## Summary

An **incomplete** waitlist application is one a parent **started but has not submitted yet**. The child may appear on **Waitlist → Wait List** with status **Incomplete** while Kiddo sends reminder emails. This is different from a submitted application that still needs a waitlist fee.

## Before you start

- You need staff access to **Waitlist**.
- Families apply through your public waitlist link — see [Share your parent waitlist link](https://help.joinkiddo.com/hc/centers/articles/parent-waitlist-link).
- Reminder timing and templates live under **Communications → Wait List Communications** — see [How automated messages work](https://help.joinkiddo.com/hc/centers/articles/automated-messages).

## How incomplete applications happen

Kiddo creates a waitlist application when a family finishes the **Enrollment Information** step and moves toward payment (not when they only fill in parent or child details earlier in the form).

Until the family **submits** the application:

- Kiddo has not recorded a submission yet (the application is not finalized).
- The row can still appear on your active **Wait List** tab with status **Incomplete**.
- Opening the child's profile shows an **Application incomplete** notice at the top of **Center Information**.

On **Home**, families may see **Incomplete** on the center card until they return to your waitlist link and finish.

## What you see on the waitlist

| What you see | What it means |
| --- | --- |
| Status **Incomplete** | Application started; parent has not submitted yet. |
| Status **On Wait List** | Application submitted and active on your waitlist. |
| **Application incomplete** banner (child profile) | Same as **Incomplete** — do not use **Waitlist Submission Date** to submit for them; that field only updates the date shown after an application is already submitted. |

Incomplete rows are **not** in your official waitlist order for offers the way submitted applications are. Treat them as leads to follow up, not as fully queued families.

## Reminder emails (default timing)

Kiddo can send up to **three automated emails** reminding the family to finish. Default timing from when the application was created:

| Order | Typical timing | Email subject theme |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | 2 days | Reminder to finish application |
| 2 | 4 days | Reminder to complete your waitlist application |
| 3 | 7 days | Final reminder to complete your waitlist application |

Your center can change timing or turn workflows off under **Communications → Wait List Communications**. Emails come from your center's name via Kiddo.

## What happens after 7 days

Two things work together:

1. **Final reminder** — The third email goes out around the **7-day** mark (or whatever you configured for the final reminder).
2. **Auto-archive** — After all three reminders have been **sent**, Kiddo usually **archives** the application so it leaves **Wait List** and moves to **Waitlist → Archive**. Staff see the archive reason tied to incomplete-application reminders.

Kiddo **does not** auto-archive incomplete applications that already have a **paid**, **waived**, or **not required** waitlist fee, or a **100%** priority or promo discount that removes the fee.

Families who return later may need to **restart** the application if the completion window has expired. Their place in line is based on when they successfully submit, not when they first started.

## Incomplete vs unpaid waitlist fee

These are easy to confuse:

| Situation | Status on waitlist | What the family still needs |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Incomplete application** | **Incomplete** | Finish and **submit** the form (parent, child, enrollment steps). |
| **Submitted, fee not paid** | **On Wait List** (payment **Pending** or **Overdue**) | Pay the waitlist fee (unless waived). |

The **waitlist fee payment reminder** workflow applies only after submit. It does not replace incomplete-application reminders.

## What you can do as staff

1. Open **Waitlist → Wait List** and look for status **Incomplete**.
2. Open the child's profile and read the **Application incomplete** notice.
3. Contact the family directly if reminders are not enough — resend your [waitlist link](https://help.joinkiddo.com/hc/centers/articles/parent-waitlist-link).
4. If the record is stale and you do not expect them to finish, [archive the application](https://help.joinkiddo.com/hc/centers/articles/archive-application) yourself instead of waiting for auto-archive.

Do **not** expect changing **Waitlist Submission Date** on an incomplete application to submit it for the parent.

## Common questions

### Why is someone on my waitlist if they never paid?

If status is **Incomplete**, they have not **submitted** yet — payment may not have been collected because the form was never finalized. If status is **On Wait List** with **Pending** payment, they submitted but still owe the waitlist fee.

### Do incomplete applications count for priority or offers?

No. Waitlist priority and offers apply to **submitted** applications. Incomplete rows are visible for follow-up but are not fully in queue.

### Can I turn off the reminder emails?

Yes — adjust or disable the incomplete-application workflows under **Communications → Wait List Communications**.

### Will the family get an email when we auto-archive?

Not automatically from the archive step itself. They may have already received the three finish-your-application reminders. Reach out directly if you want to confirm they are still interested.

### What if they started but I do not see them on the waitlist?

If they stopped **before** finishing enrollment preferences, Kiddo may not have created a waitlist application yet — there is nothing on **Wait List** to show. Only a partial signup exists until enrollment information is saved.

## Related articles

- In the app: **Waitlist → Wait List** (status **Incomplete**) · **Communications → Wait List Communications**
- [Share your parent waitlist link](https://help.joinkiddo.com/hc/centers/articles/parent-waitlist-link)
- [How automated messages work (and what families receive)](https://help.joinkiddo.com/hc/centers/articles/automated-messages)
- [How to archive a waitlist application](https://help.joinkiddo.com/hc/centers/articles/archive-application)
- What your parents see: [Finish an incomplete waitlist application](https://help-families.joinkiddo.com/hc/families/articles/incomplete-application)
- [Parent Help links you can share with families](https://help.joinkiddo.com/hc/centers/articles/parent-help-links)