Best simple cloud-based database for simple school contact lists?

September 25, 2016 6:05 AM

Ideas for best basic cloud-based database for simple school contact lists and class directories?

We've moved to a rural school district which is a bit technologically challenged. The current way to capture parent and class directory information is all on paper, or a combination of buggy hard coded excel sheets (which gets messy when you have divorced parents, multiple kids in different grades, etc.) As a result, emails are not getting home, there is no published student / parent directory. Makes it challenging to arrange birthday parties to say the least!

We obviously need a very simple relational database. I could whip one up in Access in no time. But wondered if there were simple cloud based options we could consider as getting the school admin to maintain an access database locally will be... challenging...?

Ease of use, cost are critical. Ability to download and manipulate files locally also likely needed features.

Thanks Hive Mind!

posted by mtstover to Technology (3 answers total)

Zoho Creator is an option. Maybe even a CRM, which is also something you can do cheap at Zoho.
posted by COD at 7:56 AM on September 25, 2016

AirtableHas been nice for our craft supply inventory. You might be able to get by with the Free option for your tables, but it's not that expensive othwerwise.
posted by Animus at 8:40 AM on September 25, 2016

I'm on phone right now, but there are a bunch of howtos for contact lists using Google forms.
posted by rhizome at 12:19 PM on September 25, 2016