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Parent Portal Settings

Parent Portal Settings control whether the Parent Portal is available to guardians and which portal features are enabled. The Parent Portal provides families with self-service access to view invoices, make payments, acknowledge policies, and access device information.

Permission Required

To access Portal Settings, you need the Manage Settings permission assigned to your role. This is typically restricted to district administrators and system administrators.

Understanding the Parent Portal​

The Parent Portal is a family-facing website where guardians can:

  • View their child's device checkout information
  • See and pay invoices online
  • Review billing history and outstanding balances
  • Acknowledge Acceptable Use Policies (AUP)
  • View incident history
  • Access student account information

Key benefits:

  • Self-service - Parents access information 24/7 without calling the office
  • Payment convenience - Online payment reduces office workload
  • Communication - Automated emails notify parents of invoices and policies
  • Compliance - Track AUP acknowledgements digitally
  • Transparency - Families see complete device and billing history

Accessing Parent Portal Settings​

  1. Navigate to Settings > Portal Settings
  2. Select the General tab
  3. Configure Parent Portal and Payment options

Parent Portal Setting​

Enable/Disable Parent Portal​

What it does: Controls whether guardians can access the Parent Portal website.

Options:

  • Enabled - Parents can log in and access portal features
  • Disabled - Portal login page shows "Portal not available" message

When to enable:

  • District wants to provide self-service family access
  • Online payments are being used
  • Digital AUP acknowledgement is required
  • Reducing office workload is a priority

When to disable:

  • During initial system setup (before you're ready for parent access)
  • If district doesn't use parent-facing features
  • Temporarily during major system changes or data migrations

Note: Disabling the portal does NOT disable the standalone AUP enrollment URL (/enroll). See AUP Management settings for AUP-specific controls.

Payment Settings​

Payment Options​

What it does: Controls which online payment methods are available in the Parent Portal.

Common payment options:

  • Credit/Debit Card - Parents pay with Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express
  • ACH/Bank Transfer - Direct bank account payments
  • Payment Portal Integration - Third-party payment processors

Configuration: Payment processors must be configured by Manage1to1 Support. Contact support to:

  • Enable payment processing
  • Configure payment gateway (Stripe, PayPal, etc.)
  • Set up merchant account integration
  • Test payment processing

Important: If you enable the Parent Portal but haven't configured payment options with Manage1to1 Support, the portal will display: "Payment options must be enabled by Manage1to1 Support. Please contact your district administrator."

Payment Workflows​

How parents pay invoices:

  1. Parent logs into Parent Portal
  2. Navigates to Billing or Invoices section
  3. Views outstanding invoices
  4. Clicks "Pay Invoice" button
  5. Selects payment method (card or ACH)
  6. Enters payment information
  7. Submits payment
  8. Receives confirmation email
  9. Payment is automatically recorded in Manage1to1

Administrator view:

  • Payment appears on invoice profile immediately
  • Transaction ID and payment method recorded
  • Remaining balance updates automatically
  • Email notification sent to billing staff (if configured)

Parent Portal Access​

How Parents Get Access​

Initial access:

  1. District creates user accounts (students/staff)
  2. Guardian email addresses are added to user profiles
  3. Guardian receives automated email with portal access instructions
  4. Guardian creates password and logs in

Login URL: Parents access the portal at: https://your-district.manage1to1.com/portal

Authentication options:

  • Username/password (managed by parent)
  • Single Sign-On (if configured for parent access)
  • Email-based password reset

Common Use Cases​

Enabling Parent Portal for First Time​

Before enabling:

  • Ensure user guardian email addresses are populated
  • Configure payment processor with Manage1to1 Support
  • Set up AUP for current school year
  • Test portal with a sample parent account

Steps:

  1. Navigate to Settings > Portal Settings > General tab
  2. Enable Parent Portal setting
  3. Configure payment options (if using online payments)
  4. Save settings
  5. Test portal access with guardian account
  6. Communicate portal availability to families

Parent communication should include:

  • Portal URL
  • What parents can do in the portal
  • How to create an account or reset password
  • Support contact for portal issues

Temporarily Disabling Portal​

Scenarios:

  • End-of-year data cleanup
  • Major system migration
  • Addressing a critical issue

Steps:

  1. Navigate to Settings > Portal Settings > General tab
  2. Disable Parent Portal setting
  3. Save settings
  4. Portal displays "not available" message to parents
  5. Re-enable when ready

Note: Disabling the portal does NOT affect administrator access or the standalone AUP enrollment URL.

Tips for Parent Portal Management​

✅ Do:

  • Test portal functionality before announcing to families
  • Ensure guardian emails are current and accurate
  • Configure payment processing before enabling payments
  • Provide clear instructions to families about portal access
  • Monitor portal usage and payment activity
  • Keep AUP policies current for each school year

❌ Don't:

  • Enable portal without testing first
  • Announce payment availability before processor is configured
  • Forget to communicate portal URL to families
  • Disable portal without notifying families
  • Assume all parents have email addresses on file

Common Questions​

Q: How do parents create a portal account? Parents receive an automated email when their child's guardian email is added to the system. The email contains a link to create a password and access the portal. If they don't receive the email, they can use the "Forgot Password" link on the portal login page.

Q: Can parents see multiple children in one portal login? Yes. If multiple students share the same guardian email address, the parent sees all associated children when they log in to the portal.

Q: What if a parent doesn't have an email address? They cannot access the Parent Portal. They'll need to work with the office for invoices, payments, and AUP signatures via paper or in-person methods.

Q: How do I configure payment processing? Contact Manage1to1 Support. They'll help you set up your merchant account, configure the payment gateway integration, and test payment processing before going live.

Q: Can parents pay partial amounts? This depends on portal configuration. Typically, parents can pay the full invoice amount or enter a custom partial payment amount.

Q: What happens if a payment fails? The parent sees an error message and the payment is not recorded. Common reasons: insufficient funds, invalid card, incorrect billing address. The parent can try again or contact their bank.

Q: Do administrators get notified of portal payments? This depends on email notification settings. You can configure email alerts when payments are received. Check Settings > System Settings > Email Templates for payment notification options.

Q: Can I customize what parents see in the portal? Limited customization is available. Contact Manage1to1 Support to discuss branding options (district logo, colors, etc.) or specific feature visibility.

Q: Is the Parent Portal mobile-friendly? Yes. The portal is responsive and works on mobile devices, tablets, and desktop computers.

Q: How is the portal different from the AUP enrollment URL?

  • Parent Portal (/portal) - Full-featured family access (billing, devices, AUP, etc.)
  • AUP Enrollment (/enroll) - Standalone page only for AUP acknowledgement

The enrollment URL works even if the Parent Portal is disabled, allowing AUP signatures without full portal access.

Parent Portal Settings control family access to self-service features. Properly configured, the Parent Portal reduces office workload, improves payment collection, and provides families with convenient 24/7 access to device and billing information.

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