# Set up fees in Pathshala — quickstart

> Go from an empty account to your first fee invoice and receipt in about 15 minutes: fee heads, a class structure, a payment method and a bill.

Source: https://pathshala.mjxtechnologies.com/docs/fees/quickstart/

This quickstart takes you from nothing to a real invoice, a recorded payment and a numbered receipt in Pathshala. Do the steps in order — each one needs the one before it.

You need the **Owner** or **Admin** login (or a staff login with the Accountant role).

::: steps
### Check your classes and academic year
Fees are set per class and per academic year. Open **Apps › School & Academics › School settings › Classes** and make sure your classes exist. Then open **Sidebar › Settings › Organisation › Organisation details › 🎓 Academic** and check that the current academic year is set. Without them, Fee Structures cannot show its grid.
### Make your fee heads
Open **Apps › Fees › Fees settings › Fee Heads** and press [[Add Fee Head]]. Make one head for each thing you charge — for example *Tuition Fee* (Monthly), *Exam Fee* (Quarterly), *Admission Fee* (One Time). Press [[Save]] after each. See [Fee heads and structures](fees/fee-structure-and-heads).
### Give each class its amounts
Open **Apps › Fees › Fees settings › Fee Structures**, choose the academic year and press a class name. On the **Fee amounts** tab type the amount, the due day and any late fee for each head, then press [[Save All]]. Use [[Copy from Class]] to repeat it for similar classes.
### Add at least one payment method
Open **Apps › Fees › Fees settings › Payment Methods** and add *Cash*, plus *UPI* with your UPI ID or QR if you take UPI. A payment cannot be recorded without an active method. See [Payment methods](fees/payment-methods).
### Raise your first invoices
Open **Apps › Fees › Invoices** and press [[Bills for a whole class]]. Pick the class, pick the month, and press [[Start Bulk Generation]]. Pathshala makes one invoice per active student. See [Raise invoices](fees/assigning-fees).
### Record a payment
In the invoice list press [[View]] on one invoice, then [[+ Record Payment]]. Type the amount, choose the method and press [[Record Payment]]. See [Collect a fee](fees/collect-a-fee).
### Look at the receipt
Open **Apps › Fees › Payments**, press [[View]] on the payment and press [[Download PDF]]. On Basic and above the same receipt has already gone to the parent on WhatsApp. See [Receipts](fees/receipts).
:::

> [!SUCCESS]
> The invoice now shows **Paid** (or **Partial** if you took part of it), the payment has a receipt number such as `RCP-26-00001`, and **Fee Collection** shows the amount under **Collected today**.

## What to set up next

- [Discounts and concessions](fees/discounts-and-concessions) — sibling, staff ward and scholarship discounts.
- [Collection plan](fees/fee-structure-and-heads#how-to-set-a-collection-plan-instalments) — quarterly or custom instalments.
- [Fee reminders](fees/fee-reminders) — WhatsApp reminders for pending fees.
- [Online payments](fees/online-payments) — let parents pay through your own gateway (Pro).
- [Who can do what](fees/roles-and-permissions) — give your accountant and cashier the right access.

## Questions people ask

### What must exist before I can set up fees?

Your classes and a current academic year. Fee Structures shows a message instead of the grid until both exist.

### Do I have to make a collection plan?

No. Without a plan, a class is billed month by month from its fee list. A plan is only needed for quarterly, half-yearly or custom instalments.

### Does saving a fee structure send anything to parents?

No. Saving a structure or a plan makes no bill and sends no message. Bills are made only when you press Generate on the Invoices screen.