Running the day-to-day operations of a preschool or child care center becomes more effective and seamless with the appropriate software. These innovative and intuitive solutions have revolutionized business management for professionals. But it is also crucial to get child care management software updates in a timely fashion for a stress-free experience.
In today’s digital scenario, over 73% of millennials prefer online interactions to in-person communication. Likewise, the new parenting techniques also differ significantly from earlier generations.
For this reason, keeping up with the technological advancements, including your child care management software (CCMS), is vital for your prolonged success. Besides, with updated tools, you can ensure optimum safety and wellbeing of the children in your care and peace of mind for their parents and guardians. This post lists the necessary steps to take to keep your child care management system up to date.
Stay in Touch with the Vendor Regularly
You digitize your facility and shift all the administrative work from paper to a software program to enhance flexibility and freedom. Since the CCMS industry is dynamic, the vendor offers modified and upgraded solutions that suit your changing requirements. Getting in touch with your vendor from time to time will make you aware of these child care management software updates, and you can choose which ones you require.
Suppose, initially, the software you pick may provide the core basics, such as:
- Child profiles
- Virtual enrollment
- Attendance
- Lesson Planning
- Daily reports
- Parent communication
- Billing and payment tracking
After some time, they may add new and advanced features like:
- Vaccination calendars
- Employee background checks
- Mobile app enhancements
- Additional payment gateways
- Third-party integrations
- Automation of critical reminders
A good provider will help you understand all about child care management software and how to install the updates. They will consistently test the program to fix any issues.
Learn About Configuration Management
Configuration management means an IT automation process that maintains your computer systems, resources, cloud-based backup, and other assets. This IT service management improves traceability and visibility when the vendor releases an update while reducing security risks.
In simpler words, you can easily make modifications to your baseline configuration to increase overall performance levels. For instance, pushing an update can lead to changes to your security settings, leaving your data records vulnerable to cyber threats. Sometimes, the child care management software updates can include complicated features that impact user-friendliness and, ultimately, productivity.
For this reason, you should train the staff about software usage best practices. You can prevent technical issues by asking your vendor to assist in deploying the updates.
This way, you can integrate the upgrades early and test the performance and compatibility with the rest of the environment. Besides, you get the optimal configuration per your needs and computer systems without risking potential errors.
Typically, reliable child care management software and subsequent updates will accompany easy-to-understand instructions about installation. Furthermore, it should also be straightforward to operate, so that the staff can spend their valuable time focusing on children’s needs rather than back-office tasks.
Updates on a Cloud-Based System vs. Standalone Application
The primary reason to invest in child care management programs is to streamline your administrative tasks. Whether you are keeping track of children’s progress, planning special activities, scheduling periodic camps, or communicating with parents, these tools save you a lot of time on paperwork.
Having a cloud-based system ensures that you can access the portal and its features from anywhere, at any time. Instead of entering the student records and upcoming schedules on an offline application, you make this data available to your staff and parents or guardians on their devices when you upload it to cloud servers.
Examples of Real-Time Cloud Communication
An authorized individual scheduled to pick up a child loses their security code; they can immediately receive a reminder on their email address.
Admins can create electronic records of meals or snacks served, note the number of children present, and capture parents’ signatures.
Perhaps your hours of operations have changed. You can intimate everybody on the program with a simple click, whereas it can be time-consuming and expensive to do it on a standalone system.
Why Are Cloud-Based Updates Better?
Whether it is mobile app push notifications, payment alerts, or sign-in issues, cloud-based platforms ensure instant connections.
Likewise, you can synchronize child care management software updates better on cloud-based systems. There is no need to download an update onto a physical system at your facility and install it on every computer. All the staff admins at your child care center have access to the same services online and get the updates in real-time.
Moreover, it will be more convenient and flexible to scale the business in the future, and you will never miss an update. Most importantly, you have a copy of all records stored on the cloud, which means recovering the data is easy if there has been an issue.
Potential Costs of Child Care Management Software Updates
Usually, when you choose the package for a specific duration, all future updates released in this period are included. But this can vary with providers. However, with the right solution, the benefits outweigh the costs when you calculate the real return on investment (ROI) on updating the software.
You achieve:
- Better parent engagement
- Hassle-free enrollment
- Predictive analytics
- Time cost savings
- Knowledge base resources
- Training software
- Outstanding support
- Cloud and mobile deployment, and more under one umbrella
Transform Your Facility with the Best Child Care Management Software
ELV modernizes how you manage your child care and training programs. As your vendor, we will always be available, from training your staff to refresher courses and meeting the state licensing requirements to child care management software updates. Schedule a demo with us and learn how you can run the facility more efficiently.
In Colorado, child care providers must comply with the state licensing rules and regulations to ensure you offer a safe environment for children to learn and grow. Avoid licensing violation pitfalls by downloading our checklist now.
Are you looking for more child care management information? Check out our Ultimate Guide to Child Care Management.
Our child care management system makes running your child care program simple and efficient. Get back to what's most important. You shouldn't have to spend more time on the administrative tasks than you do with children and staff.
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Or schedule a demo with us to learn more about how our child care management system, Alliance Core, can streamline your administrative processes.
Do you run an early childhood association made up of child care providers? If so, check out our Ultimate Guide to Shared Service Alliance.
Header image courtesy of Jumpstory.
