database

[pickles37]

Hello, as you all know there is a lot of admin work in our roles, so do any of you use a database for the admin work, ratios, allergies, registers etc and if so which ones are the best??

 

Thanks

[Stargrower]

We use Instant Nursery Manager software, if that is the sort of thing you mean? I would recommend it and it isn't as expensive as some of the other management software.

[pickles37]

Hello, yes this is the type of thing we are after.

 

Has it saved you a lot of time and work hours?? We are looking into this one and have also looked at connect childcare - however they are very expensive!!!!

 

Thank you

[LKeyteach]

We have commissioned our own. It's taken 3 years to get to where we are now. We started doing our registers electronically, our emergency contacts can be seen easily, our allergy lists should be ready shortly.

Not really added up the pennies but when we looked at the packaged software there was always something that we did differently and would have had to compromise on. So took this route.

I've learnt a lot about databases etc. to add to being an eyp!

[pickles37]

How did you go about that LKeyteach??? This is the problem we are having, they either aren't quite up to scratch or do way too much and therefore really expensive.

 

 

I would be really interested in how you have gone about this route?

[LKeyteach]

Ah I gave connections.

We needed help setting up our it and wanted a network. We knew someone through church so he came and did. He just so happened his real business is fees ting databases.

We started by talking through the procedure from picking up the phone for an enquiry to the child leaving; all the forms; questions. Then listed all the reports that are needed eg daily tick lists, registers, allergy lists etc and our consultant has created the system.

Where about in the world are you. I can ask him if he is interested in any more work and I can look at the costs aswell. If you are interested.

But you could try asking at a local college or uni running computer science course. The only difficulty is that you do need someone to update the system every now and then or just help out when pyoblems occur.

[Guest]

I can give some feedback on connect childcare, that may help people considering it.

 

We only have the nursery management option not the whole "run your entire nursery off the iPad" option.

 

When we bought the package we gave connect some basic info to get us set up and then we attended 3 online training sessions where were ran through how to use connect. I followed as I am competent with IT. The director and other manager had no idea what was talked about.

 

It has taken us about 3 months to get going using connect as I am the only person within the company that at this point knows how to use it. I am now on the second billing run and still had to basically log a support call for 4 different issues today. Yes it saves time but you have to be IT savvy to be able to trouble shoot. We are considering alternatives.

[SueJ]

I have built an excel spreadsheet "database" using the information off my admissions forms e.g.,

 

sheet 1 has the child's details such as name, address, sessions attending, keyperson, allergies, religious / cultural info / photo permissions

 

sheet 2 has parent details including contact info

 

sheet 3 has details including contact infor for all other adults authorised to collect the child

 

sheet 4 has health info e.g., GP, HV and immunisations

 

Easy to update and sort and can add new info or entire sheets easily

I am quite IT savvy and I did look at building my own database but found that my needs could be easily met using Excel