Sharing With Parents

[CityGarden]

I am a new provider and have been piloting two different communication options.... Brightwheel and Shutterfly Share Sites. I personally like Shutterfly Share Sites better of the two and the one I could most likely stick with however I will need something else for billing / receipts, etc.

Brightwheel
PROS:

• Sign In & Sign Out (though my analyst requires paper sign in sheets)
• Billing (accepts payments, send invoices, parents can print receipts)
• Updates push and notifies parents right away
• Clean and nice interface - feels modern and up to date
• Great for providers who provide daily notes - especially infants
• Easy to send pictures in a private manner
• Easy to use app
• Parents really like it

CONS:

• Brightwheel is starting to charge fees to providers. There is a free option still but with no customer support.
• I find updating on the laptop/desktop is not as easy or intuitive as on the app
• Updates for each child individually on my cell phone are too time consuming.
• Brightwheel seems to cater to the individual who want daily updates of just their child (not a class) and that I am often repeating the same items each day.
• Daily log categories feel relevant for infants not for preschoolers.
• Black Cat mentioned a payment issue she learned about that I was very uncomfortable with.

Overall
If I provided infant care or had a very small number of children I would use Brightwheel but for my program I am happy with Shtterfly Share Sites.

[CityGarden]

Shutterfly Share Sites
PROS:

• Easy to use app
• Easy to use on desktop / laptop
• Easy to upload photos and video
• Email notification options to parents (daily, weekly, opt out)
• Ability to upload documents / files for parents reference
• Calendar with reminder options
• Sign Up Options (for volunteers, potluck, etc.)
• Class Journal Option
• Free - and has always been free

CONS:

• No billing option(s)
• Site feels dated and could use a face lift
• No daily notes or individual notes (for those who need/want that)

Overall
I feel Shutterfly Share serves a group of daycare/preschool families well for communication and Brightwheel serves the individual family well. So I feel I am sticking with Shutterfly Share Sites but looking for billing options.

[Blackcat31]

Every option I've looked into has billing features.
I don't want or need any type of billing features....
Other than being able to fill in the info for a receipt.

Many of my parents use flexible spending accounts for their child care and often request receipts they can submit to their employers for reimbursement. These receipts take the most time in regards to billing.

I bill and parents pay the same rate 52 weeks a year and 99% of my clients pay via bank transfers so I don't need accounting features or anything to do with billing other than receipts. I think there are alot of programs available that meet the billing needs of this profession.

I don't need time in/out features either.

I just want to share stuff with them.

[LittleScholars]

[*]Black Cat mentioned a payment issue she learned about that I was very uncomfortable with.

May I ask what the issue was? I'm starting to question if I want to stick with BW, and had three different issues last week.

[Blackcat31]

May I ask what the issue was? I'm starting to question if I want to stick with BW, and had three different issues last week.

In another social group I am in, there was a provider that had used BW for parent payments. Supposedly, this is what happened:

A family (she had no issues with) began having issues among each other and decided to separate. Apparently they argued most about paying daycare costs so one (or both) of them filed a complaint with BW and disputed funds that had been paid.

BW removed ALL payments (made by that family) from provider's account until the issue could be resolved. Thus causing massive issues with providers finances. :confused:

I am not positive about all the details but that is apparently the gist of it.... so it makes me SUPER uncomfortable using a system that allows for disputes to be handled that way.

[LittleScholars]

In another social group I am in, there was a provider that had used BW for parent payments. Supposedly, this is what happened:

A family (she had no issues with) began having issues among each other and decided to separate. Apparently they argued most about paying daycare costs so one (or both) of them filed a complaint with BW and disputed funds that had been paid.

BW removed ALL payments (made by that family) from provider's account until the issue could be resolved. Thus causing massive issues with providers finances. :confused:

I am not positive about all the details but that is apparently the gist of it.... so it makes me SUPER uncomfortable using a system that allows for disputes to be handled that way.

I believe this. I don't think they systems in place to make consistent judgment calls when weird things happen. I had something happen with a parent, and it took me weeks to get to the bottom of it. The required the parent to share their bank statement with me, and that was awkward. In the end, they paid for a whole week of tuition for the parent (very nice), but I had to put in way more work than I should have had to in order to figure it out.

I cut them a fair amount of slack at the time because they were new and I really liked the service.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

Only because she started the thread.

As some of you know, one of the many things I do is website hosting and design. Part of that is my own programs. For example, there are many programs and scripts out there for various website features like guestbooks, counters, etc, and there is software like Wordpress and Forum programs, but quite often, the ones that exist aren't quite what I want, so I design my own. I like that for 2 reasons. First, it does just what I want, and second, since I did it, I can also change it later if I want to add or modify anything.

So, many of you share and discuss things with dcps via Facebook or other sites, but I have my own system planned for when I start. At this point in time, it's just ideas in my brain, and my plans were to work on it "someday", but, being a part of this forum has given me much more knowledge to be prepared for that day, as well as ideas of what my sharing program should cover.

Due to previous discussions, it looks like some of you may be interested in my sharing program, so to thank you all for the help you have been, rather than working on my program "someday", I'm moving that plan to the front burner.

My schedule is very erratic, so I don't know how long it will take to do it, but likely somewhere between 1 and 4 weeks. I'm going to start another thread about my idea. Others can give input as far as features and suggestions, and I'll update the thread as my program progresses. At some point, it will be ready for experimenting, then when it's ready to go, it'll be free to anyone here.

You are very talented. That is amazing!

[CityGarden]

Every option I've looked into has billing features.
I don't want or need any type of billing features....
Other than being able to fill in the info for a receipt.

Many of my parents use flexible spending accounts for their child care and often request receipts they can submit to their employers for reimbursement. These receipts take the most time in regards to billing.

I bill and parents pay the same rate 52 weeks a year and 99% of my clients pay via bank transfers so I don't need accounting features or anything to do with billing other than receipts. I think there are alot of programs available that meet the billing needs of this profession.

I don't need time in/out features either.

I just want to share stuff with them.

I have to say I love Shutterfly Share Sites it makes my life so easy and is very easy to use but it sends to the group vs. the individual. I post photos of all the children, calendar to all parents, reminders to all parents, etc. If I need something sent to just one parent I put it in email - but there might be a way to do that on Shutterfly, I have never desired it so never looked.

What are you using / doing for receipts? Right now the only function I am utilizing Brightwheel for billing / receipts for all families. Only one family (the family I asked to pilot Brightwheel for me) get updates for their child (photos, etc.) ---- thru Brightwheel, they love it so I am letting them continue updates on there until the end of the summer. But I have several new families starting in June and would like a receipt plan in place prior to them starting.

[Mike]

You are very talented. That is amazing!

Thanks. I was into computers from the first home computers that came out. Programs were on cassette tapes back then. :: Once Internet became an affordable luxury, I got hooked up, and hooked.

[Mom2Two]

I know you asked Ariana but...

I want to send reminders about upcoming events and deadlines. (To some parents/all parents... it depends on subject)
I want to send a random picture of their kid during the day. Some times more than one parent the same pic.
I want to send calendars with marked events to families so they can print and/or save in whatever way works for them.
I want parents to be able to send me their weekly schedules and change requests

More than anything I want to send parents receipts for payment that I don't have to hand write and they can print out.

I know texting does most of that but texting doesn't allow me to separate daycare "stuff" all into one separate area/folder and doesn't allow for printing anything exchanged.

I am sure there really is an app or a way to do all that stuff but I'm not computer savvy and I don't like having 12 steps to everything and I don't like complex. I'm old(er) and took typing in school not computer lab. I know shorthand.

I want easy.
Click this or that. Print or save. Yes or no.
Paid or owe. Picture/text. In/Out.
No confusion.

Would email just work for all this? You could just type the receipt in the email, or type it in other software, save it as a pdf, then attach it to the email.

[Ariana]

I usually create a receipt in word and save it as a PDF and send it through email. I don't have as many clients though!

[Blackcat31]

What are you using / doing for receipts?

Hand written duplicate receipts that most landlords use.
It's time consuming. Parents that request written receipts need specific info to be on the receipts so I have to write child's full name, dates of service provided and full amount paid by parent (full name) and date paid.

Submitting their bank draft or a cancelled check is not acceptable.

Would email just work for all this? You could just type the receipt in the email, or type it in other software, save it as a pdf, then attach it to the email.

Probably but I don't know how... e-mail doesn't offer any of what I need in "form" option (so I can fill in the blanks) unless I create a form/recipt myself in excel and save to pdf or whatever format and I don't know how to do that.
I can do it individually but I want an excel form or format that I can just fill it in.

Ideally, I love it to be something I can easily add to a text message (primary form of communication with parents) but I'd manage it in an e-mail if necessary. But again, I really don't know an "easy" way.

I usually create a receipt in word and save it as a PDF and send it through email. I don't have as many clients though!

Yeah, I have 16 kids and every one seems to need a receipt for everything and of course, individual kids and/or parents so I can't just write one per family. :confused:

With added state requirements, additional QRIS requirements and incredibly helpless parents AND kids now days, I am looking for easy. E.A.S.Y. A couple clicks and SEND. Done. ::


...'cuz I am swiftly growing weary and lazy.

[hwichlaz]

An online photo album, like photobucket.

[Alwaysgreener]

Hand written duplicate receipts that most landlords use.
It's time consuming. Parents that request written receipts need specific info to be on the receipts so I have to write child's full name, dates of service provided and full amount paid by parent (full name) and date paid.

Submitting their bank draft or a cancelled check is not acceptable.


Probably but I don't know how... e-mail doesn't offer any of what I need in "form" option (so I can fill in the blanks) unless I create a form/recipt myself in excel and save to pdf or whatever format and I don't know how to do that.
I can do it individually but I want an excel form or format that I can just fill it in.

Ideally, I love it to be something I can easily add to a text message (primary form of communication with parents) but I'd manage it in an e-mail if necessary. But again, I really don't know an "easy" way.



Yeah, I have 16 kids and every one seems to need a receipt for everything and of course, individual kids and/or parents so I can't just write one per family. :confused:

With added state requirements, additional QRIS requirements and incredibly helpless parents AND kids now days, I am looking for easy. E.A.S.Y. A couple clicks and SEND. Done. ::


...'cuz I am swiftly growing weary and lazy.

I have a receipt that I created in excel that may work for you. You could save a copy for each kid/ family and only change the dates then print. (it set to do 3 per page)

[daycare]

I love class dojo.