Onboarding With Avela

A smooth start for a lasting partnership.

More Than Setup — A True Partnership

Getting started with Avela isn’t just about turning on software. It’s about making sure your team is ready to succeed from day one. Our Customer Success team has been in your shoes as enrollment leaders, so we know what matters most: clear steps, hands-on support, and a partner you can trust.

How We Help

All of our engagements start with an initial project planning session. These are designed bespoke to your organization and needs, and will be staffed with Avela’s team of experts.

  • Make key decisions around family experience and administrator workflows

  • Configure your test (sandbox) and live (production) sites

  • Train your administrators with Avela’s support

  • Know how and where to get additional help

  • Feel confident using Avela every day

Our goal during implementation is to launch an enrollment system that works for administrators, families, and communities. By the end of onboarding, you will be confident in using the system.

Your Dedicated Team

When you partner with Avela, you’re supported by our entire Customer Success team made up of former enrollment leaders who have run lotteries, managed applications, and worked directly with families. Think of them as an extension of your team: approachable, responsive, and committed to helping you and your community succeed. You’ll also be paired with one of our dedicated senior account managers.

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Sonali Murarka Soi

A national expert in school enrollment systems with leadership experience across New York City and Oakland.

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Carla Pugliese

An educator and consultant with experience spanning classroom teaching, school administration, and advising education organizations.

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Rachel Abramowitz

A seasoned enrollment policy and operations leader who shaped policies and processes for New York City schools.

How We Get You Set Up

Every onboarding journey follows a proven path, tailored to the products and services you’ve chosen. Implementation timelines can vary based on the number of admins, workflow complexity, and any integrations.

We align on your goals, programs, and success metrics while configuring your core settings — including your URL path, logo, and school list.

1. Kickoff & Branding

Your Avela rep creates your first forms in both sandbox and production environments. You’ll also get templates and guidance for customizing them to your needs.

2. Form Building

Using your sandbox environment, we’ll help you configure and test workflows, so your team feels confident before going live.

3. Workflow Setup

If your package includes data imports, we’ll provide templates and support for bringing in existing students, parents, or forms.

4. Data Imports

Before launch, we guide you through a detailed checklist to ensure everything is tested and ready, from form flows and permissions to communication templates.

5. Launch Checklist & Go-Live

Training & Knowledge Transfer

We don’t just set up your system; we make sure your team knows how to use it with confidence.

Training topics include:

  • Product overview/demo for new administrators

  • Site and application form configuration

  • Form questions and custom settings (e.g., triggered messages, next steps)

  • Family experience and administrator workflows

  • Navigating the admin portal (lists, filters, saved views, exports)

  • Taking action on applications (tagging, messaging, status changes)

  • Managing offers and waitlists

  • Lottery configuration and execution

Want a Sneak Peek?

Check out our Knowledge Base at help.avela.org