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Parent To-do Lists

Written by Josie

šŸ”’ Parent to-do lists are available as an add-on for multi-site organisations.

Parent to-do lists help you guide families through important onboarding steps before their child starts. Organisation Managers can create reusable task lists that automatically assign to parents based on rules such as the child’s age or how close they are to their start date.

This helps reduce manual follow-ups, improves completion of forms and permissions, and gives you a clear overview of each family’s progress.

ā˜ļø Parent to-do lists currently apply to upcoming children only (those with a future start date). Additional use cases may be supported in future updates.


Finding Parent To-do Lists

Organisation Managers can access task list management by navigating to:

Site picker dropdown → Settings → Parent To-do lists

From here, you can:

  • Create new to-do lists

  • Edit existing lists

  • Publish lists to make them active


How Parent To-do Lists Work

Creating a Task List

Organisation Managers create reusable task lists that automatically assign to parents when their child matches the rules you set.

Each task list includes:

  • A name (for example, Under 2s Onboarding)

  • Site scope, allowing you to apply the list to all sites or selected sites

  • A set of tasks parents need to complete

  • Assignment rules that determine which families receive the tasks

Task Assignment Rules

When you publish a task list, it automatically assigns to parents whose children match your criteria.

You can define rules based on:

Child’s age

Assign tasks based on age groups, such as:

  • Under 2 years old

  • 3 to 4 years old

Time until start date

Assign tasks at specific points before the child’s start date, such as:

  • 8 weeks before start

  • 2 weeks before start

šŸ’” Rules work together. A child must match all the criteria you set in order to receive the task


Types of Tasks You Can Create

You can add three types of tasks to your lists.

Form tasks

Assign an existing form for parents to complete. The form must already be created, published, and shared across all sites.

Example uses:

  • All about me form

  • Dietary requirements form

  • Medical information form

  • Emergency contact details form

Profile completion tasks

Ask parents to complete specific sections of their child’s profile.

Example uses:

  • Add emergency contact information

  • Ensure all parent permissions are set

Message tasks

Prompt parents to send a message to your nursery. This does not book anything automatically. It simply reminds parents to get in touch.

Example uses:

  • Message us to arrange your settling-in visit

  • Contact us with any questions about your child’s start

For more information on Message tasks, see our Messaging Team article.


Creating a Task List

To create a new task list:

  1. Go to Parent To-do lists

  2. Click New to-do list

  3. Enter a name for the list (for example, New Toddler Onboarding)

  4. Choose which sites the list applies to:

    • All sites in your organisation

    • Specific sites only

  5. Add tasks to the list:

    • Click Add task

    • Choose the task type (Form, Profile, or Message)

    • Add the task title and description

    • Link a form if applicable

    • Set the timing for when the task should be sent

  6. Review the task list

  7. Click Publish to make it active

Once published, tasks automatically assign to parents whose children match the rules. Parents receive notifications when new tasks are added.


What Parents See

When a parent’s child matches the rules for a to-do list, the parent will see tasks in several places.

  1. To-do widget on the parent home screen

    Parents will see a widget showing how many tasks are waiting to be completed.

  2. Individual task details

    Each task includes:

  • A description of what needs to be done

  • A direct link to complete the action

Notifications

Parents receive:

  • In-app notifications

  • Email notifications when new tasks are assigned

  • Weekly reminders for outstanding tasks

Weekly reminders are only sent if the parent has created a password and the child does not have a leave date.

Task completion

Once a task is completed, it is removed from the parent’s list.

šŸ’” Any parent contact linked to the child can complete tasks. Only one completion is required per task.


Tracking Task Progress

You can track task progress using the New Starters page found under Registration.

The New Starters page shows:

  • Aggregated progress across all upcoming children

  • Which families have completed their tasks

  • Which families may need follow-up


Managing Your Task Lists

Testing before sharing with parents

New task lists begin as drafts. It is recommended to test them with a small group or a test site before publishing to all families.

Once a list is published:

  • You can add or remove sites

  • You can add or remove tasks

  • Existing tasks cannot be edited

Adding or removing sites

You can change which sites a task list applies to at any time.

Add a site

  • Parents at that site will see tasks within a few hours if they meet the criteria.

Remove a site

  • Tasks are removed immediately for families at that site.

  • Completed tasks remain logged.

  • Incomplete progress is removed.

  • If you later create a new task with the same action, parents will receive it again.

Adding or removing tasks

You can update tasks within a published list.

Add a task

  • Parents will see the new task within 1–2 hours if they meet the criteria.

Delete a task

  • The task is removed immediately for all families.

  • Completed tasks remain logged.

  • Incomplete progress is removed.

Edit a task

  • Tasks cannot be edited.

  • To make changes, delete the task and create a new one.

  • Families who completed the original task will need to complete the new version.

Archiving a list

Archiving stops the list from assigning to new families. Existing assignments remain unchanged.

Deleting forms linked to tasks

You cannot delete a form that is linked to an active task. To delete the form, first remove the task that uses it.


Before You Start

There are a few important things to know before creating task lists:

  • Only Organisation Managers can create task lists

  • Task lists are created at organisation level and can apply across all sites

  • Tasks assign automatically based on the rules you define

  • Manual assignment to specific families is not currently supported

  • The feature is designed for children with a future start date

  • Once a child begins attending, the to-do list no longer applies

  • Tasks must be part of a reusable list. One-off tasks are not supported

  • Once a task is completed, it cannot be undone


Best Practices

  • Start early

    Set up task lists before families enrol so tasks can assign automatically when children are added to the system.

  • Avoid overwhelming parents

    Spread tasks out across the weeks leading up to the start date so parents do not receive too many tasks at once.

  • Use clear descriptions

    Write clear task titles and descriptions so parents understand what is required.

  • Test your rules

    Before publishing, review your assignment rules to ensure tasks will be sent to the correct families.

  • Monitor progress

    Use the New Starters page to identify families who may need reminders or assistance completing tasks.

  • Communicate expectations

    Let families know that they will receive onboarding tasks in Famly when they enrol.


Common Questions

  1. Can individual sites create their own task lists?

    No. Task lists are currently managed at organisation level only to ensure consistency across sites.

  2. Can I assign tasks manually to individual children?

    No. Tasks are assigned automatically based on rules such as age, start date, and enrolment status.

  3. What if I want to delete a form that is part of a task?

    You must first remove the task from the list. Forms cannot be deleted while they are linked to active tasks.

  4. Can multiple parents complete the same task?

    Yes. Any parent contact linked to the child can complete the task, but only one completion is required.

  5. Will parents still see tasks after their child has started?

    No. Parent to-do lists only apply to upcoming children with future start dates.

  6. What happens if I change a published task list?

    Changes will not affect tasks that have already been completed. However, they may affect what new families receive. You will see a warning if the list already has active completions.

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