Data Portability: A Key Criteria When Evaluating Solutions

Enrollsy builds software for enrollment-based companies. It just so happens that our first customer was a preschool, so we've grown quite a bit in that market over the past few years. Yet, we've learned a lot about the quintessential software needs of buyers in any industry. This post is about one such need, data portability.

Data is gold unless it's locked away in silos.

Data is arguably the most valuable resource in the world. I don't mean this in the way that Google might mean it; this post isn't about selling data, which is undoubtedly the primary driver of data's skyrocketing value. It's important to note that Enrollsy does not sell or share customer or its customer's customer data outside of the service itself. Instead, this post intends to illustrate how data facilitates valuable decision-making and more meaningful interactions with customers. The data we obtain has both long and short-term value to every business. Consider your data's role in how you:

• Market
• Sell
• Retain
• Service
• Collect payment
• Communicate
• Hire

The ease with which a business can access or share their data with other platforms or move their data to another software solution is essential in determining the overall value of the tools used to collect, store, or process the data. Data portability should be part of the final purchasing decision. If a software provider tells you they have no contract and the service is month-to-month, but they fail to inform you (or you fail to ask or discover) how difficult it is to get your data out of their platform, you might be in for a surprise.

Imagine using software for a year or so and entering hundreds or even thousands of records.

Now imagine you've found a complementary or substitute solution, and you have to get some or all of the data out. But, you can't export your legacy data. Or you can, but it's going to cost you. Or, even worse, the data you get out is incomplete, in horrible shape, and you spend hours reformatting it.

Avoid data silos when choosing a software solution.

Another thing to consider is the consequences of not getting enough problems solved with each software purchase. There is much to be said for software that performs a single function better than other alternatives. It's also true that if you can get a solution that solves three problems instead of one, you may be better off choosing that solution. Unless, of course, that solution also creates data silos. The object of software is to make your life less complicated, not more so. If you find yourself having to repeat tasks to keep some or all of the same data in-sync across too many software solutions, you're going to suffer.

‍

Think of your software providers like banks.

If customer data were money, and you had to deposit it in a bank, what would be the essential requirements for determining which bank to use?

Would you be okay with a bank selling your money?

Would you be okay with a bank locking some of your money away and never being able to get it back?

Would you be okay with a bank charging you a fee to take your money out?

Some questions make sense with a money and a bank, but might not make any sense when it comes to software and your data. Answering these questions and then working through your list of prospective software providers is one of the smartest things you can do before purchasing. Make sure you're not doing all that work to deposit it with someone who has unacceptable practices around data access, backups, and data portability.

Data portability in Enrollsy

Enrollsy's approach to data portability is quite simple. We've always been willing and able to give our customers a complete data-dump, but we've gone a step further and made it possible without talking to us. Here are some data types and how Enrollsy makes data access, backups, and portability a reality for our clients.

Financial Information

Enrollsy allows for quick syncing of financial data with Quickbooks Desktop and Quickbooks Online.

Save up to 40% when you sign up for Quickbooks Online through Enrollsy.

Additionally, you can create comprehensive export files from almost every one of our transaction reports.

What's more, your customers can view and download their receipts, account summaries, and year-end-statements from within the parent portal or customer portal or on Enrollsy for Android or Enrollsy for Apple iOS.

These features make Enrollsy the complete package when it comes to financial data portability.

Customer Information

Enrollsy has an incredibly easy to use reporting tool for viewing, downloading, or printing customer information. Since our customizable enrollment form allows you to collect just about anything from your customers, we created an equally customizable way to access it.

Enrollsy allows you to sort and order all columns of data collected during enrollment. Sorting and ordering before exporting or printing ensures that you can build the perfect report. Furthermore, you can filter the data in incredible ways to get precisely what you need. Some common use-cases for this kind of data portability include creating:

• Email lists for use in your email marketing software
• A list of enrollees, filtered by class, and their t-shirt sizes
• Birthday lists for a day, week, or month
• A list of account balances of a specific size
• A list of enrollees and their emergency contacts or approved pick up contacts
• Almost any kind of list or report you can think of with the data you collect
• An export file with ALL information so you can switch to another software

To see this incredible tool in action, head over to our Customer Support Center.

Conclusion

The software you choose can have a long-lasting impact beyond its immediate value or your perception of how it solves your current problems. Be sure to find a solution that not only solves your current problems but a solution that sets you up for success in the future by giving you the data portability you need.

‍