Bromcom

[chrisateen]

There was a suggestion from a member of staff about moving from SIMS to Bromcom. I just want to find out if other schools have migrated and how they find bromcom in comparison to SIMS.

 

In patricular how do you find extracting information from Bromcom. Is schools able to have access to the database?

[JATSO]

There was a suggestion from a member of staff about moving from SIMS to Bromcom. I just want to find out if other schools have migrated and how they find bromcom in comparison to SIMS.

 

In patricular how do you find extracting information from Bromcom. Is schools able to have access to the database?

 

Secondary or Primary, we had it at Primary and they moved to Scholarpack.

[elsiegee40]

 

Just a gentle reminder to all non-sponsors that this thread is not a marketing opportunity.

 

[Michael]

Yes I've managed a project where they've done exactly this SIMS > Bromcom. Top of my head all data went across without any significant issues.

 

As with any migration, there will be teething problems, however their support is 1st class it has to be said.

[RootsSchImp]

Hi I'm an independent consultant and I do work for Bromcom (on the tech side, not sales).

 

The advantages of Bromcom over SIMS in terms of data out (from my point of view) are:

 

Scheduling Reports to run automatically is easier.

There's an excel add-in so you can pull data in directly to a spreadsheet that does other things.

The Analysis tools all work with subject, assessment type drop downs so it's much easier for a data manager to set up analyses for everyone than in SIMS where to use Perf Analysis either your HoDs need to know what aspects/resultsets are and how they are named or you have to set up lots of individual subject analyses.

Not strictly data out but master templates for tracking are WAY better than what's in SIMS. You could set up your tracking system in Bromcom for KS3-5 in under an hour.

Bromcom also innovate faster than Capita.

 

Disadvantages:

 

The actual reporting engine in Bromcom is not as good (IMO) and sometimes struggles with big reports. You should get hold of a demo and try it out before making the switch if that's what you'll be using a lot.

Assessment marksheets don't have filters on like SIMS ones do, so if you have users who do analysis straight from marksheets they might complain about that.

 

There's a whole other debate about pros and cons of Cloud (Bromcom) vs your own servers (Sims, for now) it would be worth checking out.

 

Good luck

 

Ed

[RootsSchImp]

Hi I'm an independent consultant and I do work for Bromcom (on the tech side, not sales).

 

 

Assessment marksheets don't have filters on like SIMS ones do, so if you have users who do analysis straight from marksheets they might complain about that.

 

 

Ed

 

Correction - you can filter marksheets on Bromcom

[elsiegee40]

Can we not get into a slanging match please? Constructive comment is fine.

[Banjo]

Hi I'm an independent consultant and I do work for Bromcom (on the tech side, not sales).

 

The advantages of Bromcom over SIMS in terms of data out (from my point of view) are:

 

There's an excel add-in so you can pull data in directly to a spreadsheet that does other things.

 

SIMS export button from the Marksheet straight into Excel?

[RootsSchImp]

The reason the add in is better than exporting a marksheet is that the data arrives in the sheet where it's used with one click, you don't have to export, copy and paste

[Banjo]

The reason the add in is better than exporting a marksheet is that the data arrives in the sheet where it's used with one click, you don't have to export, copy and paste

 

Would you say that Bromcoms timetabling software is better or worse than SIMS?

[Michael]

The advantages of any cloud based MIS are -

 

- No physical/virtual server to manage

- No server refresh every 3-5 years & migration/running costs

- No SQL licenses to buy

- No disruption to end users performing application updates, for the likes of Census

- Accessible anywhere, school and at home

- Start integrating services natively into the MIS - such as Assessment instead of using a third party

- Very much Academy/MAT friendly, working from multiple sites and so on...

[RootsSchImp]

I haven't timetabled with Bromcom so I don't know. Nova T6 is pretty good, though if choice of MIS for whole staff is being swung by convenience for 1 or 2 timetablers, I'd say the tail was wagging the dog.

[Bromcom_Serkan]

SIMS export button from the Marksheet straight into Excel?

 

Bromcom had the same export button from the Marksheet straight into Excel but when they introduced Excel Add-In things changed . It is great for getting lots of different data in 1 single dump and can be filtered to get specific data if needed. FYI, it doesn't just allow for Assessment data to be extracted

[chrisateen]

Just to ask as well how does extracting of information from bromcom work. Can you auto schedule reports? Can you query the database directly? Also when you say the reporting engine in Bromcom is not as good how do you mean

[pcstru]

Just to ask as well how does extracting of information from bromcom work. Can you auto schedule reports? Can you query the database directly?

 

A view :

 

1. Built in reporting : Well featured report writer. Seems to do the job. Can export from reports to CSV, excel. You can schedule reports. Interface is a bit meh, but hey, it's a report writer.

2. Excel Add in : A blunt tool with limited access to the data. No access controls. Useful but in a somewhat limited context (you couldn't widely distribute it as a tool so others have an up-to date view of the data).

3. API : Soapy/RPC type interface : Ok to build applications from (say a sync tool with AD), but not much use for a typical Data Manager.

4. If you locally host, you can of course access the database. It is quite nicely designed with a lot of helpful views all of which are meaningfully named to their standard. If you can get your head around it, you can get everything you need efficiently, but I think even if you are quite proficient it is probably quicker to design a report with the data than develop and debug the SQL. So unless it is automating a process which will be around for a while, it is not worth it. I've written a few powershell commands which grab data from the database, it's useful to be able to effectively pipe student data into AD commandlets. If you have them host, I doubt they allow direct access. You could build them with the API providing the data is in the scope of the API (not all data is available).

[Anakhahawk]

There was a suggestion from a member of staff about moving from SIMS to Bromcom. I just want to find out if other schools have migrated and how they find bromcom in comparison to SIMS.

 

In patricular how do you find extracting information from Bromcom. Is schools able to have access to the database?

 

I am unable to comment on a move from SIMS to Bromcom. We were previously using Facility & Facility ePortal (hosted in school). After much deliberation between SIMS and Bromcom we decided Bromcom Cloud was the best solution for us. Transition was smooth and the support team are excellent. No teething problems here other than that expected of moving to and mastering a new system.

 

Being cloud based you do not have direct access to the SQL database. It was very rare I would access the Facility SQL database anyway (except the essentials) so no change there from my perspective. Obviously if you hosted Bromcom yourselves, you would have direct access to this.

 

It is also worth noting Bromcom allow third party access to their API. There is a ‘Trusted Partners’ list on their site if I remember correctly.

[elsiegee40]

The subject of this thread is moving from SIMS to Bromcom. Posts off the direct topic will be removed

[ReadTheNetwork]

My review starts with the bad:

I've heard a fair amount of complaints mostly from people who are doing bigger reports like student services (from the hosted version can't say about on site), often just saying that it's running slower than expected. One bigger problem we had was an issue where we couldn't extract reports to xml for a few days. ALso I don't think there's as many features in it as there are in SIMS, but I don't think you'll miss them all too much.

 

The Good

I might try and investigate having an on site version rather than hosted as it seems like there are often 'moans and groans'. However, I personally prefer the look and feel of Bromcom even with these issues. Plus it's cheaper too .

 

Extracting data is pretty easy from the reports I've done. As it's hosted I don't have access to the database. Not sure if you do if it's on site?!

[ReadTheNetwork]

Forgot to mention, one tool which I forgot to mention was the timetabling tool in SIMS. Bromcom doesn't seem to have this tool (or if it does then it's not as good).

[Banjo]

Forgot to mention, one tool which I forgot to mention was the timetabling tool in SIMS. Bromcom doesn't seem to have this tool (or if it does then it's not as good).

 

I looked on the Bromcom website and couldn't find any Bromcom timetabling software package either. Maybe one of the secondary schools that have converted would comment on how they managed the transfer of the curriculum/timetable?

[Bromcom_Marketing]

I looked on the Bromcom website and couldn't find any Bromcom timetabling software package either. Maybe one of the secondary schools that have converted would comment on how they managed the transfer of the curriculum/timetable?

 

We hope this helps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnT6n41HVrg

[Banjo]

We hope this helps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnT6n41HVrg

 

Is that the right link - it doesn't appear to be the next generation of cloud based timetabling software?

[Bromcom_Marketing]

Is that the right link - it doesn't appear to be the next generation of cloud based timetabling software?

You are right, this link was Published on Nov 19, 2012. We will endeavor to get you an up to date version asap.

 

 

[pauljonze]

We are currently moving to the Bromcom Cloud offering from CMIS but some of our in-house systems will continue to be used.

 

Can anyone give me advise on the options available to extract selected bits of our school data? I've only managed to locate stuff about using GroupCall but wondered if there was a way of pulling the data down using a call to the API, also, are there data dictionaries available? Or is there a built in export utility as part of Bromcom that can be used?

[pcstru]

We are currently moving to the Bromcom Cloud offering from CMIS but some of our in-house systems will continue to be used.

 

Can anyone give me advise on the options available to extract selected bits of our school data? I've only managed to locate stuff about using GroupCall but wondered if there was a way of pulling the data down using a call to the API, also, are there data dictionaries available? Or is there a built in export utility as part of Bromcom that can be used?

You can use the API for which there is some documentation available. IMO it is a little clunky and inefficient and doesn't access all the data so there is a chance you will not find exactly what you want. I guess the other option if you are cloud is to use the reporting engine and export the outputs to csv etc.