Switching swim school software: the checklist
Most swim schools stay on software they have outgrown because moving looks risky. It is manageable if you do it in order. Use this checklist with any provider.
- 600,000+ studentshave passed through our systems
- 1 million+ workoutscompleted in FitDesk
- Since 2013an Australian company
Before you decide
- Check your current contract: end date, notice period and exit fees
- Ask your current provider how you can export your data, and in what format
- List what you actually use today, and what you work around
- Pick a go-live date between terms or in a quiet week
Ten questions to ask a new provider
- Who does the migration, and what does it cost?
- How long from signing to go-live?
- Which of our data comes across: families, students, levels, skills history, classes, waitlists, credits and balances?
- Can we keep our payment provider, and what happens to existing direct debit authorities?
- What is the monthly cost at our size, and what makes it go up?
- Is there a setup fee, a minimum term or an exit fee?
- Where is our data stored?
- What do parents need to do on day one?
- How are staff trained?
- Can we speak to a centre like ours that has switched?
Download this guide as a PDF
What to export
- Families and contacts, with consents
- Students, with date of birth, level and medical notes
- Skills and assessment history
- Current classes, enrolments and waitlists
- Make-up credits and account balances
- Payment arrangements and next billing dates
- Staff, with roles
A two-week plan
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| Days 1 to 3 | Export data. Agree levels, skills, prices and discount rules with the new provider |
| Days 4 to 7 | New system is set up and a first copy of your data is loaded. You check a sample of families and classes |
| Days 8 to 10 | Staff training. Front desk and instructors practise on real classes |
| Days 11 to 12 | Parents are told what is changing and when |
| Day 13 | Final data copy. Old system is set to read-only |
| Day 14 | Go live. Someone from the provider is on call |
What to tell parents
Send one short message a few days before, and one on the day. Tell them what is changing: a new app or portal for bookings and progress. Tell them what is not changing: their class, their instructor and their fees. Tell them the one thing they need to do, such as set a password or download the app, and who to ask for help.
Go-live day
- Class lists checked against the old system for the first day
- Front desk can enrol, transfer and take a payment
- Instructors can mark attendance and skills
- A parent test account can log in and see a child
- First billing run reviewed before it is sent
How GreeneDesk does it
We migrate your families, classes, levels and waitlists for you in about two weeks, and quote any setup or migration cost up front.
How long does it take to change swim school software?
With a provider that does the migration for you, about two weeks from the data export to go-live.
When is the best time to switch?
Between terms, or in a quiet week, so the first class lists in the new system are for a new block.
Download this guide as a PDF
See it with your own program in mind
Tell us your centre and what you run, and we will show you GreeneDesk in a short demo. After the demo you get a trial for your team. Setup and migration take about two weeks, and we do the move for you.
We do the migration for you. We respond to support requests within 4 hours, and straight away for critical issues.
