[SIMS] Academies, 'new' SIMS licenses and the EU concept of 'Exhaustion rights'

[localzuk]

Out of interest, what finance package are you looking at?

The problem with finance packages is that FMS doesn't integrate with any payroll packages. So, if we were to look at Sage for payroll, and we stuck with FMS, we'd have to maintain 2 aspects of finance there rather than them being integrated. Whereas, if we went with Sage accounting too, they integrate - as do a lot of other finance packages.

So, we've looked at Sage at the moment, but I believe my manager is looking at others after suggestions from on here.

[vikpaw]

Does SIMS integrate with Sage? or anything else for that matter?
I'm having a 'mare at the mo' dealing with our Fees / Deposits and how if at all they get linked to FMS, let alone the invoice template from hell

[localzuk]

Does SIMS integrate with Sage? or anything else for that matter?
I'm having a 'mare at the mo' dealing with our Fees / Deposits and how if at all they get linked to FMS, let alone the invoice template from hell

Not as far as I know.

[matt40k]

Both SIMS and Sage have APIs that could allow someone to integrate them, so I wouldn't worry to much if that's the only thing putting you off a particular finance package. If Sage, or such, is so much superior than FMS, it won't be long before a SIMS\Sage link appears.

[scholarpack]

Having looked in depth at the differences between Academies and State schools on a software level, I find it very hard to believe that "extensive" changes to MIS are required, worthy of a hugely expensive new licenses. A few changes yes but extensive no. But if Capita want to price themselves out of these new style schools, I'm not complaining!

[matt40k]

Having looked in depth at the differences between Academies and State schools on a software level, I find it very hard to believe that "extensive" changes to MIS are required, worthy of a hugely expensive new licenses. A few changes yes but extensive no. But if Capita want to price themselves out of these new style schools, I'm not complaining!

MIS - I agree
Finance - No, massive changes, what better reason for FMS7!!

[nephilim]

MIS changes are minimal at best, Finance changes are different.

[GrumbleDook]

The changes to how you use the MIS can be quite significant, depending on how much you have tailored what you do in the school around the MIS, how much you have developed new routines / reports that are core of how the school operates and also on how adaptable staff and parents are to change.

Each school will be different ... I know of schools who are still feeling the pain of changing MIS provider 3 years ago (some to SIMS, some from SIMS and some never even knowing SIMS at all).

[scholarpack]

The changes to how you use the MIS can be quite significant, depending on how much you have tailored what you do in the school around the MIS, how much you have developed new routines / reports that are core of how the school operates and also on how adaptable staff and parents are to change.

Each school will be different ... I know of schools who are still feeling the pain of changing MIS provider 3 years ago (some to SIMS, some from SIMS and some never even knowing SIMS at all).

But we are talking about two different things that are quite separate. On one hand there is software functionality (which is what Phil is talking about). On the other is actual MIS use in a school and any custom work they have done around that. I'm not disputing that a change to an Academy would lead to an MIS being used in different ways with regards to in school reporting etc, but there would be little core software functionality required to be changed to handle this - yet of course it's in the interest of large MIS suppliers to have schools believe otherwise to justify such licensing expenses.

.....and if schools are still feeling the pain of changing suppliers 3 years later I would venture that the new supplier has done an incredibly poor job of the migration.

[zag]

We went with corero for our finance system when we became an academy.

Seems ok so far and is totally SQL server based.

[Oops_my_bad]

We went with corero for our finance system when we became an academy.

Seems ok so far and is totally SQL server based.

SIMS/FMS is also totally SQL server based We looked at corerro too, it was great for everyday finance/reporting (the e-procurement rocked my socks!) but we would still be doing a lot of faffing around between SIMS <-> FMS <-> Carero resource just to do personnel, and given 80%+ of our budget is on staffing costs, just didnt seem worth the move.

As a minimum given the sheer amount of money capita must be making from the academies sector right now, FMS should have a long overdue bomb up its backside. I hardly call making a few changes to VAT cost centre chargeback and few new reports as "significant changes"!

C'mon Capita, sort it out!

[localzuk]

SIMS/FMS is also totally SQL server based We looked at corerro too, it was great for everyday finance/reporting (the e-procurement rocked my socks!) but we would still be doing a lot of faffing around between SIMS <-> FMS <-> Carero resource just to do personnel, and given 80%+ of our budget is on staffing costs, just didnt seem worth the move.

As a minimum given the sheer amount of money capita must be making from the academies sector right now, FMS should have a long overdue bomb up its backside. I hardly call making a few changes to VAT cost centre chargeback and few new reports as "significant changes"!

C'mon Capita, sort it out!

Not sure why you're using both Corero and FMS? Why wouldn't you simply use Corero and SIMS, missing FMS out?

[Oops_my_bad]

Not sure why you're using both Corero and FMS? Why wouldn't you simply use Corero and SIMS, missing FMS out?

IIRC, we still needed the personnel link between P7 & FMS to generate salary reports... not sure why, some financy reason I guess :/

[zag]

Doesn't FMS still need all the database drivers for dbase or something like that? Or is that another part of Sims?

We did look at FMS but settled on corero in the end. Its worked flawlessly since its been installed so I'm pretty impressed so far.

[matt40k]

FMS still uses Crystal\Delphi\BDE, so yes, nightmare. It wouldn't be hard for Corero to integrate with SIMS for generate salaries.