AdmissionsPlus

Discovery & Requirements Gathering

Stakeholders involved: Admissions leaders, IT, registrar, operations, and end-users (recruiters, reviewers, evaluators).

Activities:

• Define goals (e.g., optimize inquiry-to-application conversion, automate decision workflows).

• Map current processes (applications, inquiries, communications, committee review).

• Identify data sources and migration needs (legacy systems, spreadsheets).

• Establish success metrics and a high-level timeline.

Deliverables: Requirements doc, high-level workflow diagrams, data migration plan.

Solution Design & Configuration

Activities:

• Configure core modules (inquiries, applications, events, communications, reviews, decisions, waitlists).

• Design approval workflows, decision committees, and routing rules.

• Set up user roles, permissions, and access controls.

• Create standardized templates for emails, letters, forms, and notifications.

• Plan data taxonomy (fields, picklists, custom attributes).

Deliverables: Configuration guide, role/permission matrix, UI mocks, data dictionary.

Data Migration & Cleansing

Activities:

• Map fields from existing systems to AdmissionsPlus.

• Cleanse data (duplicate removal, standardization, validation).

• Execute migration in stages (pilot group, then full migration).

  
  Quality checks: record counts, sample verifications, field-level validation.

Deliverables: Migration scripts, validation reports, rollback plan.

Integration & Setup

Common integrations:

• Student information systems (SIS), learning management systems (LMS), payment gateways, email/SMS platforms, calendar/booking tools.

Activities:

• Establish API connections, test data flows, set up web forms or portals for applicants.

Deliverables: Integration documentation, test results, secured API keys.

Training & Change Management

Approach:

• Admin training for configurations, reports, and maintenance.

• End-user training for recruiters, reviewers, and counselors.

• Create a user guide and quick-reference materials.

• Run a sandbox for hands-on practice before go-live.

Workflow customization:

• Custom applicant journeys (inquiries → applications → reviews → decisions → enrollment).

• Conditional routing based on data fields (e.g., location, program, test scores).

• Custom decision rules and committee configurations.

Data model customization:

• Custom fields and attributes (application sections, test scores, program-specific questions).

• Custom forms and application portals.

Communication & templates:

• Branded email/SMS templates, scheduling reminders, and auto-notification rules.

• Multilingual templates and localization where supported.

Reporting & analytics:

• Custom reports, dashboards, and scheduled exports.

• Data visualizations tailored to admissions KPIs.

Integrations:

• API access for external systems.

• Pre-built connectors (SIS/LMS, payment gateways, calendar tools, marketing automation).

Portal and self-service:

• Applicant portals for status updates, document uploads, and communications.

• Reviewer portals with access to rubrics, notes, and decisions.

Security & compliance:

• Role-based access controls, data residency options, audit logs.

• Compliance features for FERPA, GDPR, or your regional data protection standards.

Software license or subscription:

• Per-user or per-seat pricing, or tiered plans based on modules and intake volume.

• Annual vs. multi-year commitments.

Implementation/Professional services:

• Initial setup, configuration, and data migration.

• Custom workflow design, integration development, and reporting setup.

• Duration often correlates with project scope (see timeline above)

Data migration costs:

• Cleansing, mapping, and migration scripting.

Integrations:

• One-time integration setup fees.

• Potential ongoing fees for API usage or connector licenses.

Admin training: Configuring workflows, roles, permissions, reports, and integrations.

End-user training: Recruiters, reviewers, counselors, and admissions officers learning day-to-day tasks (inquiries, applications, reviews, communications, and enrollment actions).

Hands-on practice: Access to a sandbox or staging environment for practice without impacting live data.

Training materials:

• User guides and onboarding checklists

• Quick-start videos and annotated tutorials

• Job aids and templates for common tasks

Knowledge base / self-service: Articles, FAQs, and searchable content

Train-the-trainer options: Designated internal super-users who receive deeper training to support their teams

Localized training: Sessions in multiple time zones or languages if needed

Role-based access control (RBAC): Granular permissions by user, role, and program

Multi-factor authentication (MFA): An extra layer for admin and sensitive access

Audit logs: Detailed records of user activity, changes, and data access

Data encryption:

• At rest: encryption of stored data

• In transit: TLS/HTTPS for all data transfers

Data residency options: Availability of data storage in specific regions or countries (where supported)

Regular updates: Typically on a quarterly or bi-annual cycle, including:

• Security patches

• Stability improvements

• Feature enhancements

Minor releases: Often monthly or as-needed for urgent fixes

Major releases: Announced in advance and deployed after compatibility testing.

Change planning: Release notes outlining new features, improvements, and any deprecations

Compatibility and testing:

• Pre-release testing in a sandbox/test environment

• Compatibility checks with common integrations (SIS/LMS, payment gateways, email providers)

Deployment approach:

• Staged rollout (pilot group before full deployment)

• Optional maintenance windows to minimize user disruption

Communication

• Advance notice of upcoming updates

• Briefings for admins on new settings or required actions

Rollback procedures:

• Clearly defined rollback plan in case of critical issues

• Data integrity checks after update

Facilitated by contract: Data ownership is typically retained by your organization. The vendor usually acts as a data processor on your behalf.

Scope of control: You should retain rights to access, export, and delete your data according to the contract.

Data usage: Data may be used by the vendor for service operation (e.g., backups, performance improvements) but not for other purposes without explicit consent, unless anonymized and aggregated.

Export capabilities: You should have the ability to export your data in standard, machine-readable formats (e.g., CSV, JSON, XML) for migration to another system.

Timing: Data export should be available on demand and also as part of the end-of-contract data return process.

Data dictionary: A documented data model and field definitions to ensure accurate export and re-ingestion elsewhere.

Migration assistance: The vendor may offer a data export service or migration assistance as a separate engagement.

Pricing model alignment: Capacity-based or user-based pricing with potential tier upgrades; volume-based discounts may apply.

Resource provisioning: SLA-backed scalability for concurrent users, records, and transaction throughput.

Change process: Clear lead times for provisioning additional seats, modules, or data storage; typically 2–6 weeks depending on complexity.

Migration/enablement: Assistance to enable new programs, modules, or integrations as you scale.

Notice requirements: Defined minimum notice periods for reducing licenses or modules.

Proration: Possible prorated adjustments for billing in the current billing cycle.

Data retention implications: Ensure data retention of necessary records is preserved even after downgrades, and understand any impact on reporting history.

Auto-renewal: Many SaaS contracts auto-renew unless canceled within a defined window.

Price adjustments: Potential annual price escalators, cap on increases, or agreed renewal rates if no major changes.

Term options: Availability of multi-year, annual, or monthly renewal terms; longer terms may come with deeper discounts.

Service levels: Renewal often reaffirms SLAs, support tiers, and uptime commitments.

Termination for convenience: Whether you can terminate without cause and associated notice periods.

Early termination penalties: Any fees for ending a contract before the contractual end date, if applicable.

Data return and deletion on termination: Timelines and methods for data export, as well as secure deletion from systems and backups.

Transition assistance: Availability of data migration support and assistance during the wind-down period.

FERPA compliance considerations: Features and configurations to protect student education records in the U.S.

GDPR readiness: Data processing agreements, data subject rights handling (access, correction, erasure), and data transfer mechanisms.

CCPA/CPRA considerations: Personal data handling and opt-out rights where applicable.

HIPAA (if applicable): Not typically for admissions systems, unless health data is involved; verify need.

ISO/IEC 27001: Information security management system (ISMS) certification is a strong indicator of a mature security program.

SOC 1/2/3 (Type II preferred): Controls related to security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy.

PCI DSS (if payments are processed through AdmissionsPlus): Compliance for payment data handling.