Banner 9
The district's core student information and enterprise administrative system, used to manage student records, registration, finance, financial aid, and human resources.
Banner, produced by Ellucian, is the central system of record for Foothill–De Anza. It manages the information that runs the institution: student admissions and registration, academic history and grades, course catalogs and schedules, financial aid, student accounts and cashiering, finance, and human resources/payroll. Most other district systems either draw data from Banner or feed data back into it, which makes it the foundation of the district's administrative technology.
"Banner 9" refers to the modern, web-browser-based version of the system, which replaced the older client-based interface. Banner 9 runs in a standard browser and provides updated navigation, search, and accessibility compared with earlier releases. Administrative pages in Banner are used by staff in admissions and records, counseling, financial aid, the business office, and human resources.
The district also relies on Banner's customization capabilities. FHDA has built its own database functions on top of Banner — for example, a custom routine used to calculate the statistics behind financial aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) determinations. This shows how Banner acts not only as a data store but as a platform that the district extends to support local rules and processes.
Because Banner contains sensitive private information, access to its administrative pages is controlled and, for off-campus use, generally requires a secure connection through the district VPN. Banner data is the source for district reporting through Argos, for degree audits through Degree Works, and for the personalized content shown to students and employees in MyPortal. In short, Banner 9 is the operational heart of the district's information systems.
Degree Works
A web-based degree-audit and academic-advising tool that shows students and counselors progress toward completing a degree, certificate, or transfer goal.
Degree Works, an Ellucian product, is the district's academic advising and degree-audit system. It compares the courses a student has completed — drawn from their Banner academic record — against the requirements of their chosen program of study, then presents an easy-to-read audit showing what has been satisfied and what still remains.
For students, Degree Works answers the practical questions that drive enrollment decisions: which requirements are complete, which courses are still needed, and how close they are to a degree, certificate, or transfer pathway. For counselors and advisors, it is a central tool during advising appointments, providing a consistent, up-to-date picture of each student's progress without manually checking transcripts.
A particularly useful capability is "what-if" analysis, which lets a student see how their completed coursework would apply if they changed majors or programs. This helps students make informed choices about their educational direction. Degree Works also supports academic planning by mapping remaining requirements onto future terms.
Because Degree Works depends on current student and curriculum data, it is closely tied to Banner and to the district's catalog and program definitions. It is typically reached through MyPortal, the district's single sign-on portal. The district schedules occasional planned maintenance windows for Degree Works, during which the audit is briefly unavailable while updates are applied.
In day-to-day district operations, Degree Works supports student success and completion efforts by making degree requirements transparent and by giving both students and staff a shared, reliable reference for advising and graduation checks.
BDMS (Banner Document Management System)
A document imaging and management system that scans, stores, indexes, and retrieves electronic documents linked directly to records in Banner.
BDMS — the Banner Document Management System — is the district's electronic document management and imaging system. Its role is to capture paper and electronic documents, store them securely in digital form, and connect each document to the relevant record in the Banner administrative system so that authorized staff can retrieve it instantly.
The purpose of BDMS is to eliminate paper filing for the large volume of documents that support student and institutional records. Offices such as admissions and records, financial aid, and the business office handle many supporting documents — transcripts, verification forms, financial aid paperwork, and similar items. With BDMS, these are scanned or imported, indexed with identifying information (such as a student ID and document type), and stored electronically. A staff member working in a student's Banner record can then call up the associated documents without searching physical files.
Because BDMS is tightly integrated with Banner, documents are organized around the same identifiers Banner uses, which keeps records consistent and makes retrieval fast and accurate. The system also supports controlled access, so that sensitive documents are visible only to staff whose roles permit it, and it provides a more secure and durable store than paper filing cabinets.
Within the district, BDMS is treated as an internal-only resource. The VPN documentation specifically lists BDMS among the internal websites that are not reachable directly from the public internet, meaning off-campus staff must connect through the district VPN to use it. This reflects the sensitive nature of the records it holds.
BDMS is based on document management technology in the Banner product family (commonly built on OpenText's ApplicationXtender imaging platform). For the district, its value is practical: faster access to supporting documents, reduced physical storage and paper handling, stronger security and retention control, and a direct link between a student's official documents and their Banner record.
Slate
A constituent relationship management (CRM) platform used to manage communications, recruitment, and engagement with prospective and current constituents.
Slate, produced by Technolutions, is a cloud-based CRM platform used widely across higher education. It brings contact records, communications, online forms, and event management together in a single system, giving staff one place to track and coordinate every interaction with the people they serve.
The purpose of Slate is to replace scattered spreadsheets, mailing lists, and disconnected tools with a unified record. Each constituent has a single profile that gathers their information, correspondence history, form submissions, and activity, so staff can see the full picture and respond in a timely, personalized way. Built-in tools for email campaigns, automated reminders, and reporting allow an office to manage large volumes of outreach consistently.
Within Foothill–De Anza, Slate is used to [SLATE_FHDA_USE — describe the specific district use, for example prospective student recruitment, application management, and outreach communications]. Staff work in Slate to capture inquiries, send targeted communications, and track engagement over time.
Slate is designed for organizations that manage ongoing relationships at scale, and its strengths are flexible online forms, automated communication workflows, and detailed reporting dashboards. Because it is cloud-based, authorized staff can reach it from any location through a standard web browser.
For the district, Slate provides a reliable, centralized record of outreach and engagement — helping the offices that use it work more efficiently, communicate more consistently, and understand the populations they serve.
Element451
An AI-driven customer relationship management (CRM) and student engagement platform built specifically for higher education.
Element451 is a cloud-based CRM and student engagement platform designed for colleges and universities. It brings contact records, communications, and student data together in one system, and uses AI agents to carry out routine work across the student lifecycle — from recruitment and admissions through enrollment and student success.
The purpose of Element451 is to make student engagement faster, more consistent, and more personal without adding staff workload. Rather than coordinating outreach through separate email tools, spreadsheets, and disconnected systems, an office works from a single platform where each prospective or current student has a unified record. The platform can replace a legacy CRM or operate alongside the systems an institution already uses.
A defining feature of Element451 is its use of AI assistants and agents, which the platform markets under the "Bolt" name. These tools can answer student questions across chat, email, text, web, and voice, automate communication campaigns, and handle repetitive enrollment tasks, while staff oversee and direct the work. The platform also includes supporting tools such as a student portal, landing page builder, event management, appointment booking, automated journeys, and reporting.
[ELEMENT451_FHDA_USE — describe how Foothill–De Anza intends to use Element451, which student populations or processes it will support, and which office or college is leading the effort.]
Draft entry. [This entry is a draft. Element451's role at the district is still being defined. Confirm the platform's scope, the office responsible for it, and its implementation status, and revise this entry accordingly before the page is published.]
For the district, Element451 is intended to provide a modern, AI-supported foundation for student engagement — helping the offices that adopt it communicate with students more responsively and manage outreach consistently at scale.