Client Success Stories

Applications

CDMS is the 7th member of our Operations and Support team.

CDMS has significantly streamlined the application process, greatly reducing processing times. Emmanuel is a geographically dispersed community operating across the entire North West region of England, so enabling admissions tutors to access secure applicant files specifically assigned to them, and conduct interviews online has been hugely beneficial.

Data Integrity

The CDMS applications process has transformed the way we manage our data integrity. Students enter their own data into the system, and update it during the course of the student life cycle through the student portal. This has saved many hours in terms of data input, and the data is trustworthy and of high quality.

WTCC takes Data Protection very seriously. GDPR and UK Data Protection compliance is central to the system’s design. Students trust the CDMS, and believe that Emmanuel looks after their data well.

Efficiency/Cost Savings

CDMS has replaced at least 1 staff position if not more.

CDMS has helped Emmanuel to be responsive and resilient to the changes in the HE sector, increasing flexibility to diversify and take more independent students without needing to increase the staff team.

Reporting

CDMS – Moodle integration (CDMS setting up modules and registering all the students on them automatically) has significantly speeded up reporting to our validating partner, making this a ‘joyful process.'

Support

The support team is incredible and very responsive. In this first year of HESA reporting the level of support has been outstanding, really working to understand what Emmanuel is trying to achieve. We have really appreciated the level of collaboration and working together to develop solutions for different needs in the business.

Data Integrity

A key rationale for moving to CDMS was improved data security – both for student data and to enhance efficiency and data security across our staff/faculty teams.

With CDMS, we have made significant improvements and efficiencies including data management, holding data securely, and updating our previous systems to hold all our data in one place.

Efficiency

Oak Hill launched two entirely new types of programmes this past year which would not have been possible with our previous data management system without requiring much more staff time. The CDMS has allowed us to do this and continue to innovate.

This past year we have been transferring from a paper-based admissions system to a complex comprehensive data based system, and also embedding with a new validating partner. In the middle of all this, we are able to see significant savings by working with CDMS.

Integration with Moodle

We have done our first module enrollment using CDMS. Previously this would have taken a number of weeks, with CDMS it was 1.5 days. Time taken to prepare for Academic Boards will be significantly reduced because Moodle is the source of truth together with CDMS.

CDMS is enabling us to save hours previously being taken for a variety of tasks being reduced to minutes.

Application Process

CDMS supports a simple workflow process and streamlined, effective, good interdepartmental communication/information which saves significant time with application processing. Taking deposits on Stripe has streamlined and speeded up the application process.

Processing applications with the CDMS is really fast if all the information is entered correctly. Late applications have been processed within minutes if students are ready with references and payments.

It is really easy for all staff involved in the application process to stay updated at a glance with lozenge colours, and see the information in real time.

Onboarding confirmed students is very quick, easy and straightforward, involving clicking one button which sets up Google Workspace Accounts and access to Moodle, finance and the library.

Integration of Moodle and CDMS

Preparing Moodle for new academic years is very straightforward with bulk (rather than individual) allocation of students to their modules, saving hours!

Student Records

CDMS provides permission-driven access to student records, all visible in one place. The system has streamlined Registry processes, and saved staff time by automating the process of requesting extensions, deferrals, IoS, and automatic approval of 7 day extensions.

Annual enrolment process on CDMS is quick and easy for both students and staff and ensures that students’ records are kept up-to-date.

Faculty Records

CDMS makes setting up records for new faculty very straightforward.

Client Relationships

Our shared values and strong working relationship with the CDMS team were major factors in choosing CDMS as our student record system. The ongoing support has been consistently positive: the team responds quickly, and our conversations are always honest, constructive and solutions focused. The weekly release of system enhancements demonstrates the agility of the CDMS team, who act swiftly on any required adjustments. We also greatly value the sense of community. For example, the collaboration between CDMS and the Waverley Abbey team during the development of the HESA reporting feature felt vibrant and energised.

Enhanced Student Experience

With SSO, students can access multiple systems through a single account. The admin interface enables instant creation of accounts across Moodle, email, the library, and CDMS, making the experience seamless for both staff and students. By automating routine administrative tasks, CDMS has freed up valuable staff time, allowing our team to focus more on personalised engagement with current and prospective students.

Efficiency and Cost Savings

CDMS has helped us streamline key processes, improving both accuracy and speed, especially in communication with prospective students and during onboarding. Our team describes the CDMS Admissions portal simply as “so much better”, and being able to see applicant progress at a glance has transformed how we work.

The Moodle integration and single sign-on (SSO) have also been revolutionary, delivering major time savings and reducing the risk of errors. After working closely with WTCC this year to build an efficient HESA feature, we are expecting significant time savings going forward – what once took 30 minutes to download now takes just 30 seconds.

Data Security

CDMS has significantly strengthened our data security by embedding best-practice processes throughout the system.

Overall

We love the CDMS. It is a brilliant product, easy to use and we know that as we make full use of more and more features, it will make a significant difference to our college. We appreciate that it has been designed specifically for UK theological colleges, and that new and enhanced features draw on the shared wisdom across the client collective, which is a real strength.

Support

WTCC really cares about their client colleges and the Support Team have the clients’ best interests at heart which is a real strength. Our shared vision to further God’s Kingdom underpins this, and the caring, pastoral attitude of the Support Team is invaluable.

Major benefits to date

Taking and processing admissions through the CDMS made a big difference to the college this past year, particularly to enhanced data security. Also being able to go into the system and get information on individual students easily. Our Admissions Boards were seamless because relevant data was visible to all staff involved. We also love the way the system prompts different staff members when they need to take action.