Parent user guide

Published on October 22, 2025 • How to guides

Parent User Guide for the Cafeteria Web System: Learn how to register children, order meals, manage snack money, transfer and withdraw funds, track transactions, and get support for your school cafeteria account.

Welcome to the Cafeteria Web System! This guide will help you get started with registering your children and using all the features available to manage their meals and snack money.

Table of Contents

Why Register Your Children

  • Meal Planning: Order nutritious meals for your children in advance, ensuring they have healthy food options at school
  • Snack Money Management: Set up a digital allowance account for your children to purchase snacks and beverages at the cafeteria
  • Cashless Transactions: Your children can make purchases using their cafeteria ID card instead of carrying cash
  • Transaction Tracking: Monitor all purchases and deposits through your account
  • Budget Control: Set limits on how much your children can spend by controlling their allowance balance
  • Convenience: Order meals and manage accounts from anywhere, 24/7
  • Safety: Reduce the risk of lost or stolen cash

How to Register a Child

  1. Log in to your account
  2. Navigate to My Children from the main menu
  3. Click the "Add Child" or "Register Now" button
  4. Fill in the required information:
    • Name: Your child's full name
    • Grade: Select their current grade level (from CP through Terminal)
    • Picture (optional): Upload a photo of your child
  5. Click "Save" to complete the registration

Once registered, you'll be able to:

  • Order meals for your child
  • Request ID card prints
  • Manage their snack money account
  • View their transaction history

Ordering Meals for Your Children

The cafeteria offers weekly meal plans that must be ordered at least 24 hours in advance of the serving date.

Viewing the Menu

  1. Go to the Menu page from the main navigation
  2. Browse available menus for:
    • This Week's Menu - for the current week
    • Next Week's Menu - for advance planning
  3. Menus are separated by school level:
    • Primary school students (CP through CM2)
    • Secondary school students (6ème through Terminal)

Placing a Meal Order

There are two ways to order meals:

Method 1: Using the Add to Cart Feature
  1. From the Menu page, browse available meals
  2. Click "Add to Cart" for the meals you want
  3. Select which child the meal is for
  4. Choose the serving date
  5. Review your cart
  6. Complete the checkout process
  7. Pay for the order (payment confirmation required)
Method 2: Using the Weekly Planner
  1. Go to My Children and select a child
  2. View the Weekly Planner on the child's details page
  3. Click "Add to Cart" next to meals for specific dates
  4. Complete the checkout process

Important Notes:

  • All meal orders must be placed at least 24 hours before the serving date
  • Orders require payment confirmation before they are completed
  • You can view pending orders on your child's details page

Ordering a Cafeteria ID Card

Your child needs a cafeteria ID card to make purchases at the cafeteria. The ID card contains a QR code that links to their account.

How to Order an ID Card

  1. Go to My Children and select the child
  2. On the child's details page, click "Order ID Print"
  3. A modal will appear showing available ID card printing options
  4. Select the ID card product you want
  5. Click "Order" next to your chosen option
  6. Review the order details
  7. Complete the payment process
  8. Once approved by administration, the ID card will be printed and ready for pickup

About the ID Card:

  • The ID card contains a unique QR code for your child
  • Staff can scan the QR code to process snack purchases
  • The card is linked to your child's snack money balance
  • If you're an administrator or printer, you can also print ID cards directly from the child's details page

Depositing Snack Money

Before your child can purchase snacks and beverages, you need to deposit money into their account. There are two types of deposits:

Option 1: Direct Deposit to Child Account (Recommended for Initial Setup)

  1. Navigate to Deposits from the main menu
  2. Click "New Deposit"
  3. Enter the deposit details:
    • Amount: Enter the amount you want to deposit (or use quick amount buttons: 100, 200, 300, 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, 5000, or 10,000 ETB)
    • Child: Select which child the deposit is for
  4. Click "Create" to submit the deposit request
  5. The system will display payment instructions (via Telebirr)
  6. Complete the payment and upload your payment receipt if required
  7. Once the deposit is approved by administration, the money will be added to your child's snack money account
Deposit Status:
  • Pending: Deposit request submitted, awaiting payment confirmation
  • Completed: Payment confirmed and money added to child's account
  • Failed: Deposit was not successful (contact support)

You'll receive email notifications about your deposit status.

Transferring Money to Child Accounts

After you have funds in your parent account (from completed deposits), you can transfer money to your children's snack money accounts instantly.

How to Transfer Money to a Child

  1. Go to My Children and select a child
  2. On the child's details page, look for the Balance Card
  3. Click the "Send Money" or money transfer button
  4. Enter the amount you want to transfer from your parent account to the child's allowance account
  5. Click "Confirm" or "Transfer"
  6. The money will be instantly transferred:
    • Deducted from your parent account balance
    • Added to your child's snack money balance
Benefits of Using Transfers:
  • Instant: Money is available immediately (unlike deposits which require approval)
  • No fees: Internal transfers between parent and child accounts
  • Flexible: Adjust your child's allowance as needed
  • Budget Control: You control exactly how much your child can spend

Withdrawing Money from Child Accounts

If you need to return money from your child's snack account back to your parent account (for example, if they have excess funds), you can transfer it back.

How to Return Money from a Child Account

  1. Go to My Children and select a child
  2. On the child's details page, look for the Balance Card
  3. Click the "Return Money" or withdrawal button
  4. Enter the amount you want to transfer back from the child's account to your parent account
  5. Click "Confirm" or "Transfer"
  6. The money will be instantly transferred:
    • Deducted from your child's snack money balance
    • Added to your parent account balance

Important Notes:

  • You can only withdraw money up to the current balance in the child's account
  • The transfer is instant and reversible if needed
  • You can track all transfers in the transaction history

Understanding Account Balances

Parent Account Balance

  • Holds funds from approved deposits
  • Used to pay for meal orders and ID card prints
  • Can transfer money to children's accounts

Child Snack Money Balance

  • Used exclusively for over-the-counter snack and beverage purchases
  • Can be topped up by transferring from parent account
  • Can be returned to parent account if needed
  • Transactions are tracked and visible in the child's transaction history

Transaction History

You can view all transactions for your children:

  1. Go to My Children and select a child
  2. The Recent Transactions card shows recent activity
  3. Click "View All Transactions" to see complete history
  4. Transaction types include:
    • Deposits: Money added through external deposits
    • Transfers: Money moved between parent and child accounts
    • Orders: Purchases made at the cafeteria

Getting Help

If you have questions or need assistance:

  1. Check the Contact page for support information
  2. Review your email notifications for order and deposit confirmations
  3. Contact the cafeteria administration for issues with:
    • Deposit approvals
    • ID card pickup
    • Payment problems

Quick Tips

  • ✅ Plan Ahead: Order meals at least 24 hours in advance
  • ✅ Use Transfers: For quick allowance adjustments, use parent-to-child transfers instead of new deposits
  • ✅ Monitor Spending: Regularly check your child's transaction history
  • ✅ Keep Receipts: Save payment receipts when making deposits
  • ✅ Update Information: Keep your child's information current
  • ✅ Set Limits: Only transfer what you want your child to spend

Thank you for using the Cafeteria Web System! We hope this guide helps you make the most of the service for your family.

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