What administrators ask us first

District reviews usually begin with the same six questions. They cover the money, student data, access, records, card security, and what happens when the network fails.

Here is how RallyOrder answers each one.

1. Where does the money go?

Each school operates as the merchant of record. Card sales are processed on the school’s connected Stripe account and settle to the bank account the school or district designates.

RallyOrder does not hold or pool store revenue. The school’s money stays attached to the school’s account throughout the payment flow.

2. What happens to student data?

We collect the information needed to create accounts, control access, operate the store, and produce reporting for the school.

We do not sell student data or use it for advertising. We do not turn student activity into a commercial profile.

During review, we will provide the data inventory, security documentation, and agreement language your privacy or legal team needs to evaluate the platform against your obligations.

3. Who can do what?

Advisors control access to catalog, pricing, inventory, reporting, and refunds. Each permission is assigned separately, so access can match the job a student or staff member is doing.

Schools can also turn on PIN-based register login. When enabled, shifts and sales are attributed to the student, profile, or advisor operating the register.

Refunds require an authorized PIN. The school decides who receives that authority.

4. Is there an audit trail?

Orders, refunds, shifts, and cash counts are recorded with time, store, and operating context. That gives the advisor and finance team a record to review when a number needs an explanation.

HomeRoom currently includes live analytics, cash-drawer reporting, and failed offline payment reporting.

The platform also supports CSV exports for sales, tax, refunds, cash drawers, and failed offline payments. The full set of on-screen finance reports is still expanding.

5. What about card security?

Card capture runs through Stripe Terminal. Full card numbers are handled inside Stripe’s payment infrastructure and are not stored by RallyOrder.

Students and advisors do not see card numbers on the register or inside HomeRoom.

We can bring our technical team into a district security review when your IT team wants to inspect the payment path in detail.

6. What happens when the Wi-Fi goes down?

Cash sales continue offline without a transaction limit. They are stored on the register and sync when the connection returns.

Offline card acceptance is controlled by the school and capped per transaction. A card sale above that cap waits for a connection, while cash remains available.

If an offline card payment later fails, it appears in the Failed Offline Payments report so the school has a clear follow-up record.

Put every answer in writing

These questions belong in every school-store software review. Ask vendors to explain custody, data use, permissions, records, card handling, and offline behavior in concrete terms.

RallyOrder will answer them with your finance, IT, privacy, and procurement teams in the room. Bring us your district’s questions.