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.
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).
#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.
#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.
#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.
#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.
#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.
#What to set up next
- Discounts and concessions — sibling, staff ward and scholarship discounts.
- Collection plan — quarterly or custom instalments.
- Fee reminders — WhatsApp reminders for pending fees.
- Online payments — let parents pay through your own gateway (Pro).
- Who can do what — 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.