# Create a family, guardian and child

Category: Families and enrollment

Before you start: confirm the correct school and role. Use approved source records; perform live changes only within your assigned authority.

Navigation: `People` -> `Families & Communication` -> `Families`.

1. Find the card named `Add Family, Parent + Child`.
2. Under `Family account`, choose the exact `School / center`.
3. Enter the `Household / family label`, or leave it blank to use the guardian's last name.
4. Leave `Prior balance owed at cutover` blank or `0` unless the family already owes a verified pre-BEE-Suite balance.
5. Enter the address and any restricted custody note from the approved school record.
6. Under `Primary parent / guardian`, enter the guardian's name, personal email, phone, relationship, preferred contact method, and employer if used.
7. Enter a private four-digit kiosk PIN only if the approved PIN is known. Otherwise, leave it unset so the guardian chooses one during secure parent setup.
8. Under `Student / child profile`, enter the child's full name, preferred name, date of birth, age group, enrollment status, start date, and classroom.
9. Mark photo/video and field-trip permission only when the signed permission has been verified.
10. Add schedule, family, nap, feeding/dietary, potty, and developmental notes as applicable.
11. Select `Save Family, Parent + Child` once.
12. Wait for the `Saved` confirmation. Do not click again while the save is processing.
13. Open the saved family in `Family Record Editor` and verify the sticky `Currently editing family data` header shows the correct school, family, child, parent, billing account, and record counts.

### Opening balance: what to avoid

- Do not enter weekly tuition as the opening balance.
- Do not use an opening balance for new invoices or charges.
- Do not enter the same old debt both as an opening balance and as imported or manually created invoices.
- Do not enter a negative opening balance. Verified credits and payments belong in the ledger.
- If you are unsure whether an amount is debt, a payment, a credit, or an agency responsibility, leave it at zero and escalate for reconciliation.

## Verify the result

Reopen the saved family; confirm each relationship and the balance.

## If something goes wrong

Search first. Do not create a second family after a timeout. Wait for pending actions; reopen the record before retrying an uncertain save or send.

Source: sources/DIRECTOR_DAY_ONE_QUICK_START_GUIDE.md — 2. Add a Brand-New Family, Parent, and Child. Prepared October 8, 2026. SOP snapshot e06ad8d5; current source corrections are identified above. Written procedure; not a recording of a completed live action.