Requirements checklist
What to ask for when choosing software for dance studios.
A checklist built from how dance studios work, to print or save as a PDF and bring to any supplier meeting.
What the software should cover
Tick each one that matters to your business.
- Timetable by room, teacher and style
- Student and guardian records
- Registers and level progress
- Term fees, packs and drop-ins
- Recital planning and costume orders
- Teacher pay and cover
Roles that need their own access
Who logs in, and what each person may see or change.
- For the studio owner
- For teachers
- For the front desk
- For recital organisers
Reports to ask for
Ask to see each one with your own sample data.
- Enrolment by style, level and class
- Attendance and absences by class and student
- Term fees billed, received and outstanding by family
- Make-up credits issued, used and lapsed
- Exam entries, fees and results by grade
- Costume and shoe quantities by size for the supplier
- Room usage and teacher hours for the term
Systems it may need to connect to
Note which ones you already run.
- WhatsApp or other messaging
- SMS
- Card and bank payments
- Accounting export
- Calendar feed for teachers
Questions for any vendor
Put these to every supplier you are comparing.
- Is this built for dance, or is it general class software?
- Can a student be in several classes at different levels?
- How are make-up classes handled?
- Can we run the end-of-year recital from it?
- Does it handle sibling terms and part payments?
- How do teachers get paid through it?
- Can we move our student list across?
- Who owns the student records?
- What does it cost?
- Does a small studio need this?
Where the work usually breaks today
Circle the ones you recognise. They set the order of the project.
- Rooms and teachers clash
- Students stay in the wrong level
- Costume orders are rebuilt each year
- Term fees and exam fees get mixed up
- Missed classes have no make-up trail
Prefer to talk it through? See the dance studios page.