Getting Started
Install the app, activate your license, and log in for the first time
Installing the App
Bursary Manager is available as a mobile app (Android) and a desktop app (Windows). Download and install the version provided at purchase.
Download the installer from the link sent to you after purchase.
Android: Open the APK file and allow installation from unknown sources if prompted.
Windows: Run the installer and follow the setup wizard.
Launch the app. You will be taken to the Welcome Screen.
Activating Your License
On first launch, the app will prompt you to activate your license key provided at purchase.
On the Welcome Screen, tap Activate License.
Enter your license key exactly as provided (it is case-sensitive).
Tap Activate. The app will validate your key and unlock all features.
Once activated, you will be directed to the login screen.
Logging In
The default Super Admin credentials on a fresh installation are:
Default Login
- Username: admin
- Password: admin
- Role: Super Admin
Do this first
- Change your default password immediately
- Set up your School Profile
- Create your first Session & Term
- Set up Classes and Arms
Dashboard Overview
After logging in you will see the Dashboard — your home screen. It shows:
- Total active and inactive students
- Term financial summary: total fees expected, payments received, outstanding balance (PIN-protected)
- Quick-access buttons for Backup, License, Printer, and Settings
- Currently active Session and Term displayed at the top
School Setup
Configure your school profile, sessions, terms, and class structure
School Profile
Your school's information appears on all printed documents — bills, receipts, and reports. Set this up before generating any documents.
From the menu, open School Profile.
Enter your School Name, address, phone number, email, and website.
Upload your school logo — it appears on all printed documents.
Tap Save.
Sessions & Terms
All bills and payments are linked to an active session and term. Create these before registering students or generating bills.
Go to Sessions & Terms from the main menu.
Tap Add Session and enter the session name (e.g., 2024/2025).
Inside the session, tap Add Term (e.g., First Term, Second Term, Third Term).
Tap Set as Active on the term you want to use. The active term is shown on the Dashboard and on all documents.
Classes & Arms
Build your school's class structure (e.g., JSS1, JSS2, SSS3) and their sub-divisions called arms (e.g., A, B, Gold, Science).
Creating Classes
- Go to Classes in the menu
- Tap Add Class
- Enter the class name (e.g., JSS 1)
- Save — repeat for every class
Creating Arms
- Open a class and tap Add Arm
- Enter the arm name (e.g., A, Gold)
- Each class can have multiple arms
- Fees can differ per arm
Student Management
Register students, manage profiles, track siblings, and handle promotions
Registering a New Student
From the Dashboard, tap Register Student (or Students → Add New).
Fill in: Surname, First Name, Other Names, Date of Birth, Gender.
Select the student's Class and Arm. The Admission Number is auto-generated but can be edited.
Fill in: Address, State of Origin, LGA, Nationality.
Add Parent/Guardian details: name, phone, email, occupation. You can link to an existing parent if they already have another child enrolled.
The app shows a preview of the initial bill based on your fee structure. Review and tap Save & Create Bill.
Searching & Viewing Students
Go to Students from the main menu to see all active students.
- Search by name or admission number using the search bar
- Filter by class and arm using the dropdown filters
- Tap any student to open their full profile
- View their current term bill, payment history, and balance
Student Profile Actions
📋 Information
- View and edit student details
- View parent contact info
- See linked siblings
- Print student profile
💰 Finance
- View current bill breakdown
- Record a payment
- Generate a new bill
- View full payment history
- View account statement
🔄 Actions
- Promote to next class
- Deactivate (withdraw) student
- Link or unlink siblings
- Print bill
- Print receipt
- Print debt notification
- Print account statement
Siblings Management
Link students from the same family to view their combined financial status.
- Open a student profile and tap Link Sibling
- Search for the sibling by name or admission number and confirm
- Both profiles then show each other's sibling information
- View combined payment status for the entire family
Promoting Students
Open the student's profile and tap Promote Student.
Select the new class and arm for the next session.
Confirm. The student's class updates immediately.
Deactivating a Student
When a student leaves, deactivate them instead of deleting — their records and transaction history are preserved.
- Open the profile and tap Deactivate Student
- The student moves to the Inactive Students list
- Their transaction history remains fully accessible
- They are excluded from active counts and fee calculations
Bulk Import via CSV
Go to Students and tap Import.
Download the CSV template, fill in student details in the correct columns.
Upload the completed file. The app validates and imports all students.
Fee Structure
Create fee items and assign them to specific classes and arms
Creating Fee Items
Fee items are the individual charges that make up a student's bill — e.g., Tuition, PTA Levy, Uniform, Development Levy.
Go to Fees → Fee Items.
Tap Add Fee Item. Enter the name (e.g., "Tuition Fee") and a default amount.
Save. Create as many fee items as your school uses.
Assigning Fees to Classes
After creating fee items, assign them to each class/arm with the specific amount for that class.
Go to Fees → Class Fee Assignment.
Select a Class and Arm (or "All Arms" if the fee is the same for all).
Select the Fee Items to include and enter the amount for each.
Save. Repeat for every class/arm combination in your school.
Viewing Class Fee Summary
Go to Fees → Class Fee Summary to see a side-by-side comparison of fee structures across all classes — useful for verifying everything before generating bulk bills.
Billing
Generate and print bills for individual students or entire classes
Generating a Bill for a Student
Open a student's profile and tap Generate Bill, or go to Billing → Generate Bill and search for the student.
The app loads the fee items assigned to the student's class and arm for the current term.
Review the bill breakdown — you can add/remove items or adjust amounts if needed.
Tap Generate. A bill receipt is shown, ready to print.
Generating Bills for an Entire Class
Use bulk generation at the start of each term to create bills for all students in a class at once.
Go to Billing → Generate Bill and tap Generate for Class.
Select the Class and Arm (or all arms).
Review the fee items and total, then tap Generate All.
Printing a Bill
- Tap Print PDF to save or share as a PDF document
- Tap Print (Thermal) to print on a connected thermal printer
- Bills include: school logo, student name, class, fee item breakdown, and grand total
Debt Notification Letters
Send customized letters to parents/students who owe fees. Go to Billing → Debt Notifications.
Notification Types
- General debt reminder
- Last-term debtors notice
- Zero payment notice
- PTA meeting notice
- Mid-term date notice
Customizable Fields
- Opening and closing text
- Payment deadline date
- Signatory name & title
- School logo/stamp
Payments
Record fee payments, generate receipts, and track payment history
Recording a Payment
From the Dashboard, tap Record Payment, or open a student's profile and tap Pay.
Search for and select the student.
Enter the amount paid and select the payment method: Cash, Bank Transfer, or POS.
Confirm the payment date (defaults to today) and add any reference number or notes.
Tap Save Payment. A receipt is generated automatically.
Printing a Receipt
After recording a payment, the receipt screen opens automatically. You can:
- Print as PDF and share via WhatsApp or email
- Print directly on a connected thermal printer
- Receipts include: school name, student details, amount paid, balance, date, and receipt number
Payment History
- Open a student's profile and tap Payment History
- All payments are listed with date, amount, method, and receipt number
- The running balance is shown for each entry
- Export the history as PDF or Excel
Overpayments
If a student pays more than their bill total, the excess is tracked as an overpayment and automatically applied as credit on the next bill. The Dashboard shows total overpaid amounts across all students.
Debtors List
Go to Reports → Debtors List to see all students with outstanding balances for the current term. Filter by class, export to PDF or Excel, and print for office records.
Reports
Daily financial summaries, class fee reports, and debtors analytics
Daily Report
The daily report shows all financial activity for any selected date. Go to Reports → Daily Report.
Payments Section
- Total payments received
- Breakdown: Cash, Transfer, POS
- List of all transactions
Expenses Section
- Total expenses for the day
- Breakdown by category
- Payment method breakdown
Sales Section
- Total stock sales
- Sales by payment method
- Outstanding credit sales
Export Options
- Generate PDF report
- Export to Excel
- Print directly
- Share via email
Class Fee Summary
Go to Reports → Class Fee Summary to view total fees expected vs. payments received per class — useful for monitoring collection progress across your school.
Debtors List Report
Go to Reports → Debtors List for a full list of students with outstanding fees. Filter by class, sort by amount owed, and export or print for follow-up action.
Expenditure Management
Track and categorize school expenses for accurate financial reporting
Recording an Expense
From the Dashboard, tap Record Expense.
Enter the amount and select the expense category (e.g., Staff Salary, Maintenance, Supplies).
Select the payment method: Cash, Transfer, or POS.
Add a description and recipient name (recommended for salary payments).
Confirm the date and tap Save.
Expense Categories
Create categories to organize expenses — e.g., Staff Salaries, Utilities, Supplies, Maintenance. Go to Expenditure → Categories to manage them. These categories appear in the Daily Report breakdown.
Viewing & Editing Expenses
Go to Expenditure → Expense List to view all recorded expenses. Filter by category, date range, or payment method. Tap any entry to edit or delete it.
Stock & Sales Management
Manage school store items, record sales, and track stock levels
Setting Up Stock Items
Add items your school sells (uniforms, textbooks, stationery, etc.):
Go to Stock → Stock Items and tap Add Item.
Enter the item name, purchase price, and selling price.
Set the initial stock quantity.
Save. Repeat for all items in your school store.
Recording a Sale
From the Dashboard, tap Record Sale.
Select the buyer (student or parent) and the items being sold.
Enter the quantity for each item — the total is calculated automatically.
Select the payment method. For credit sales, the amount is tracked as outstanding debt.
Save. A receipt is generated and stock is automatically reduced.
Restocking Items
- Go to Stock → Restock
- Select the item and enter the quantity received
- Record the supplier name and purchase price
- The stock count updates automatically
Sales Reports
Sales appear in the Daily Report with a breakdown by payment method. Credit sales (items sold on account) are tracked separately so you can follow up on unpaid amounts.
External Examinations
Manage WAEC, JAMB, NECO, and other external exam registrations
Creating Exam Types
- Go to Examinations → Exam Types
- Tap Add Exam Type (e.g., WAEC, JAMB, NECO, NABTEB)
- Each exam type holds its own list of registered students and subjects
Registering Students for Exams
Go to Examinations → Register Student.
Select the exam type and the student.
Select the subjects the student is sitting for.
Record any registration fee if applicable, then save.
Exam Roll & Reports
Go to Examinations → Registered Students to view all registered students filtered by exam type. Export the exam roll as a PDF or Excel spreadsheet for submission to the examination body.
Staff Management
Maintain staff records and class assignments
Adding Staff Members
Go to Staff in the main menu and tap Add Staff.
Enter the staff member's name, staff ID, phone number, and employment type (teaching / non-teaching).
Assign their class or subject responsibilities.
Save the record.
Staff List
- View all staff in a searchable, filterable list
- Filter by staff type (teaching or non-teaching)
- Edit or update staff information at any time
- Deactivate staff who have left the school
User Management & Roles
Create app users, assign roles, and control module access
User Roles
Super Admin
- Full access to all features
- Can create, edit, delete users
- Can manage permissions
- Full access to financial data
Admin
- Access to most features
- Cannot manage users or permissions
- Can generate bills and reports
- Can manage students and fees
Bursar
- Focused on financial transactions
- Can record payments
- Can view payment history
- Limited access to settings
Creating a New User
Only Super Admin can manage users.
Go to Settings → User Management.
Tap Add User. Enter a username and password.
Select the user's role: Admin or Bursar.
Save. The user can now log in with the provided credentials.
Managing Permissions
Go to Settings → Permissions (Super Admin only) to customize which modules each role can access:
- Student registration and management
- Bill generation and editing
- Payment recording
- Report generation and export
- Backup and restore
- License management
- Staff management
- Expense recording
Changing Your Password
All users can change their own password at any time. Go to Settings → Change Credentials, enter your current password, then set and confirm the new one.
Backup & Data Management
Keep your data safe with offline and cloud backups
Offline Backup
Go to Backup from the Dashboard or main menu.
Tap Create Offline Backup. The app generates a backup file.
The backup saves to your device. Copy it to a safe location — USB drive, Google Drive, etc.
Google Drive Backup
Go to Backup → Cloud Backup and sign in with your Google account.
Tap Backup to Drive to upload the current backup.
To enable automatic backups, configure the schedule in Backup Settings.
Restoring from Backup
Go to Backup → Restore.
Select the backup file from device storage or Google Drive.
Choose: Full Restore (replaces all data) or Selective Restore (specific tables only).
Confirm. The app restarts with the restored data.
Backup Reminders
The app automatically reminds you to back up based on days elapsed and transaction count:
- Gentle (blue): Minor reminder — back up soon
- Medium (orange): You haven't backed up in a while — do it today
- Critical (red): Cannot be dismissed — back up immediately before continuing
License Management
Activate, view, and manage your software license
Viewing Your License
Go to Settings → License or tap License on the Dashboard to see:
- Current license status: Active or Expired
- License expiry date
- Your Device ID (needed when contacting support)
- All installed licenses on this device
Renewing Your License
Contact support via email or WhatsApp to purchase a renewal.
Share your Device ID from the License screen. A new key will be sent to you.
Go to License → Activate and enter the new key.
Transferring to a New Device
Contact support with both your old and new Device IDs. A license key for the new device will be issued. Transfer your data using Backup → Restore.
Settings & Preferences
Configure display, security, thermal printer, and access controls
Display Settings
Go to Settings → Display to customize the app's appearance:
- Font Size: Small, Normal, or Large — useful on small phone screens
- Theme: Light or Dark mode
- Layout adjustments optimized for tablet vs. phone screen sizes
Thermal Printer Setup
Go to Settings → Thermal Printer.
Select the connection type: USB or Bluetooth.
Select your printer from the list of detected devices.
Tap Test Print to confirm the printer is working correctly.
Security Settings
Go to Settings → Security:
- Auto-logout timeout: 1 min, 5 min, 15 min, 30 min, 1 hour, or Always stay logged in
- Dashboard PIN: The PIN required to reveal financial amounts on the Dashboard (default: 123123)
Permissions Management
Go to Settings → Permissions (Super Admin only) to customize which features Admin and Bursar users can access. Changes take effect immediately on the next login.
Deployment Modes
Standalone, Server, and multi-device setups explained
Standalone Mode
The simplest setup — one device, all data stored locally. Ideal for small schools or when only one person manages finances.
- No network or WiFi required
- All features fully available
- Fast and reliable for single-user operation
Server Mode
One device hosts the database. Other devices on the same WiFi network connect as clients and share data in real time. Ideal when multiple staff use the app simultaneously.
Server Device
- Hosts the database
- Must stay on and connected to WiFi
- All client devices use its IP address
- Full read/write access
Client Devices
- Connect using the server's IP address
- Must be on the same WiFi network
- Data syncs in real time
- Access controlled by role permissions
On the server device, go to Settings → Server Mode and enable it. Note the IP address shown on screen.
On each client device, go to Settings → Connect to Server and enter the server's IP address.
All devices are now connected. Any change on one device is visible on all others in real time.
Google Drive Sync (Read-Only Mode)
A secondary device can download the latest backup from Google Drive and operate in read-only mode — useful for a principal or manager who needs to view data without making changes.
- Syncs the latest backup from Google Drive on demand
- Data is read-only — no new entries can be made
- Does not need to be on the same WiFi network as the main device
Choosing the Right Mode
Use Standalone if…
- Only one person uses the app
- No need for multi-device real-time access
- Simplicity is your priority
Use Server Mode if…
- Multiple staff need simultaneous access
- You have a reliable school WiFi network
- Bursar and reception both record transactions