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Cohort keeps one record per guardian, so a parent with several children at your center is entered once. When you enter a Parent / Guardian phone that already belongs to a guardian at your center, Cohort offers to connect that person instead of creating someone new. Phone matching is explained in Manage guardians. By default, owners and admins can add and edit guardians.
The number belongs to a guardian of another student at your center, listed under Connected students. This is usually a brother’s or sister’s parent.If it’s the same person, choose the Relation, then select Connect guardian. If it’s someone else, see “The number belongs to a different person” below.
Cohort found a guardian with this number, and you tried to save without connecting them. Either select Connect guardian, or clear the number and add the guardian without a phone.
The other guardian’s record has the wrong number, for example because of a typo, or because the phone now belongs to someone else. Fix that record first:
  1. Note a student under Connected students, then close the form.
  2. Open that student’s page and go to the Guardians tab. Select the guardian to open Guardian details.
  3. Select the pencil button, change Phone to their correct number, then select Save.
  4. Go back to your student and enter the number again. Cohort now shows New guardian.
Cohort won’t create a second guardian with a number another guardian already has. Connect the guardian who has it, and add the other parent without a phone number.
The number belongs to someone who used to be a guardian at your center, but isn’t connected to any student now. If it’s the same person, connect them the same way.
This person is already a guardian of this student. There’s nothing to add.
Only guardians count as a match. If a staff member or a student has the same phone number, Cohort doesn’t stop you: the guardian is added as a new person.
Last modified on October 1, 2026