Printing
Receipts print blank or on the wrong paper size
- Print a Windows test pageIf that fails, the problem is the printer, not Books-pro.
- Check the default printerThe counter machine may be defaulting to A4 while the receipt printer is a separate device.
- Choose the receipt template widthThe template must match the printer's roll width. A mismatch produces a blank or clipped receipt.
- Reprint from the receipt recordDo not receipt the payment twice to get a printout.
Report cards print a page of empty rows
The class or stream filter is probably wrong, or the term selected has no approved marks. Check the class summary first; if it shows marks, check the report filter and the paper orientation.
Sign-in and windows
“Invalid user or password” for a known account
- Check the username, not the emailBooks-pro accounts are school usernames, not email addresses.
- Check that the account is enabledAn administrator can disable an account without deleting it.
- Reset through an administratorPasswords are stored as hashes; nobody can read the old one, including support.
A module window opens blank or does not open
If you are running in the desktop host, close the module window with Escape and reopen it from the dashboard. If you are using a browser, allow pop-ups for the school's address — module windows are separate windows by design.
Back closes the whole app instead of the screen
Update to the current build. In the current desktop host, Escape and the Back link close the open screen or module window and return to the previous screen; they do not navigate the window to the gateway.
Receipts and vouchers
Two receipts exist for one payment
- Do not delete either recordDeleting a posted receipt destroys the audit trail and leaves the ledger unbalanced.
- Post a reversal voucherReverse the duplicate with a clear narration that names the original receipt number and the reason.
- Tell the parentGive them the corrected receipt so the paper in their hand matches the account.
“Duplicate transaction” warning on a real payment
Two parents can genuinely pay the same amount on the same day. Read the warning, confirm the payer and the receipt being duplicated, then proceed only if it is a different learner or a genuinely separate instalment.
The balance did not change after receipting
Check that the receipt was posted, not saved as a draft, and that the learner selected is the one in the statement. If the learner has a scholarship, the award may already have reduced the bill.
Digital payments
Collections are not appearing
- Confirm the provider is configured and enabledSettings → Digital Payment Settings. A saved key is not the same as a working connection.
- Run the connection testIf the test fails, the credentials, account status or provider endpoint is the issue — not the learner record.
- Retrieve againA provider may report a payment later than the parent's message. Wait for the provider's completed status before questioning the learner.
- Check the review listAn unmatched code will not post to a learner. It waits with its reference until a person resolves it.
A payment is marked pending or failed
A failed or pending mobile-money checkout means the payer did not complete the provider's flow. It is not a Books-pro error and it is not a fee receipt. Ask the parent to retry and wait for a completed status.
The same import runs twice
Stop before posting. Compare the provider reference against the existing voucher. Books-pro holds duplicate references, but a manual re-entry can still create a second receipt; reverse it if it posted twice.
Provider keys after a restore
If digital payments stop working after a restore, the provider key file was not restored with the database. Restore both together. Never re-enter keys into a chat message or email.
Marks and report cards
Mark import rejects rows
- Check the headerThe file needs
lin,scoreand one learner per line. - Check the LIN against the class listA learner in another stream will not match the selected class.
- Check the number formatUse a plain decimal point. Scores outside 0–100 are rejected.
- Re-import only the rejected rowsDo not import the entire file a second time.
A report card shows a blank subject
The mark was not entered for that assessment, or it was entered under a different term or assessment type. Open the class summary; a blank stays blank and is not scored zero.
Positions look wrong
Check whether positions are calculated within the stream or across the whole class. Changing the rule after cards are printed creates two versions of the truth; agree the rule before the term starts.
Results cannot be edited after approval
That is the approval lock working. A genuine correction after signing is a documented process: record the reason, reopen under the head teacher's authority, correct, reprint and note the change.
Parent portal and app
Parent sees “no results”
Results must be approved by the head teacher and published for the term. Check the publishing status for that class before resetting the parent's access.
Parent cannot sign in
- Confirm the admission number and LINOne wrong digit selects nothing.
- Check the term codeCodes expire; a new term needs a new code from the office.
- Check the portal addressA parent may be using an old link after the school changed domains.
The app shows an old report card offline
The cached card is the last one downloaded. It refreshes when the phone has a connection and the parent opens the app. If the school has published a corrected card, the parent must reconnect to receive it.
Server and network
Nobody can reach the system
- Check the server is on and awakeA sleeping desktop is the most common “outage”.
- Check the Books-pro serviceRestart it from Windows Services if it has stopped.
- Check the networkCan the client machine ping the server or open the school's portal address?
- Check the firewallAfter a Windows update, the local ports may be blocked. Allow the Books-pro service on the private network.
- Read the logIf the service starts and stops, send the last section of %APPDATA%\Books-pro\logs\books-pro.log to support.
Only one machine can sign in
The school is probably running the system from a single desktop instead of the LAN server. The database needs to sit on one machine and be reached by the others, not opened from a copied folder on each desk.
The app is slow at the end of term
Large report ranges and antivirus scanning on the database folder are the usual causes. Exclude the Books-pro data folder from real-time scanning, and run big reports outside the counter's busiest hour.
Backup and restore
The restore fails or the file is busy
- Stop the service firstA running service holds the database file open.
- Restore to a test folderNever overwrite live data while staff are working.
- Copy the provider key file tooEncrypted settings need it.
- Open the day book after restoringSeeing yesterday's receipts is the proof that the restore worked.
There is no backup from yesterday
Check that the server stayed on overnight. A machine switched off at the socket cannot run its scheduled backup; the daily task must be allowed to run or the backup moved to a fixed time before closing.
Licence
A licence warning appears
The annual licence is approaching expiry or the signed file does not match the server's host name. Renew or request a licence for the correct host. Your data is not deleted when a licence lapses; features lock until the new file is applied.
We renamed or replaced the server
A host-based licence must be reissued for the new name. Plan the change outside report-card week, and keep the old machine's data folder until the new one is proven.
Not covered here?
Send the screen name, what you expected, what happened, and any error text. A screenshot helps more than a paragraph.