Likelihood to Recommend Kissflow, Inc (OrangeScape)
We've used Kissflow [School Cloud] in order to track parent requests for transportation in the SpEd department. It has been user friendly for parents to input a request and staff to review, double check school sites and locations, and set up specific routes to meet the needs of students and communicate the info back to parents.
Read full review A good, and constantly improving solution for private schools. I don't know that a lot of its functionality would be well suited to public schools, but maybe? The integration with other Blackbaud software is a huge plus for us, as we have several of their other products including their flagship Raiser's Edge. Smaller schools may not need the sophistication of Blackbaud solutions, and it is not an inexpensive option.
Read full review Pros Kissflow, Inc (OrangeScape)
Ease of use Clear for users Staff can track work more easily Read full review Seamless integration between the LMS, EMS and SIS modules Real-time, effective chat support helps me not only with urgent needs but also to work through possibilities for increasing how we use the product. Feature upgrades monthly that respond to voiced needs from users Read full review Cons Kissflow, Inc (OrangeScape)
Available how to videos on line to assist staff in set up Read full review Forms - lack of conditional questions Gradebook -lack of links to assignments Not being able to customize displays, for example, Grading tab - we just finished 1st semester and teachers could only see the current quarter but not the 1st one which is still part of the first semester. Lack of customization in assessments. Scheduling- even though re-running generating schedules, we're still getting a high number of unscheduled students. Lack of being able to limit the number of scheduled classes in a row for teachers. Read full review Likelihood to Renew Kissflow, Inc (OrangeScape)
Really love the product. Was pleasantly surprised that it has been easy to use for parents
Read full review It is a solid product. We have some issues with the capabilities of the website building components and the out dated technology behind its communications software but overall Blackbaud Education Management Software services to combine numerous functions into one product.
Read full review Usability Kissflow, Inc (OrangeScape)
Blackbaud EMS is very usable from my perspective. I am a power user and get lots of valuable functionality. It is, however, a complex system. Sometimes necessarily complex to accommodate flexibility for diverse customer needs. Some complexity seems unnecessary and/or hold-over functionality from earlier versions; nice to see this type being evolved away from over time. It is valuable to receive regular updates to the system along with good release notes of what changed and notices of significant changes in advance.
Read full review Support Rating Kissflow, Inc (OrangeScape)
Decent support however the chat feature can take a great amount of time out of the workday. If for instance you are waiting for someone to respond in the chat and there is a fire drill, if you are not responding within a few minutes, you are disconnected and have to start all over again. It would be great if you could submit your problem and then whoever has the most experience, can respond. The training in the Blackbaud University is good but also time-consuming - a 3 hr training in the middle of a workday is a lot to ask. I like the 90-minute sessions. It would also be great to offer a shorter webinar to update on any changes implemented. Other than the email I subscribed to, there is no information on how these updates actually work.
Read full review Alternatives Considered Kissflow, Inc (OrangeScape)
Kissflow [School Cloud] is much much much less expensive for the same type of work completion that we needed.
Read full review Blackbaud K-12 is very similar. I feel like I would be trading one set of issues for another so it's kind of a wash. We are very much hooked into the Blackbaud website with our Google SSO, SmartTuition, and Schooldoc integrations. It would be difficult for us to transition. That is the main reason I haven't really entertained other web firms.
Read full review Return on Investment Kissflow, Inc (OrangeScape)
Positive from a cost perspective compared to previous provider Read full review Negative - The rollout is brutal. Blackbaud said it could happen in 6 months, but that is definitely not a reality. It will take well over a year, and one complete school cycle to actually integrate everything correctly. Positive - The amount of time saved in data processing has allowed our office to become more involved in other areas of the school. Positive - The ease of having everything in [one] place, from inquiry to application to contracts and course registration, has been a HUGE benefit to our applicants and their families. Read full review ScreenShots Blackbaud Education Management Solutions Screenshots