How to move a nursery from WhatsApp and Excel to an app, step by step

To move a nursery from WhatsApp and Excel to an app, set one start date, clean your child and parent lists, train staff on one room first, then tell parents in a clear message. Run both channels briefly, close the groups, and move fees only at the start of a new month.

Switches rarely stumble because of the app. They stumble on the parent who never understood why things changed, the teacher nobody trained, and the phone list from two years ago. These steps work whichever app you pick.

How do I prepare the data?

1. Pick a start date. Avoid registration week and the weeks around holidays. An ordinary week is what you want.
2. Check the child list. Full official names, dates of birth, rooms, allergies and health notes.
3. Check parents' phone numbers. This is the most valuable hour in the whole plan. Many apps use the phone number to sign in, so an old number means a parent who receives nothing. Ask each family to confirm two numbers.
4. Update authorised pickups. Who collects the child besides the parents? Ask for a photo of each if your system supports it.
5. Tidy the fee sheet. Put open balances and each child's plan in one spreadsheet, and keep an untouched copy.

How do I bring the teachers along?

Teachers decide whether this works, so start with them before parents.

1. Choose one room and a willing teacher, and run it for a full week.
2. Write down every question she asks. That becomes your training material.
3. Train everyone else on their daily tasks only: attendance, meals, naps and photos.
4. Fix a set time for sending the daily report, so it does not turn into evening work.

What do I say to parents?

Send this two weeks ahead, from the nursery number they already know. Adapt it freely:

Dear parents, from [date] we are moving from our WhatsApp group to the [name] app, so that news of your child's day is in one place and their photos and reports stay private to your family. You will receive the download link on [date], and you will sign in with the phone number we have for you, which is [number]. If that number is wrong, please tell us by [date]. If you would like a hand, we will be at reception every morning this week. Thank you for your help.

Then send this three days before you close the group:

Dear parents, we will close this WhatsApp group on [date]. From now on, all news and photos will come through the app. For anything urgent, the nursery phone on [number] stays open as usual. [Number] families have not activated their accounts yet, so please stop by reception.

How do I run the switch itself?

1. Week one: start with attendance and daily reports only, and keep the group for announcements.
2. Chase activation: check each day who has not opened the app and call them one by one. A few minutes at the door is often enough.
3. Week two: move announcements and messages, stop replies in the group, and make it admin-only.
4. End of week two: close the group after a clear message.
5. Start of the next month: move invoices, so no single month sits in two systems. Send a note beforehand explaining the new way to pay.

What mistakes should I avoid?

• Switching on every feature on day one. Teachers get lost and enthusiasm fades.
• Leaving the group open with no end date. Nobody then has a reason to move.
• Moving photos without refreshing consent. Use the switch to record each family's consent for photos and sharing.
• Deleting the spreadsheet before balances match. Keep it as a reference until the first invoices reconcile.
• Forgetting parents who read other languages. Send them the message in theirs.

Does this affect my regulatory duties?

It can, so check what applies where you are. In Saudi Arabia, for example, the HRSD Controls require a daily report and a monthly report on ministry-approved forms (Art. 15), and retained records for the centre, children and parents (Art. 17). Make sure whatever your new tool produces meets that before you retire your paper files, and ask the ministry if you are unsure.

If you would rather have someone do the moving for you, Bambini moves children, families and staff over free, in about 48 hours.

Last checked 4 November 2026; rules change, so confirm with the regulator. This is general information, not legal advice.