Part 1 of this series discussed the preliminary steps to software purchases, which include:

•Form a cross-functional team including end-users, management and IT personnel. You will get your best results when you include all the appropriate parties.
•Map your business logic. This will help you identify the software program that will best meet your institutional needs and provide other long-term benefits.
•Identify areas for improvement. Review your processes to determine where you can gain efficiencies and add enhancements.
•Review process alignment with the institution’s long-term strategy. Make sure your software purchase will support institutional long-term strategies.
•Build your ‘ideal world’. At this point, it’s free! Think out of the box and include these functions in your software search.
•Clearly define your requirements. This is where you will save the most time and money in the long run. Be clear on what you need and how you need it to work!

PART 2....Narrowing Your Options

Review several software programs. Don’t purchase the first one you see. There are some differences not only in how they perform, but in price and service as well. Invite representatives to present to your committee. Have a list of consistent and specific questions ready to ask each of the vendors. You will notice there are similar components, but they offer variations that may fit your institution's needs more than others. Remember….there is not a single ‘perfect’ software program for every institution.

Ask the right questions. Some of the consistent questions you should have answered include data integrity and data validation features. These will ensure that the information entered in to your program is as accurate as possible. If these are not in place, future analysis will be compromised and you may end up making significant business decisions based on bad information. Also be sure to review security points. While sharing information across departments facilitates communication and increases student services, all information collected does not need to be shared with all individuals. Review both sides of this coin. Is the information available in an appropriate manner to other departments? Can you modify this to accommodate your particular needs? Is the software scalable? As you increase enrollment, open additional locations, expand program offerings, users or class formats, can the software grow with you? Are additional expenses incurred as this happens? Is it flexible? How customizable is it? Can you perform the customization or is this an additional expense? Will you be able to modify it to coordinate with your processes now and as you grow? The initial financial investment is significant, but it can become only the tip of the iceberg. Customized programming changes required to better support a college’s processes can become extremely costly and time consuming.

Be sure to take good notes about advantages and gaps between the software and your processes. You will also be able to add to your ‘ideal world’ list be getting good ideas from the programs you review. Other issues you should explore include support, data integration and upgrades.

Narrow your options. After you have reviewed your options, narrow the list by determining which software programs best appear to fit your institutional needs. Spend some time in your committee discussing the pros and cons of each program. Identify the hidden costs in time and finances associated with the identified gaps. Once you have reviewed all your options, narrow the field to 2-3 finalists.

Data Integrity, Scalability and Flexiblity are Key Considerations

Talk to Current Users. You don’t hire people without checking references. Neither should you make a significant technology purchase without talking with current users. Don’t just review the list of clients who have purchased the software. This can be misleading. They may have made the purchase, but it doesn’t mean they find it useful. Contact a minimum of two institutions currently utilizing your top picks. Ask them about support, easy of customization and gather any other information they may feel would assist you in avoiding difficulties they may have experienced. You may also want to make these contacts by department. Often a program will have an excellent rating in one area and need development in another. You’ll be surprised how helpful these conversations will be in your decision-making. Generally speaking, people will be completely candid. All of this information will help you get started faster with your software investment.