The problem
Monthly invoices in a spreadsheet take time when some children have funded hours and others have extras like meals and outings. For 6 families at 20 minutes each, plus chasing 2 late payers and matching Tax-Free Childcare payments, a childminder spends about 3 hours a month on billing.
What the AI does
Tapestry's invoicing supports fixed, annualised and schedule-based charges, and its site says invoices separate funded entitlement hours from additional charges such as extra hours, food and outings. Parents are notified when an invoice is ready and can pay in the app by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, bank transfer or Tax-Free Childcare through Tapestry Pay. Payments are matched to invoices automatically. Tapestry Pay is included in the subscription; card and bank payments carry a small transaction fee the site doesn't state, and Tax-Free Childcare payments have none.
A worked example
A childminder in Reading invoices 6 families monthly; 3 children have funded hours. They move invoicing to Tapestry and turn on Tapestry Pay.
Before
6 invoices at 20 minutes plus chasing and matching payments: about 3 hours a month
After
Invoices from the children's schedules and payments matched automatically: about 45 minutes a month
What it's worth
About $45£34€40A$65C$64 a month of the childminder's time saved (2.25 hours at an assumed $20£15€18A$29C$28 an hour). Tapestry for up to 6 children is $90£68€81A$131C$128 a year excluding VAT, about $8£6€7A$12C$11 a month or $9£7€8A$13C$13 with VAT, plus a small fee on card and bank payments that Tapestry's site doesn't state.
How to set it up
- Set up each child's regular schedule and your fee structure in Tapestry.
- Add each funded child's entitlement so funded hours show separately from extras.
- Check the first month's invoices against your local authority funding agreement before sending.
- Turn on Tapestry Pay; to take Tax-Free Childcare payments you must be registered with Ofsted or a childminder agency and have a valid provider reference.
- Ask Tapestry for the card and bank payment fees and decide whether that suits your margins.
What goes wrong
- Your local authority's funding agreement sets what you can and can't charge for alongside funded hours. The software shows the split; it doesn't check your charges are allowed.
- Card and bank transaction fees aren't published on Tapestry's site, so ask before relying on Tapestry Pay.
- If a child's schedule changes and you don't update it, the invoice will be wrong.
- Invoices list children's names. Send them only through the app or to the bill payer.