SIMS - How to contact support (URGENT)

[Kitkatninja]

2 minutes ago, liamread2000 said:

I used the form and got our Eligibility key for 3 different schools however when I enter it into SIMS it doesn't work. So I assume their licence server is actually down.

Same here...

 

We have now been told by a data manager at one of our other schools is that:

 

"The census files are not available in SIMS, Parentpay are currently in discussions with the DfE to extending the deadline for running the census while they fix the problem".

[altecsole]

3 minutes ago, liamread2000 said:

I used the form and got our Eligibility key for 3 different schools however when I enter it into SIMS it doesn't work. So I assume their licence server is actually down.

The same experience for me. I wouldn't bother trying to go through the process of getting a new eligibility key - just wait for them to fix it.

 

[coolhands]

'scuse my French what the f**k is wrong with this ****** company?

 

Their new support portal is b****cks, you can't log in to many links you find, even thought the portals all sound similar. My tickets I managed to submit 2 weeks ago have been unanswered. They really are the lowest of the low.

 

For future ref there seems to be similar, but not all accessible, portals below. many help pages or links you come across go to the dud sites:

 

https://help.parentpaygroup.com/csm I can access this one and submit tickets (they are ignored though)

https://support.parentpaygroup.com/ (just shows nothing and says 'security constraints prevent access to required page')

https://customer.support-ess.com/ lots of help pages direct here, but can't access says 'User name or password invalid'

https://parentpaygroup.zendesk.com/ (at least I can see my old tickets here, thank god)

 

t*****s

[altecsole]

2 hours ago, coolhands said:

'scuse my French what the fuck is wrong with this ****** company?

 

Their new support portal is bollocks, you can't log in to many links you find, even thought the portals all sound similar. My tickets I managed to submit 2 weeks ago have been unanswered. They really are the lowest of the low.

 

For future ref there seems to be similar, but not all accessible, portals below. many help pages or links you come across go to the dud sites:

 

https://help.parentpaygroup.com/csm I can access this one and submit tickets (they are ignored though)

https://support.parentpaygroup.com/ (just shows nothing and says 'security constraints prevent access to required page')

https://customer.support-ess.com/ lots of help pages direct here, but can't access says 'User name or password invalid'

https://parentpaygroup.zendesk.com/ (at least I can see my old tickets here, thank god)

 

tossers

 

Obviously no good now but, for the future, School ICT Services offer much better support - https://www.schoolicts.co.uk/

[AnglianEdu]

I can see on those pages it says SIMS Eligibility services are down, but I can't actually see the page with  more details on as I don't have access. 

 

They pick a really great day to do it, GCSE day and also census day/ 

[ITGuyNW]

from eds

[SIMS_Customer_Support]

Hi all, apologies for the issues you've been experiencing this morning.

We appreciate the major impact this has on census for our English schools and our teams have worked as a matter of urgency to get this resolved - we have identified the cause and we are releasing a fix for all customers now.

 

Please see the resolution which has been prepared below;

SIMS Connected customers a change has been released on the platform.  The issue should now be resolved but will need you to log out and log back in again

On-Premise customer will require applying patch 28955.

Patch 28955 is available on SOLUS

 

Once the patch has been run, please log in to SIMS.net to force a resync with the licence server.

 

We will be continuing a period of monitoring to ensure the resolution has been successful.

Thank you for your patience whilst investigation and resolution work has been ongoing. We apologise for the disruption experienced.

 

Edited May 15, 2025 by SIMS_Customer_Support
correction to connected customers info

[enbiggen]

Will this patch require no one to be logged into the SIMS server?

[coolhands]

8 minutes ago, SIMS_Customer_Support said:

Hi all, apologies for the issues you've been experiencing this morning.

We appreciate the major impact this has on census for our English schools and our teams have worked as a matter of urgency to get this resolved - we have identified the cause and we are releasing a fix for all customers now.

 

Please see the resolution which has been prepared below;

SIMS Connected customers a change has been released on the platform.  The issue should now be resolved but will need you to log out and log back in again

On-Premise customer will require applying patch 28955.

Patch 28955 is available on SOLUS

 

Once the patch has been run, please log in to SIMS.net to force a resync with the licence server.

 

We will be continuing a period of monitoring to ensure the resolution has been successful.

Thank you for your patience whilst investigation and resolution work has been ongoing. We apologise for the disruption experienced.

 

 

Why are your 'help' portals all over the place, see above.

[ThrowawaySims]

Waiting for the patch, might be a while to find its way to us... anyone got it and willing to share?

[SIMS_Customer_Support]

5 minutes ago, enbiggen said:

Will this patch require no one to be logged into the SIMS server?

Hi @enbiggen the database solution will need to be applied on the server, if you're on Connected then we've already run the patch, you just need to log in and out for it to run.  If you're on prem we recommend everyone logs out while you deploy

[mdrabble]

4 minutes ago, coolhands said:

 

Why are your 'help' portals all over the place, see above.

Check soulus - new patch just landed to sort the issue 

[enbiggen]

1 minute ago, ThrowawaySims said:

Waiting for the patch, might be a while to find its way to us... anyone got it and willing to share?

 

Have you tried the "Check for updates" button in Solus3?

[broadld]

@SIMS_Customer_Support

Is this an update that will take SIMS offline to apply a database patch?

I feel quite uncomfortable rushing through a patch which will have had little testing done on it in the middle of a school day.

Have ESS been in touch with the DFE regarding the CENSUS return?

[Boredguy]

Already got the patch scheduled as just arrived in Solus.  But @SIMS_Customer_Support for those people that just use FMS, will their also be a patch for them?

[ThrowawaySims]

3 minutes ago, enbiggen said:

 

Have you tried the "Check for updates" button in Solus3?

Yes, however for us SOLUS patches are released by the local council which are... let's say they operate on different timescales to us mere mortals. I have requested it but I will be happy if it arrives within the week

[BKGarry]

@SIMS_Customer_Support I cannot get to any knowledgebase articles at the moment, and we only have FMS, put the newly aquired key in and it says it is invalid.

[PotNoodleTech]

1 minute ago, ThrowawaySims said:

Yes, however for us SOLUS patches are released by the local council which are... let's say they operate on different timescales to us mere mortals. I have requested it but I will be happy if it arrives within the week

Ours hasnt even sent an email out saying there's anything wrong yet.   

[SIMS_Customer_Support]

Hi @Boredguy patch for FMS will be released shortly, I'll update as soon as it's out

 

[ThrowawaySims]

1 minute ago, PotNoodleTech said:

Ours hasnt even sent an email out saying there's anything wrong yet.   

I feel your pain my friend.

The humans with neurons there are great, honestly they know their stuff. But the processes, the red tape, the management manglement... yikes.

[SIMS_Customer_Support]

8 minutes ago, broadld said:

@SIMS_Customer_Support

Is this an update that will take SIMS offline to apply a database patch?

I feel quite uncomfortable rushing through a patch which will have had little testing done on it in the middle of a school day.

Have ESS been in touch with the DFE regarding the CENSUS return?

Hi @broadld, we do recommend everyone is logged out when you apply the patch but we expect deployment to take a short amount of time to reply - to reassure you it's a pre-existing patch that has been through through testing.

We are in contact with DFE on the issue so they are aware.

[SIMS_Customer_Support]

HI @BKGarry, FMS patch will be with you shortly - I'll update on this thread when it's released

[JRA]

No problem, I'm going to add accountability for this (and also your pricing model fiasco) to the things your rep will have to explain IN GREAT DETAIL when you're tendering for that MIS renewal...

[PotNoodleTech]

3 minutes ago, JRA said:

No problem, I'm going to add accountability for this (and also your pricing model fiasco) to the things your rep will have to explain IN GREAT DETAIL when you're tendering for that MIS renewal...

If your tendering for a Cloud MIS, SIMS Connected is not a Cloud MIS (Windows Server RDP is NOT cloud, it's just hosted).  Therfore they may not need to even be on your tender list?

[drutt]

Glad we moved to Bromcom for MIS/FMS last year