Technology has become an essential part of education nowadays. Today, schools and colleges have started adopting school software for smoother functioning of their administrative operations, and to improve the communication between the stakeholders.
The school management software has been divided into 2 categories.
- Online School Software (It operates on a cloud-based system)
- Offline School Software (On-Premises)
Each has its own benefits and drawbacks. In this article, we will discover the top differences between ‘Online School Management Software’ and ‘Offline School Management Software’ to assist educational institutions in making crucial decisions when selecting the right software for their needs.
- Accessibility
Accessibility is a major factor between online and offline school management software. As far as online software is concerned, they are hosted on the cloud (Remote Servers). They can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection. On the other hand, Offline software is installed on PCs, and they can be accessed on-site only.
- Cost
Online school fee management software involves a pricing-based model that has a subscription fee that can be charged monthly or annually. It includes 24/7 customer support and regular updates from the vendor. In contrast, Offline software needs some straight investment for licensing and purchasing hardware.
- Maintenance
Software maintenance is another key issue. In online school software, all such things including software, updates, and maintenance are handled by the vendor itself. It significantly reduces the extra burden upon the teachers, and staff members. Offline software demands manual hardware maintenance and updates, which is more costly and takes more time.
- Scalability
Online school software can be scalable according to the school’s requirements. The flexibility it offers is exemplary as it suits institutes of all sizes. Offline software, on the other hand, requires upgradation to accommodate the progress which could lead to more complexity.
- Security
Security is the top concern for any organization or institution. Vendors of online business software take serious note of the security measures of the software to safeguard confidential information against potential cyber threats. Offline software does not provide this much security, and they are more vulnerable to security attacks and data breaches.
- Collaboration
Online school software is known for boosting collaboration among the admins, schools, and parents. Its features include online mark sheet generation, communications tools like SMS and email, and sharing of important documents. Offline software does not have these exclusive features which make it difficult for the school, teachers, & parents to stay engaged.
- Accessibility for Parents and Students
Online software offers a parent portal to keep them informed about the real-time information of their child. This enhances the parental involvement in the academic life of the students. But, on the other hand, Offline school software does not provide easy access and hinders communication between the school and parents.
- Updates and Innovation
Online software vendors update their products by incorporating new features regularly. The improvement is done based on the user feedback and the school’s requirements. This makes schools stay updated with the latest technological trends. Offline software, on the other hand, may have some gaps in innovation and upgradation.
- Integration
Integration with other systems becomes a major factor when choosing software. Online software is designed in such a way that it can be easily integrated with other systems such as learning management systems, and student information management systems when required. Integration plays a giant role in data sharing. Offline software may not have these capabilities.
- Data Recovery
Cloud-based school ERP software has an in-built data recovery framework that ensures the data is protected and backed up in case of any emergencies. In contrast, offline software is dependent upon local backup solutions which are not that reliable if something wrong happens. Conclusion: In a nutshell, it is advisable to go for an online school management software because it has plenty of benefits over the other. The online software brings transparency, boosts communication, and makes things much easier for the administrators. On the other hand, the offline software is limited to some extent.