School software comes with a lot of three-letter names. They overlap, vendors use them loosely, and buyers end up comparing products that do different jobs. Here is what each term usually means.
SIS: student information system
An SIS is the central record of students: personal details, family contacts, enrolment, class and section, attendance, grades and often documents. Everything else in the school depends on this data being right.
MIS (management information system) is the name many UK and international schools use for the same idea, usually covering staff as well as pupils.
School ERP: the whole school’s operations
ERP stands for enterprise resource planning. A school ERP includes an SIS and adds the running of the school:
- Admissions and enquiries
- Fees, online payments, receipts and refunds
- Timetable, homework, exams and grades
- Notices, messages and parent communication
- Branches, transport, leave and reports
School management system (SMS), school administration software, campus management software and education ERP usually mean the same thing.
LMS: learning management system
An LMS is about teaching and learning content: online courses, lesson materials, videos, quizzes and assignments that students work through. Examples include platforms schools use for online classes and course content.
An LMS usually does not handle fees, admissions or transport, and it often relies on an SIS for the list of students and classes.
Side by side
| SIS / MIS | School ERP | LMS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student and family records | Yes | Yes | Basic |
| Attendance | Usually | Yes | Sometimes |
| Admissions and enquiries | Sometimes | Yes | No |
| Fees and online payments | Rarely | Yes | No |
| Timetable | Sometimes | Yes | No |
| Homework and grades | Grades | Yes | Yes |
| Online courses and lessons | No | Rarely | Yes |
| Parent communication | Sometimes | Yes | Sometimes |
Which one does your school need?
- If you run on registers and spreadsheets: start with a school ERP. It gives you clean records and handles the daily office work.
- If you already have good records but fees and communication are painful: look for an ERP that covers those modules.
- If you teach online courses or need lesson content: add an LMS alongside your ERP or SIS.
Where KlassMint fits
KlassMint is a cloud school ERP with a built-in student information system: student records and a Student 360 view, admissions, attendance, timetable, homework, exams and grades, fees with Stripe and Razorpay, notices and a parent app. It is not an LMS. See school ERP software and the student information system.
Frequently asked questions
Is a school ERP the same as a school management system?
In practice, yes. School ERP, school management system (SMS) and school administration software are used for the same kind of product.
What is a school MIS?
MIS stands for management information system. In the UK and some other countries it is the usual name for a school's central student and staff database, similar to an SIS.
Is KlassMint an ERP, SIS or LMS?
KlassMint is a school ERP that includes a student information system. It is not an LMS, although it does handle homework, exams and grades.