Many childcare administrators would probably list accounting tasks as the ones they would like to eliminate or simplify on their to-do list. While there are great accounting programs out there to assist businesses with their accounting, your business isnu2019t just any business.
A childcare center has unique accounting factors, such as part-time, flex time and full-time enrollment. You may also have different fees for children in diapers versus those that are toilet trained. You may want to charge one-time fees for field trips not included in general enrollment costs.
Whatever your case may be, childcare software with built in accounting tools designed for childcare centers is much more scalable and designed for your long-term growth. Letu2019s take a look at the following factors that make childcare software a better fit than accounting software.
One application vs. multiple programs
With childcare software, you get multiple business functions all in one. This includes classroom management, direct deposit and communication with parents. You donu2019t have to constantly switch back and forth between programs.
Imagine having to input attendance tracking into your accounting system. Youu2019d need to constantly go back and forth between the two applications to ensure proper accounting and billing for your clients. In fact, not having integrated systems may make you only accept traditional hours for childcare, meaning youu2019re missing out on new opportunities and total parent satisfaction.
With integrated systems, you can also see developmental trends from what your teachers are inputting alongside the childu2019s age and information. This can help you spot any differences in development from where they should be, so you can help parents catch these delays sooner.
Better parent-teacher communication
While an accounting tool can help you with managing your finances, it wonu2019t do anything to improve your parent-teacher communication and relationships. Childcare management software can help keep the lines of communication open with the following tools:
- Photos u2013 with the click of a button, a teacher can share a photo of a child with his or her parents. This can make a parentu2019s day by seeing what their child is learning and up to at school.
- Journal u2013 a simple journal entry can enlighten parents as to the activities a child participated in and how their behavior was throughout the day. Journal entries show the attentiveness of teachers and thoughtfulness of your staff to keep parents informed.
- Chat u2013 the chat functionality enables you to quickly ask a question. This can be between childcare providers in your facility or with parents to ask a quick question.
- iCare Ding u2013 parents can receive notifications direct to their phone via iCare Ding. It provides mobile push notifications when a child is tagged in a journal entry or photo.
- Calendar u2013 iCareu2019s calendar function allows you to share events and field trips with parents. From in-service days to wear your pajamas to school, parents can stay up to date on your schoolu2019s activities.
A centralized hub for managing your business
By managing your entire childcare center in one program with iCare Software, you can enjoy the added efficiencies of having it all in one place. Go from messaging your teachers to collecting tuition all in one system.
Reporting in iCare Software is strong so you can see where you have room for growth in your childcare and where you have uncollected funds and late payments. This also enables you to create progress reports to share with parents.
One system can simplify so many aspects of your childcare. Learn more about iCare Software.