# Step 3 — Connecting the account that receives the money

> The one step that can block the whole school if skipped, and what happens if you choose to set it up later.

## What you will get

The account that receives the students' money linked to EduPay. **The money lands
straight in your school's account** — EduPay does not sit in the middle.

![Step 3 of the wizard, with the notice about what connecting allows and the Connect Stripe and Set up later buttons](/Apps/edupay/ajuda/assistente-passo-3.png)
*The amber notice says exactly what is at stake. The two buttons are the two possible choices.*

## The two choices on this screen

**Connect Stripe** takes you to Stripe's site, which is who processes the
payments. There you sign in or create an account, and at the end you come back to
EduPay with the connection made. That part happens outside EduPay, and Stripe
will ask for the school's documents and bank details.

**Set up later** skips the step and carries on with the wizard.

## What breaks if you skip it

The notice on the screen puts it plainly: `Você pode configurar depois, mas não
poderá emitir cobranças sem o gateway`. In practice, without this connection:

- **no payment slip, instant transfer code or card link is generated** — not by
  you, and not by the overnight routine;
- trying to issue shows an error message in red;
- **the rest of the system works normally:** you can register students, create
  courses, build price tables, enroll and even generate contracts.

Skipping makes sense in one case: you want to organise the school in the system
before dealing with money. It does not make sense if the first charge is due this
week.

## How to tell it worked

> [certo]
> After coming back from Stripe, the ruler marks `Gateway` with a green mark.
> Later, under `Integrations › Payment Gateway`, the connection shows as active.

## If something goes wrong

> [erro]
> **I do not have a Stripe account.** You can create one during the connection,
> but set aside some time: it asks for the school's documents and bank details,
> and verification is not instant. If you are in a hurry to organise everything
> else, choose **Set up later** and come back once you have the documents to hand.
>
> **I clicked Connect and never came back to EduPay.** Close the Stripe tab and
> start again from the wizard. Nothing was lost.
>
> **I skipped it and now I need to charge.** The path after the wizard is
> `Integrations › Payment Gateway` — there is no need to redo the whole wizard.


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https://edupay.estudiosite.com/en/ajuda/getting-started/step-3-payment-account
2026-08-05