tmleafs

So you got the funding directly but had to use a company to purchase and install? What brand of hardware did you go for? Did you have Cable, fibre, and network cabinets replaced or added?

Thanks for replying I got an email from Stone today about it, I hadn't heard of the Dfe funding before that email. Do you have any idea about the previous requirements to be accepted? We are all Gen 1 Unifi switches with Unifi AC Pros, we need more PoE ports we need 2.5Gbit minimum for new wireless points but 10Gbit would be amazing. Our switches are slowly dying mainly the power supply which we replaced with an external brick to get them working again. We have recently replaced all the data cabling ourselves due to a DfE Electrics update that didn't include data 🙄 so all cabling is cat6a except the IT Suites we stuck with cat 5e

Anyone that got the funding before did you do the process in-house or did you use a company to apply for the DfE Funding?

Sorry to hijack this post which is mainly just security issues Nothing but issues since having it installed and we are only halfway through our 3 years, honestly paper is a better system, we were missold by the salesman. We are limited to who we use as we have Paxton everywhere and didn't find Entrysign until after all the issues with Inventry On another EduGeek post we came up with the following issues and have had multiple Teams calls with them about these issues, we even requested cancellation of the contract due to the system not working for close to two months but after the request was made like magic they requested to remote in and work on a "fix" the fix was to just restart the services at night on the VM and all issues were solved but in my opinion that is not a fix that is your software is terrible and it can't even run for 24 hours before crashing. They then wanted us to do loads of work to prove the system didn't work to get out of the contract which I didn't want to waste time doing, I never want to deal with them ever again and will only do so if I really need to. If you have Paxton readers on gates and/or doors use Entrysign if you don't use sign in app! We have already cancelled the auto-renew with Inventry. Have spoken to other schools and they seem to love it though seems to be down to whether pupils are using it or it's just staff and contractors and maybe the Paxton integration. 1. Slow console access - takes nearly 30 seconds for anyone to login - Moved to VM still slow 2. The Windows network connections limit - Moved to VM that's joined to the domain 3. Slow/terrible Android/iOS app - takes forever to sync and can be wrong - Update has improved things but why can't we see pupils ie sixth form status and lower years sign-outs and late arrivals I don't understand why this cant be added and would be useful to office staff and teachers 4. Advanced mark options - needs a complete rewrite in my opinion - Nothing done we have removed them all and only have one rules for U marks on lower years 5. If I replace a Paxton card the staff/sixth form needs to be set to auto code again and they need to go to inventry to do this - so what's the point in user association in door access control? - Just annoying 6. Preferred surname needs to be default in the console and reporting - This is just silly 7. Inventry InView - let us start it minimised - Please this is so simple to add 8. We were mis-sold on the SIMS integration - there is no writing to inventry from sims, and inventry can't read the current morning code so gets changed when they scan a reader (for example we know they have got for let's say an interview, they scan in at 11 pm and it changes that interview code to a U - Again we have removed all the advanced mark options and attendance officer just does it manually like before inventry 9. Installation of extra paxton licenses signed the document on 27th Feb got told it's normally 10 days from signing - wasn't completed until 13th March 10. Visitors signing when searching for the staff they are visiting can't find anyone as they are limited to searching first initial space surname, they should have to select someone and not type in anything they like. The system should bring up all chris's if that's what someone types, I think I have had one notification for someone is here the whole time we have had inventry as the just automaticity type just my first name and press continue - Just annoying I would say 1 in 10 visitors get it right 11. Visitor default of opting out of keeping their record - We have visitors with 5 or 6 records as they don't opt-in which makes the visitor history a complete mess, give us the choice to make it less messy or give us a merge tool - Again annoying and makes the feature pointless 12. Visitor companies we have inputted all the main companies we use they just type any old rubbish in - just display a list of all the companies with an "other" button at least some might press the correct one - adds an extra page but makes the information more useful having 40 different typos of the same company 13. SIMS staff images don't sync over to inventry - not really an issue for us was just that someone else mentioned it on the forum 14. Complete rethink of the settings page in the console it is a complete mess and why isn't there an information button next to everything giving more details on what it does - Software looks so dated and needs a complete rewrite

has anyone got an account manager for Dell or got anyone who can help me get a good price on buying new Dell computers Cheers

Sounds just as bad as inventry, I don't understand why it can't be done If (No mark on MIS) {Write Mark} Else {Nothing} All the companies mentioned in this thread have all told me "we aren't allowed to read SIMS" How does that make sense and why can Edulink do it for example

How much did the audiebant sound system cost? We need a new tannoy system anyway I will try to ask where they found this information but SLT was in a panic over it last night during their meeting

Just had SLT come to me saying there's a change to the law/rules for lockdowns in which sound can't be used (I can't find anything on this but I just need to find a solution) Only yesterday I got an email from NetSupport Notify which we have about their integration with TeamSOS I had ever heard of TeamSOS until that email but it ticks a huge amount of boxes plus I would love to get rid of walkie-talkies But the Head is so against personal mobiles being used for anything school-related that I just can't think of any alternatives. Even though most staff ignore the policy and have Edulink, Inventry, Gmail etc apps installed Yes we already have NetSupport Notify but sending out a lockdown message isn't quick, and not everyone is on their computers or paying attention to that screen I have a call scheduled with TeamSOS at 2 pm I like @stumot idea but it all comes down to me and it working which I want no part of

So worst case reinstall an old version of flex to device and freeze it to that version I guess

We wanted to be able to tell if students haven't turned up to a booking

We are thinking of converting old laptops to ChromeOS Flex, They are all on the Certified list but some End of Support in 2025 or 2026. What happens when support stops? do they continue updating? or don't but continue to work, or just google won't help you if there's an issue? Was going to start with the Library laptops a Dell E6440 but support will end on 31st December 2026 so just over 3 years. Are the licenses like neverware cloudready, where I can take them back so they can be reused if I replace the device?

I'm looking for PC Reservation Software all I can find is MyPC https://www.pcbooking.com/ but their costs are just insane for a secondary school Does anyone know of any other software that can do the same thing?

http://www.entrysign.co.uk is the only alterative with Paxton integration that I have found I have used their contact form twice and haven't heard a thing

What are your main issues from the list? If you can give me any more detailed issues here or by PM As I have a Teams meeting tomorrow with and I quote "higher-ups and 2nd line support" about all of our issues.

That's why they can't do Paxton integration as Paxton doesn't have a cloud API and without them developing an app to install on an on-prem device to be a middleman, so they can talk to on-site devices/systems it's a no-go. I have messaged EntrySign twice now and they still haven't got back to me. My Teams meeting with Inventry about all the issues we have is tomorrow.

This morning the Android Inventory Anywhere was updated completely refreshed

Rather than paying for Inventrys quick scanners at £1000 each for the indoor ones, we can add our Paxton gates for £150 per gate and when a member of staff or sixth form taps the gate in or out sensors it sends that information to inventry, inventry can do the triggers but its easier to leave that to Paxton to that. Otherwise, every sixth-former would have to go to the main office to sign in and out. This is what sold us the system rather than having to add at least two quick scanners for staff/sixth-form to use we get them on their way in or out on the gate system we already have but there are limitations to the Paxton system and to get the system to work the way it was sold to us we really need to buy the quick scanners but now SLT feel burnt on inventry and don't want to spend more money on devices that become redundant if we decide to dump inventry when the contract is up. Just got a call from inventry due to my complaint email I sent last week, In which I did mention this forum post and they are setting up a teams meeting to discuss my issues next week, if anyone wants to rise anything either post on here or PM me So far I have Slow console access - takes nearly 30 seconds to log in for me The Windows network connections limit Slow/terrible Android/iOS app - takes forever to sync and can be wrong Advanced mark options - needs a complete rewrite in my opinion If I replace a Paxton card the staff/sixth form needs to be set to auto code again and they need to go to inventry to do this - so what's the point in user association in door access control? Preferred surname needs to be default in the console and reporting Inventry InView - let us start it minimised We were mis-sold on the SIMS integration - there is no writing to inventry from sims, and inventry can't read the current morning code so gets changed when they scan a reader (for example we know they have got for let's say an interview, they scan in at 11 pm and it changes that interview code to a U Installation of extra paxton licences signed the document on 27th Feb got told it's normally 10 days from signing - wasn't completed until 13th March Visitor signing when searching for the staff there visiting can't find anyone as they are limited to searching first initial space surname, they should have to select someone not type in anything they like the system should bring up all chris's if that's what someone types, I think I have had one notification someone is here the whole time we have had inventry as the just automaticity type just me first name and press continue Visitor default of opting out of keeping their record - We have visitors with 5 or 6 records as they don't opt-in which makes the visitor history a complete mess, give us the choice to make it less messy or give us a merge tool Visitor companies we have inputted all the main companies we use they just type any old rubbish in - just display a list of all the companies with an "other" button at least some might press the correct one SIMS staff images don't sync over to inventry Complete rethink of the settings page in the console its a complete mess and why isn't there an information button next to everything giving more details on what it does

So far SignInApp - No Paxton integration E-Reception Book - No Paxton integration told me it's due to Paxton not having a Cloud API EntrySign - Has Paxton integration - Might still have the high install costs due to the same hardware as inventry going to ask them if they can reuse it EntrySign looks like what inventry should have been, The other two are cloud and use iPads

We got inventry installed around a year ago and it's been nothing but rubbish. Just had a chat with Signinapp but they have no Paxton integration, hopefully, they might have once our contract with Inventry runs out in another two years. We have disabled SIMS right backs for sixth-formers due to the system not working the way we want, had multiple staff remote in and make changes but it just breaks in a different way. Once the system was installed and I noticed the network connection limitation of the main computer I knew we had made a huge mistake. The sales guy said all the right things and sold it to SLT and other staff in the demo, I remember him saying it was made by an IT team in a school and it worked so well that they made a company and sold it, that has stuck with me as it just can't be true as there are so many features that just don't work or make sense that anyone working in a school would have done it that way. Who even made the advanced sixth form marks needs shooting and I don't think their support understands it either. Things like this "Preferred Names of pupils will ONLY appear on the Core Touchscreen, the pupils name will remain the same within the Console and any reports that are run." is just mad why waste time on writing that in a support article instead of fixing the console and reports to display preferred names ASAP. They also show features in the demo we didn't even get so the demo person and the salesperson weren't in commutation at all, and had to spend another £300 to add the other Paxton gates to the system which took them over two months to remote in for 30secs to install the licence. The console is getting slower each day to open, the app for mobiles takes ages to sync if you are on-site or not and in some cases it's wrong it will say I'm signed out but if I click on staff, look for me and I'm marked in. They have a Windows app so if a member of staff forgets to sign in it will ask to sign them in its a nice little backup option, but the software puts this huge V sign in the right corner and it cant be started minimised it's like they want to only annoy me with their limitations but also annoy all staff, we also had to pay extra to use this windows app. So yea, one of the worst things we have purchased and thank god we haven't had a fire or a fire drill since Christmas when we got rid of the paper base systems in place. I'm hoping the Paxton work over the summer will help but I'm not looking forward to a drill happening.

I have had a great contract with Arbor but terrible from Bromcom Bromcom Used their contact us form on Thursday/Friday hadn't received anything by Tuesday morning, not even a confirmation of the contact us form was received Phoned them Tuesday and was passed on to our allocated specialist had a chat and said she would email me Not received anything Phoned again they said they would get back to me and retook my number On the CMA survey, I put 6 months is enough time to tender and move but I didn't take into account there are 1,000s of schools all doing the same thing especially after the 6month break offer and the CMA survey arriving late Friday, I think more schools are taking notice ESS are taking advantage of them.

I have it in writing that we have the 6-month clause active, not sure how they can stop us, they have the 400 schools legal case & CMA going after them they are just making their situation worse

Got any proof?

We have the 6-month break in contract option in writing, we will look at Arbor and Bromcom to replace if cost-saving allow us to do so for a switch in the summer Currently Sims + Edulink + 4Matix + Alps

Got the email late Friday as well

If you're sticking with SIMS get Edulink it does more than just electronic registers too https://www.overnetdata.com/edulink-one/