School software, in plain words

What ERP, SIS, MIS, LMS and the rest actually mean.

Academic year: The school year, usually divided into terms, that classes, timetables, exams and fees belong to.
Admission CRM: Software for tracking prospective families from first enquiry to enrolment, with sources, statuses and follow-ups. Learn more
APAAR ID: India’s Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry: a lifelong student ID linked to academic records.
Attendance percentage: The share of school days a student attended. Many schools set a minimum level and flag students below it. Learn more
Campus management software: Another name for a school ERP, often used by schools with large or multiple campuses. Learn more
Cloud-based school ERP: A school ERP run by the vendor on its servers and used through a browser or app, with nothing to install. Learn more
Concession: A reduction in a fee for a particular student or family, for example for siblings or staff children.
Digital gradebook: Software where teachers record marks and grades instead of paper registers. Learn more
Education ERP: Enterprise resource planning software for schools and colleges. Same idea as a school ERP. Learn more
Enrollment management: Managing the process of bringing new students into the school, from enquiry to admission. Learn more
FERPA: The US Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, which protects the privacy of student education records.
Fee defaulter: A family whose school fee is unpaid after the due date. Learn more
Fee structure: The list of fees for a class or section, with amounts, frequency and due dates. Learn more
GDPR: The EU General Data Protection Regulation, which governs how personal data, including student data, is handled.
HPC (Holistic Progress Card): A broader report card used in Indian schools that covers skills and development beyond marks.
K-12: Schooling from kindergarten to grade 12.
LMS (Learning management system): Software for delivering learning content such as online courses, lessons and quizzes. Learn more
MIS (Management information system): The usual UK term for a school’s central database of pupils, staff and activity, similar to an SIS. Learn more
Multi-branch school ERP: A school ERP that runs several campuses of one school group in a single account. Learn more
OMR: Optical mark recognition: scanning bubble answer sheets to mark tests automatically.
Payment gateway: A service such as Stripe or Razorpay that processes online card and local payments. Learn more
Report card: A summary of a student’s results and progress for a term or year, shared with families.
School ERP: Enterprise resource planning software that runs a school’s operations: records, admissions, attendance, timetable, exams, fees and communication. Learn more
School management system (SMS): Software for running a school’s administration. Usually means the same as a school ERP. Learn more
SIS (Student information system): The central record of students: details, families, enrolment, attendance, grades and documents. Learn more
Student 360: A single page that brings together everything about a student: attendance, fees, results, parents and documents. Learn more
Student lifecycle management (SLM): Managing a student’s journey from enquiry and admission through their school years to leaving.
Timetable clash: A conflict where a teacher, class or room is booked twice at the same time. Learn more
UDISE+: India’s Unified District Information System for Education, the national database of school data.
White-label app: A mobile app published under the school’s own name and brand rather than the vendor’s.

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