When a college migrates from Ellucian Banner On-Prem to Banner SaaS, one of the first questions that comes up is how to keep third-party integrations running. Many institutions rely on companion systems for critical functions such as accessibility management, finance, or student services, and these integrations often need to be rebuilt to work within the SaaS environment.
That was exactly the case for a large community college in the United States with tens of thousands of students using ClockWorks alongside Banner. After the migration, the old on-prem integration no longer worked because direct database access was no longer available. Our task was to reimplement the connection using Ellucian’s cloud-native tools, Data Connect and Ethos, to restore full synchronization between the two systems
In this post, we will share how we approached this migration step by step. You will see how we analyzed the legacy logic, designed a new integration model for SaaS, and implemented a stable, automated process that continues to serve the institution today.
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Current state architecture
Before the migration, ClockWorks communicated with the Banner On-Prem database through a custom integration based on SQL scripts, ODS views, and nightly SFTP transfers. It was reliable for its time, but it depended on direct database access and locally managed servers, both of which are not available in the SaaS environment.
Once the university adopted Banner SaaS, the old integration could no longer function. The familiar entry points such as stored procedures and database views were no longer accessible. The new cloud environment required a completely different approach based on secure APIs and Ellucian’s native integration tools.
This change became the starting point for the project. Our goal was to migrate all existing integration logic into Ellucian Data Connect pipelines and Ethos APIs while preserving the same accuracy, reliability, and synchronization between Banner and ClockWorks.
How we built the ClockWorks integration
We began with discovery and analysis. Our team reviewed the existing integration between ClockWorks and Banner On-Prem, examined the SQL queries, and mapped every transformation that had been part of the nightly data exchange. Each query and file transfer represented a specific user story that had to be preserved after the move to SaaS.
Once the legacy logic was documented, we designed a new integration model using Ellucian’s cloud-native tools. Data Connect became the foundation of the new workflow. It now handles data extraction from Banner SaaS, applies transformations, and delivers validated data to ClockWorks automatically. All the logic that previously lived in shell scripts was redefined and rebuilt inside the pipeline in a structured, transparent way.
Ethos played a key role in establishing secure communication with the Banner SaaS environment. Instead of relying on direct database queries, the integration now accesses Banner data through Ellucian’s APIs, ensuring compliance with SaaS standards and authentication policies.
We also added built-in validation and reporting to keep the process transparent and reliable. Every record is checked before reaching ClockWorks, and administrators can now track each synchronization through clear reports and alerts instead of searching through server logs
Outcome
The integration now runs natively within Ellucian’s SaaS ecosystem. It keeps the institution’s original business logic intact but rebuilds it on modern, secure, and scalable foundations aligned with Ellucian’s long-term architecture.
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Let’s build your SaaS-ready integrations
This project reflects the kind of work we deliver through our Modernize integrations with Data Connect and Ellucian Ethos approach. As colleges and universities transition their Banner environments to SaaS, our team helps rebuild integrations with third-party applications using Ellucian’s native tools to ensure they are fully aligned with the SaaS architecture.
If your institution is preparing to migrate to Banner SaaS or modernize existing integrations, we can help. Let’s discuss your current setup and explore how to build a reliable, future-ready integration landscape for your organization.
