BrightBadge

Owner Quick Start Guide

Get your daycare up and running with BrightBadge in 15 minutes.

Overview

This guide will help you:

  1. Create your account and first site
  2. Choose your subscription tier
  3. Set up the kiosk device
  4. Invite your first staff member
  5. Enroll your first child

Time Required: 15 minutes

Step 1: Create Your Account (3 minutes)

Sign Up

  1. Navigate to https://bright-badge.com/auth/signup

  2. Fill in your information:

    • Email: Your business email
    • Password: Strong password (min 8 characters)
    • Full Name: Your full name

  3. Select your subscription tier:

    • Starter ($49/mo): 20 children, 1 site
    • Growth ($99/mo): 100 children, unlimited sites
    • Enterprise ($199/mo): Unlimited

  4. Click "Create Account"

What You Get

✅ 14-day free trial - No credit card required ✅ Access to owner dashboard ✅ One site automatically created ✅ Weekly staff/parent code rotation

Step 2: Complete Site Information (2 minutes)

After signup, you'll be redirected to complete your site details.

Site Setup Form

  1. Site Name: Your daycare's name (e.g., "Bright Beginnings Daycare")
  2. Address: Full street address
  3. City, State, Zip: Location details
  4. Phone: Main contact number

Site Code

After saving, you'll receive a 6-character site code (e.g., "ABC123").

📌 Important: Write this code down - staff will need it to access the kiosk.

Step 3: Set Up the Kiosk Device (3 minutes)

The kiosk is a tablet or computer at your entrance for parent check-ins.

Hardware Requirements

  • Tablet (iPad, Android) or Computer (Windows, Mac)
  • Touchscreen (recommended for signatures)
  • Internet connection (Wi-Fi)

Configure the Kiosk

  1. On the kiosk device, open a web browser
  2. Navigate to the Kiosk URL shown in your dashboard: 
    https://bright-badge.com/site-kiosk/[your-site-id]/attendance
  3. Bookmark this page for easy access
  4. (Optional) Enable full-screen mode (F11 on most browsers)
  5. (Optional) Set the browser to start automatically on device boot

Test the Kiosk

  1. On the kiosk, enter your site code (e.g., "ABC123")
  2. You should see: "Bright Beginnings Daycare - Please Sign In"

✅ Kiosk is ready!

Step 4: Invite Your First Staff Member (3 minutes)

From Owner Dashboard

  1. Click "Employees" in the sidebar

  2. Click "Invite Employee" button

  3. Fill in staff details:

    • Email: Staff member's email
    • Full Name: Staff member's full name
    • Role: staff, lead, or assistant

  4. Click "Send Invitation"

What Happens Next

  • Staff receives an email invitation
  • They click the link to complete their profile
  • They receive a 6-digit staff code (rotates weekly)
  • They can now access the kiosk using their code

Staff Login Flow

Your staff member will:

  1. Go to the kiosk
  2. Enter the site code (ABC123)
  3. Enter their 6-digit staff code (sent via email)
  4. Access the staff dashboard to manage attendance

Step 5: Enroll Your First Child (4 minutes)

Add a Child

  1. In owner dashboard, click "Children"

  2. Click "Add Child" button

  3. Fill in child details:

    • First Name: Child's first name
    • Last Name: Child's last name
    • Date of Birth: MM/DD/YYYY
    • Classroom: (Optional) Classroom assignment

  4. Click "Save Child"

Add Parent/Guardian

After creating the child:

  1. Click "Add Parent" next to the child

  2. Fill in parent information:

    • Email: Parent's email
    • Full Name: Parent's full name
    • Phone: Contact phone
    • Relationship: mother, father, guardian, etc.

  3. Select:

    • ☑️ Primary Contact (if applicable)
    • ☑️ Authorized for Pickup

  4. Click "Send Invitation"

Parent Receives Invitation

  • Parent gets an email invitation
  • They complete their profile
  • They receive a 4-digit pickup code (rotates weekly)
  • They can now check their child in/out at the kiosk

Optional: Add Health Information

For children with allergies or medical conditions:

  1. Go to Children page
  2. Click on the child's name
  3. Click "Health Information" tab
  4. Add:
    • Allergies (allergen, severity, reaction type)
    • Medical Conditions (asthma, diabetes, etc.)
    • Medications (dosage, schedule)
    • Dietary Restrictions

These alerts will automatically display during check-in!

Test the Complete Flow

Now test the entire check-in process:

1. Parent Check-In Test

  1. On the kiosk, enter your site code
  2. Enter the parent's 4-digit code
  3. Select the child
  4. Review health alerts (if any)
  5. Draw a digital signature
  6. Confirm check-in

✅ Success! Child is checked in.

2. View from Dashboard

  1. Go back to your owner dashboard
  2. Click "Dashboard" → "Attendance"
  3. You should see the check-in record with signature

What's Next?

Now that you're set up, explore these features:

Week 1: Core Features

  • ✅ Add remaining children and parents
  • ✅ Invite all staff members
  • ✅ Set up health information for children with allergies
  • ✅ Test check-out process

Week 2: Advanced Features

  • 📢 Create site-wide announcements
  • 📊 View attendance reports
  • 🔍 Search signature history
  • 📧 Configure notification preferences

Before Trial Ends (Day 14):

  • 💳 Add payment method in Settings → Billing
  • 📈 Review tier limits (children/sites count)
  • ✅ Decide to upgrade or continue with current tier

Getting Help

Common Questions

Q: What happens when codes rotate? A: Every Monday, new codes are emailed to staff and parents. Old codes stop working automatically.

Q: Can parents check in multiple children? A: Yes! Parents will see all children they're authorized for.

Q: What if a parent forgets their code? A: From your dashboard, go to Parents → click the parent → click "Resend Pickup Code".

Q: How do I add a second site? A: Click Sites → "Add New Site" (Growth/Enterprise tiers only).

Need More Help?

  • User Guide: See /docs/user-guides/owner-guide.md for complete features
  • FAQ: See /faq on the website
  • Support: Email support@bright-badge.com

Checklist: Ready for Launch

Before going live with parents:

  • [ ] Site information complete and accurate
  • [ ] At least one staff member invited and trained
  • [ ] All current children enrolled
  • [ ] Health information added for children with allergies
  • [ ] Kiosk device set up and tested
  • [ ] Test check-in/check-out completed successfully
  • [ ] Payment method added (before trial ends)

🎉 You're ready to launch! Welcome to BrightBadge.

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