This digest provides practical advice on evaluating software for managing student records. An evaluation of record-keeping software should start with a process to identify all of the individual needs the software produce must meet in order to be considered for purchase. The first step toward establishing an administrative computing system is forming a schoolwide committee that can provide input for developing school-specific evaluation criteria, solicit products from vendors, and examine those products. Once a committee has been established, the members should examine the administrative functions that need to be computerized. Needs analysis should examine the school's capacity to enable faculty and staff to make more productive use of their time and its capability to provide accurate data on individual students that can be used to meet student needs. School officials need to play a vital role in deciding which administrative functions should be automated. The working committee should draft criteria to compare and evaluate each system under consideration. The committee may have to develop and use a quantitative measure on which to base a decision about the software. (SLD)