This guide is designed for Secondary schools who are moving to Arbor from SIMs. This week-by-week guide will give you an overview of the onboarding journey, and more information about what to expect at each stage.
Disclamer
If you are completing your onboarding journey on our new Spaces Platform, please ignore the information in this article and refer to the Spaces Platform instead.
Getting Started: Before your Onboarding Begins
You'll receive a Welcome to Arbor email from your Onboarding Manager just before your journey officially kicks off. This email is crucial – it contains important information about allocating roles, starting data cleansing and links to book your Kick Off Call in Week 1
Your Action:
- Book your Kick Off Call for Week 1
Week 1: Kick-Off and Initial Setup
Your onboarding officially begins with a 1-hour Kick-Off webinar led by a Customer Onboarding Manager. This session will cover essential aspects like your project team, the onboarding process, and available support and training. We'll also provide details on your data migration which will take place in week three, giving you an early look at your data in Arbor.
Your Actions for week 1:
- Book and complete your Kick-Off call. After this, you'll receive the link to book your first Progress Call with your Customer Onboarding Manager.
- Access your Onboarding Workbook and save the link somewhere accessible - this will be sent in your Kick Off Call follow up email.
- Start cleansing your data in SIMs. Use the relevant tab in your Onboarding Workbook to guide you.
- Assign roles and responsibilities within your school team. Identify your Arbor Champions – these will be your key internal advocates. Submit these roles via the post-Kick-Off call survey to gain access to the Arbor Training Hub.
- Look out for your Arbor Training Hub login email. Once received, ensure all key staff can log in.
- Check your SIMS server health. Ensure you have allocated as much RAM and memory to the server as possible as this will help the migration run smoothly.
Week 2: Data Cleansing & Training
This week, your primary focus is completing all data cleansing tasks in SIMs. Accurate data cleansing is vital to prevent issues when your information migrates to Arbor. Simultaneously, ensure all staff are engaged with the Arbor Training Hub.
Your Actions for week 2:
- Ensure you have completed all of the Groupcall migration steps by the end of week 2 to enable your Dummy Migration to take place
- Complete all data cleansing in SIMs using your Onboarding Workbook. This is non-negotiable for a successful migration!
- Ensure all key staff have registered for the Arbor Training Hub and have started to book all their foundation webinar sessions before your Go Live date.
- Plan your change management process with your Arbor Champions.
- Fill in the 'Third-Party Applications' tab in your Onboarding Workbook.
Note: The sooner your entire school team knows about the move to Arbor, the better! Refer to our Change Management guide for tips on getting staff on board. An open forum for questions can foster understanding and encourage participation.
Week 3: Dummy Data Migration begins
By Week 3, your SIMs data cleansing should be complete. This allows us to start your dummy data migration to create your initial Arbor site. Your dummy site will be available by Week 6, and your Onboarding Manager will email the details on how to log in as well as anything we have noticed with your site.
Your Actions for Week 3:
- Attend your first progress call with your Onboarding Manager
- Complete Data Cleansing and Data Counts on SIMs, using tab 3 and 4 of your Onboarding Workbook
- Get your team excited! Share online training resources and videos, and ensure relevant Arbor Champions have full access to the Arbor Training Hub.
- Verify all training attendees have booked the sessions relevant to their role.
Week 4: Continued Training
Your dummy migration is now underway. While you're waiting for your dummy site to be released, this is a great time to focus on getting your key team logged into the Training Hub and making sure everyone is clear on the training plan.
Your Actions for Week 4:
- Continue to contact any Third Party Applications and let them know you’re changing MIS
- Continue your training
- Upload screenshots of a sample of your data to our secure upload portal. You can find the details of this in your Onboarding Workbook
- Plan your Fake Arbor Day for week 8
Week 5: Ongoing Training & Progress Updates
Ensure staff are actively participating in their foundation training sessions and book a call to catch up with your Onboarding Manager.
Your Actions for Week 5:
- Attend your Progress Meeting with your Customer Onboarding Manager.
- Take Data Counts from SIMs and record these in tab 4 of your onboarding workbook. This will help you check the migrated data in your Dummy site.
- Ensure staff are maximising their training sessions. Share recordings with anyone who might benefit.
Note: Familiarise yourself with our data checking guide ahead of your Dummy site release.
Week 6: Start Data Checks in Dummy Site
You are more than halfway towards Go Live! Now that you’re 6 weeks into the implementation, we will have migrated the data from your previous MIS and will release your dummy site to you.
Your Actions for Week 6:
- Start data checking in your Arbor Dummy Site to ensure the data matches up to your previous MIS
- Raise any data migration queries with the Support Team/your Support Partner
- Check roles and permissions in your dummy site before all staff access it.
- Continue your training to build confidence with Arbor before Go Live.
Note: Getting your Arbor Champions involved in the data-checking process will not only make the checks more thorough but will also help staff get used to navigating their areas of the new system.
Week 7: Ongoing Checks & Training
This week, consider providing wider staff access to the Arbor system. Encourage them to practice their current workflows within Arbor to familiarise themselves with the new system and put their training into action.
Your Actions for Week 7:
- Attend your Progress Meeting with your Customer Onboarding Manager.
- Finalise your data checks and raise your last data migration queries with the Arbor Support Team or your accredited support partner
- Ensure Arbor Champions are engaging with training and advocating Arbor to their colleagues.
Note: We created a guide called "Top Things to Consider Before Go Live" for common queries and insights for new Arbor users.
Week 8: Data Migration Sign-Off & Fake Arbor Day
With only a few weeks left, it's critical to sign off your data migration report. This is essential to enable your final data migration in Week 10. Once your Data Checks are complete, you can run a Fake Arbor Day to allow everyone to practice using Arbor.
Your Actions for Week 8:
- Sign off your Data Migration Report in Arbor
- Conduct a Fake Arbor Day
- Continue/complete any outstanding foundation training sessions
Note: Ensure each team understands how to configure their area of the system. Review our "8 Ways to Customise Your New Arbor MIS" guide.
Week 9: Readiness for Go Live
This week you'll have a crucial Readiness for Go Live review with your Customer Onboarding Manager to ensure you and your team are feeling confident with your Go Live plan and any setup requirements.
Your Actions for Week 9:
- Finish any outstanding training using the Arbor Training Hub.
- Confirm all third parties are ready to connect to Arbor once you go live.
- Ensure clear plans are in place for your Go Live, and everyone is aware of the rollout plan.
- Attend your Readiness for Go Live Review with your Customer Onboarding Manager.
Week 10: Final Migration
It's almost time! At 4pm on your booked migration date this week, we will begin migrating your final data to Arbor.
Your Actions for Week 10:
- Ensure the wider team is aware of the final migration date and Go Live.
- Confirm all training is complete and Arbor Champions are prepared for Go Live.
- Check your SIMs server health and ensure your server stays switched on throughout the migration.
- Request or generate a backup from SIMs to keep for your retention purposes.
- Sit back and let Arbor complete your final migration! Once complete, you can begin final checks and setup for Day 1.
Note: Any data entered into SIMs after your final migration will NOT transfer to Arbor. Communicate this clearly to your team to avoid surprises!
Week 11: Go Live – Your First Day with Arbor!
The start of Week 11 is your official Go Live day! This is when you'll begin using Arbor for all your MIS needs, starting with attendance.
Your Actions for Week 11:
- Take attendance on your shiny new Arbor MIS!
- Ensure all third-party integrations are functioning as expected.
- Weekend Migrations only: Add attendance data, behaviour incidents, and any record changes for Friday and Monday into Arbor.
Note: Consider printing a simple "how to take a register in Arbor" guide for teachers to ease their first day.
Week 12: Configuration, Checks & Handover
Continue configuring Arbor to your specific requirements, finalise data checks, and complete any remaining training. This week also marks your handover from your Customer Onboarding Manager to your Customer Success Manager.
Your Actions for Week 12:
- Sign off your Data Migration Report.
- Check in with staff to ensure they are confident using their area of Arbor. Remind them they can use the help centre and contact support if they get stuck!
- Once you have completed all your checks and any issues have been resolved you are ready to disconnect Groupcall from SIMS and reconnect to Arbor if used to link other third-party systems
- Onboarding completes and your Onboarding Manager will hand over to Customer Success Managers
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