Software Developer Needs Ideas For Daycare Software

[Lila]

I agree with others, if you could make a check in/out program that actually works for each family home child care that would be wonderful! I use Checkinkids too, but like others, I need to be able to contract certain hours for certain families. If you could make a program that allows each individual parent to sign in/out their child (I say individual parent due to divorced parents who change weeks picking up/being responsible for payment, etc.) with the use of an individual pin, along with being able to have them being within a certain time frame (contracted hours, instead of a close time or an hour limit), and then make it affordable I'd look into it! I need something where I can have parents contracted hours in so that even though one of my kids leave a 4:30 (because they are contracted to) and another who leaves at 6:15, that the parent is alerted to their late payment due to being outside of their individual contracted time.

[MarinaVanessa]

I know we discussed MMK previously and me waiting to sign up due to the food program. I finally found out it WON'T be the Pro version. How do you use both?? Do you enter food info and attendance only on one and billing/expenses on the other?? Curious before I purchase anything.

Not sure if all Food Programs that use MMK are like this (I know some automatically use the Pro version) but mine uses the regular version and there isn't a way to integrate both together so I have to track my attendance and meals in the regular version for the food program and then also do it in the Pro version separately too . But again, I think that for the price and ease of use MMK Pro is well worth the time and price.

[MarinaVanessa]

I agree with others, if you could make a check in/out program that actually works for each family home child care that would be wonderful! I use Checkinkids too, but like others, I need to be able to contract certain hours for certain families. If you could make a program that allows each individual parent to sign in/out their child (I say individual parent due to divorced parents who change weeks picking up/being responsible for payment, etc.) with the use of an individual pin, along with being able to have them being within a certain time frame (contracted hours, instead of a close time or an hour limit), and then make it affordable I'd look into it! I need something where I can have parents contracted hours in so that even though one of my kids leave a 4:30 (because they are contracted to) and another who leaves at 6:15, that the parent is alerted to their late payment due to being outside of their individual contracted time.

I'd like this to be integrated with the above features like MMK and don't forget the ability to be able to waive extra fees if we wish.

[snbauser]

I know we discussed MMK previously and me waiting to sign up due to the food program. I finally found out it WON'T be the Pro version. How do you use both?? Do you enter food info and attendance only on one and billing/expenses on the other?? Curious before I purchase anything.

Here if you get the food program one first you can just upgrade that version and use everything together. I have two separate sign ins because I was using MMK before the food program started using it and in order for me to have one login I would lose all of my historical data.

[MarinaVanessa]

Here if you get the food program one first you can just upgrade that version and use everything together. I have two separate sign ins because I was using MMK before the food program started using it and in order for me to have one login I would lose all of my historical data.

For some reason my Food Program doesn't do this . I signed up with the food program first and then wanted to upgrade and they said that I couldn't combine the two . I'm wondering if "drop-out" or cancel my participation and then sign up again if I can then just give them access to my MMK Pro account since I know that it still has a claim submit option.

[itlw8]

I would like to se a good developmental checklist We could check when the child was working on the skill and mastered it. maybe have a place to scan and save the childs work. then we could pull up a file o each child to show the parents their childs progress ad what skills we need to work on or if there are any delays we need to be concerned about.


Still want all the other record keeping that minute menu has.

[JFC_Designs]

I really really appreciate everyone taking the time to post your needs, likes, dislikes, etc. It really helps me as a developer. It seems I have a big undertaking ahead of me, but that is ok. I will offer the app for free until it is finished at which point I will settle on a price point of around $30-40 / year. The best part is I will continue to work with customers providing a one in all solution for this industry. Please continue to post in this forum giving me ideas. I really didn't want to just copy someone elses software. That is what other software companies do. A fresh and easy user interface is wha I am looking for.

[JFC_Designs]

To those seeking a unique pin per parent solution for checkin ability please note I have already developed a beta stage feature for this in the program. Where my program may be different than others is the fact that everyone has a user account and profile. The entire program is based off this. You have users who are providers. Then you have users who are family members and family contacts. Each has his/her own username and data is tracked for each user. Family members can be children, parents, grandparents, etc. The benefit of this type of system is the fact families do have multiple people picking up a child on different weeks. I have this same situation in my own home.

One question I have on the checkin checkout solution is I thought states required paper based signin and signout solutions. Even though a username pin feature will be used in this application do states require physical signatures?

[Patches]

I would like to se a good developmental checklist We could check when the child was working on the skill and mastered it. maybe have a place to scan and save the childs work. then we could pull up a file o each child to show the parents their childs progress ad what skills we need to work on or if there are any delays we need to be concerned about.


Still want all the other record keeping that minute menu has.

oooooh, I like this idea! Like a digital portfolio for each child. That would be great! Maybe have a place where we can record anecdotal records and upload photos to go eith them?

[JFC_Designs]

oooooh, I like this idea! Like a digital portfolio for each child. That would be great! Maybe have a place where we can record anecdotal records and upload photos to go eith them?

What do you mean by anecdotal?

[Blackcat31]

To those seeking a unique pin per parent solution for checkin ability please note I have already developed a beta stage feature for this in the program. Where my program may be different than others is the fact that everyone has a user account and profile. The entire program is based off this. You have users who are providers. Then you have users who are family members and family contacts. Each has his/her own username and data is tracked for each user. Family members can be children, parents, grandparents, etc. The benefit of this type of system is the fact families do have multiple people picking up a child on different weeks. I have this same situation in my own home.

One question I have on the checkin checkout solution is I thought states required paper based signin and signout solutions. Even though a username pin feature will be used in this application do states require physical signatures?

Could the electronic sign in/sign out records have a printable option? For example I have forms I must use to track a families attendance and at the end of a weekly or bi-weekly period I take the paper copies and have the parent review the information and agree that the information is true and correct and then sign that form.

So maybe if you did an electronic sign in/out feature you could make it printable on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly schedule so parents can review it, agree and then physically sign it and then the paper could be filed away in each family file.

I don't know...just thinking outloud

[JFC_Designs]

That is a really great idea Blackat. I think I will go with that option. The entire sign in thing has really got me confused, because I read elsewhere that providers had to provide physical signin sheets. So maybe providing options for printing and signing would be the solution I was looking for. Thanks!

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

Well I was thinking a while ago that when I start my business it would be great if there was one of those log in (like those punch-in clock things) they have at some work places where when the parent come in they swipe their child's card so it is marked what time the child arrived/left (if it is early or late or on time) so that way parents cannot argue with late fees because the time would be according to the time on the clock of the computer used. Or maybe if it had a list of the children enrolled and the parents just find their child's name and click on it and the time starts from when they click on it. maybe have 2 lists on the screen like one for logged in and logged out. It should be able to hold up to 30 enrolled kids and make it were you can delete children and add children when ever needed.

Just make it easy where the provider has control over the default rates (hourly, daily, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly and can also include early drop off/ late pick up fees) and where it can be different for every family- especually if they have more than one child. It should be easy for the provider to be able to adjust it everyday if needed but still have it set on default of the agreed upon schedule hours (which may very from day to day) for the child's regular days but can change it if the schedule changes or if you agree to 1 day of extended hours for a flat fee- It should just be for attendence purposes and have a setting where if you charge when they do not attend that you can adjust it and make sure that the absents/ paid holidays doesn't affect what it says on the bill- they only thing that affects it is if they pay hourly or if they leave their child off early/ pick them up late. The late fees should have an OPTION (not default) of a small grace period like 1 to 5 minutes before starting the early drop off/ late pick up fee. a late drop off and early pick up should NOT affect the default payment unless the provider wavers it on their own. The rates should be able to be adjusted every so often for when the provider decides to increase her rates but also have a small section for where she can make different rates for new families that don't effect the old families- if she charges new families a higher rate. It should have an option where you can see the layout of what they attended daily, weekly, and monthly. It would be great if it had a feature where the provider can e-mail a weekly or monthly report to themselves so that they can print it out and save it in a folder on their email account so they don't lose it or have to worry about computer memery. And also have a setting for swipes for after hours care/parent's night specials on certain days the provider picks (can be at night or on weekends) for a flat rate for a few hours and another for overnight care and an option of a late fee or switching the child from few hours to overnight if the paren't pick up their child late.

It would also be nice to have one file for when you have substitutes or a part-time/full time assistants that they can have another swipe in system connected to that but only for the assistants so that way you can make sure they aren't arriving late and trying to pass off as being on time or so they cannot say that they stayed later than they really did to try to fudge the times to make a little extra money (when I worked for one provider, one of my co-workers would do that all the time). It can have their regular pay as a default but also maybe an OPTIONAL (not default) bonus for holidays/birthdays/ or for filling in for the full day alone. It should have an option where you can see the layout of what they worked daily, weekly, and monthly. This should also be able to send a weekly or monthly report to your e-mail (if they have internet) or print out for records. Maybe a feature were you include a 2 hour 1/2 paid or non paid lunch option since a provider may need them for the ratio but cannot afford to pay them a full amount to not do anything. It will also come in handy to have another folder for volunteers (like high schoolers or people who want work expierince) with no payment features just for record keeping. It should also be an option to beable to switch a volunteer back and forth into a paid assistant if needed on some days- maybe as an option for regular assistants/subs too if they decide or need to volunteer for school or something.It should be able to hold up to 5 volunteers or assistants at a time.

The provider should be able to log out and the log ins should still stay logged in when opening a new window or when the computer is off. All of this information should only be available to the provider through E-mail or they have to provider their screen name and phone number, a safety question, or a password on the computer softwear- but they should be able to change it at anytime if they want. It should NOT need regular internet to run normally all day and the provider should be able to move the information to another computer with the same softwear either by typing in the E-mail account (with internet connection just to transfer) or by saving the information using a USB drive or ****; if needed due to viruses or the computer breaking (that is where an E-mail acount access would come in handy).

I use checkinkids.com on an iPad for my clients. It is FREE and they check in with their phone number. You tell it what your closing time is and in red letters it will tell them how much is owed in late fees.
Yes, it is a pain if you have different times for different clients (Ex: Johnny is here from 7:00-4:00 and Sally is here from 8:00-5:00) but if you don't operate on contracted hours for each family then it would work well for you. I operate 8-5 and don't deviate from that.

[JFC_Designs]

Checkin is a nice simply solution, but like the website says it is free while it last. They are obviously planning something for the future for pay. The system may be in development. I am considering doing something like this to help gain support for my product, and get users to provide feedback. The only problem with Checkin is that it is only one solution, and my software will be a complete solution.

[SunnyDay]

To those seeking a unique pin per parent solution for checkin ability please note I have already developed a beta stage feature for this in the program. Where my program may be different than others is the fact that everyone has a user account and profile. The entire program is based off this. You have users who are providers. Then you have users who are family members and family contacts. Each has his/her own username and data is tracked for each user. Family members can be children, parents, grandparents, etc. The benefit of this type of system is the fact families do have multiple people picking up a child on different weeks. I have this same situation in my own home.

One question I have on the checkin checkout solution is I thought states required paper based signin and signout solutions. Even though a username pin feature will be used in this application do states require physical signatures?

Here in MI we are required to keep accurate daily attendance records, but signatures are not required (for homes at least, centers may be different).