The problem
A day in a childcare setting goes fast: the arrivals follow one another, then the meals, the naps, the departures. One departure left unclocked is enough to create a « fiche sans fin » (a record with no end) that will block the month's billing, or one forgotten meal for it to be missing from the CSA export based on actual attendance.
Without a routine shared by the whole team, everyone clocks in their own way and the omissions come to light weeks later, at the worst possible moment: billing time.
How Kidola solves it
Kidola relies on simple gestures that never change: the porte verte (green door) on arrival, the porte rouge (red door) on departure, the ABS button for absentees, the fusée (the rocket shortcut) for meals. Repeated every day, these reflexes guarantee accurate data, and billing with no surprises at the end of the month.
The routine breaks down into three moments: the morning (who is expected, who is here, who is absent), the day itself (meals, naps, nappy changes, handovers to parents) and the evening (departures, checks, things to flag to the manager).
Step by step in the app
- 1
The morning: check, clock in, mark the absentees
Check the children expected in the Planning (the schedule), clock every arrival with the porte verte, mark ABS for each absentee, and look at the red dots as well as unread messages from parents.
- 2
During the day: meals, care and handovers
Clock the meals in Menu, under Nourriture then Repas, or via the fusée. Careful: bottles have their own tab and do not count as meals. Also record naps, nappy changes and handovers, and share photos and messages with parents.
- 3
The evening: clock every departure
Clock every departure with the porte rouge. An arrival with no departure creates a « fiche sans fin », which blocks the month's billing.
- 4
Before you leave: the two checks
Check that no child who was present has been left without a meal clocked in (the CSA export based on actual attendance only counts a meal if it has been clocked) and flag to the manager any child who is present but missing from the list: their arrival or departure date needs correcting.
Pitfalls to avoid
- An arrival with no departure = a « fiche sans fin »: it is the number one blocker for the month's billing. Clocking in the evening matters just as much as clocking in the morning.
- Bottles do not count as meals: they have their own tab. A child on bottles does not need a meal clocked in as well.
- The CSA export based on actual attendance only counts a meal if it has been clocked: a meal served but not clocked is a meal that is not billed.
- A child who is physically present but missing from the list to clock in: their arrival or departure date is wrong, flag it to the manager straight away.
Frequently asked questions
What is a « fiche sans fin » and why does it matter?
It is an arrival that has been clocked with no departure clocked. These records block the month's billing: the Tour de Contrôle (control tower) lists them, but the right reflex is to clock every departure at the porte rouge the same evening.
Should bottles be clocked as meals?
No: bottles have their own tab and do not count as meals. Meals are clocked in Nourriture, under Repas, or via the fusée.
A child is here but does not appear in the list to clock in, what should I do?
Their arrival date is probably in the future, or a departure date has been entered. Flag it to the manager so they can correct the child's profile.