Frequently asked questions

Most centers are up and running within 1–2 days. Setup involves importing your current roster (or we help you), configuring classrooms, and adding staff. We provide guided onboarding and video tutorials to make it seamless.

Absolutely. We offer data migration assistance for new customers — send us your Excel or Google Sheets files and we'll import your children, families, and classroom information. This is included with Professional, Premium, and Enterprise plans.

Yes. All plans include our video library and help documentation. Professional and above include a personalized onboarding session where we walk you and your team through the platform.

The visual timeline lets you drag and drop children into classrooms across months or weeks. You can:

• See real-time capacity by classroom and age group
• Model "what-if" scenarios for new enrollments
• Plan classroom transitions as children age up
• Handle part-time schedules with weekly views
• Spot open slots and match waitlist families instantly

The Parent Portal (included on Premium and Enterprise) gives families their own secure place to work with your center. Parents can:

• Complete digital intake forms and upload documents
• Sign enrollment forms and policies electronically
• Message your team and see updates in one thread
• Sign in with a quick one-time email code, or create an account with optional two-factor authentication

Parents access it at tinypaths.com/planner/parent-portal.

Yes. Tiny Paths captures electronic signatures with a timestamp and record of consent, consistent with the U.S. ESIGN Act for electronic records. Parents can sign enrollment forms, handbooks, and policies from any device — no printing or scanning required.

Yes. Each child's profile includes allergy and dietary fields that surface directly in the meal planner. When you plan snacks or meals, at-a-glance alerts flag any child with special dietary needs.

Tiny Paths supports secure storage for your critical documents:

• Child files: immunizations, emergency contacts, enrollment forms, photos
• Staff files: certifications, background checks, contracts, training records
• Vendor files: service contracts, invoices, contact information

All files are encrypted and accessible only to the users you authorize.

Yes. All plans support multiple user accounts with role-based permissions — directors get full access, teachers can view rosters and meal plans, kitchen staff see only meal planning, and so on. Everyone gets what they need without compromising security.

Essentials ($59/mo): up to 60 children — enrollment modeler, roster, waitlist, events, dashboard, and child documents.

Professional ($129/mo): up to 150 children — everything in Essentials plus meal planning, staff scheduling, forecasting, leads/CRM, and staff & vendor files.

Premium ($199/mo): up to 300 children — everything in Professional plus the full family experience: parent portal, digital intake & onboarding, e-signatures, family messaging, and surveys.

Enterprise (custom): unlimited children, multi-site management, custom integrations, and dedicated support.

See the full breakdown on our pricing page.

Yes — annual billing saves roughly 17% (about two months free) versus paying monthly. Use the monthly/annual toggle on the pricing page to see the difference.

We offer personalized demos where you can see the platform on your own data. Request a demo through our contact form and we'll set up a tailored environment for your center.

Any time. Upgrades take effect immediately; downgrades apply at your next billing cycle. There are no penalties for changing plans.

No hidden fees. The monthly price is what you pay, and it includes updates, security patches, and support. The only usage-based add-ons apply if you far exceed your plan's generous storage and data allowances — and we always alert you first. See the next question for how that works.

Nothing sudden, and nothing hidden. Every plan includes a generous amount of storage and monthly data transfer, and most centers stay well within it — a typical center uses only 50–200 MB of storage per child each year. If your usage starts approaching your plan's limit, we notify you well in advance so you can choose what to do.

If you do go beyond what's included, extra usage is billed at simple, published rates:

• Additional storage: $0.15/GB per month
• Additional data transfer: $0.10/GB per month

Running a large or multi-site operation with heavier needs? Talk to us — we'll tailor an Enterprise plan with the right allowances built in.

Security is a top priority. We use:

• Encryption for data in transit (TLS) and at rest
• Secure cloud hosting with automated backups
• Role-based access controls and optional two-factor authentication
• COPPA-conscious data handling practices

Tiny Paths is built with COPPA in mind. We act as a data processor on behalf of your center; you (the center) remain the data controller and are responsible for obtaining parental consent. We provide the tools and safeguards to help you meet your obligations. See our Privacy Policy for details.

You do. Your center retains complete ownership of all data you upload. We never sell or share your data, and never use it for any purpose other than providing the service. You can export your data at any time, and we'll securely delete it upon request if you cancel.

Tiny Paths is web-based and works on any modern browser:

• Desktop: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge (latest versions)
• Tablets: iPad and Android tablets
• Mobile: iPhone and Android (responsive design)

No installation required — just log in from any device with internet access.

No. Parents open the portal in any web browser. They can sign in instantly with a one-time email code, or create a free account to manage all of their children in one place.

Because Tiny Paths is cloud-based, you do need internet access to use it. Your data saves in real time, so you won't lose work, and downloadable reports and exports give you offline backups of critical information.