No Inquiry/Application Only Admissions Processes

Jess Moxsky
Jess Moxsky
Kudos 5 Fourth Anniversary Name Dropper Participant
in Blackbaud Enrollment Management System™

Hello!

Our school currently uses the Enrollment Management system, but we do not utilize inquiries. Typically, our candidates families will create an account when they begin filling out their application. However, I think this is causing us some issues when we have families re-applying or applying siblings already in our system.

When we go to assign checklists to candidates, we often find that because they have started an application, we cannot merge the new candidate with the existing user account in the system. At the moment, we leave the duplicate account until the application is complete, then manually merge the accounts and assign a checklist.

If it was only up to me, I would implement at least a very minimal inquiry form so we could capture those candidates and assign checklists before the application causes merge issues. Are there any other schools that do not use inquiry forms that have found a way to handle this a little more elegantly?

Thank you! ?

Comments

  • Sarah Bienvenue
    Sarah Bienvenue
    Ninth Anniversary Kudos 3 Name Dropper Participant

    Hi Jess, I'm sure other schools have suggestions, but for existing families, are you encouraging them to apply via the resource board? That would cut down on duplicates.

    Thank you,

    Sarah

  • Jess Moxsky
    Jess Moxsky
    Kudos 5 Fourth Anniversary Name Dropper Participant

    Sarah Bienvenue:

    Hi Jess, I'm sure other schools have suggestions, but for existing families, are you encouraging them to apply via the resource board? That would cut down on duplicates.

    Thank you,

    Sarah

    We currently have the application resource board post disabled. I'm fairly new to my school so I'm still getting acquainted with their processes, but I will bring this up with our Admissions team as a good solution for existing families!

  • Coco Parham
    Coco Parham
    Eighth Anniversary Kudos 5 December 2025 Monthly Challenge Name Dropper

    When did the application tile appear!? Is it an application or does it connect to our inquiry? I feel like I missed this a while ago. Oops!

  • Jess Moxsky
    Jess Moxsky
    Kudos 5 Fourth Anniversary Name Dropper Participant

    Coco Parham:

    When did the application tile appear!? Is it an application or does it connect to our inquiry? I feel like I missed this a while ago. Oops!

    The application tile has been there for a while - not quite sure since when. I don't think there is an inquiry tile as far as I am aware. It doesn't connect to a specific application form - it brings up a window for parents to select which child they are applying, and select from any available application forms depending on their grade and school level.

  • Coco Parham
    Coco Parham
    Eighth Anniversary Kudos 5 December 2025 Monthly Challenge Name Dropper

    Jess,

    Thank you. We require families to inquire first, then start the application process. Since we are a small school, current parents either inquire or call us.

    I guess I have not been exploring the new releases well enough! Thank you for letting me know.

  • Bryan Lorenzo
    Bryan Lorenzo Blackbaud Employee
    Tenth Anniversary Kudos 5 Name Dropper Participant

    Hi @Jess Moxley - I check our “Potential Duplicate Users” once a week (Core > Users > Potential Duplicate Users). We don't have many duplicate accounts from parents who already have a child at school however, we do get them for those who re-apply. I think this happens largely because their account is disabled and instead of contacting us to re-enable it they just use another email address.

    I change the candidates "Past Candidate” record into a “Candidate” so I can merge them. It works well for us. There has only been one instance where there has been an actual duplicate that has not been caught by the system under the Potential Duplicate Users.

    I wish there was a manual way to merge records like we can in Raiser's Edge but this isn't an option in Education Managment at this time. The idea is in the idea bank so be sure to vote for it https://blackbaudk12.ideas.aha.io/ideas/K12CO-I-115 =)

  • Jess Moxsky
    Jess Moxsky
    Kudos 5 Fourth Anniversary Name Dropper Participant

    Bryan Lorenzo:

    Hi @Jess Moxley - I check our “Potential Duplicate Users” once a week (Core > Users > Potential Duplicate Users). We don't have many duplicate accounts from parents who already have a child at school however, we do get them for those who re-apply. I think this happens largely because their account is disabled and instead of contacting us to re-enable it they just use another email address.

    I change the candidates "Past Candidate” record into a “Candidate” so I can merge them. It works well for us. There has only been one instance where there has been an actual duplicate that has not been caught by the system under the Potential Duplicate Users.

    I wish there was a manual way to merge records like we can in Raiser's Edge but this isn't an option in Education Managment at this time. The idea is in the idea bank so be sure to vote for it https://blackbaudk12.ideas.aha.io/ideas/K12CO-I-115 =)

    Yes - we also use the duplicate manager. The issue we run into specifically is that we cannot merge accounts with that tool or with the process applications task because one or both records has an open application. Ideally we want to be able to get that merge done before applications are started, but it's tricky when applications are the initial entrypoint for our new candidates. What happens with new families is that they will often create an account and begin an application, and then a few days or weeks later recreate a brand new account and begin a second application rather than using the automated login processes to retrieve existing information.

    I really think eventually utilizing inquiries will be a big fix for this

  • Kathy Hannon
    Kathy Hannon
    Tenth Anniversary Kudos 5 K-12 Fall 2025 Product Update Briefing Badge Name Dropper
    Jess Moxley we use Inquiry and continue to have the same issue you are describing. Few prospective parents complete the Inquiry - they shoot straight to the application. Definately having a merge like RE and the old EE would be great and helpful in these instances. Some days I pull my hair out trying to get a duplicate record to merge in the Potential Duplicate Users area and I know for a fact they are duplicate but something on the Enrollment side is stopping the records from merging.
  • Jess Moxsky
    Jess Moxsky
    Kudos 5 Fourth Anniversary Name Dropper Participant

    Yes - we've found that it's usually the case that those un-mergable candidates have started an application but not submitted it yet! Glad to know I'm not the only one pulling my hair out over this!

  • Bryan Lorenzo
    Bryan Lorenzo Blackbaud Employee
    Tenth Anniversary Kudos 5 Name Dropper Participant

    Jess Moxley:

    Yes - we've found that it's usually the case that those un-mergable candidates have started an application but not submitted it yet! Glad to know I'm not the only one pulling my hair out over this!

    If they created two new accounts for the entering year we usually compare the two applications. If there is one that was just started we delete and contains very little information we delete it and merge the records. If there is one that has a lot of info, we save the PDF and email the parent and let them know the account was merged, and attach the PDF of the 2nd application.

  • Jess Moxsky
    Jess Moxsky
    Kudos 5 Fourth Anniversary Name Dropper Participant

    Bryan Lorenzo:

    Jess Moxley:

    Yes - we've found that it's usually the case that those un-mergable candidates have started an application but not submitted it yet! Glad to know I'm not the only one pulling my hair out over this!

    If they created two new accounts for the entering year we usually compare the two applications. If there is one that was just started we delete and contains very little information we delete it and merge the records. If there is one that has a lot of info, we save the PDF and email the parent and let them know the account was merged, and attach the PDF of the 2nd application.

    This is a great solution, but we have a very small admissions team and I'm doing my best to cut down on as much manual entry as I can.

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