FAQ and troubleshooting

Answers to the questions people ask most, and fixes for the problems they meet most often.

Signing in and your account

My invitation link says it has expired.

Invitations last 72 hours and can be used once. Ask the person who invited you to send it again; the new email has a fresh link. See Accept an invitation.

I was invited to a second school, but the invitation will not let me choose a password.

Your email address already has a PinkTower account, so the new school is added to it. Press Sign in to join this school, sign in with your usual password, then press Join this school. See Accept an invitation.

I didn't get the email with my code.

Wait a minute, then check your spam or junk folder. On the password reset page, press Resend code and use the newest code. Make sure you typed the email address your school invited you on. See Forgotten password.

Can I change the email address I sign in with?

No. Your email address is your username and cannot be changed from inside PinkTower.

I've lost my phone and can't get my two-factor code.

Ask your school administrator to reset two-factor authentication for your account. You can then sign in with your password alone and turn it on again with your new phone. See Your account and security.

My phone number is refused.

PinkTower needs the international format: +, your country code, then the number without its leading 0, with no spaces. For Nigeria, 08012345678 becomes +2348012345678. See Add your contact details.

Why do I have to give my phone number and address?

So your school can reach you, for example when a child is unwell. You can change them later from My Account, but not remove them. Each school you belong to sees only the details you gave it.

I was signed out with 'Your session has expired'.

This happens after a long time away, or when your sign-in is no longer valid. Sign in again; nothing you saved is lost.

I belong to two schools. How do I switch?

Open the account menu and choose the school under Switch school. See Belong to more than one school.

Using PinkTower

A page says 'You don't have permission to view this page.'

The page is not part of your role. Each role sees only its own pages. See Roles and permissions.

Does PinkTower work without an internet connection?

Two screens do: taking attendance and the bus crew screen. What you record offline is kept on your device and sent when you reconnect. Everything else, including recording a pickup at the gate, needs a connection. See Take attendance and Run the morning and afternoon runs.

A notification has not appeared yet.

The bell checks for new notifications when you come back to the page and every few minutes while you are on it, so a new one can take a few minutes to show. See Notifications.

Why is the closing time or bus time an hour out?

These times are read as UTC, which is one hour behind Lagos time. Subtract one hour from your local time when you enter them. See Times are in UTC.

Is there an app to download?

You do not need one. PinkTower runs in your browser, and you can add it to your phone's home screen. See Install PinkTower on your phone.

Pickups and the school bus

I can't record a pickup for a child.

A child can only be collected once they are marked present or late. Take attendance first. See Record a pickup.

I recorded a pickup by mistake. Can I undo it?

No. A pickup cannot be undone once recorded, so check the child and the person collecting before you confirm.

The pickup code I sent expired sooner than I expected.

A code lasts until the end of the day in UTC, which is 01:00 the next morning in Lagos. Send a new code on the day it is needed. See Send someone else to collect.

Can I see where the bus is on a map?

No. PinkTower records when your child gets on and off the bus, not where the bus is. There is no map or arrival estimate. See Follow your child on the bus.

My child's bus status says 'Arrival not confirmed'.

The crew did not finish the run in PinkTower, so it was closed automatically. It records that your child boarded, but not that they arrived. Ask the school if you are unsure. See Warnings and problems on a run.

Students and classes

Can a child be in two classes?

No. A child belongs to one class. Enrolling them in another class moves them out of the first. A teacher is assigned to one class, a child rides one bus, and a bus crew member crews one bus.

Why can't I delete a class?

A class can only be deleted when it is empty. Remove its teachers and move or unenrol its students first. See Create classes.

What is the difference between removing a child and recording that they left?

Removing a child deletes their record, for a child added by mistake, and cannot be undone. Recording that a child graduated or left keeps their record, and can be reversed. See When a child leaves.

All my children have left the school. Why can't I change anything?

When none of your children is enrolled any more, your access to that school becomes read-only. You can still see their records, receipts and documents. If the school enrols one of your children again, your access returns to normal. Your access at any other school is not affected. See Alumni access.

Staff attendance shows nobody expected on Saturday or Sunday.

PinkTower treats Saturday and Sunday as days off for everyone. This cannot be changed.

Fees and the school's account

Who do I ask about a fee amount or a refund?

Your school. PinkTower collects the payment, but your school sets its fees and decides refunds. See Pay school fees and Refunds.

A banner says the school's account is read-only.

The school's PinkTower subscription is overdue. Marking attendance, recording pickups, adding students and sending messages are paused until it is paid. Parents can still pay fees, and nothing is deleted. See Overdue and read-only.

I see an 'Access suspended' page.

Your school's access to PinkTower has been suspended. Nothing has been deleted. See If your school's access is suspended.

Still stuck?

For anything about your child, class or fees, contact your school. If PinkTower itself looks broken, see Report a problem.