Building a Smart Campus with Salesforce Student Information System: A Road to Smarter Education

Author

Ashutosh Anand Patkar

May 16, 2025

Introduction

When Chancellor Maria Rodriguez first took over at Redwood Hills University, she encountered a paradox that resonates across many modern campuses. The institution boasted top-tier faculty, a vibrant student community, and picturesque surroundings. Yet, its day-to-day operations were rooted in legacy systems and outdated processes. Students stood in line for hours to submit forms. Advisors juggled between fragmented systems to offer basic guidance. Administrators, despite their best intentions, made strategic decisions based on outdated spreadsheets and manual reports.

“We were investing in our people but not in our processes,” she recalls. “Students were frustrated, staff were overwhelmed, and we were missing crucial opportunities to support success.”

Then came the COVID-19 pandemic—an inflection point that forced higher education institutions worldwide to re-evaluate their digital infrastructure. For Redwood Hills University, it served as a wake-up call. With learning moving online and competition for student enrollment intensifying, the university’s leadership recognized the urgent need for a digital transformation.

Within two years, Redwood Hills successfully implemented a custom-built Salesforce Student Information System (SIS), laying the foundation for a Smart Campus. The impact was profound:

Students could now access their academic roadmaps via mobile apps.
AI-powered alerts helped them stay on track with assignments, deadlines, and financial aid updates.
Faculty gained real-time insights into student progress and risk areas.
Administrators had a unified, 360-degree view of the institution’s performance—helping them drive better, faster decisions.

While the story may be fictional, it captures the very real challenges and aspirations shared by institutions across the globe. From disconnected systems and overburdened staff to rising student expectations and digital disruption, the pressure to transform is universal. What was once a vision of the future is now becoming a necessity. In this blog, we’ll explore how Salesforce—through its Education Cloud—enables institutions to move from reactive to responsive, and from siloed to seamlessly connected, by building scalable, student-first campuses designed for continuous evolution.

What is a Student Information System (SIS)?

A Student Information System (SIS) is the digital backbone of any educational institution. It is a centralized platform that tracks and manages student data across the entire lifecycle—from first inquiry to graduation and beyond.

Core Capabilities of an SIS:

Admissions & Enrollment: Manage application tracking, review processes, and decision letters.
Course Registration: Allow students to view, register, and drop classes in real time.
Grades & Transcripts: Securely record academic performance and generate official transcripts.
Financial Aid & Billing: Track scholarships, loans, tuition payments, and refunds.
Academic Advising: Help faculty and advisors guide students with holistic, up-to-date data.
Alumni Relations: Maintain long-term engagement with graduates for fundraising and mentorship.

Traditional vs. Modern SIS:

Legacy systems like Ellucian, Banner or PeopleSoft have long served institutions, focusing on compliance and record-keeping. However, these systems often exist in silos and struggle to deliver

Personalization
Real-time analytics
Cross-functional collaboration
Cloud and mobile accessibility

Salesforce’s Education Cloud, on the other hand, offers a highly customizable, cloud-native SIS framework built for today’s learners. It prioritizes scalability, integration, and user experience—making it a future-ready solution for modern campuses.

What Defines a Smart Campus?

A Smart Campus is not just a digital version of a traditional campus. It represents a paradigm shift from reactive administration to proactive engagement, from static data storage to dynamic insights, and from fragmented workflows to holistic experiences.

Key Characteristics of a Smart Campus:

Connected Systems: Every student interaction—whether with faculty, financial aid, or career services—is tracked and accessible in a unified system.
Data-Driven Decisions: Predictive analytics help identify at-risk students, optimize course offerings, and inform policy decisions.
Omnichannel Engagement: Students can engage with the institution through their preferred platforms—email, chatbots, mobile apps, and even social media.
Automation & AI: Repetitive tasks like appointment scheduling or academic alerts are automated, freeing up staff for higher-impact interactions.
Inclusive & Personalized: Tailored experiences ensure that every student receives the right support at the right time, based on their individual needs.

A Smart Campus is not just about technology—it’s about using technology to amplify human impact across teaching, learning, and administration.

Why Institutions Are Making the Shift?

The movement toward Smart Campuses and modern Student Information Systems (SIS) isn’t about chasing trends—it’s a direct response to the evolving realities of higher education. Institutions are realizing that outdated, disconnected systems are not just inefficient; they actively hinder student success, institutional agility, and long-term sustainability.

Here are three key reasons driving this shift:

1. Rising Student Expectations in a Digital-First World

Today’s students have grown up in a world of instant access and hyper-personalized experiences. They expect the same level of convenience from their educational institutions that they receive from consumer platforms—think food delivery apps, streaming services, or digital banking.

When students are forced to fill out paper forms, wait days for advisor responses, or navigate clunky web portals, it erodes trust and satisfaction. It’s not uncommon to hear stories of students missing deadlines or course opportunities simply because they didn’t receive timely information.

On a Smart Campus, however, these frustrations are replaced by intuitive mobile experiences, proactive nudges about class registrations, and seamless communication with departments. For example, a student receiving an automated reminder to complete financial aid paperwork—right before the deadline—can be the difference between staying enrolled or dropping out. Modern SIS platforms powered by Salesforce enable institutions to deliver those personalized, timely touchpoints without overburdening staff.

2. The New Normal of Hybrid and Remote Learning

The pandemic accelerated a long-anticipated shift: learning is no longer bound by physical classrooms or 9-to-5 schedules. Students now expect flexibility in how they attend lectures, meet with advisors, and access campus services.

Take the case of a commuter student juggling part-time work and family responsibilities. They may prefer to attend classes virtually, schedule academic advising via video call, and complete course evaluations from their phone. A traditional SIS often can’t support that level of flexibility without complex workarounds.

On the other hand, a Salesforce-powered smart campus allows students to log into a centralized portal, schedule meetings, submit requests, and receive personalized notifications—all from a single, responsive platform. This kind of digital accessibility doesn’t just support academic success—it levels the playing field for students from diverse circumstances.

3. The Demand for Real-Time Insight and Institutional Agility

In an era where enrollment patterns shift rapidly, student needs change mid-semester, and funding models evolve unpredictably, institutions can no longer rely on static reports or manual data pulls. They need real-time visibility into what’s happening across campus—who’s at risk of dropping out, which courses are underperforming, where resources are over- or underutilized.

Imagine an academic dean reviewing a dashboard that highlights first-year students who haven’t logged into their LMS in five days, combined with advisor notes showing family stress or financial concerns. With that visibility, interventions can be timely, coordinated, and effective.

Traditional SIS platforms were never designed for this kind of holistic insight. But Salesforce’s data model, combined with automation and predictive intelligence, gives decision-makers the clarity and responsiveness they need—without relying on IT every step of the way.

In Summary

Institutions are shifting toward Smart Campuses and modern SIS platforms not because it’s fashionable, but because it’s essential. Students expect better. Faculty and staff need support. And leaders require systems that help them act with precision and foresight.

By making this shift, institutions aren’t just upgrading software—they’re redesigning the student experience from the ground up. And in doing so, they’re building a foundation that’s not only resilient but truly future-ready.

Building an SIS on Salesforce: Unlocking the Power of Education Cloud

Unlike traditional SIS vendors that offer rigid, out-of-the-box systems, Salesforce takes a different—and more flexible—approach. It does not provide a fixed, pre-configured Student Information System. Instead, it offers a dynamic platform—Salesforce Education Cloud—that allows educational institutions to build, configure, and scale an SIS tailored to their specific needs, goals, and existing ecosystem.

This flexibility is enabled by Education Data Architecture (EDA), a Salesforce-developed, education-focused data model supported by a global user community. EDA standardizes how student-related data is captured and organized—whether that’s relationships between students and academic programs, their engagement with advisors, or their progression through degree requirements. It’s designed to reflect the complexity of real-world academic structures in a way that is both intuitive and highly customizable.

By using Education Cloud and EDA as the foundation, institutions are free to layer on functionality, integrations, and interfaces that align with their internal processes and student engagement strategies. This modular approach makes it possible to develop a future-proof SIS that grows with the institution.

Here’s a closer look at the key components of this ecosystem:

Education Data Architecture (EDA):

The backbone of any Salesforce-based SIS, EDA enables institutions to model a comprehensive academic structure. This includes academic programs, terms, courses, faculty assignments, student affiliations, and support relationships. It also provides native support for tracking co-curricular involvement, case management, and success plans—creating a holistic picture of the student journey.

Experience Cloud:

The Experience Cloud component empowers institutions to build custom, branded portals for students, faculty, staff, and even parents or alumni. These portals are mobile-responsive and designed for self-service, allowing users to register for classes, view academic progress, manage financial aid documents, submit support requests, and interact with campus resources—all through a single access point. Institutions can customize the user experience based on roles, personas, or lifecycle stages.

Salesforce Flow & OmniStudio:

These low-code tools are used to automate complex workflows and create guided experiences. For example, a student can complete a leave of absence request, which automatically routes for approval, triggers a financial aid recalculation, and updates their course registration—all without manual intervention. Advisors can use OmniStudio to follow structured intake processes that ensure consistency in student support across departments.

MuleSoft:

Salesforce recognizes that most institutions already have existing systems in place—whether it’s a legacy SIS, an LMS like Canvas or Blackboard, or HR/payroll tools. MuleSoft is Salesforce’s enterprise-grade integration solution that allows these systems to communicate securely and in real time. It supports both API-based and file-based integrations, ensuring that institutions don’t have to choose between modernizing and maintaining continuity.

Tableau CRM & Einstein Analytics:

Once data is flowing through Salesforce, institutions can unlock its true potential with advanced analytics. Tableau CRM (formerly Einstein Analytics) provides configurable dashboards and predictive modeling tools that help staff visualize trends, track KPIs, and identify risk indicators. For example, Einstein can flag students who are showing early signs of disengagement—based on missed assignments, low LMS logins, or poor attendance—allowing for timely, targeted intervention.

With this ecosystem, Salesforce doesn’t just offer another SIS—it offers a platform to reinvent one. And when implemented with the right partner—such as Mirketa—institutions gain the strategic and technical guidance to ensure that their custom SIS is not only functional but transformative. Mirketa brings deep domain expertise, pre-built accelerators, and agile implementation methodologies that reduce development time and maximize return on investment.

In a higher education landscape where agility, personalization, and data-driven action are no longer optional, a Salesforce-powered SIS provides institutions with the tools to adapt, scale, and thrive—on their own terms.

Turning Data into Action: How a Salesforce-Based SIS Powers a Smart Campus

A modern SIS built on Salesforce aggregates data, drives engagement, automates services, and empowers decision-makers with real-time insight. The transformation is not just operational; it’s cultural. Institutions shift from being reactive and fragmented to becoming responsive, data-informed, and student-centred. Here’s how a Salesforce Student Information System delivers on that promise:

1. 360° Student Profiles

Salesforce centralizes all relevant student data—academic performance, course history, financial aid, advising records, extracurricular involvement, and support interactions—into one comprehensive, real-time profile.
This unified view allows advisors and faculty to move beyond surface-level support and offer tailored guidance rooted in each student’s actual journey. Whether a student is facing financial hurdles or academic burnout, the right support team is alerted in time to take action.

“We moved from reactive to predictive,” says a Provost from a Salesforce-powered university. “Now, I know who needs help before they ask.”

2. Personalized Student Journeys

Institutions can build automated communication journeys based on a student’s current stage, risk level, or behavioral signals. From application nurturing campaigns to onboarding checklists and graduation planning, every message feels relevant.
This level of personalization increases student engagement, improves satisfaction, and strengthens institutional loyalty—resulting in higher retention, better outcomes, and increased alumni involvement over time.

3. AI-Powered Student Success

With Salesforce Einstein Analytics, institutions gain access to predictive intelligence that drives early intervention and targeted support strategies:

Identify at-risk students by analyzing behavior patterns like missed classes, low LMS logins, or declining grades.
Predict course completion likelihood using historical performance and current engagement metrics.
Optimize advising strategies by recommending outreach windows, tailored plans, or course adjustments before issues arise.

4. Mobile-First Experiences

Today’s students demand convenience, and they expect their campus services to be as intuitive as their favorite apps. With Experience Cloud, institutions can offer:

Mobile-friendly portals for class registration, billing, financial aid status, and course materials
Self-service appointment scheduling with academic advisors, career services, or counselors
Chatbots or virtual assistants to handle FAQs, escalate support cases, or guide students through processes in real time
This ensures students can manage their academic life anytime, anywhere—without waiting in line or navigating outdated systems.

5. Streamlined Administrative Processes

Behind every student-facing improvement is an optimized backend. Salesforce helps institutions reduce the operational load on staff by automating high-volume, repetitive tasks.
Whether it’s processing curriculum updates, routing leave of absence forms, or managing compliance workflows, Salesforce Flow enables fast, trackable, and error-free execution. Staff gain more time for high-impact work, while students experience faster service and fewer delays.

6. Scalable Architecture for the Future

As institutions evolve—adding new programs, launching hybrid campuses, expanding online degrees—they need systems that grow with them. Salesforce’s modular architecture allows institutions to add new features, integrations, and departments incrementally—without starting from scratch.
Whether you’re onboarding 500 or 50,000 students, the platform’s scalability ensures smooth performance, unified data governance, and consistent user experiences across all touchpoints.

From Operational to Intelligent

A Salesforce-based SIS doesn’t just solve today’s problems—it positions your institution for tomorrow’s possibilities. It enables a Smart Campus that understands its students, anticipates needs, and responds in real time. Faculty and staff are empowered with insight and automation, students receive the personalized attention they expect, and leaders gain the strategic visibility they need to drive institutional growth.

This is what it means to turn data into action. This is how campuses become smarter—not just more digital, but more human, connected, and capable.

Smart Campus in Action: Mirketa’s Salesforce Implementation for a Modern University

In one of its most strategic engagements, Mirketa partnered with a modern U.S. university to transform its fragmented enrollment and student engagement processes into a unified, intelligent experience powered by Salesforce Education Cloud. The university had been struggling with siloed applicant data, limited visibility into the admissions pipeline, and manual workflows that slowed down outreach and decision-making.

Leveraging the flexibility of Education Cloud and the foundational structure of Education Data Architecture (EDA), Mirketa implemented a custom-built solution that automated communication workflows, centralized application records, and gave admissions teams real-time insight into every stage of the enrollment journey. The solution also enabled mobile-friendly applicant portals through Experience Cloud and integrated key engagement touchpoints—laying the groundwork for a scalable, student-first campus experience.

This project exemplifies many of the principles discussed throughout this blog: breaking data silos, enabling personalized student journeys, and building systems that are proactive rather than reactive. It’s a clear demonstration of how the right Salesforce-powered SIS, implemented by an experienced partner like Mirketa, can become the backbone of a Smart Campus.

Interested in building a student-first enrollment experience? Connect with Mirketa to explore what’s possible with Salesforce Education Cloud.

Conclusion: Rethinking What’s Possible in Higher Education

As the demands of higher education evolve, so must the systems that support them. Building a Smart Campus is no longer about simply adopting new technology—it’s about reimagining the way institutions connect with students, empower their faculty, and respond to change.

A Salesforce-powered Student Information System enables this shift by putting flexibility, automation, and real-time insight at the heart of campus operations. It allows institutions to move from managing disconnected systems to delivering seamless, personalized experiences across the entire student journey. From enrollment to advising, from mobile-first engagement to predictive analytics, every touchpoint becomes an opportunity to serve better, support earlier, and scale smarter.

This is not just a digital upgrade—it’s a mindset shift. One that embraces data as a strategic asset, views the student holistically, and positions institutions to thrive in a rapidly changing educational landscape.

The path to a Smart Campus isn’t one-size-fits-all, but with the right foundation and a clear vision, it’s entirely within reach.