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How to Evaluate Childcare Software

Printing Invoices and Handing Them to the Families

Printing invoices and handing them to families can feel “simple” until your program grows. In a large center, paper invoices often become a weekly bottleneck: Staff time disappears into printing and sorting, families misplace statements, payment follow-up becomes inconsistent, and it’s harder to answer basic questions like “Who is past due?” or “What changed on this invoice?”

This evaluation guide helps large center leaders compare options for replacing paper invoices—so you can reduce admin stress, get paid more reliably, and keep billing communications clear and professional for families.

The challenge: Why paper invoices break down in a large center

Paper invoicing tends to create predictable issues as enrollment, schedules, and staffing complexity increase:

High volume and repetition: Printing, stuffing, distributing, and reprinting eats up time every billing cycle.
More billing errors: Manual updates to rates, discounts, and schedule changes increase the chance of incorrect invoices.
Harder family experience: Families may not receive invoices at pick-up, may misplace them, or may not understand balances without context.
Inconsistent collections: Payment reminders rely on staff memory and time, which leads to uneven follow-up.
Limited audit trail: When questions arise, it’s harder to confirm what was sent, when it was delivered, and what changed.

Evaluation criteria: What to look for in an invoicing and payments workflow for a large center

Use the criteria below to assess any software (or combination of tools) you’re considering.

Invoice delivery and reliability

Look for tools that ensure families consistently receive invoices without staff intervention.

Automatic invoice generation on a schedule (weekly, biweekly, monthly)
Digital delivery inside a family-facing app or portal
Delivery records (sent status, viewed status, history)

Billing accuracy and change management

Large centers need billing that can handle real-life change without creating rework.

Proration rules for mid-cycle changes
Support for variable schedules, tuition plans, and fees
Easy edits with a clear record of adjustments and credits

Payment options that improve on-time payments

Paper invoices often mean paper checks and manual tracking. Evaluate how the system helps families pay more predictably.

Secure online payments (such as bank transfer and card)
Autopay capability
Automatic reminders before and after due dates

One practical benchmark: brightwheel reports that 90% of preschools using brightwheel report more families pay on time.

Reporting that answers real questions quickly

Your leadership team needs fast, reliable visibility.

A current view of paid vs. unpaid balances
Past-due reporting without manual reconciliation
Exportable reports for accounting and year-end workflows
Family-accessible tax statements when applicable

Communication that reduces billing confusion

Invoice questions can overwhelm front-office staff. Look for communication that is centralized and secure.

One place for billing messages and receipts
Clear invoice details families can reference anytime
Notifications that reduce “I didn’t get it” conversations

Brightwheel also reports 95% of users find that brightwheel enhances communication with families, which is especially helpful when billing conversations are time-sensitive.

Implementation, ease of use, and support

If you are currently managing billing without software, prioritize:

Ease of setup and day-one usability for admins and staff
Clear onboarding and responsive support during your first billing cycle
Simple workflows that do not require accounting expertise to run reliably

Large programs benefit most when the billing process is easy enough to run consistently—even during enrollment season or staffing transitions.

Options to consider: What you are really choosing between

Most large centers evaluating a move away from printing invoices land in one of these paths:

Option 1: Keep paper invoicing and “tighten the process”

This can work short-term, but typically requires strict internal controls and ongoing staff time.

Pros: Familiar, no new system
Cons: Still manual, still error-prone, limited visibility, inconsistent family experience

Option 2: Use accounting software plus a separate payment tool

Some programs combine invoicing in an accounting product with a separate payment processor.

Pros: Strong accounting features
Cons: Families may not have a simple experience, staff may manage multiple systems, and billing updates can require more steps

Option 3: Use an all-in-one childcare management platform with billing built in

This approach typically reduces printing, reduces chasing payments, and centralizes the family experience.

Pros: One system for invoices, payments, reminders, and family communication
Cons: Requires change management and a thoughtful rollout

Where brightwheel fits: A practical match for large centers moving away from paper invoices

Brightwheel is designed to help programs automate billing and get paid faster, while keeping families informed through a single app.

Based on the product overview content available, brightwheel aligns with key evaluation criteria in these ways:

Autopay to support on-time tuition: “Set up autopay to get paid on time every time.”
Reduced follow-up burden: Designed to help teams avoid chasing down payments and reduce billing stress.
Custom reporting: Track money with custom reports to get the data you need when you need it.
Family self-service: Families can pull their own tax statements in seconds.
Time savings at scale: brightwheel cites an average of 20 hours saved each month for administrators and staff.

A director testimonial from the same source captures the operational impact: “I don’t have any past due payments, and that has saved us so much stress.”

Quick checklist: Questions to ask vendors during your evaluation

Bring these questions to demos and sales calls to compare options fairly:

Can we fully eliminate printed invoices, including for families who prefer reminders?
How do you handle mid-month schedule changes, discounts, and one-time fees?
What payment methods are available, and can families set up autopay?
What do past-due workflows look like for staff (alerts, reminders, escalation)?
What reports will my leadership team need weekly, monthly, and at year-end?
What does onboarding look like for a large center, and what support is included?

Decision signals: When it is time to stop printing invoices

You will usually see a clear need for change if:

Billing takes multiple staff members each cycle
You frequently reprint or resend invoices
Families regularly ask for balances, receipts, or “what changed”
Past-due tuition is hard to identify quickly
Enrollment growth is increasing invoice volume faster than admin capacity

See how brightwheel works in real life

If printing invoices and handing them to the families is the main reason you’re evaluating childcare software, the fastest way to decide is to see how brightwheel works in real life and confirm it matches your center’s billing rules and reporting needs. Schedule a personalized demo with a brightwheel specialist and have all of your tuition billing related priorities addressed.

Optional resource: A selection guide you can use with any vendor

If you would like a broader framework for comparing platforms beyond billing, download A Practical Guide for Selecting Childcare Management Software. It includes step-by-step evaluation tips, checklists, and implementation guidance you can use even if you are still early in your decision process.

Select the best childcare software that addresses your priorities

Your large center may have other priorities. Learn how to evaluate childcare software that suits your various needs with the following resources: