Frequently asked questions
Everything before you click “Start trial.”
Don’t see your question? Start the free trial and use the Report Issue button from inside the app - usually a same-day reply.
General
- What is Kumon Ops?
- Kumon Ops is an independent operations platform for Kumon franchise instructors in the Philippines. It handles billing, parent reminders via Messenger, semi-monthly PH payroll (SSS / PhilHealth / Pag-IBIG / BIR withholding), quarterly BIR reports (1701Q, 2550Q, 1601-C), and the day-to-day workflow of running a Kumon center.
- Is Kumon Ops affiliated with Kumon Institute of Education or Kumon Philippines Inc.?
- No. Kumon Ops is an independent third-party operations tool. "Kumon" is a registered trademark of Kumon Institute of Education Co., Ltd. We use the name descriptively because that's the franchise system the product is built around. We are not endorsed by, sponsored by, or partnered with Kumon corporate.
- Who built this?
- Kumon Ops is built by an automation engineering team working alongside PH Kumon franchise owners. The product exists because PH Kumon owners kept struggling with the same monthly problems: billing in Excel, BIR forms done by hand, parent reminders sent one Messenger thread at a time. It's the operations layer built specifically for their workflow.
- Is this built by a Kumon instructor?
- No. Kumon Ops is independent third-party operations software, built by an automation engineering team working directly with PH Kumon franchise owners. Every feature exists because a real PH Kumon owner asked for it - it's not a generic education tool with a tutorial-center skin.
- Have you ever actually run a Kumon center?
- No. Kumon Ops is third-party software, not a tool built by a franchise operator. The development happens alongside real PH Kumon owners who use the product in their actual workflow. If you have features you wish existed, use the in-app Report Issue button after signing up and we'll review every submission.
- Why should I trust software not built by a Kumon owner?
- Most great B2B software is built by technical builders working closely with domain experts - that's the working model. What you should trust is: every feature in Kumon Ops exists because a real PH Kumon owner asked for it. If something doesn't fit your workflow, tell us, and it gets fixed. Try it free for up to 5 students - no credit card.
- Will my Kumon franchise agreement allow me to use this?
- Most likely yes - Kumon Ops is a third-party operations tool, not a replacement for any KPI-required system. We don't touch worksheet ordering, student assessment, or any Kumon-proprietary process. If you're unsure, ask your KPI representative whether using third-party billing/payroll software is acceptable.
Pricing & trial
- How much does it cost?
- ₱899/month or ₱8,990/year (2 months free). One tier - every feature is included regardless of plan. No per-student, per-payslip, or per-seat charges (up to 20 admin seats per franchise).
- Is there a free trial?
- Yes - 14 days, no credit card required. You get every feature. Demo data loads with one click so you can see what a populated workspace looks like before adding real students.
- What happens after the trial?
- You're prompted to subscribe. If you don't, the workspace becomes read-only until you do. Your data is never deleted - re-subscribe whenever and pick up where you left off.
- Can I cancel anytime?
- Yes. There's no contract or termination fee. Cancel and your subscription stops at the end of the current billing period. Your data exports cleanly to CSV before then.
- What payment methods are accepted for the subscription?
- PayMongo handles the subscription: GCash, Maya, GrabPay, QR Ph, Visa/Mastercard. We don't charge directly - the subscription bill comes through the same processor your parents pay through.
Data, privacy, security
- Where is my data stored?
- On our servers, behind TLS. Each franchise gets its own database file - your data is physically isolated from every other tenant. Encrypted backups, one-click manual download available any time. For security reasons we don't publish where the servers run or who hosts them; if you need infrastructure details for a compliance review, use the Report Issue button after signing up and we'll handle it under NDA.
- Can I export my data?
- Yes. Every list view (students, parents, invoices, payments, expenses, payslips, taxes, etc.) has a CSV export. There's also a one-click full database backup (SQLite file) that you can open in DB Browser for SQLite or migrate to any other system. No lock-in.
- Who can see my franchise's data?
- Only people you invite as users in your franchise. Other franchises on Kumon Ops cannot see your data - physically separate databases. The Kumon Ops team has admin access for support purposes but doesn't routinely look at tenant data; sensitive fields (passwords, API keys, session tokens) are encrypted at rest or hashed.
- What happens to my data if Kumon Ops shuts down?
- You get advance notice and a full SQL dump of your data. The export format is standard SQLite, which can be opened with free tools or imported into any other system that accepts SQL. We won't hold your data hostage.
Features
- Does Kumon Ops handle sibling discounts?
- Yes. Set the discount rate once (e.g., 10% off the second child's tuition) and it applies automatically when you add a sibling enrollment. Each parent receives one consolidated invoice covering all their kids, with the discount math computed line-by-line.
- Can it send Messenger reminders to parents?
- Yes - three dispatch paths: (1) Facebook Page Send API (legit Meta-approved auto-send when parents have messaged your Page), (2) personal-account browser automation (opt-in, TOS risk - we warn you), (3) click-to-open deep links as a safe fallback. SMS via Semaphore is also supported.
- Does it support BIR reporting?
- Yes. The Taxes page shows numbers ready to copy onto BIR forms: 1701Q quarterly income tax (8% flat or graduated), 2550Q quarterly VAT (if VAT-registered), 1601-C monthly withholding. Direct e-filing through BIR is not supported because BIR doesn't have a public API - you still log into eBIRForms or eFPS to type the numbers in.
- How does PH payroll work?
- Semi-monthly cycles (15th + 30th of each month) are the default. SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG are auto-computed from current statutory tables. Each employee can opt out of any of the three. Monthly-rate and daily-rate employees are both supported. Per-payslip manual override is available for cases where the statutory schedule diverges from the brackets.
- Does it integrate with PayMongo?
- Yes - natively. Click "Generate payment link" on any invoice and PayMongo creates a hosted checkout URL (GCash, Maya, GrabPay, QR Ph, cards). Webhook auto-marks the invoice as Paid when the parent completes payment. Convenience fee can pass through to the parent as a separate line item.
- Can I email payslips to my employees?
- Yes. Each employee can have an email on file; when you generate a payslip (single or bulk), check "Email payslip" and they receive an inline-styled HTML payslip immediately. Uses either Resend (HTTPS API) or any SMTP provider you configure.
- What about the Kumon HQ royalty?
- Set the royalty rate once — whatever your franchise agreement specifies. Every period the app computes royalty against actual revenue and posts it automatically as an expense, with an audit trail. The royalty is also surfaced as a deductible expense on the 1701Q report (under the graduated regime - it has no effect under 8% flat).
Operations & setup
- How long does setup take?
- About 5 minutes for a basic workspace. You enter your franchise name, BIR TIN, subjects + fees, and statutory rate elections. The trial loads demo data immediately so you can explore the populated app before adding real students.
- Can multiple instructors / staff have their own logins?
- Yes. Up to 20 admin seats per franchise (raised from 2 in an earlier release). The owner has full access; admins can be granted permissions per-feature (e.g., billing-only access, no payroll). Self-service leave filing for admins, owner approval workflow.
- Is there a mobile app?
- No native mobile app yet. The web app works on phones for the basics (checking payments, sending reminders), but heavy workflows like bulk invoicing and payroll generation are designed for desktop. Native mobile is on the roadmap based on demand.
- What languages does the app support?
- English only at the moment. Most PH small-business owners prefer English UI for accounting software, and the BIR forms themselves are in English. A Tagalog UI translation is considered when usage data warrants it.
- How do I get help if something breaks?
- Use the Report Issue button in the top-right user menu of every page. Issues come straight to the Kumon Ops team and you can include diagnostics + a screenshot. Most issues are acknowledged within a day; critical bugs (anything blocking billing or payroll) get a same-day fix.
Ready to try it?
30 days free, no credit card. Demo data loads in one click.