[sims] iSAMS vs SIMS

[Simcfc73]

Hi,

 

I've read a fair bit about iSams and its benefits over SIMS so I'm trying to go through the process of evaluation with some of our stakeholders.

 

The stuff I've seen is good and bad, weighing towards good but after evaluating Edulink with SIMS it goes the other way bringing web based and an app to SIMS.

 

There seems a lot going from WCBS to iSAMS which seems an obvious choice but SIMS to iSAMS not so much.

 

Anyone done this and regretted it?

 

The admissions part of iSAMS looks brilliant, the analysis not so but we'd just export it to Excel anyway and use that. The SQL reporting looks a pain too.

 

Just phishing for info.. good and bad.

[edmokeski]

The SQL reporting is a big plus, to my mind. Unlike most of our other systems, iSAMS' database is an open book, and we can build reports against it any which way we like. It takes some SSRS/BI expertise to make the most of it, but it means we can get much more useful data from the system than we can from "black box" systems that don't allow you access to the underlying data (which I understand SIMS to be?). I suppose it's a trade-off of complexity for flexibility, really.

Can't say anything about transitioning between them, as we've been w/ iSAMS for around a decade, now.

[supportman]

Just looking at this ourselves, but Sims has so many interactions with other 3rd party software its a bit crazy to look at all the effects of moving.

 

Has anyone done the move?

[Ditto]

Just looking at this ourselves, but Sims has so many interactions with other 3rd party software its a bit crazy to look at all the effects of moving.

Has anyone done the move?

Have a close look at those interactions - get a list. Many of those might go away as the need for third party add-ons is often less as the newer MIS have the functionality built in.

[supportman]

Yes just looking at the iSams website it seems they have a Parent portal, SMS comms, Admissions module, Teacher report app, Daily bulletin and more. Great stuff!

 

Has anyone compared costs between Sims and iSams?

[Simcfc73]

Yes just looking at the iSams website it seems they have a Parent portal, SMS comms, Admissions module, Teacher report app, Daily bulletin and more. Great stuff!

 

Has anyone compared costs between Sims and iSams?

 

We did, think it was £2k a year more and with all the BI to learn we shelved it.

 

Sims with bolt-ons is better in my very humble opinion.

[RootsSchImp]

Any reason why the choices being considered were just these two systems?

 

Arbor and Bromcom offer a middle ground of greater functionality than SIMS without requiring knowledge of SQL/BI

[elsiegee40]

Any reason why the choices being considered were just these two systems?

 

Arbor and Bromcom offer a middle ground of greater functionality than SIMS without requiring knowledge of SQL/BI

 

Please declare your association with Bromcom when you post like this

[Ditto]

We did, think it was £2k a year more and with all the BI to learn we shelved it.

 

Sims with bolt-ons is better in my very humble opinion.

When we looked at iSAMs, we were impressed by the product, but pricing alone ruled it out quickly. We had a very cost conscious SLT. Ultimately, the school stayed with Progresso, which was selected when the school opened less than 10 years ago.

[supportman]

When we looked at iSAMs, we were impressed by the product, but pricing alone ruled it out quickly. We had a very cost conscious SLT. Ultimately, the school stayed with Progresso, which was selected when the school opened less than 10 years ago.

 

But if its only 2k more and Sims is pretty expensive then aren't they quite comparable?

 

I've been told iSams is about 12k in total, and I think Sims is getting towards 10k in our school now with all their price inflation yet they have not improved the product at all in the last 5 years. Time to jump ship I think.

 

That doesn't seem a huge difference to me.

Edited September 18, 2019 by supportman

[supportman]

Any reason why the choices being considered were just these two systems?

 

Arbor and Bromcom offer a middle ground of greater functionality than SIMS without requiring knowledge of SQL/BI

 

Both of those systems seemed targeted at MATS or primary's which we are not. Still light years ahead of sims though...

Edited September 18, 2019 by supportman

[Bromcom_John]

Both of those systems seemed targeted at MATS or primary's which we are not. Still light years ahead of sims though...

 

At Bromcom we are most definitely NOT targeted specifically at MATS or Primaries.

The majority of our users are secondaries but the system works for all phases and scales.

 

<=== Entirely affiliated with Bromcom!!

[supportman]

At Bromcom we are most definitely NOT targeted specifically at MATS or Primaries.

The majority of our users are secondaries but the system works for all phases and scales.

 

<=== Entirely affiliated with Bromcom!!

 

Thanks for the clarification, actually very good to know.

 

I've been following no twitter for a while looking for a cloud Sims replacement but all the announcements were MATS which lead me to think that's what the product was targeting.

[Arbor-Maggie]

Both of those systems seemed targeted at MATS or primary's which we are not. Still light years ahead of sims though...

 

I declaring I work for Arbor but can confirm we are also NOT just for MAT's or primaries. We have plenty of very happy secondary, specials, primaries, infants, PRU's, 6th forms both standalone and in MATs. In fact, when I started with Arbor over 2 years ago we launched LOTS of new secondary functionality and have been expanding on this even since. Take a look at the website or feel free to call one of the team as I am aware this is not the place for me to be 'advertising'.

 

You should definitely not rule out Arbor though - a good place is g-cloud framework to get a true look into where the MIS can support you.

[Ditto]

Not working for anyone at present and have never worked for any of the MIS providers, but when I looked at Arbor a couple of years back, I put it in the top three to be considered. I visited a local secondary that were using it. Feedback from non-teaching staff was very positive, feedback from the teaching staff I spoke to was less so. I put it down to 'well, it isn't SIMS and that's what I used before'. Why is it that teachers are such bad learners! I do feel that initial training on a new MIS is essential to have any chance of getting staff onside.

[EdTech-Tom]

I put it down to 'well, it isn't SIMS and that's what I used before'. Why is it that teachers are such bad learners!

 

It's a comfort thing unfortunately, I feel that a lot of teachers have had SIMS for a large part of their careers (20 years!!!!) and so the processes they're used to going through (Even though it's likely more convoluted) become the gold standard. And even if you can save them so much time and headache the user experience essentially boils down to "It's not how it's done in SIMS".

 

Frustrating right?