> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.deandesk.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Stripe configuration

> Connect and manage your school's Stripe account to accept payments.

<Info>
  **School-level feature** — managed within your school portal at `yourschool.deandesk.com`. Your school's Stripe account is configured here. Your institution's Stripe account (for the DeanDesk subscription itself) is configured separately from the [institution dashboard](/getting-started/institutions-and-schools).
</Info>

DeanDesk uses Stripe to process all payments. The Stripe Configuration tab lets you connect your Stripe account, monitor account health, switch between test and live mode, and manage your DeanDesk subscription.

Open **Finance → Stripe** in the admin sidebar.

## Setup overview

The Stripe Configuration page has two tabs:

* **School Stripe Account** — connect and manage the Stripe account your school uses to collect payments from students and families
* **DeanDesk Subscription** — manage your school's DeanDesk billing tier and payment methods

## Connecting your Stripe account

A four-step setup stepper guides you through the process:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create Stripe account">
    Click **Create Account** and provide:

    * **Email** — the email address for your Stripe account
    * **Country** — where your organization is located (US, Canada, UK, Australia, Germany, or France)
    * **Account Type** — choose **Standard** (full Stripe dashboard access with more customization) or **Express** (simplified setup with limited dashboard access)

    Click **Create** to generate your connected Stripe account.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Complete onboarding">
    Click **Start Onboarding** to open Stripe's secure onboarding flow in a new window. Stripe walks you through:

    * Business information (name, type, address)
    * Identity verification (government ID, tax identification number)
    * Bank account for payouts
    * Any additional compliance requirements

    When you finish, you are redirected back to DeanDesk.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify capabilities">
    After onboarding, Stripe verifies your account. DeanDesk checks that both **charges** (accepting payments) and **payouts** (receiving funds) are enabled. This may take a few minutes or require additional documentation.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Ready for payments">
    Once both capabilities are enabled, your account is fully active and you can start collecting payments.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  Stripe may request additional documentation after onboarding if it cannot automatically verify your identity or business. Check your email for any follow-up requests from Stripe.
</Note>

## Account status

The account status card shows your Stripe account health at a glance:

* **Account ID** — your Stripe Connect account identifier
* **Account Type** — Standard or Express
* **Charges Enabled** — whether your account can accept payments
* **Payouts Enabled** — whether your account can receive payouts to your bank
* **Environment** — whether you are in Test or Live mode
* **Setup Progress** — a progress bar showing your completion percentage

The status badge summarizes your overall state:

| Badge                | Meaning                                                         |
| -------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Fully Active**     | Account is connected, verified, and ready to accept payments    |
| **Limited Access**   | Account is onboarded but charges or payouts are not yet enabled |
| **Setup Incomplete** | Account exists but onboarding is not finished                   |
| **No Account**       | No Stripe account is connected                                  |

## Account requirements

If Stripe requires additional information or verification, an alert appears on the page showing:

* **Currently due** requirements that may block payments if not completed
* **Eventually due** requirements needed for ongoing compliance

Click **Complete Now** to open the Stripe account update form and address the requirements.

## Account balance

Once connected, the balance card displays:

* **Available Balance** — funds ready to transfer to your bank account
* **Pending Balance** — funds still settling (typically 1–2 business days for card payments)

## Test mode vs live mode

The environment toggle lets you switch between test and live mode.

| Mode     | Purpose                                                                                                   |
| -------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Test** | Process simulated payments only. No real money moves. Use test card numbers to verify your billing setup. |
| **Live** | Process real payments from students and families. Funds are deposited to your bank account.               |

Switching modes requires confirmation. A warning explains the implications before the switch takes effect.

<Warning>
  Start in **Test Mode** to verify your products, pricing plans, and checkout flow before switching to Live Mode. Never use real card numbers in test mode, and never use test card numbers in live mode.
</Warning>

## Managing your account

From the account management section, you can:

* **Account Settings** — open the Stripe-hosted account update page to change business information, bank details, or complete verification requirements
* **Replace Account** — disconnect your current Stripe account and create a new one. Your old Stripe account remains active in Stripe but is no longer connected to DeanDesk. Use this if you need to start fresh with a different account.
* **Disconnect Account** — remove the connection between your school and your Stripe account without creating a replacement. This stops your school from accepting new payments until you reconnect.

<Warning>
  Before disconnecting or replacing your Stripe account, ensure you have transferred any available balance to your bank account. Active subscriptions will be affected — students with recurring billing may experience payment failures.
</Warning>

## DeanDesk subscription

The second tab manages your school's DeanDesk billing tier.

### Available tiers

DeanDesk offers multiple subscription tiers (Free, Basic, Premium) with different feature sets and pricing. The current tier and its features are displayed on this tab.

### Changing your plan

Select a new tier and click **Change Plan** to initiate the upgrade or downgrade. This opens a Stripe checkout flow where you confirm the billing change.

### Payment methods

The payment methods section lets you manage the card or bank account used for your DeanDesk subscription:

* **View saved payment methods** — see all cards and bank accounts on file, including which one is the default
* **Add a payment method** — securely add a new card or bank account through Stripe
* **Set default** — choose which payment method is charged for your subscription
* **Remove** — delete a saved payment method

<Note>
  DeanDesk never stores your full card details. All payment information is handled securely by Stripe.
</Note>