These guidelines for data management and functionality in education management information systems (EMIS) comprise:

• a "buyer's guide" that refers to the standards of functionality an EMIS should have
• a "user's guide" that refers to how to make better use of an EMIS once it's available.

As background work, this report researched various EMIS and related software platforms to compile a list of functionality standards and used reasoning based on typical reporting requirements, including the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 indicators, as well as regional variants such as those selected to monitor the African Union’s Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 16-25) – but without giving primacy to the latter, as country needs should be paramount.

The aim was to develop a set of standards to illustrate what the EMIS must be able to do, in order to
supply accurate, valid information to education sector policymakers and school managers and international organizations.