Nursery Management Software

[Deb]

Hi

 

I was wondering if anybody could recommend some good nursery management software? We are only a 22 place pre-school but with all the different attendance patterns I am finding the invoicing is taking me a long time. I use quickbooks to manage the book keeping side of things, and that does have an invoicing facility but haven't investigated further, does anybody use this for invoicing?

 

Thanks

[Cait]

i use moneysoft for payroll, tax and NI and it prepares and sends the end of year paperwork to HMI which is brilliant. It even helped me sort out SMP and comes will lots of other useful bits and pieces. It prints out payslips, P60s P45s etc and updates itself when I'm online, things like new regulations and new tax codes etc. I wouldn't be without it now.

 

How come you are doing invoices? I never do them. Parents pay up front for sessions and I know how much they should be paying each week or whatever. If they want monthly, termly or whatever, we do the sum together

Edited April 15, 2009 by Cait

[Guest]

I use Datamove pre-school package. I have 52 children a session and numerous combinations that they take and I find it works for me. I have used the Nursery manager that Datamove do but it didn't work for the pre-school combinations.

 

I use the Inland Revenue for my payroll and do my own payslips. It also does P45 online and everything else that you need. A very easy package to use.

Surely Cait for the Inland revenue you need paper work to show your income and outgoings. If they do a spot check even if you use an accountant they will still come and look at all you paperwork. What about your audit for your Grant money, have they not asked for more paper work?

 

The one thing with Datamove is you pay a subscription each year so quite a good way to have a program updated every year.

Try doing a search on Google also on here as we have discussed it before a while back. Datamove do have a website that is interactive that allows you to play with the program to see if its what you need, and I promise I do not get any commission from them hahahaha

 

Good luck

[HappyMaz]

Have a look here Deb. I have been using the trial version (up to 50 children) and although I haven't got to grips with all its features, it does do invoices very quickly once you have put in term dates/dates you're closed etc.

 

Once you have put 50 children through the system you need to upgrade to the full version. However this is not the number of children you have on role at once - it is cumulative. So even if six of your 22 children leave, when you add a new child they become child number 23 and so on. Hope that makes sense - if not the people who sell the software are very helpful.

 

You can send them a copy of your logo and they will customise the software for you so that all invoices, statements etc have your corporate image on.

 

Maz

 

PS Steph and I posted at the same time - I have the feeling we're talking about the same company (and that I'm using the software she didn't find helpful!) so I'm off to the website and see what I'm missing out on!

Edited April 15, 2009 by HappyMaz

[Deb]

Thank you all for your replies.

 

Funnily enough Maz, I had jsut been looking at the link you provided, as I had seen an advert in the magazine of the Pre-Schooll Learning Alliance.

 

I've looked at the demos and the pre-schooler version does seem very flexible and would suit a pre-school like ours with varying attendance patterns and it seems fairly easy to use.

 

I was wondering how the trial version worked as I think I could persuade our committee to part with £50, not sure about £500 outright, though of course if the system proved worthwhile I think they might be persuaded.

 

So thanks again, it's always useful to have first hand experience of these things before spending our hard earned cash.

[Alison]

We are like Cait we dont do invoices, parents pay the fees and I record payments as they are made, I dont think invoices for session fees are obligatory and in many cases its a waste of paper if parents pay regularly and its the same amount each week/month

 

two years ago we where given a grant to buy a laptop and a managment package we where recomended to buy from Connect software the package was easy to use and did everthing needed but it was very expencive and I dont use it much, I prefer pen and paper and DIY excel spread sheets

[Guest]

Hi Everyone

 

I too use Datamove Pre-Schooler package and it has definately made my life easier. I have had it for a couple of years now and have several patches which mean they have added things that are particular to my setting. The biggest wow was the invoicing, it used to take me days manually to produce them, now I just have to make sure I am entering the info. into the programme regularly then I just hit "print all" and out they all pop - it`s sooooo much easier.

 

It has lots of other features too, for example I use it to produce and print registers. There is also someone at the end of a phone if u get stuck. and belive me I am not good on computers so I have needed this!

 

I know there are other packages out there however so try and see how many you can trial beforehand to make sure you get the right package. In this buisness we are so snowed under with paperwork it`s a real help to have someting to reduce some of it.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Sally

Edited April 15, 2009 by Guest

[Deb]

Thanks again for your replies. I have looked up Datamove and I think Maz is right, they seem to be the same thing.

 

Like you Sally I particularly want it for the invoicing and registers. Looking at the demos this does seem like the package I need, especially as it comes recommended.

[Cait]

Surely Cait for the Inland revenue you need paper work to show your income and outgoings. If they do a spot check even if you use an accountant they will still come and look at all you paperwork. What about your audit for your Grant money, have they not asked for more paper work?

 

I use microsoft money for all that and annotate in an excel programme what money comes in daily and input this into MSMoney. The County auditor was very happy with it last year

[Guest]

I would suggest that you avoid Parenta/Abacus at all costs! We have had a nightmare with them, though their helpline people are very helpful but even they have been stumped as to why the system decides to do some of the things it does!!

[Guest]

I used firefox once data is entered does everything else for you

[Guest]

we use data move and have done for years saw it on a stand at the early years exhibition in manchester did a trial and have been happy with it ever since

[Guest]

yes Maz it is the same. I found the Nursery package wasn't adaptable enough but the Pre-school one is great. Although it has taken me awhile to get used to it. There are still a few things I think the gentlemen could change but that's another story. The Pre-school package works great if you do weekly or monthly billing and really keeps track of things.

[Cait]

at £569 inc VAT it's not exactly cheap though, is it

Edited April 16, 2009 by Cait

[Alison]

Its probably worth checking if the early years have a pot of funding for things like this I wasnt looking for a managment program it was kind of thrust upon me at the end of the finacial year so I didnt get time to check out all the packages the one I bought was £750 and that was what the early years suggested

 

ok I will confess I dont use it fully (as already said I like my pen and paper records!) but since everyones been discussing the managment packages Ive been looking at what mine does and I really think I should start to use it!! I wouldnt say Im a technophobe but the initial setting up inputting the data had put me off using the package to its full potentional I use it mostly as a data base for waiting lists and childrens details but it would do all the invoices, wages, milk claims ect so maybe I should be using it more!!!

[Guest]

I also use Instant Nursery Manager......... fabulous for all invoicing, registers, daily sign in and out sheets, or weekly if you prefer. The cost initially is ok because you get so much more thrown in free......... milk calculator, NEG calculator, staff rotas, etc etc and then on annual renewal its quite reasonable.

 

also because its a small firm Michael is so helpful.........( we asked him to add two extra tickboxes to the permissions on the registration form, one for cctv observations and one for direct observations and recording for EYFS) two days later he phones me with a 'patch' for the program and lo and behold two new tickboxes!!

 

Can't praise this software enough!

 

Just my 4d worth

 

Tony

The token male

[Deb]

Alison, if you have input all the children's names and addresses you must be half way there!

 

It also does the NEG caluculations......!!!?? I know a couple of supervisors who will be very happy to hear that!

 

Thanks for all your replies, it's great to have the benefit of all your experiences.

[Guest]

Not sure whether this is what your looking for, we use Firsteps software. We bought it at the early years show a couple of years ago now and although it takes time to put in the data we have found it to be very useful. It does registers, forward plans, invoices, grant funding etc and providing the data is correct and all the right boxes are ticked it happens with a touch of a button. It was costly but you get training with it and great support over the phone. Worth all the money though

[Guest]

Can anyone tell me how they go about sorting our their staffs tax and national insurance. We are a small pre school setting with 5 staff, the tax office seem so unhelpful

[Cait]

We use moneysoft and it's great. Some people use the disks that come from the tax office apparently and find them useful, but I've used moneysoft for years and wouldn't be without it now. It doe all the P11's P45's, P32's, P60's etc updates tax codes and government changes. It did Statutory Maternity Pay when I hadn't a clue how to even start - I rang them and they talked me through how to set it up. Payslips and everything. Sends the annual returns to HMI.