsheet-based data management to SIS software, here are a few key areas to consider when it comes to data portability.
Easy Data Exports
Moving your data shouldn’t be difficult. Your student information system should allow for easy and seamless export of data to other platforms and software.
Compatibility
Your data should speak the same language as other platforms, so to speak. You should be able to export information that complies with and can be read by other platforms.
Data Security
When you’re transferring data between platforms, your vendor should protect your data against unauthorized access and corruption.
Ownership
Your institution collects immense amounts of personal data and should be in full control of the information, ensuring you can move it as necessary. No other business or entity should have control of the data.
Data Tactics that Create Barriers and Lock Customers In
Some vendors play a game of cat and mouse with their client’s data.
To control the relationship and retain customers, these companies can make it difficult for institutions to adjust, export or share data with outside sources and platforms. It’s a form of data hostage-taking.
So buyer beware: The following are common roadblocks some vendors put up to keep customers locked into their systems and locked out of their data.
Proprietary Data Formats
The vendor uses an exclusive or protected format, which makes it difficult – or impossible – to export and accurately transfer data to other platforms.
High Exit Fees
The company charges exorbitantly high fees to revise contracts or break an agreement.
Data Lock-In
Your ability to export or transfer data is restricted.
Limited Data Export Options
The amount or type of data that can be exported and shared with other vendors is limited.
Complex Licensing Agreements
Contracts with complicated language related to data ownership and management.
Restrictions on APIs
The ability to use third-party apps and send data to their systems is limited.
Bundled Services
Your ability to export or transfer data is restricted.
Lack of Technical Support on Integrations
The amount or type of data that can be exported and shared with other vendors is limited.
Six Questions to Ask a Student Information System Vendor
Whether you’re sizing up potential vendors or want to better understand your current contracts, it’s important to ask the right questions.
In your RFP, ask these six questions to evaluate an SIS vendor’s pricing, integration capability, technical assistance, data portability and security.
1. Are there hidden costs?
You need a clear picture of long-term costs, including any hidden fees to export your data to another platform or to integrate with another system. Additionally, inquire if there are penalties for breaking or altering your contract.
2. What data security measures are in place?
Cybersecurity practices that safeguard student data are key to running your school and staying compliant with government and accreditation agencies.
If a vendor’s security practices are lax or handled by another third party, your data is at risk. Investigate their security protocols and policies, and their compliance with privacy regulations, such as FERPA, GDPR and encryption.
3. What is the system's reliability and average up time?
If there is a problem, you need a proactive vendor who steps in to remedy the issues quickly and seamlessly. Ask about their process for data recovery, disaster recovery and rectifying system failures.
With a cloud-based student information system, you can get maintenance issues, security updates and technical problems can be handled remotely.
4. How do they support growth and scalability?
As schools try to grow their student populations, it can put stress on data systems. A reliable data partner will grow with you and ensure optimal system performance during peak times, like enrollment and financial aid season.
5. Do they support API integrations and export needs?
Even the best student information system can’t support every operational need, so institutions may opt for third-party applications for particular operations and capabilities.
An advanced student data management system will support numerous API integrations and offer data exports in standard data formats.
6. What support services are available?
Everyone needs a little help sometimes. If users need assistance with implementation, data migration, or navigating the system, they need robust and reliable technical support.
Ask your vendor about their support services and resources, including access to live help after-hours and on weekends. And definitely ask about whether there are costs associated with these services or if it’s built into your contract.
“Campus Cafe is very user-friendly, intuitive and logic-based.”
The Bottom Line
When it comes to your school’s student data management practices, don’t cut corners. It’s easy to get swayed by an inexpensive contract, but the devil is in the details. You need a data partner, not just a company with the least expensive services or bells and whistles that sound too good to be true.
If you understand the core issues around data portability, ask the right questions and pay careful attention to critical details, you’ll be in control of your institution’s data without getting locked in.
At Campus Cafe, it’s our mission to support your data needs and tackle your data challenges. Our clients give us high marks for for being a trusted technology partner and implementing processes that make their student data actionable.
Ready to see how Campus Cafe puts you in the driver’s seat and protects your data? Contact us for a demo.
