Functra · User Guide

Functra User Guide

A simple step-by-step guide for tutors — no tech background needed.

Last updated: July 2026

Functra is an online collaborative whiteboard for teaching, tutoring, and live sessions. This guide walks you through everything from signing up to sharing boards with students, posting homework, and collecting their work. Take it one step at a time — you do not need to be “good with computers” to use it.

1. Create your account

1
Go to functra.com
Open functra.com in Chrome, Edge, or Firefox (latest version recommended).
2
Click Sign In / Launch Free Board
Choose Sign up and enter your email. You will receive a confirmation code or link — check your inbox (and spam folder).
3
You land on the Dashboard
After sign-up you see “My Boards” — your home base for all lessons.

You only need to sign up once. Next time, click Sign In with the same email.

2. Create your first board

1
Click New Board
On the Dashboard, press the blue New Board button. A new lesson space opens in a few seconds.
2
Give it a name (optional)
Back on the Dashboard, click the pencil icon on the board card to rename it — e.g. “Maria – Algebra”.
3
Organise with folders (optional)
Use New Folder to group boards by student or subject. Drag boards into folders later if you like.

4. Using the whiteboard (basics)

Pen — write and draw freehand (choose colour and thickness from the palette).
Eraser — remove strokes.
Shapes — rectangles, lines, circles for diagrams.
Text — type labels and equations.
Image — upload a photo or screenshot from your computer.
Library — reuse images you already uploaded to this board.
Pages — add pages at the bottom when you need a fresh sheet (up to 50 pages per board).
Undo / Redo — the curved arrows undo mistakes.

If the board feels crowded, start a new page instead of erasing everything.

5. Graph Studio (equations → graphs)

You can show roots, tangents, and intersections without leaving Functra.

1
Open Graph Studio
Click the fx / graph button on the toolbar.
2
Type an equation
Enter something like y=x^2 or sin(x). You see the graph immediately.
3
Insert on the board
Press Insert to Board. The graph appears on your canvas — students see it at the same time.

6. During the lesson: Lock & Class Mode

Lock Board — students can only watch, not draw (useful for explanations). Only you can turn this on or off.
Class Mode — students see only your cursor, not each other’s (less distraction in groups).

7. Student pages (homework & notes)

Beyond live boards, you can give each student a personal page — a simple link they open without logging in.

1
Add a student
On the Dashboard, scroll to My Students → New Student. Enter their name.
2
Copy their personal link
Open the student’s page → Copy student link. Send this link once — they bookmark it.
3
Link boards to their page
On the student manage page, choose Add board and pick which lesson boards they can reopen later.
4
Post notes or assignments
Write a short note or upload a PDF/Word file. It appears on their student page in chronological order.
5
Collect homework photos
At the top of the student page (or yours), click Send homework from your phone. A QR code opens — the student scans it, photographs their work, and sends it to you. You see submissions on the student manage page and can place them on a board via Library → Student work.

8. Export lesson as PDF

1
Open the board menu
After the lesson, open the board you want to save.
2
Choose Export PDF
Select which pages to include. Functra creates a PDF you can email to the student or print.

9. Free vs Pro (short version)

You can upgrade anytime from the Dashboard or Account page.

Free — try Functra, create boards, teach live, use student pages.
Pro (€15/month) — unlimited boards, full editing, priority for heavy daily use.

10. Quick tips & troubleshooting

Use a laptop or tablet with a stylus for the best writing experience.
Stable internet matters more than very fast internet.
If the board does not load, refresh the page once (F5 or the browser refresh button).
If a student cannot see your drawing, ask them to refresh their link.
Clear your browser cache only if support asks you to — usually not needed.

Write to info@functra.com with a screenshot if something blocks your lesson — we respond as quickly as we can.