As we approach the end of the year, it's crucial for businesses to start planning for the next one. Business planning isn't just about setting goals - it's about creating a roadmap that guides your operations, helps you anticipate challenges, and positions you to seize new opportunities.
A well-crafted business plan ensures that you allocate resources efficiently, stay ahead of market trends, and manage risks effectively. By focusing on clear objectives and measuring progress, you can drive your business toward sustained growth and success in the coming year. Let's dive into why business planning is your key to thriving in 2026!
Why is year‑end planning important for my childcare center?
Year‑end planning gives you clarity and control. By reviewing enrollment, tuition, and operations now, you can anticipate transitions, strengthen your pipeline, and ensure your center is ready to grow in the new year.
What should I include in a business plan for 2026?
A strong business plan should cover:
Enrollment goals: how many families you want to serve and how you’ll reach them
Financial strategy: tuition rates, billing processes, and payment options
Operational planning: staffing, room availability, and program offerings
Marketing and outreach: lead generation, conversion strategies, and parent engagement
Risk management: identifying potential challenges and outlining solutions
This roadmap keeps your center focused and adaptable throughout the year.
What tools or reports can help me forecast growth and challenges?
Student Age Forecasting Report: anticipate transitions and room availability
Lead Insights: understand your enrollment pipeline and conversion efficiency
Billing Templates: streamline financial planning and ensure consistency
Payment Tools: expand payment options to improve cash flow and parent convenience
Together, these reports give you a clear picture of upcoming needs and opportunities, helping you plan with confidence.
Enrollment Planning
Forecasting
Use the student age forecasting report to plan for upcoming transitions and room availability. Student age forecasting report
The Drop-In Availability report uses planned absences to forecast the available spots in each room and allows you to easily manage waitlists and ensure every seat in your center has a student. Capacity information is available for both AM and PM sessions, giving you the most detailed view into your days.
Manage your enrollment pipeline and gain crucial data on converting leads into enrolled families with Lead Insights
These insights help you understand your lead conversion efficiency, identify areas for improvement, and ensure a steady stream of enrollments to support your business planning efforts.
Registration and Lead Management
Benefit from multi-form capability for streamlined processes and customize forms for different programs, simplifying the enrollment process and enhancing the parent experience.
If you have an existing form, consider editing your enrollment form
Financial Planning
Tuition
Reviewing your tuition strategy ensures pricing reflects your value while staying competitive and sustainable.
Update your billing templates for the new year to keep processes smooth and consistent. See Billing Templates
Payments
Make it easy for families to pay: set up Debit, Credit, and ACH payments to replace cash or checks, improving convenience and cash flow.
If you are accepting cash or check payments, now is a great opportunity to set up your account to accept Debit, Credit and ACH payments.
Staff Management Planning
Review staff roles and permissions to ensure your team is set up for success in 2026. As responsibilities evolve, it’s important to verify that each staff member has the correct access level for their role.
Confirm that staff have the appropriate permissions for billing, reporting, and family communications
Adjust staff role assignments to reflect changes in responsibilities or the addition of new hires
Remove outdated accounts and limit access to sensitive information to authorized personnel only
Align permissions with daily tasks so staff can work smoothly without unnecessary restrictions
Adjust room access for staff if they are changing rooms or are being allocated to additional rooms, this helps ensure they can communicate with families in their rooms