SaaS Transition
DMACC Enterprise Application SaaS Transition
DMACC is undertaking a strategic, multi-year transition of its core enterprise administrative
systems to Ellucian's Banner Software as a Service (SaaS) environment. This initiative
supports the college's long-term goals of operational sustainability, enhanced security,
regulatory alignment, and improved system reliability.
Given the scope and institutional impact of this work (including student, finance,
and human resource systems) the transition is being executed in structured phases
with executive oversight. Implementation sequencing, timelines, and resource planning
will continue to be evaluated throughout the project to ensure stability of college
operations and thoughtful change management.
This approach allows DMACC to modernize its technology foundation while maintaining
continuity of service and responsible institutional governance. While much of this
work occurs behind the scenes, functional areas will play an important role in reviewing
processes, evaluating customizations, and aligning operations with supported SaaS
functionality over time.
What is SaaS & What Does it Mean for DMACC?
Five years ago, DMACC moved Banner to a cloud-hosted environment. In that model, the college’s systems were relocated from on-campus servers to vendor-managed infrastructure. However, DMACC remained responsible for system configuration, upgrades, customizations, and ongoing technical maintenance.
Software as a Service (SaaS) represents a further evolution. In practical terms, SaaS shifts Banner from a system DMACC manages to a service DMACC subscribes to within defined vendor standards.
In a SaaS model, Ellucian not only hosts the system but also manages application upgrades, security updates, infrastructure performance, and platform maintenance. Rather than maintaining and modifying the core application environment, DMACC will operate within a standardized, vendor-managed framework.
This shift changes the operating model of Banner in several important ways:
- Upgrades occur on a defined vendor schedule rather than being locally managed.
- Custom code and direct database access are significantly reduced, with supported configuration and integration tools replacing many legacy approaches.
- Configuration replaces customization wherever possible.
- Infrastructure and platform security responsibilities move fully to the vendor.
For DMACC, this means less time spent maintaining technical infrastructure and more focus on business process alignment, data integrity, and user experience. While SaaS introduces new constraints - particularly around legacy customizations - it also strengthens long-term sustainability, security posture, and system reliability.
Modernizing with Intention
The goal of the SaaS transition is not change for its own sake. It is to ensure that DMACC’s enterprise systems remain secure, sustainable, and supportable for the long term.
Over many years, DMACC’s functional and technical teams have developed solutions to meet evolving business needs. That institutional knowledge will inform this transition.
Where current processes are effective and aligned with supported functionality, they will continue. Where modernization strengthens resilience or reduces institutional risk, adjustments will be made thoughtfully and collaboratively.
What Systems Are Included?
The Enterprise Application SaaS transition includes DMACC’s core administrative systems that support student, financial, and human resource operations. This includes:
- Banner Student
- Banner Finance
- Banner Financial Aid
- Banner Human Resources/Payroll
In addition to these core systems, several foundational technologies are being implemented to prepare for and support the SaaS operating model.
Foundational Components Supporting SaaS
These components work together to establish the technical foundation required for Banner SaaS and reduce reliance on legacy customization methods.
Ethos User Provisioning is part of Ellucian’s Ethos platform and provides automated identity lifecycle management. It connects Banner to enterprise identity systems (such as Active Directory) using API-driven services rather than legacy scripts or direct database updates.
For DMACC, EUP modernizes account creation, updates, and deactivation processes while aligning identity management with the SaaS security model.
Premium Ellucian Experience is a configurable, role-based digital engagement platform. It surfaces Banner data, applications, alerts, and campus resources through a unified, modern interface.
Experience Premium will replace the current Pathify-based myDMACC portal. In a SaaS environment, Experience becomes the primary user interaction layer for delivering contextual information, workflows, and integrations.
Ellucian Intelligent Processes enables event-driven automation within the Ethos ecosystem. Instead of relying on database triggers or custom code, EIP responds to system events (such as record updates or status changes) to initiate workflows or integrations.
For DMACC, EIP provides a supported way to replace certain legacy customizations with configurable automation aligned to SaaS standards.
Student Forms provides configurable electronic forms that integrate directly with Banner and Ethos workflows. It allows departments to digitize approval processes and data collection without developing custom applications or modifying core system code.
In the SaaS model, Student Forms supports process modernization while maintaining vendor-supported architecture.
Ellucian’s reporting and analytics platform that provides access to curated, governed data within a SaaS environment. Insights replaces direct SQL queries against the Banner production database with a managed data model designed for analytics and compliance.
Because Insights operates within a data lake architecture, it can aggregate and harmonize data from multiple institutional sources in a single governed environment. At DMACC, Insights will be positioned to replace custom reports built directly in Banner and SQL queries currently executed against the production database by Application Support. Insights will be implemented in coordination with existing institutional reporting practices and data governance standards.
This timeline represents our current anticipated sequencing of foundational components.
Implementation timing is dependent on vendor coordination,
staffing capacity, and institutional priorities. Adjustments may occur as needed to
support thoughtful planning and continuity of operations.
What are the Timeline & Phases?
The transition to SaaS is being completed in structured phases to minimize disruption, protect operational continuity, and allow time for validation, training, and adjustment.
This phase focuses on preparing DMACC’s technical and operational foundation for SaaS. It includes two major workstreams:
SaaS Component Configuration
Implementation of foundational technologies such as identity modernization, integrations, reporting frameworks, and portal transition to align with the SaaS operating model.
Business Process Analysis & Customization Review
Over many years, DMACC has developed thoughtful customizations and workarounds to meet evolving business needs. These solutions reflect the creativity and responsiveness of our functional and technical teams. As part of the SaaS transition, we are reviewing these solutions to determine where supported functionality now exists and where configuration or integration tools can meet those same needs in a sustainable way.
This readiness work ensures the college enters the SaaS environment with simplified, sustainable processes and a modern integration framework.
During this phase, functional areas may be asked to participate in process reviews, customization evaluations, and testing activities. These reviews are intended to simplify operations and ensure alignment with supported SaaS functionality.
Reporting capabilities will continue in the SaaS environment, though the technical approach will evolve to align with vendor-supported analytics tools.
Where legacy customizations are retired, supported alternatives such as Ethos integrations, Intelligent Processes, Student Forms, or Insights reporting will be evaluated to ensure business needs continue to be met.
Decisions resulting from process and customization review will follow established governance and executive oversight structures. No major process changes will occur without engagement with affected functional areas and advance communication.
What This Transition Does Not Mean
- Immediate changes to daily Banner workflows
- Sudden elimination of reports or functionality
- Loss of institutional data
- Reduced support for regulatory or compliance needs
Instead, changes will be planned, reviewed, and communicated in advance.
Formal engagement with Ellucian to execute the SaaS migration, including detailed project planning, data validation, environment setup, and coordinated transition activities.
Additional detail regarding timelines, implementation sequencing, anticipated impacts, and stakeholder engagement will be communicated well in advance of the start of this phase.
Transition of systems into the SaaS production environment followed by a stabilization period to validate functionality, monitor performance, and support campus users.
This phased approach allows DMACC to modernize responsibly while maintaining continuity
of service across student,
financial, and human resource operations.
Progress and Transparency
The SaaS transition is a multi-year institutional initiative, and progress will be shared in a structured and consistent manner. This page will be updated as major milestones are reached, foundational components are implemented, and key decisions are finalized.
Updates will reflect both technical progress and business process alignment efforts to ensure the college community understands how this work supports long-term sustainability and operational effectiveness.
Our goal is to provide clear visibility into the transition while maintaining stability of core systems and services throughout the process.