4 ways childcare billing software helps you stay on top of your finances

A childcare accounting and billing tool will help you in more ways than the four I’ll outline below, but I know you’re short on time, so here are the top four ways I think you’ll really benefit – and immediately feel the difference – from using childcare billing software:

1. One clear, comprehensive finance dashboard with financial reporting
2. Ability to customize payment plans, billing frequencies and make instant edits
3. Payments on time, every time
4. Easy for you and easy for parents

I’ll explain what all of that really means in a minute, but to begin, picture this: It’s 9 PM on a Tuesday. Children went home hours ago, but you're still at your desk, working away at matching payments, adjusting invoices, and untangling that color-coded spreadsheet that somehow got all mixed up overnight.

Sound familiar? If you're a childcare director, this might hit close to home. Billing in early childhood education is incredibly complex. It isn’t just “send invoice, get paid.”

You’re managing:

• Multiple bill payers per child. For example: mom pays by ACH, but grandma contributes weekly in cash. Or a split bill between two divorced parents - one pays by check, and the other by credit card. 
• Subsidies that only apply on certain days, and only for some children
• Ad-hoc charges for late pickups, snacks, or field trips
• Families on different billing frequencies: weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly 
• Tracking down families who have overdue payments
• Trying to make sense of all the various numbers you’re looking at to help with your financial reporting, revenue forecasting, and budget planning.

Did I miss anything? Probably. But you get the idea.

Billing has become a full-time job and, at the end of the day, you are still a childcare business, and finance management is a key part of any successful business. But, you didn’t get into early education to become an accountant or financial manager. Without the right tools, you’re staying late crunching numbers. That’s less time you could be spending doing what you love, being with the children and your team, or, getting your well-deserved ‘you’ time. 

And you’re not the only one. In fact, nearly 90% of childcare directors are staying late at least one day a week, and most childcare directors we speak to say they regularly work late just to stay on top of billing. 

But it doesn’t have to be this way. 

When I ask you to imagine it being 9PM on a Tuesday, you should envision yourself cozying up watching your favorite TV show or reading, or enjoying time with your family and friends - basically, anything other than being at your desk. 

Why do you need childcare billing software?

At Famly, we've seen thousands of childcare centers around the world trapped in the chaotic billing process. We’ve watched amazing educators burn out because they're spending more time on spreadsheets than with children. And we’ve made it our mission to change that.

(Our team of engineers spent months interviewing childcare directors to create smarter, easier, more flexible billing tools that actually make sense. We’re thrilled to show off our  best-in-class finance dashboard and billing features.)

Now let’s unpack those 4 benefits of Famly:

1. One clear, comprehensive finance dashboard with financial reporting

• Real-time overview: See everything in one place - outstanding balances, total revenue, upcoming payments and invoices. 
• See what matters most: You’ll always see what needs your immediate attention, plus you can filter and organize information. 
• Instant edits: Override payments, ad-hoc fees, and quick adjustments to invoices in seconds, all from that same dashboard.
• Reports that make sense: Invoices, projected revenue, debt - all the reports needed to run a successful business in one clear overview.

2. Ability to customize payment plans, billing frequencies and make instant edits

• Flexible billing plans: We know that billing is never done the same way, so you create your own plans to fit your center’s needs, and then save them so you can use them again. Create as many custom billing plans as you need. 
• Override and edit without a headache: No need to delete an entire invoice and start over. Just make the necessary changes and the appropriate invoice amount will be automatically sent out.
• Subsidies and splits: Easily apply partial subsidies, divide bills between payers, or handle those complex arrangements with ease.

3. Payments on time, every time

• Full automation: automated invoices, automated reminders and automated payments. Goodbye to tedious, manual tasks.
• Accurate invoicing at scale: No matter how many different billing plans and frequencies your center has, billpayers will get the correct invoice automatically. No more creating and sending out multiple invoices one-by-one.
• Automated, helpful reminders: You no longer need to send reminders or make phone calls making sure payments arrive on time, or chasing down late fees. Automated reminders are something you and your families will appreciate - you get paid on time, and parents won’t get charged late fees!
• Set-it-and-forget-it pay: Families can opt in to automated payments, so they don’t even have to remember to log in every time they’re invoiced. Consider it done, without ever getting on their to-do list. They’ll love it, and you are confident you’ll get paid on time.

“The fact that you have it set up so automated…the automation that y’all built into the whole system honestly is great. It really is…[We] thought [we] had automation until [we] had automation!”
Brittany Barela, Superintendent, Christian Preschool Centers

4. Easy for you and easy for parents.

• All the automation = less admin for everyone: Less time chasing payments, fewer phone calls, and less confusion.
• Accessible anytime, anywhere: From phone, tablet, or desktop, parents can view current and previous invoices and pay from wherever they are—even on vacation.
• Fewer questions: Invoices are broken down by line items, so everything is clear - even on their cell phone. Parents know exactly what they owe and when at all times. And that means you’ll spend less time on the phone explaining their extra charge for last month’s late pick-up.

“We love everything about Famly. Starting to use the system has been such an improvement for us, and it has really streamlined our billing. It’s everything we’ve looked for.”

Kim Eveland, Coordinator @ Lincoln County R-III School District

It’s more than childcare billing software

Here's something that might surprise you: when you call Famly's support team, a real human picks up. Michelle, Kirsten, and Josh are there to immediately address your concerns.

But more than answering your questions and closing tickets, our team is there to improve your experience immediately, and in the long-term. 

“The customer service and the help center are great! I have found that Famly really cares how their customers use their app to its fullest potential. I was given a team member from the beginning and he helps me so very much. He encourages me to use the app to its fullest potential. We have not had just one meeting but several and continue to have them to my benefit."

- Paige S, Director @ Friends In Faith

Get on top of your childcare billing today

Book a personal 30-minute demo to see how Famly can help you finally get out from under the paperwork—and back to what matters most.