Dive Deeper: Questions to Ask About Your Current SIS System and Processes

In our last post, we discussed how schools often struggle with out-of-the box student information systems (SIS) that lack the flexibility to align with their business processes and evolving needs.

The reality is that your school management software shapes everything from the student experience to staff productivity. If your student information system isn't fully configurable to meet the unique needs of your institution, it's time to take a closer look.

Here are key questions to help you evaluate whether your current school management software is supporting your goals or holding you back:

1. What kind of support is available during and after implementation?

Many institutions underestimate how critical strong, ongoing support is to long-term success.

Ask yourself: Will our team have access to real-time assistance, or will we rely on chatbots and ticketing systems that take days to respond?

A reliable student information system provider should offer live customer support, on-going training, and onboarding resources that empower your staff to succeed well beyond go-live.

2. Title (Bold, Color) How seamless is our admissions process?

Your admissions process is often the first impression your institution makes.

How easy is it for prospective students to apply, upload documents, and track their progress through your Higher Ed Registration and SIS platform? Are communications, forms, and documents clearly managed and visible to both staff and applicants?

An unintuitive admissions workflow can discourage qualified students before they even begin. The right school management system simplifies applications, automates progress tracking, and keeps communication clear and consistent.

3. Title (Bold, Color) How does data flow between admissions and student services?

When a student is accepted, what happens next? Is their information — including forms, communication records, and notes — instantly available to staff across departments? Or is your staff re-entering data manually, creating courses in multiple places, and managing enrollments and updates in separate systems? An innovative, fully integrated campus management software ensures single -entry data transfer across departments and third-party platforms, reducing human error and improving the overall student lifecycle management experience.

4. What barriers exist in your enrollment pipeline?

Your institution's first goal is to convert interest into enrollment — quickly and efficiently

Where are you losing prospective students? Are there unnecessary steps, delays in communication, or technical obstacles that cause frustration? With over 20 years of experience working with a variety of institutional types, our implementation team share best practices for success.

Identifying and addressing these enrollment pain points can have a direct impact on student recruitment and retention. The most efficient K-12 and Higher Ed Registration and SIS tools make it easy to track leads, follow up, and prevent delays.

5. How easily can you access and report real-time data?

If you rely on multiple spreadsheets, manual processes, or have to wait for technical teams to search for the data you need to make decisions, your student information system isn't working efficiently for you.

A comprehensive campus management software solution should make it simple to access accurate, real-time data for decision-making, compliance, and accreditation reporting.

Can your faculty and student services teams quickly identify and assist at-risk students? Can they view trends in academic performance, attendance, or engagement directly within your SIS?

Access to integrated, up-to-date student data empowers your team to act early before students fall behind — a hallmark of a truly data-driven institution.

The Bottom Line

These questions can uncover hidden inefficiencies and highlight opportunities for improvement across your institution.

The goal isn't just to replace a system — it's to partner with an innovative, responsive team that supports a student-centered ecosystem, empowering every department to thrive with the right school management software.

“In case you missed our previous post, The 3 Biggest Mistakes Institutions Make When Selecting a Student Information System (SIS) software…”