Illinois District Builds Stronger Future with new ERP

Case Studies > Illinois District Builds Stronger Future with new ERP

Crete-Monee School District 201‑U declutters systems and workflows to create a clearer path forward with Qmlativ.

Crete-Monee School District 201‑U, IL has partnered with Skyward for more than two decades, beginning with the district’s initial implementation in 2004. For Holly Stewart, senior data administrator, that relationship spans more than a decade of her professional career.

“Professionally, I’ve worked with Skyward for over ten years,” Stewart said. “It’s a system I know well, and it’s been a constant as our district has grown and evolved.”

As the district evaluated its systems and processes, leaders knew it was time to modernize, particularly on the ERP side. With staffing changes and increasingly complex workflows, CM 201-U needed a solution that could bring clarity, consistency, and long-term efficiency.

"Responses are given quickly ; we truly feel supported, and the support team is very hands-on."

Ready for a refresh

Prior to implementing Qmlativ ERP, the district found itself struggling to keep pace with internal processes, especially within Human Resources.

“With SMS 2.0, we were lost in our processes,” Stewart explained. “We also had a lot of turnover in our HR department, and we wanted new employees to be trained on a new system right from the start.”

By adopting Qmlativ ERP in February 2022, the district positioned itself for a cleaner, more intuitive experience while also preparing for a future transition to Qmlativ SIS when CM 201-U determines the timing is right.

"Have your data cleaned up prior to migrating — not during. Do your homework."

Maintaining order with strong support

While the district experienced early challenges during the transition period, CM 201-U says its more recent support experiences have exceeded expectations.

“Initially, the support experiences were really rough,” Stewart shared. “But over the last year and a half to two years it’s been phenomenal.”

Today, the district describes Skyward’s support as responsive, hands-on, and highly collaborative.

“Responses are given quickly ; we truly feel supported, and the support team is very hands-on,” said Stewart.

 

Decluttering daily tasks

One of the most impactful outcomes of moving to Qmlativ ERP has been how it empowers staff across the district.

“Thanks to many of Qmlativ’s features, our employees have been able to hold themselves more accountable both professionally and personally,” Stewart said.

From self-service access like printing W‑2s to managing personal information, staff members can take ownership of routine tasks, thus freeing administrators to focus on higher-level work.

“That alone has saved administrators a lot of time,” Stewart added.
 

"Thanks to many of Qmlativ’s features, our employees have been able to hold themselves more accountable both professionally and personally."

Making room for what’s next

Like many districts, CM 201-U continues to refine internal processes to get the most out of its technology investment.

“On the HR side, we still need to clean some things up,” Stewart noted. “That’s really more about our internal processes than Skyward. Once our data and workflows are in a better place, Skyward can really do its thing.”

This focus on continuous improvement aligns with the district’s long-term goal: bringing all systems together under one cohesive Skyward and Qmlativ ecosystem.

 

One system, fully organized

As CM 201-U looks to the future, the district plans to further consolidate its tools and workflows.

“Eventually, we’d like everything in one spot under Qmlativ,” Stewart said.

By building on its ERP success and preparing for SIS modernization, the district is laying the groundwork for long-term operational clarity.
 

The power of a clean start

Stewart offers straightforward advice for districts planning their own migrations:

“Have your data cleaned up prior to migrating — not during. Do your homework.”

With clean data and strong internal processes, districts can fully leverage Qmlativ’s capabilities from day one.