Education ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) suites contain integrated modules that manage business operations for K-12 schools, colleges, and universities. Much like ERP systems link departments at enterprise businesses, Education ERP suites seamlessly connect functions from an educational institution’s “back office" departments, including finance and accounting, human resources, and fee payments.
In K-12 schools, typically Education ERP suites are used by employees in the district office to manage the resources of the district as a whole, as well as by office staff at individual schools. Colleges and universities often have employees in multiple offices who use one or more aspects of an ERP system, including finance, human resources, financial aid, and academic advising. Combining these functions into a single integrated system streamlines the daily operations of educational institutions, breaks down data silos, and helps improve communication across departments. Automation functions in Education ERP suites also reduce the manual work required for common tasks, like pulling data from multiple systems used by different departments.
The core modules in Education ERP suites typically include integrated education-specific finance and accounting software and human resources software. Most Education ERP suites also have strong integrations with student information systems. Some products integrate with financial aid management software, alumni management software, or academic advising software.
To qualify for inclusion in the Education ERP suites category, a product must:
- Be specifically designed for use by K-12 Schools or higher education institutions
- Manage “back office" business operations of an educational institution in a single system
- Contain student data management integrations
- Offer reporting functions
- Have integrated modules or products that help manage at least TWO of the following three functions:
- Finance and Accounting
- Human Resources
- Payments and Fees