Get started

It’s simple to get started with ParentPay. Once you have placed an order follow the six steps below to start accepting online payments from parents.

Complete our online application form

• Complete and submit our online application form – sent to you as a link via email.
  
  
• You’ll receive a welcome email from ParentPay by return.
  
  
• Complete and return the Lloyds TSB Cardnet application form received through the post* – this sets up the card acceptance facility for the school. You’ll also need to complete and return the Direct Debit form and send a ‘spoiled’ cheque from the bank account to which funds are to be credited.
  
  *Note, this does not apply to customers using the ParentPay Funding account
  
  
• It takes about 5 days to set up the facility, once it’s done you’ll be informed by email that your account is ready to accept live payments.

Inform your parents

• As soon as you decide to go ahead with ParentPay it’s best to inform parents straight away. This way parents will know to look out for their Account activation details when you send them home and will know what to do with them.
  
  
• Our School launch pack has lots of useful information, including letters for parents telling them what ParentPay is all about and Quick guides to help them get started. We know what sort of questions parents are likely to ask and most are covered on our website; please also refer to the pack which is available for you to download by clicking Help then Downloads once logged into your ParentPay account.
  
  
• Send out letters to tell parents informing them that you’re launching ParentPay soon - before sending them their Account activation details. You can customise the letters in the pack to suit your school and print them onto your school headed paper or letter template.
  
  
• You might want to include some information in a school newsletter, write a news item and place our logo and a link to ParentPay on your school website.
  
  
• The more you do to tell parents about ParentPay and encourage them to try it, the quicker you’ll start seeing payments online and reducing your administration burden in the school office!

Customise your site

• Click on Login and enter the username and password for your school account (issued by ParentPay support).
  
  
• You’ll be taken through the same Account activation process that parents go through – a great opportunity to personalise your login details to something more memorable.
  
  
• Enter your school details via System settings>Site data.
  
  The school’s name, logo and welcome message will be seen by all your parents when they login. You can update the welcome message as often as you like.
  
  
• Save the changes you’ve made – you’re now ready to upload your pupil data!

Upload pupil data

• All the information you need regards uploading for the first time and maintaining your pupil data can be found once logged in to ParentPay under Help:
  
  
  • You’ll need to download and install ParentPay MIS:Sync – a great software tool designed to make pupil data upload and maintenance really simple.
    
    
  • You’ll also find our Quick guides on installation and using ParentPay MIS:Sync.
    
    
• It’s worth noting that ParentPay MIS:Sync can be used to manage your staff and visitor accounts in ParentPay too!

Print Account activation letters for parents

    Take a look at our Quick guide to Mail merge under Help!

• Edit the mail merge template provided to create a customised letter to be sent to parents informing them of their unique Account activation details. Distribute the letters: parents can login and start making payments online!

Create your Services/items for payment

    Take a look at our Quick guide to Services under Help!

• Click Services>Add new service.
  
  
• Follow the prompts on screen to choose which type of Service you wish to create (e.g. fixed or variable value) and complete the name (“Trip to York Minster”) and description (“Bring your waterproofs, bus leaves at 9am”).
  
  
• Select the value, due date and whether the item is a ‘quantity’ item (e.g. photographs – so that parents can choose to buy more than one).
  
  
• Save all your changes and then under Services once again, click the icon to Add/remove pupils to Service.
  
  
• You can assign all pupils, year groups, registration groups or just select individual families. Save your changes and you’re now ready to start receiving payments.
  
  
• You can send an e-mail to parents if you wish, notifying them that there’s something they need to make a payment for – Take a look at our Mail merge Quick guide!

Please click to download a copy of our schools Get started guide.

If you need any help getting started, please contact ParentPay support