Department of Education 
SACS Rollout Case Study

Since July 1997, The Quill Consultancy has been contracted to the Department of Education to provide technical support for the School Administrative Computer System (SACS).  This system is implemented in 220 schools and colleges across the state, and covers financial, administrative, student record and timetable modules.

As part of this technical support, The Quill Consultancy Help Desk takes an average of 600 calls per month from administrative staff and teachers needing assistance in all aspects of the program.

In November 1999, the Department of Education contracted The Quill Consultancy to project manage an upgrade of the SACS software to the next version.  This involved visiting all 220 schools and colleges across the state and installing the new SACS software on the applicable machines.

The Quill Consultancy recruited ten graduate computer science students from the University of Tasmania and provided training in the SACS software and installation procedures.  The installation process was co-ordinated over a 3-week period, with each graduate installing the software at two schools per day.

With 10 consultants travelling around the state, The Quill Consultancy was kept on its toes answering over 1000 queries about the new version, as well as the continued management of the project.

The project resulted in all 220 schools being upgraded to the latest version of SACS, and a resolution of all outstanding technical issues with the new version.

Project logistics