Online permission slips and school forms with e-signatures
FutureNerds handles online permission slips and school forms with e-signatures. Build a form for guardians, one classroom or the public, require a signature on a school document by a due date, and parents sign by typing their name. Each signature stores the time, IP address and a document fingerprint.
Forms
Forms live under Forms in the dashboard. You can start from a blank form or from one of six common form types:
- Enrollment Forms
- Permission Slips
- Emergency Contacts
- Health Forms
- Behavioral Agreements
- Surveys
Each form has a name, a description, a list of questions and an audience.
| Audience | Who can fill it in |
|---|---|
| Guardians | Parents and guardians at the school |
| Guardians in Classroom | Parents of children in one classroom you choose |
| Everyone (Public) | Anyone with the form's link, with no account needed |
A public form gets a Share Link you can copy into an email or a website. A form stays a Draft until you select Publish This Form.
Forms use the same nine question types as the school's application form:
| Question type | Use it for |
|---|---|
| Short text | A name, an allergy, a short answer |
| Long text | A paragraph, such as notes about the child |
| Yes or no | A single yes or no question |
| Checkbox | A statement the parent ticks to agree |
| Single select | One choice from a list |
| Multi select | Several choices from a list |
| Date | A date, such as a last tetanus shot |
| Number | A count or an amount |
| File upload | A document or photo the parent attaches |
Answers come in as responses on the form, with the time they were sent and the sender's name when they were signed in.
Document signatures
School documents go under Settings, in Handbook and Documents. When you upload one, you can require a parent signature and set a due date.
Parents sign in the app or on the web by typing their full name. The typed name must match the name on their profile. The match ignores capital letters and extra spaces. When the parent signs, FutureNerds stores:
- a fingerprint (hash) of the exact document they signed
- the date and time of the signature
- the IP address the signature came from
- the browser or app that sent it (the user agent)
Each signature request has one of three statuses: pending, signed or cancelled.
Field-trip permission slips use the same signing step. A parent opens the trip, reads the slip and signs it with their typed name.
The parent handbook
An administrator uploads the school handbook as a PDF and can replace it with a new version at any time. Parents read and download it under School in the app or on the web.
Checklists
Staff create a checklist for Parents or for Teachers.
A checklist has a name, a description and items. Each item can have a due date, a link, notes and a place in the order. A checklist can cover the whole school or one classroom. Staff can copy an existing checklist, save one as a template, attach one to a post, and archive one when it is done.
Parents tick items under Assignments on Today or on their child's Learning tab, and each tick saves right away. Items past their date show Overdue. Staff see a completion percentage for each family.
Forms, signatures and checklists work on the web, iPhone, iPad and Android.
How to send a permission slip for signature
- Open Settings and choose Handbook and Documents.
- Select Upload Document and choose the PDF of the permission slip.
- Turn on Parent signature required and choose the Signature due date.
- Save. Parents see the document waiting for their signature.
- Each parent opens the document, reads it and types their full name to sign.
- Check who has signed. Requests show as pending until the parent signs.
What it costs
FutureNerds is free for your first 10 students. After that it costs $0.50 per child per month, with no setup fee. If your school collects payments from families through FutureNerds, standard Stripe fees plus 1% apply. See pricing.
Questions and answers
Can parents sign permission slips on their phone?
Yes. Parents sign in the FutureNerds app on iPhone or Android, or on the web, by typing their full name to match their profile.
What does FutureNerds record when a parent signs?
FutureNerds stores a fingerprint of the signed document, the date and time, the IP address and the user agent of the device that signed.
Can I share a form with people who are not at the school yet?
Yes. Set the audience to Everyone (Public) and send the Share Link. Anyone with the link can fill it in.
What question types can a form have?
Nine: short text, long text, yes or no, checkbox, single select, multi select, date, number and file upload.
Can I set a due date for a signature?
Yes. When you upload a school document that needs a parent signature, you set the date it is due.
Can parents tick off a back-to-school checklist?
Yes. Staff create a checklist for parents with due dates, and parents tick items under Assignments. Staff see a completion percentage for each family.
Less paperwork. More presence.
Free for your first 10 students. No credit card required.