Adult Day Care Software Checklist: Questions to Ask Before You Buy
Use these vendor questions to test whether attendance becomes the claim, units are calculated but can be adjusted at claim level, and what happens after submission.
A software demonstration should answer operational questions, not just confirm that a menu contains “attendance,” “billing,” “meals,” and “reports.” Ask every vendor to show what happens to one real service date from entry through reporting and billing.
The questions below are written so they can be asked of any vendor. The ElderSuite notes show how ElderSuite currently handles each area.
Does attendance become the claim?
Ask whether staff record service times once or retype the date and units later on a separate claim.
In ElderSuite, saving Attendance & Transportation Records for a client on a service date creates the associated claim as Pending. Attendance, meal marks, calculated units, and claim data remain connected to that daily record.
Are units calculated, and can they be adjusted?
Ask whether the software calculates units from documented service times, where that calculated value can be reviewed, and whether billing staff can make a claim-level correction before submission.
In ElderSuite, the Units field on Attendance & Transportation Records is read-only and is calculated from the paired pickup and drop-off times using the unit definitions on the client’s Payment Type. From Scrub Claims, however, a user can open Edit Claim and manually adjust the Units value on the claim while the claim is editable. If a previously processed claim needs to be corrected, changing its Claim Status to Pending unlocks the claim form for editing and resubmission.
What does the pre-submission review actually do?
Ask whether the software reviews claims against client and payer setup and how unresolved issues are identified.
In ElderSuite, Scrub & Fix reviews Pending claims, copies missing billing values from the client record where available, refreshes the pay rate, calculates an amount when the current amount is zero, and flags claims it cannot complete.
How to Scrub Claims in ElderSuite covers that process.
What exactly transmits?
Ask which button sends the claim, which clearing houses are supported, and what happens when an upload fails.
In ElderSuite, Process Claims is the transmission step. It builds the electronic professional-claim transaction from matching Pending claims that are not error-flagged and uploads the batch through a clearing house named Availity or TMHP. Claims move to Submitted only after a successful upload.
What happens to attendance after submission?
Ask whether a billed service date can still be edited without a status change.
In ElderSuite, attendance times are editable while the claim is Pending or has no status. Once the claim moves beyond Pending, those time cells become read-only for that client and date.
How does the system distinguish acceptance from payment?
Ask what reports come back and whether the software treats an early “accepted” message as a final financial outcome.
In ElderSuite, staff download billing reports through View Reports. Clearing-house acceptance is not payer payment. Auto Reconcile can apply eligible claim-status updates from reports, while the report or remittance remains the source for the payer’s actual response.
What can be exported?
Ask for the exact export list and file types.
ElderSuite provides two CSV data exports: Export Client Records and Export Claims. Reports and assessments use their own print or save workflows rather than a general “export everything” command.
Where does the product run?
Ask whether staff use Windows software, a browser, or a mobile application.
ElderSuite is a Windows desktop application. It is not a native macOS, browser, or mobile application. The published subscription includes unlimited workstations for one provider location, although each computer must still be authorized.
Does it process private-pay cards or ACH?
ElderSuite does not process client credit cards, ACH, or point-of-sale payments. Its Claim Center is designed for insurance billing.
Where does each kind of scanned paper go?
Ask the vendor to name the destination for a signed client form, staff document, provider document, handwritten transportation sheet, and marked meal log.
In ElderSuite, Scan Times imports attendance times, Scan Meals imports meal marks, and the client, employee, and provider document lists store their matching PDFs. The ElderSuite Scan Manager is the scanning tool, not a single storage bucket.
How do recurring records behave?
Ask whether recurrence is record-specific or handled by one universal rule.
In ElderSuite, recurring behavior depends on the record. The safe comparison is to ask the vendor to demonstrate the actual recurring workflow for the record your center intends to use rather than assuming every assessment or form behaves the same way.
What does the subscription actually include?
Confirm pricing on the live vendor page rather than relying on an old directory listing or printed brochure.
ElderSuite’s live pricing page currently lists $299/month for one provider location after a 30-day free trial, with all features, unlimited users, unlimited workstations, training, support, and upgrades included. There are no setup or per-user fees listed on that page.
Ask the vendor to demonstrate the answer
The strongest response is not “yes, we have that feature.” It is a demonstration showing one service date moving through the exact workflow your center will use.
For the broader ElderSuite product overview, read Adult Day Care Software: The Complete Guide for 2026.
ElderSuite is adult day care software for attendance, Medicaid billing, nursing documentation, and CACFP. You can try it free for 30 days.
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