[integris] Anyone here use Integris?

[tombry]

Apparently an adviser to our Academy has recommend our schools move to Integris - this is without involving me (the only data manager in the academy), and now I'm curious how well it works.

 

I've gone to RM's website, and downloaded their brochure, but it doesn't show much, and seems to spend as much time talking about it's value for money as anything else.

 

The listed modules it shows make me wonder as well - does it do timetabling? I have to imagine it does, but it's not one of the modules it mentions, and outside of booking a demo, I figure the best place to find out is here.

 

So - any good to those that use it - do you have anything to compare it to?

 

Does it do timetabling?

 

Is it really good value for money (In your opinion obviously).

 

I went to Greed's website, but RM hadn't answered his survey, so not much there.

 

For reference, we're a SIMS school, who uses G4S, and I've looked at Progresso (liked), ISAMS (liked) and Schoolpod (wasn't keen).

[JTP]

Not a Reach2 Academy are you?

 

I've not used Integris, but did look at a demo at BETT. It looked ok.

 

I'm told by a colleague at another authority that the reporting wasn't to his liking. He also found the migration process from SIMS a little hard going.

[tombry]

Nah, we're a small Academy Trust across three schools - I know we are trying to get away from server based MIS to cloud based, thus my looking at things, but Integris wasn't even on my radar, as I can't say I'm a big fan of the company as a whole, from my very limited experience with them.

[TLARWise]

We used to use Integris but have since moved to SIMS.

 

You cannot create Timetables in Integris (at least you couldn't when we were using it last year) but you can import externally created timetables (from SIMS NovaT or Keith Johnson Timetabler) and then allocate pupils to classes within Integris.

[bigdannyb79]

I really liked the look of integris and can see why it has gained a lot of market share in the primary sector. At my time of looking I just felt it hadnt quite developed the same level of functionality in the secondary sector and other products looked a bettter fit for our circumstance. Have a look at bromcom as that came out on top for me when had a look at the market and had on site demos from all the major players. Are you primary or secondary ? If you are the only data manager in the MAT I'd personally avoid Progresso as just not accessible without a skilled workforce to run it, its potentially powerful but unless your going to invest in staff with SSRS skills you wont get value for money or much data out of it for that matter !

 

Both bromcom and Integris give you access to online test sites so you can have a good play with the system too. I really like ISAMS too but felt it was a little too early in their journey from independent schools to mainstream however their pace of development is impressive so not sure that will probably apply soon or now even.

[RootsSchImp]

I made a sample video of four secondary MISs about a year ago. Bromcom and Progresso said 'good idea here's a demo to play with' while integris gave me an online demo of them using the system. It *looked* ok but if I was going to switch I'd definitely want to use it myself.

 

Since then I've done contract work for Bromcom (though I'm not on commission and have no stake in whether you choose them) and I've been impressed w their handling of migration and customer support.

 

No substitute for observing how systems work in actual schools tho-if you're going to switch, convince the higher ups they need to give you time to visit other schs to see their MIS working in real life.

[tombry]

You cannot create Timetables in Integris (at least you couldn't when we were using it last year) but you can import externally created timetables (from SIMS NovaT or Keith Johnson Timetabler) and then allocate pupils to classes within Integris.

 

Funny that - it's apparently designed so that you don't need any other modules/software, but doesn't include timetabling...not a good start to me!

 

I really liked the look of integris and can see why it has gained a lot of market share in the primary sector. At my time of looking I just felt it hadnt quite developed the same level of functionality in the secondary sector and other products looked a bettter fit for our circumstance. Have a look at bromcom as that came out on top for me when had a look at the market and had on site demos from all the major players. Are you primary or secondary ? If you are the only data manager in the MAT I'd personally avoid Progresso as just not accessible without a skilled workforce to run it, its potentially powerful but unless your going to invest in staff with SSRS skills you wont get value for money or much data out of it for that matter !

 

I hadn't really thought about the SSRS part of Progresso, but when I originally looked at it in 2014, it looked pretty easy to get through - I'll keep that in mind though. My fear with Integris is that the adviser is looking at it from the lower two schools perspective, and not ours (we're in a three tier system). Bromcom is on my list of ones to look at, but as I've got exams in 3 weeks, it's a post-exams job at this point.

 

I made a sample video of four secondary MISs about a year ago. Bromcom and Progresso said 'good idea here's a demo to play with' while integris gave me an online demo of them using the system. It *looked* ok but if I was going to switch I'd definitely want to use it myself.

 

Since then I've done contract work for Bromcom (though I'm not on commission and have no stake in whether you choose them) and I've been impressed w their handling of migration and customer support.

 

No substitute for observing how systems work in actual schools tho-if you're going to switch, convince the higher ups they need to give you time to visit other schs to see their MIS working in real life.

 

Can I have a link to the video? Test driving is always nice - I was lucky with the Progresso demo that the sales guy let me take over his laptop and just have a play around for a bit - haven't had the same with the other systems - but visiting schools that use them would definitely be on my list - my big concern is that I won't actually be asked, and the trustees will just go with the adviser!

 

Thanks to all for your responses too!

[bigdannyb79]

have a look at the market stats - greed has some on his site - it clearly shows Integris's growth has come in the primary sector so need to explore if it caters for all your needs. And while a primary's needs are as important as the other phases the need for the MIS to be the hub of information is less so in primaries. You normally have a class teacher that knows all the learners in front of them etc so doesn't need quite the same availability of information a secondary staff member might when they have 5-20 groups a week . . .

 

timetable wont be an issue as it can work with Keith Johnson timetabler or NOVa I believe but across 3 sites would you not need a formal tender process anyway ? - this may be a good opportunity to ensure a proper review of requirements match the chosen product.

[Ditto]

Don't let the 'adviser' drive the choice of MIS. You look like you are reviewing the right providers. I tend to agree that SRSS skills certainly allow you to go further with progresso, but you can still achieve a lot with standard reports which are expanding and improving over time. You can still achieve a fair amount exporting data to spreadsheets through the front end and running from there. I would agree access to an online 'sandbox' environment is invaluable. Recently we had this for iSAMS and progresso should offer the same. SchoolPod were willing to allow what you experienced for progresso, where we could play with there system during a screen share. Whilst they were very flexible on timing, it didn't quite offer what our head needed in terms of access at a moments notice at anytime of day (or night). Also, if you can find a reference school that has moved from whatever MIS you are on to your target MIS, you can get great insight to the migration process, which can often get glossed over and can be a significant cost and time consideration. Out of interest, what was the turn-off for SchoolPod

[Banjo]

I'm sure RM were giving Integris away free for 12 months recently - so potentially a short term cost saving to be had.

[tombry]

@GrahamB - with SchoolPod, it was the general look of it, I had other notes, but I passed them over to the NM a while back and can't remember what I had listed in my negatives - wasn't awful, think it mainly dealt with them having a load of tools that we'd be happier sticking with the third-party ones, and them not working with third-parties as much as we'd like.

@Banjo - maybe that's why he's so keen!

[fs171]

We use integris, alongside novaT6 for time tabling, but don't use any features outside of attendance, student/staff information and census reporting. We were able to work closely with their Dev team, as a 'partner' to enable our own developed systems (now including behaviour management, life without levels, VLE/video content, student tracking/reporting).

 

As we don't use many of the integris integrated functionality I couldn't comment on these, but their register system is easy (as part time cover staff too) and their work with us has meant we have been able to develop multiple systems over time. The support has been ok, sometime lacking on the rare occasion of unexpected down time, but that is some what to be expected. The school has been a customer for over 8 years (pre me).

Edited April 24, 2017 by fs171
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[Bill8]

@tombry I read on another thread in here that SIMS is going to be cloud based soonish, which means you can say "goodbye" to your server.

[tombry]

Bill,

 

Pretty sure that's a good 3 years away though.

 

It matters not, I'm leaving at the end of this school year for greater things (well, in my mind)