FAQ
General3
What is The House App and what does it do?
The House App helps organizations manage houses, events, points, announcements, and friendly competitions in one place.
Who is The House App for?
The House App is for schools and other organizations that divide members into houses for community activities and friendly competition.
How can I start using the app?
To start using The House App, you need to contact us using the contact form on our website. We will help you set up your organization and get started.
House System1
What is a house system?
A house system is a way to divide members of an organization into smaller groups, or 'houses,' to encourage friendly competition and community spirit.
Authentication & Accounts2
I can't log in. What should I do?
Ask your organization admin to confirm that your account exists and reset your password if needed.
Can I use the same account for multiple organizations?
No, you cannot use the same account for multiple organizations. Each organization requires a separate account.
Announcements & Notifications3
How do announcements work?
Organization admins can send announcements to everyone. Deans and leaders can send house announcements to members of a specific house.
Why am I not receiving notifications?
You may have notifications disabled in your account settings or on your device. Please check both to ensure notifications are enabled.
How do I enable or disable notifications?
You can enable or disable notifications in the account settings under the Notifications section.
Calendar1
How do I add an event to the calendar?
You can add an event to the calendar by clicking the 'Add Event' button on the calendar page and filling out the event details.
Guest Users8
What is a guest user?
A guest user is a temporary account that can access your organization without creating a permanent account. Guests have their own account, can receive notifications, participate in games, comment on house points, and sign back in on the same device.
How do guests join?
Guests join by scanning an invitation QR code or opening an invitation link. Depending on the Guest Group settings, they can either choose a randomly generated name or enter their own name before joining.
What is a Guest Group?
A Guest Group is a collection of guest users that share the same settings. You can assign a Guest Group to a house, control whether guests can choose their own names, and manage all guests in the group together.
Can I limit who joins?
Yes. Invitations can have a maximum number of guests, an expiration date, and an optional expiration period for guest accounts after they join.
What are Guest Generations?
Guest Generations let you invalidate every guest account in a Guest Group at once. Rotating the generation immediately signs out all existing guests and requires them to rejoin using a current invitation.
Can guests be assigned to a house?
Yes. Guest Groups can be assigned to a house so guests can access house-specific announcements and other house features. If no house is assigned, guests behave like any other user without a house.
Can guests sign in again later?
Yes. Guests stay signed in on that device until the account expires, the Guest Group's generation changes, or they sign out. After signing out, they need a current invitation to join again.
What happens to Group Users?
Group Users have been deprecated and will be disabled on November 28, 2026. Existing Group Users continue to work until then, but organizations should move to Guest Groups.
Games & Live Updates7
How do games work in the app?
Games let admins award points while houses compete. Anyone viewing the game page can follow the scores as they change.
Who can start a game?
Only admins can start a game.
I'm having issues with the live updating, what should I do?
Refresh the page first. If updates still do not appear, check your connection and try the latest version of another supported browser.
What is the recommended way to use a game?
Open View Game on a computer connected to the main display. Use a second device to award points. Students can also open View Game on their own devices to follow the score.
How do live updates show up for users?
The game page updates its scores as admins award points.
Why can't I start a game?
You might have a game already in progress. Only one game can be active at a time.
What happens when a game ends?
Everyone watching the game sees a podium with the top three houses. The game points are then added to each house's total.
Year Management7
What is year management?
Year management keeps each academic or calendar year's points and events separate.
How do I create a new year?
Open Admin, go to Year Management, then select Create New Year.
Can I archive previous years?
Yes. Creating a new year automatically archives the previous year. Archived years are read-only.
How do I switch between years?
You cannot switch the active year. Admins can view previous years in the archive.
What happens to points and events from previous years?
Points and events from previous years are archived and can be viewed in a read-only format. They do not affect the current year's standings.
Can I delete a year?
If you need a year deleted, please contact support.
Can I undo creating a new year?
If this is absolutely necessary, please contact support.
Technical8
Is my data secure?
The House App uses authenticated accounts and encrypted connections. See our Privacy Policy for details about the data we collect and how we use it.
Does the app require an internet connection?
Yes. The app needs an internet connection to load and update organization data.
What devices does the app support?
The House App works in current desktop and mobile web browsers.
How do I report a bug or request a feature?
You can report bugs or feature requests in the account page under the Support area. If you do not have an account, you can report bugs on the example organization.
How often is the app updated?
We publish release notes on the Blog when an update changes the user experience.
What should I do if the app isn't loading?
Refresh the page and check the service status. If the problem continues, contact support with the page you were opening and what happened.
Does the app support dark mode?
Yes. Use the theme control in the app to switch between light and dark mode.
Does the app work offline?
No, the app does not work offline. An internet connection is required to access all features and data.
Support2
How can I contact support?
Email support@origamisystems.org.
How long does support typically take to respond?
Response times vary. Include your organization name and a clear description of the problem so we can help faster.