First Steps Tutorial

Welcome to Sederly! This step-by-step tutorial will help you understand the platform basics and complete your first essential tasks. By the end of this guide, you'll be ready to start using the system for your daily business operations.

## What You'll Learn In this tutorial, you'll: - **Navigate the dashboard** and understand the main interface - **Complete essential setup** tasks for your business - **Create your first customer** and product entries - **Process your first order** from start to finish - **Generate your first report** to track performance - **Understand key features** that will help your business grow ## Before We Start ### Prerequisites - You have a Sederly account (if not, [sign up here](https://sederly.com/register)) - You've received your login credentials - You have basic business information ready (business name, address, etc.) ### What You'll Need - **Business Information**: Name, address, contact details - **Product/Service List**: Items you sell with basic pricing - **Customer Information**: A few customer contacts to start with - **Payment Methods**: How you accept payments ## Step 1: First Login and Dashboard Overview ### Logging In 1. Go to the [login page](https://sederly.com/login) 2. Enter your **email address** and **password** 3. Click **"Sign In"** to access your dashboard ### Understanding the Dashboard Your dashboard is divided into several key areas: #### Top Navigation Bar: - **Organization Name**: Your business name (top left) - **User Menu**: Your profile and settings (top right) - **Notifications**: System alerts and updates - **Quick Actions**: Fast access to common tasks #### Sidebar Navigation: - **Dashboard**: Overview and key metrics - **Orders**: Order management and processing - **Customers**: Customer database and management - **Products**: Inventory and product catalog - **Reports**: Analytics and business insights - **Settings**: System configuration and preferences #### Main Dashboard Widgets: - **Today's Sales**: Current day revenue and order count - **Recent Orders**: Latest customer orders - **Quick Stats**: Key performance indicators - **Pending Tasks**: Items requiring attention - **Revenue Chart**: Sales performance over time ## Step 2: Complete Essential Setup ### Organization Profile 1. Click **Settings** in the sidebar 2. Select **Organization** from the settings menu 3. Complete the required fields: - **Business Name**: Your legal business name - **Business Address**: Complete physical address - **Contact Information**: Phone and email - **Tax ID**: Business registration or tax number 4. Upload your **business logo** (optional but recommended) 5. Click **"Save Changes"** ### Create Your First Branch Every business needs at least one branch (location): 1. Go to **Settings > Branches** 2. Click **"Add New Branch"** 3. Enter branch details: - **Branch Name**: "Main Location" or your store name - **Address**: Physical location address - **Contact Info**: Phone number for this location - **Operating Hours**: Business hours for each day 4. Set **tax rate** for this location 5. Click **"Create Branch"** ## Step 3: Add Your First Products/Services ### Creating Product Entries 1. Navigate to **Products** in the sidebar 2. Click **"Add New Product"** 3. Fill in product information: #### Basic Information: - **Product Name**: Clear, descriptive name - **SKU/Product Code**: Unique identifier (optional) - **Category**: Product category for organization - **Description**: Detailed product description #### Pricing: - **Sale Price**: Regular selling price - **Cost Price**: Your cost (for profit calculations) - **Tax Category**: Applicable tax rate #### Inventory (if applicable): - **Track Inventory**: Enable if you want stock tracking - **Current Stock**: Starting inventory quantity - **Low Stock Alert**: Minimum quantity warning level 4. Upload **product image** (recommended) 5. Click **"Save Product"** ### Quick Product Setup For faster setup, add 3-5 of your most popular items first: - **Best-selling product**: Your top revenue generator - **Most frequent service**: Common service offering - **Popular combo/package**: Bundled offering - **Seasonal item**: Current seasonal product - **Basic service**: Standard service option ## Step 4: Add Your First Customers ### Customer Database Setup 1. Go to **Customers** in the sidebar 2. Click **"Add New Customer"** 3. Enter customer details: #### Required Information: - **Customer Name**: Full name or business name - **Phone Number**: Primary contact number #### Optional but Recommended: - **Email Address**: For receipts and communication - **Address**: For delivery or service calls - **Customer Type**: Individual or business - **Notes**: Special preferences or information 4. Click **"Save Customer"** ### Customer Management Tips - **Start with regulars**: Add your frequent customers first - **Use clear names**: Avoid abbreviations that might confuse staff - **Include preferences**: Note special requests or preferences - **Update regularly**: Keep contact information current ## Step 5: Process Your First Order ### Creating a Complete Order Now let's create a complete order using the data you've entered: #### Start the Order: 1. Click **Orders** in the sidebar 2. Click **"Create New Order"** 3. Select or add customer information #### Add Products: 1. Click **"Add Product"** 2. Search for one of your products 3. Select the product and specify quantity 4. Add more products as needed #### Review and Payment: 1. Review the order total and details 2. Click **"Process Payment"** 3. Select payment method (Cash, Card, etc.) 4. Enter payment amount 5. Complete the transaction #### Generate Receipt: 1. Click **"Print Receipt"** or **"Email Receipt"** 2. Verify receipt information is correct 3. Provide receipt to customer ## Step 6: Explore Key Features ### Dashboard Analytics Return to your **Dashboard** to see how your first order appears: #### Key Metrics to Watch: - **Today's Revenue**: Total sales for the current day - **Order Count**: Number of orders processed - **Average Order Value**: Revenue divided by order count - **Top Products**: Best-selling items - **Customer Activity**: New and returning customers #### Understanding the Charts: - **Sales Chart**: Revenue trends over time - **Order Volume**: Number of orders by time period - **Product Performance**: Top-selling items - **Payment Methods**: Breakdown of payment types used ### Quick Reports Generate your first business report: 1. Go to **Reports** in the sidebar 2. Select **"Sales Summary"** 3. Choose date range (today, this week, this month) 4. Click **"Generate Report"** 5. Review the data and insights ## Step 7: Essential Settings Configuration ### Payment Methods 1. Go to **Settings > Payments** 2. Enable payment methods you accept: - **Cash**: For cash transactions - **Credit/Debit Cards**: If you have a card terminal - **Bank Transfer**: For larger transactions - **Store Credit**: For customer credit systems 3. Configure payment processing settings 4. Test each payment method with a small transaction ### Receipt Configuration Customize your receipts: 1. Go to **Settings > Receipts** 2. Upload your logo 3. Set header and footer text 4. Configure receipt format (thermal vs. standard) 5. Test print a sample receipt ### User Permissions If you have staff members: 1. Go to **Settings > Users** 2. Click **"Add New User"** 3. Enter staff member information 4. Assign appropriate role (Staff, Manager, etc.) 5. Set branch access permissions 6. Send invitation email ## Next Steps and Best Practices ### Immediate Next Steps Now that you've completed the basics: 1. **Add more products**: Expand your product catalog 2. **Import existing customers**: Upload customer database if available 3. **Train your team**: Show staff how to use the system 4. **Set up integrations**: Connect with existing tools 5. **Customize settings**: Adjust system preferences ### Daily Operations For ongoing success: - **Start each day** by checking the dashboard - **Review pending orders** and follow up as needed - **Monitor inventory levels** and restock when necessary - **Check reports weekly** to track business performance - **Update customer information** as it changes ### Growth Features to Explore As your business grows, explore: - **Advanced reporting**: Detailed analytics and insights - **Multi-branch management**: If you expand locations - **Inventory forecasting**: Predict stock needs - **Customer loyalty programs**: Reward repeat customers - **API integrations**: Connect with other business tools ## Getting Help ### Available Resources - **Help Center**: Comprehensive guides and tutorials - **Video Tutorials**: Visual learning resources - **Community Forum**: Connect with other users - **Support Team**: Direct assistance when needed ### Common Questions **Q: Can I import existing data?** A: Yes, you can import customers, products, and historical data. Contact support for assistance. **Q: How do I handle returns and refunds?** A: Use the order management system to process returns and issue refunds through the original payment method. **Q: Can multiple users access the system?** A: Yes, you can add unlimited users (depending on your plan) with different permission levels. **Q: Is my data secure?** A: Yes, we use enterprise-grade security with encryption and regular backups. ## Quick Reference ### Essential Keyboard Shortcuts - **Ctrl + N**: Create new order - **Ctrl + F**: Search products/customers - **F2**: Quick customer lookup - **F3**: Quick product lookup - **Esc**: Cancel current action ### Important Links - [Create Your First Order](https://sederly.com/help/create-first-order) - [Account Setup Guide](https://sederly.com/help/account-setup) - [User Management](https://sederly.com/help/adding-users) - [Contact Support](https://sederly.com/contact)