This help guide goes hand-in-hand with the setup video included on this page.

It will walk you through the key steps shown in the video so you can follow along inside your own system.

We recommend watching the video once all the way through, then coming back and working through each section step-by-step as you build.

Watch the Full Setup Video

Step 1: Connect Class Manager to My Studio Manager

Before building anything, you must connect Class Manager to your main My Studio Manager account.

This creates a secure connection between the two systems so that:

• Families created in Class Manager appear in MSM contacts

• Students sync automatically

• Enrolments and tags apply correctly

• No importing or double handling is needed

How to connect

1. Open My Studio Manager

2. Go to Settings

3. Click Private Integrations

4. Create a new API key

   • Name suggestion: Class Manager Integration

   • We recommend full access

5. Copy the generated key

6. Go back to Class Manager → Settings

7. Paste the key into the integration field

8. Save

You’re now connected.

From this point forward, anything created in Class Manager will automatically sync into your main contact system.

Important:

Class Manager sends information into My Studio Manager — not the other way around.

Always create families and students inside Class Manager first.

Step 2: Set Up Your Studio Structure (Correct Order)

Before creating classes or adding students, your studio foundation must be built in the correct order.

This prevents confusion later and keeps everything running smoothly.

Setup order

1. Locations

2. Rooms

3. Seasons

4. Holidays / Closures

Why this matters

Locations - These represent where classes run. Even if you only have one studio, it must be created first. Each location can also have its own billing cycle.

Rooms - Rooms sit inside locations and represent actual teaching spaces (Studio A, Hall, etc). Classes cannot exist without a room.

Seasons - Your season is your enrolment period (e.g. 2026 Season or Term 1). This keeps classes, billing and enrolments organised within a timeframe.

Holidays / Closures - Adding closures ensures billing, attendance and schedules stay accurate when classes aren’t running.

It can be tempting to jump straight into creating classes, but taking a few minutes to set this structure properly will save time and stress later.

Step 3: Create Categories & Styles

Once your foundation is ready, the next step is organising your programs.

Categories

Categories are your broad program groups.

Examples:

• Preschool

• Juniors

• Seniors

• Adults

• Competition Team

• Circus

• Private Lessons

Every class sits inside a category.

Styles

Styles are the specific class types within those categories.

Examples:

• Ballet

• Jazz

• Hip Hop

• Acro

• Musical Theatre

These help:

• Keep classes organised internally

• Improve reporting

• Make trial bookings and website displays clearer for families

Keep this simple. Start with what you know you are running — you can always add more later.

Step 4: Create Classes Properly

This is where your timetable comes to life.

Take your time with this step — well-set-up classes make everything else easier.

Class name

Use a clear, parent-friendly name. Examples: Junior Jazz, Tiny Ballet, Senior Acro.

Only create group classes here. Private lessons should be managed in the private lessons section.

Category & style

Select the category and style you created earlier. These control how classes appear internally and publicly.

Teachers

We recommend setting up your teacher list before creating classes, as it makes this quicker. However, teachers can be assigned or changed later at any time.

Season

Select the season or enrolment period the class belongs to (e.g. 2026 Season).

First class day

Used mainly for pro-rata billing calculations if students join late. You can leave this blank if not needed.

Schedule details

Set:

• Day

• Start time

• End time

• Capacity (maximum students)

Capacity controls when a class shows as full.

Price per class

This is your base per-class rate. Even if you charge via packages, this helps the system calculate totals and pro-rata amounts correctly.

Location & room

Select the location first, then the room. Rooms are filtered by location.

Age settings

Enter minimum and maximum ages. The system will automatically generate an age group label for filtering and suggestions.

Description (optional but recommended)

Helpful for website display and registration forms so parents understand the class.

Visibility & toggles

Active - If off, the class will not appear or accept enrolments.

Hidden from parent portal - Useful for invite-only or competition classes.

Suggested only - Shows as a recommendation rather than a publicly selectable class.

Trial settings

Turn on trial lessons if students should trial before enrolling. This sends new signups into trial requests instead of direct enrolments.

Registration settings

If enabled, the class will appear on public registration forms. You can also set open/close enrolment dates if needed.

Once complete, click Create Class.

Everything can be edited later — nothing is locked in.

Step 5: Create Pricing Packages

Classes hold base pricing, but packages control what families are actually charged.

This is where you create:

• Weekly tuition

• Monthly billing

• Unlimited packages

• Preschool bundles

• Competition packages

Package basics

Package name - Clear and recognisable (e.g. One Class Per Week, Unlimited, Mini Movers).

Description (optional) - Helpful for parents on registration forms.

Active toggle - Controls whether the package can be used.

Pricing structure

Applies to

• Per student (most common)

• Per family (if using family pricing)

Billing frequency - Weekly, monthly or your chosen structure.

Pricing type - Controls how the system calculates cost.

Min/max classes - Set limits if required (for example unlimited packages with minimum enrolments).

Age range (optional) - Useful for filtering packages on public forms.

Show on registration forms - Allows parents to select this package online.

Add-ons & included classes

Add-on classes - Optional extras that can be added at special rates.

Included classes - Select which classes belong in this package.

You can mark classes as:

• Required

• Optional

This allows flexible structures like core classes plus optional extras. Once done, save the package. A well-built package setup means billing will calculate automatically and consistently without manual adjustments.

What To Do Next

After watching the video and following this guide:

• Connect your integration

• Build locations → rooms → seasons → holidays

• Create categories and styles

• Create classes

• Build pricing packages

Take your time and build gradually.

You can always return and edit anything later as your studio evolves.