Post SIMS migrations - what third party apps did you drop?

[Ditto]

I'm interested to build a list of apps that you managed to drop following migrating from SIMS to another MIS.

 

If you could say what you went to, what you dropped and any comments about the process.

 

If there were any 3rd party apps you couldn't do without, what were they and why?

 

Finally, and this is a little specialist, has anyone moved to Arbor and found they could drop ClassCharts .

[sefton]

I've moved our Trust schools to Arbor from Sims, 4 secondaries and 6 primaries. We have dropped Classcharts, Parentpay, SchoolCloud and Parentmail

[Ditto]

I've moved our Trust schools to Arbor from Sims, 4 secondaries and 6 primaries. We have dropped Classcharts, Parentpay, SchoolCloud and Parentmail

Thank you so much. I'm talking to a school tomorrow that has decided to migrate the same way, but haven't started yet. I know they are Classcharts users, which given the current issue they are dealing with will be invaluable information.

[PotNoodleTech]

After classcharts behavior the last 2 days I'd drop em like a sack of the proverbial if you are in a position to do so. Sadly were still sims so we still need classcharts.

[Chipish]

We dropped ParentMail. Financially it was obviously worth it, but the people using the replacement features in Arbor Pay, find it lacking and cumbersome in a multitude of ways. Once you get passed the 'its a new system so it'll take a minute to adjust', there are still a few caveats about how Arbor works that doesn't flow with our old processes, and aligning to Arbor's process is hard for our finance policies.

[gszech]

We dropped ClassCharts and Edulink One.

[bobsmith]

We had a big list of software to drop but it didn't happen yet due to institutional inertia or long contract periods

 

seating plans (satchel one)

homework (satchel one)

parental communications (iris) - actually switched this one very early on - the contract was up for renewal at just the right time

payments (parentpay)

performance management (sisra observe/bluesky)

finance (rm finance)

 

sure there's more - but now I look at the list above it's embarrassing that we've only actually dumped one......

[Ditto]

Were any of the above post from users other than people that migrated to Arbor. For example, I would think moving to Bromcom would offer similar opportunity to drop some third party apps, unless that is a differentiator between the two?

[AlistairB1983]

Were any of the above post from users other than people that migrated to Arbor. For example, I would think moving to Bromcom would offer similar opportunity to drop some third party apps, unless that is a differentiator between the two?

Whilst not one of the previous posters, we are shortly moving to Arbor (go live after Easter), and are planning to drop both EduLink and Class Charts. We currently only use Class Charts for internal use only - e.g. lesson seating plans and SEN provision map integration, whereas EduLink is our method for communicating home to parents, sending out reports etc. But as all of this can be done via Arbor, we're planning to stop using these two 3rd party apps shortly after roll out (although possibly some use might remain until September when our licenses are up for renewal).

 

We are looking into possibly dropping our payment app as well (currently Squid), but that's a decision for later down the line after the Arbor roll out is all confirmed and settled.

[supportman]

We dropped:

 

4Matrix

Schools Cash Office

Cunninghams (but went to biostore)

Locker

Bluesky

TASC insight

Groupcall Messenger

Room Booking System

 

Saved us about 10k a year from memory!

 

We kept parents evenings bookings due to its remote capability and evolve for trips management.

 

Wish we had kept roombookingstems as well, as the Bromcom feature is rubbish compared. But I don't think they have a direct link yet.

Edited January 25, 2024 by supportman

[DataWomager]

Hi

 

I see that you dropped 4Matrix.

I am interested to know if Bromcom does everything that 4Matrix does or are there some limitations?

Obviously it depends how much the staff at your school used 4Matrix before you migrated to Bromcom.

The teaching staff at our school use it heavily. The analysis it provides is very detailed. I just wanted to know whether Bromcom offer the same type of analysis.

[supportman]

Hi

 

I see that you dropped 4Matrix.

I am interested to know if Bromcom does everything that 4Matrix does or are there some limitations?

Obviously it depends how much the staff at your school used 4Matrix before you migrated to Bromcom.

The teaching staff at our school use it heavily. The analysis it provides is very detailed. I just wanted to know whether Bromcom offer the same type of analysis.

 

The main difference is 4matrix is a load of curated reports that are pre built.

 

In Bromcom and PowerBi you would have to build them yourself. But its very powerful. No complaints here.

 

Important to also say 4matrix works with Bromcom and Arbor now I believe, so maybe keep it if they are that reliant on it...?

[Mike_Bostock]

Hello. I note that our product, 4Matrix, has been mentioned and thought I would offer a contribution to this thread.

Our company is pleased to work in partnership with the major MIS suppliers, including SIMS, Bromcom and Arbor. We have provided data analysis tools and services for over 20 years so that schools have a choice in how they make use of their tracking and exam data, including our 'Share and Compare' service on Results Day. We aim to provide the best professional tools for data leaders along with CPD opportunities from our own school-based experts. From 2025 we will be completely web-based with a team developing further features useful to a keen, self-evaluating school.

[synaesthesia]

. From 2025 we will be completely web-based with a team developing further features useful to a keen, self-evaluating school.

 

Good to see - this is something that has been asked for and needed for the last few years, and I know a fair few schools/multiple trusts who have moved away as a result of the reliance on local servers even when the staff have really rather enjoyed the product!

[sefton]

Hello. I note that our product, 4Matrix, has been mentioned and thought I would offer a contribution to this thread.

Our company is pleased to work in partnership with the major MIS suppliers, including SIMS, Bromcom and Arbor. We have provided data analysis tools and services for over 20 years so that schools have a choice in how they make use of their tracking and exam data, including our 'Share and Compare' service on Results Day. We aim to provide the best professional tools for data leaders along with CPD opportunities from our own school-based experts. From 2025 we will be completely web-based with a team developing further features useful to a keen, self-evaluating school.

Hi Mike, Do you extract data from Arbor via reports and imports or do you have an API? If you don’t have an API is this on the development roadmap or are there no plans?

[Mike_Bostock]

Hi. 4Matrix links with Bromcom and Arbor using their API and offers Wonde as an option. It is fairly seamless in practice and aided by a 6000 item subject database which ensures all the calculations are accurate.

[sefton]

Hi. 4Matrix links with Bromcom and Arbor using their API and offers Wonde as an option. It is fairly seamless in practice and aided by a 6000 item subject database which ensures all the calculations are accurate.

 

Thanks Mike, I’d be interested in a having a demo of your web based system and your MAT package. Is it possible to arrange a Teams meeting at some point with somebody from your sales team?