Major Cloud-based SIS Vendors

• Oracle: Oracle Student Cloud, powered by AI, offers a variety of student information management modules; pricing information is not publicly available. Contact details.
• Workday: Workday Student is a cloud-based student management software; pricing information is not publicly available. Contact details.
• SAP: offers the student management solutions for higher education and research; the annual cost for cloud edition varies by modules utilized, subject to a minimum of $200,000 initial setup and licensing fee (as advised by the online chat agent). Contact details.
• UNIT4: its student management solutions enable the automation and control across the entire student life cycle, based in the Netherlands; pricing information is not publicly available, but the company targets mid-market institutions of at least 10,000 students (as advised by online chat agents), hence it could be expensive for an educational institution of fewer than 500 students. Contact details.
• Ellucian Company: offers a cloud-based ERP and SIS system; pricing information is not publicly available. Contact details and phone number +1 800 223 7036.
• Foradian Technologies : an ERP software vendor based in India which offers a cloud-based SIS, Fedena, for both schools and colleges. Its annual cost ranges from $600, $1,111, to the enterprise plan. Contact details.
• Sycamore: is a school management solution and can integrate with any SIS software, which is suitable to smaller educational institutions; the monthly subscription fee ranges from $0.95 to $1.3 per student, subject to a minimum monthly fee of $130 and a one-time setup cost of $1,000, hence the total cost for the first year is $5,800 (400x1x12 + 1,000) and $4,800/year thereafter for approximately 400 students.
• Serosoft: an education software vendor that offers the Academia SIS solution, based in India; pricing information is not publicly available. Contact details.
• Aptron: its Collēgix solution offers unmatched SIS technology; pricing information is not publicly available. Contact details.
• TechnologyOne: its Student Management offers a total management solution and is part of the ERP system, based in Australia; pricing information is not publicly available. Contact details.
• Tribal: a SIS software that manages the entire student lifecycle; pricing information is not publicly available. Contact details.
• Unifyed: an AI-, microservice- and cloud-based SIS, which is an option for small educational institutions; cost is $120 per student per year, subject to a minimum of $150,000 initial cost and the discounts for every incremental increase of 1,000 or 2,500 students. Hence, the total cost for the first year is 198,000 per year (400x120 + 150,000) and $48,000/year thereafter for approximately 400 students. Contact details.
• Others: Apar Technologies, Beehively, Arth Infosoft Pvt. Ltd., and Oficina de Cooperación Universitaria.

Cost of SIS Software

• The annual cost of SIS software varies significantly from vendor to vendor. Besides the initial year of deployment, the monthly fee per student ranges from $2 to $10, while the annual cost per student may well exceed $20.
• For vendors that price products on a monthly basis instead of the number of students, the cost ranges from $10 to more than $1,000 per month.
• The cost to an institution of 400 students and 30 staff could be expensive, if it chooses enterprise-grade products, such as UNIT4, SAP and Oracle. From a cost perspective, vendors that target smaller schools and colleges are expected to be good options, such as Foradian Technologies, Sycamore, and Unifyed; their annual cost ranges from $600 to $48,000 for 400 students per year after the first year.

Review of Jenzabar

Core and Extended SIS Features

• Jenzabar's SONIS, a student information system, is specifically designed for higher educational institutions. The cloud-based system prioritizes the mobile feature and experience for users.
• Under the umbrella of Jenzabar One, various modules allow the integration with existing IT systems, such as ERP and CRM; they extend the SIS system to other student-related functions and to be a holistic campus management solution, such as financial aid, e-learning, human resources, and finance.
• Jenzabar's SIS products, services and solutions cover the core features of SIS, such as records, registration, and enrollment; student financing and billing; assessment and outcomes; and outreach and engagement, among other student administrative functions.
• According to a study by Eduventures, Jenzabar has already been among the top three or four vendors in 2016, regarding its core SIS features and cloud-based functions. Its close competitors were UNIT4, Workday, and Campus Management. In 2018, Oracle Student Cloud demonstrated the strong inroads to the cloud-based SIS market, which offers a suite of student management software modules and allows integration with SAP's existing educational software.
• Jenzabar's engagement features as reflected from Constituent Relationship Management are also a critical element of SIS software.

Third-Party Rating and User Reviews

• Besides a series of client case studies in the space of higher education as listed on the Jenzabar Website, software review sites, such as G2 and Capterra, have also some statistics available for reference.
• On G2, Jenzabar SONIS has 27 user reviews and is rated 3.5 out of 5, while Jenzabar One has received 32 reviews and is rated 3.7 out of 5. The site also highlights the likes and dislikes of individual users about Jenzabar.
• On Capterra, SONIS has 9 reviews and is rated 3.6 out of 5, while Jenzabar has 17 reviews and is rated 3.8 out of 5. The site also highlights the pros and cons of Jenzabar based on the summary of the user reviews.
• On FeaturedCustomer, Jenzabar has received a rating of 4.7 out of 5 from 1,534 reviews.

Expected Cost of Deployment

• Most of the thirteen SIS vendors do not disclose pricing information on their Websites. Prices are accessible via either the live chatbot or booking an appointment with a dedicated salesperson.
• Jenzabar's prices are not expected to be in the same tier as Oracle, SAP and UNIT4, since its advanced technologies are not yet at the same level, such as advanced data analytics.

Incorporation of Advanced Technologies

• Jenzabar had incorporated the AI and automation technology into a chatbot feature, which enables student self-service and reduces the demand for support staff. Personalized, automated communications also contribute to a more engaged student experience and the improvement of staff experience.
• Although the SONIS platform offers critical data-related features, such as advanced data query, pre-configured reports, and data security, the platform seems to lack advanced analytics and behavior tracking functions. For example, predictive analytics powered by AI and machine learning could help staff assess the current situation of students and make decisions based on data insights.
• As to its data security features, it is not yet clear what essential services are covered based on the information on Jenzabar's Websites. For example, "data encryption, authorization management, access control, cloud integration, communication security, monitoring and auditing, and business continuity are some important security services" offered by SIS vendors in the market.
• The mobile-friendly, cloud-based SONIS system allows integration with other IT systems at higher educational institutions, such as ERP. System integration is an essential part of implementing the SIS system but a costly exercise, hence the integration service offered by SONIS is essential. Jenzabar Unity Platform, a PaaS service, facilitates the deployment of APIs and system integration.
• The above-mentioned advanced technology features are expected to support the deployment of Jenzabar's financial management features.

Research Strategy