The client, the NSW ACT IEU, is a union for all staff working in non-government schools and private business and English colleges, and for teachers working in private and community-based early childhood centres throughout NSW and the ACT. A twenty-year-old legacy system was being used to manage memberships for their 30,000 members.

The legacy membership system was a critically important asset, underpinning the membership process, data storage and revenue management for the organisation. The system had many limitations, however. It was incompatible with new technology, expensive to maintain and at increasing risk of failure. It was straining to handle the demands required of it and regularly failing, which was frustrating for staff and adversely impacting productivity. It also required separate installation on each desktop computer and when problems occurred, there was a heavy reliance on the one developer who knew how to maintain the system. The availability of ongoing support for maintenance of a system of this kind was also dwindling.

The existing system held twenty years of membership data and preservation of this was a paramount concern. Many members of the NSW ACT IEU move in and out of employment and it is vital to retain long-term information to ensure data is complete and to avoid the complication of inadvertently creating duplicate records. The NSW ACT IEU also sought to minimize change management issues and wanted any new system to be comfortable for existing users to work with.
NSW ACT IEU approached stSoftware in late 2009 seeking a solution.

stSoftware’s expertise is in converting legacy systems to web-based (Cloud) applications, enhancing the critical core business functions and sustainability of our clients’ operations. By being cloud-based, its system is accessible from any location using any internet-enabled device. In early 2010, stSoftware began working on tailoring a solution. This solution also included successfully migrating two decades worth of data to the new web-based membership system. The new cloud-membership system also replaced many other disparate IEU systems, centralising all data into one easily accessible resource. The new system was launched in April 2011.

A survey conducted with primary users in September 2011 indicated that converting their old legacy system into stSoftware’s Cloud-based technology had generated significant improvements. These included:

• The ability of staff to access and process data from any location via a browser was a significant improvement over the previous office-based system. This feature enables staff working out in the field or from home to access and update data as needed.
• The new system has captured all data recorded in the old legacy system and presented it in a new, easy to access format. The system also enables staff to roll back data to a specified date to assist with audit checks.
• By being based in the cloud, there were no desktop installation requirements which meant staff could be up and running straight away. It also eliminated the potential for technology incompatibility that could occur with the former legacy system and newer local computers
• Maintenance issues can be dealt with remotely which has also speeded up response times.

Overall, the NSW ACT IEU has benefited by having:

• A robust membership system that has been built using the latest cloud technology. By using stSoftware’s proven cloud technology framework, IEU can enjoy the benefits of ongoing innovation and improvements that come from web-based technology without worrying about it being out of date
• A system that is scalable and simple to maintain
• Easy access from internet-enabled devices, including iPads and smartphones which is particularly beneficial to off-site staff
• Access to a reliable and responsive support team who can address any questions quickly, and customise and add extra functionality remotely to suit user requirements.