Modules worth paying for first
Fees, attendance, results and the parent portal carry the daily load. Start there. Transport, hostel and multi-campus reporting add value once the core records are clean.
One login, clear roles
Staff should sign in once and see exactly what their role allows. Ask how permissions are granted: per module, per class, per campus — and whether changes are logged.
Look at the data model behind the demo
Ask how a student, a guardian, a class and a fee assignment relate to each other. A demo can look polished while the underlying records duplicate names and balances. Insist on one record per student, one balance per fee, one receipt per payment.
Integration reality check
If you already use a payment provider, an SMS gateway or an accounting package, list them before the demo and ask which are supported today, which are planned, and which are the school’s responsibility.
Exit terms and training
Confirm what happens to your records if you leave, how staff are trained, and who supports teachers in the first term. The cheapest licence is expensive if the first collection week has no help.