Setting up ERP solutions is no small feat – these powerful systems are reshaping India’s education sector, connecting diverse stakeholders, and streamlining operations across institutions.
While Gartner notes that 70% of ERP initiatives face implementation hurdles, this statistic highlights the complexity and importance of getting it right. For ERP software providers in India, this represents an opportunity to enhance their solutions and create more value for educational institutions.
By understanding implementation considerations and leveraging the right partnerships, ERP providers can deliver more robust, user-friendly solutions that drive digital transformation in education.
Content Index
- What is an ERP System?
- 5 Challenges Faced By Indian ERP Software Providers in the Education Sector and Their Fixes
- Conclusion
- FAQs
What is an ERP System?
An ERP system manages an organisation’s day-to-day business operations, including finance, HR, procurement, project management, supply chain management, and more. ERPs are integrated platforms hosted on-premise or in the cloud that manage different aspects of a business.
An ERP system gives the end-users a transparent picture of all business operations. It works as a centralised hub for all datasets that can be accessed by different departments at once.
What role does ERP software play for educational institutions?
Education institutions are responsible for managing and processing various datasets, including student and teacher information, exams and admission-related information and school supply procurement.
ERP software providers in India working in the education sector interconnect all institutions’ departments, including academics, finance, communication, infrastructure and administration. This helps centralise all relevant data records within a central server, making data easily accessible for all departments.
5 Challenges Faced By Indian ERP Software Providers in the Education Sector and Their Fixes
Successful ERP implementation requires careful planning and expertise, as each educational institution has unique workflows and requirements that need to be thoughtfully mapped. ERP service providers in India play a crucial role in this digital transformation journey, working closely with institutions to understand their needs and provide implementation guidance. By strengthening implementation support and partnerships, ERP providers can help institutions maximize the value of their technology investments.
Let’s get to the depth of the ERP software challenges that require the attention of ERP service providers at the earliest:
Infrastructure and legacy systems integration
Educational institutions often work with diverse technology ecosystems, including established systems like traditional accounting software, mainframe systems, and other legacy platforms. This technological diversity presents unique integration opportunities for ERP providers.
When educational institutions begin their digital transformation journey, they may be at different stages of technological readiness. Some may transition from manual processes, while others work with existing digital systems. ERP providers can create significant value by offering structured migration approaches, helping institutions preserve their valuable historical data while moving toward more efficient, integrated solutions.
Solutions
- Look for open APIs (Application programming interfaces) offering seamless integrations
- ERP providers should consider offering implementation in phases. This could mean first integrating the core components and functionalities and then integrating existing systems. Enable testing in each phase to ensure the effectiveness of this approach
Little to no customisation for specific use cases
ERPs are built on a one-size-fits-all approach. This means that if the end user doesn’t have a dedicated resource to manage implementation, integration, data transfer, and similar tasks, they will have to manage all these tasks manually.
Given their budget constraints and limited technical resources, educational institutions often look to their ERP partners for customization support. This presents an opportunity for ERP providers to strengthen their relationships with institutions by offering tailored support services. By understanding each institution’s unique needs and providing flexible customization options, ERP providers can create more value for their customers while building lasting partnerships in the education sector.
Solutions
Typically, education ERP providers are well aware of the needs of their end-users. For example, educational institutions require support to manage their workflows, cross-team communication, finance management, etc. ERP providers should pick some of these broader use cases and offer customisations to make the lives of their customers easier (at least partly).
Education ERP providers should also consider migrating to the cloud environment. Cloud-based solutions have built-in configuration tools to manage an institution’s unique needs.
Modern payment integration
As educational institutions embrace digital transformation, streamlining payment workflows has become increasingly important. Students and parents are already comfortable with digital learning experiences – from attending online classes to accessing study materials electronically.
ERP providers can enhance their offerings by integrating modern payment solutions that match this digital ecosystem. A seamless payment experience can significantly improve user satisfaction while reducing administrative burden for institutions.
Solutions
Opt for a payment solution like Nimbbl, explicitly designed for ERP software providers in India. The following products offered by Nimbbl can streamline your payment process and increase your payment success rate:
- Payment pages: Nimbbl’s no-code payment pages are easy to create and perfect for collecting service charges. Simply create a payment page for your service, share it with your customers, and that’s it. Customers can select any payment method (UPI, BNPL, digital wallets, etc.) and complete transactions within seconds.
- Payment router: Nimbbl’s payment router directs end-users to the fastest payment path suitable for completing transactions faster and without glitches.
- Payment links: Nimbbl allows ERP service providers to generate payment links based on their details. This helps them to collect payments through emails. You can also generate payment links in bulk.
Steep learning curve and resistance to change
One of the biggest restrictions ERP software providers face in India to date is shifting from a paper-based system to an ERP. According to Statista, 4.98 million registered workers in India are in the education sector. These people have been working in a certain set-up for years, which involves manual efforts to a large extent. They are hardly ready to transition to an entirely new set-up, which is complicated and requires training.
Solutions
- ERP service providers should consider including comprehensive training programs within their packages and price them accordingly. When organisations pay for it, they will make sure that the employees are taking these training programs seriously and getting hands-on experience in operating the ERP
- ERP companies should also create dedicated knowledge centres with support documents, tutorial videos, and other relevant resources. This way, even after the initial training is over, users will have access to these knowledge resources whenever they are stuck with an implementation challenge
Scalable pricing models
Educational institutions are dynamic environments with changing needs throughout the academic year. From welcoming new student batches to expanding into new subject areas, institutions experience natural growth that impacts their technology requirements.
ERP providers understand these evolving needs and the importance of sustainable pricing, particularly for government institutions operating with fixed budgets. This creates an opportunity to develop flexible pricing structures that align with educational institutions’ growth patterns and financial planning cycles.
Solutions
- Consider collecting payment in phases. The first set of payments can be made after the initial installation of functionalities, and the second phase can be made after completing the integrations. Tools like Nimbbl offer fast checkout options to make the payment process painless
Conclusion
ERP software providers in India have a lot of potential, especially in the educational sector. They need to think in their shoes, understand their specific requirements, and customise the ERPs to their needs.
As a first step toward improving your payment infrastructure, you should learn more about Nimbbl and its solutions.
FAQs
What is ERP software in education?
Educational ERP software is a centralised platform that manages an institution’s operations, including academics, finance, administration, student records, and communication between departments.
Is ERP a system or software?
ERP is a software system that integrates and manages core business processes. In education, it connects different departments and functions through a unified platform.
What is ERP in higher education?
ERP manages critical functions in higher education through a single integrated platform, such as student admissions, course management, examination systems, faculty information, financial operations, and administrative tasks.
