A Banner SaaS migration feels complete only when the timetabling system is back in perfect sync. Across Europe, and especially in the United Kingdom, many institutions are discovering this truth as they move from Ellucian Banner On-Prem to its SaaS version. The transition promises scalability, security, and smoother updates, yet it also reshapes how Banner connects with the systems around it.
For years, institutions used SQL scripts and local jobs to export course, program, and student registration data to third-party timetabling tools such as CELCAT or Technology One. These nightly data exchanges kept everything aligned, from class schedules to room assignments. But once Banner moved to SaaS, direct database access was gone, and those reliable scripts could no longer run.
As part of Ellucian’s initiative to prepare the UK and European higher education markets for SaaS, Ellucian trusted ABCloudz to rebuild one of these timetabling integrations from the ground up. This story shows how we helped bring that idea to life by transforming a legacy on-prem workflow into a secure, reusable integration built for the SaaS world.
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Before the move
Before the migration, the connection between Banner and the timetabling system ran entirely on local infrastructure. Each night, Banner On-Prem exported data about programs, courses, sections, and student registrations into CSV files that powered the next day’s schedules.
The process relied on SQL scripts and database views. It worked quietly in the background and kept everything in sync, from classrooms to student lists.
Building the new integration in Ellucian SaaS
When Banner moved to the SaaS environment, the old automation could no longer run. The scripts that once pulled data directly from the database had to be replaced with a new approach built on Ellucian’s native cloud tools.
Our first step was to study the existing logic in detail. The team reviewed every SQL query, export rule, and validation step that had powered the original integration. Each one became a user story describing how data should behave in the new setup.
We then rebuilt the workflow inside Ellucian Data Connect, using Ethos APIs as the secure gateway to Banner SaaS. Data Connect now extracts the same datasets as before, applies all required transformations, and delivers clean, validated CSVs to the timetabling system.
The new process works in two modes. A bulk load initializes all data for the current academic year, and a change data capture flow processes daily updates through Ethos notifications. Both stages run automatically and create clear reports showing what was processed and where issues occurred.
Now, instead of running scripts on a local server, the entire integration lives inside the Ellucian cloud. It uses standard APIs, automated validation, and secure storage on Amazon S3.
Results
The integration now operates natively within Ellucian’s SaaS environment. Data moves automatically between Banner and the timetabling system through validated, API-based workflows.
The process is faster, secure, and transparent. Administrators can easily track each synchronization and review clear success or error reports without manual effort.
Beyond solving one institution’s challenge, this integration is now part of Ellucian’s reusable SaaS solutions, ready to support other customers making the same move to the cloud.
Want to see more examples like this one?
Visit our library of higher education case studies to explore how we help institutions modernize their data and integrations with Ellucian and other leading campus systems.
Reimagining campus integrations for SaaS
This project is part of our ongoing collaboration with Ellucian, who trusted ABCloudz to modernize and rebuild key integrations for institutions across Europe.
If your institution is preparing for a Banner SaaS migration, let’s talk. We can help you rebuild your integrations so they fit seamlessly into Ellucian’s modern SaaS environment.
