The manuals are well-written and do an excellent job of describing the modules. One particularly nice feature is a full index in the System Users Guide that provides references to the guide and to other manuals as well. Installation is straightforward, with 12 floppies for the current 3.3.2 version. A nice introductory demo on the CD gives an overview of the product, along with a multimedia testimonial from a satisfied school. The response time and quality of help on Chancery's web site and phone lines are both excellent.
Schools can buy and use as many or as few modules as they desire.
Many teachers also like the companion electronic grade book, eClass, with separate password protections for accessing, viewing, and editing. Like all high-end administrative software, the Chancery system is complex and requires considerable training for administrators, counselors, attendance clerks, and teachers. In the second year, teachers entered student grades into the database to generate report cards and transcripts, and the dean of students began using the discipline tracking feature. In the third year, using their desktop computers, teachers began to enter attendance every period. Next year, Peotone plans to begin using the software to track student health information, and the local junior high school will begin to implement the software.