Quick Start Guide
Allow about 30 minutes. Do these in order: each step builds on the one before. You can come back to anything later, and the User Guide explains every screen in more detail.
Open your admin portal- 1
Sign in
admin.brightpanda.app
Use the email and password you chose when you signed up, and pick your school from the list if it is not already selected.
- Open the sign-in page and choose your school.
- Enter your email and password.
- You land on the Dashboard.
More detail: Sign in and find your way around - 2
Set up your school profile
Settings, General Identity
Parents see your name and contact details in emails, on receipts and on your Terms and Privacy pages, so fill them in first.
- Check the School Name and Address.
- Add a Support Email and Support Phone: this is where parents are told to reach you.
- Choose your System Timezone: class times, reminders and receipts follow it.
- Add your logo, website and social links if you have them.
- Set the Global Makeup Policy (how many makeup classes a student may have each semester).
- Press Save.
More detail: Set up your school profile - 3
Connect Stripe so families can pay you
Settings, Banking & Stripe
Tuition goes straight from your customers to your own bank account through Stripe. Until you connect it, customers cannot pay online.
- Choose Connect Stripe Account.
- Follow Stripe's steps: business details, owner details and the bank account for payouts.
- When Stripe sends you back, the page shows your account as connected.
- Pick how often you want to be paid out.
More detail: Get paid: connect Stripe - 4
Add your locations
Settings, Locations
Each studio, room or venue where classes happen. Parents see the location name and address in their reminders.
- Choose Add New.
- Enter the Location Name (for example "Main Studio") and the Address.
- Save. Repeat for each location.
- 5
Create your activities
Activities
An activity is a kind of class you teach, such as Watercolor Basics. You schedule it into semesters and camps afterwards.
- Choose Create Activity.
- Enter a name, a category and a short description parents will read.
- Set the minimum and maximum age.
- Add an image if you like, then save.
More detail: Create your activities - 6
Add your instructors
Staff Accounts
Give each instructor their own sign-in, and decide who is an Admin (full access) and who is staff (an Instructor).
- Choose Add Staff Account.
- Enter their name and email and choose Admin or Instructor.
- They get an email to set their password.
- 7
Schedule your first semester
Semesters, Schedule a Semester
This builds every class session for you: pick the days, times and dates, and Bright Panda creates the whole calendar.
- Choose Schedule a Semester.
- Name it (for example "Fall 2026"), then choose the activity, location and instructor.
- Set the start and end dates and the days it meets.
- Set the start and end time, the tuition and the student capacity.
- Add any holiday or closure dates to skip.
- Switch on Publish to Storefront and choose Schedule Semester.
More detail: Semesters and classes - 8
Look at your storefront and share it
Your school's web address
Your customers register and pay at your own address, for example riverside-art.brightpanda.app. Open it as a customer would, then share it.
- Open your school address in a private browser window.
- Check that your class appears with the right time, price and spaces.
- Share the link on your website, social media and in email.
- Try a test registration if you like (see the User Guide chapter on the storefront).
- 9
Add your policies and your coupons (optional but wise)
Settings, Policies & Agreements and Coupons & Discounts
Waivers and refund rules customers must accept at checkout, and discount codes for promotions.
- Add each policy with a title and its text. Tick Required for checkout? for the ones that must be accepted.
- Add coupon codes such as EARLYBIRD for a percentage or a dollar amount off.
After that
- When your first customers register, check the Orders page and the Daily Roster to see them appear.
- Take attendance on class day from the Daily Roster. Absences can earn a makeup credit.
- Read the Communications page to see exactly which emails and texts your customers receive, and preview them.
- Your free trial, and choosing a plan, are under Settings, Subscription. No card is needed until you do.