> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Complete the onboarding wizard
> Walk through the guided setup wizard to add your facility details, customers, cars, contracts, billing, recurring plans, and team invites in one calm path.
Use this guide when your facility is new to Car Storage Software and you see a welcome screen titled **Let's set up your account**, or when a manager sends you to the onboarding wizard after sign-in.
The onboarding wizard is a step-by-step path that helps you finish the most important setup work in order — without hunting through Settings on your first day.
**Two setup paths — both are fine**
**Onboarding wizard** ([Setup Guide](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/onboarding/v2)) — a guided, card-by-card flow for brand-new facilities. Best when you want one screen per topic.
This guide walks through **each wizard step** in detail. For a shorter hub overview, read [Complete the Setup Guide](/docs/basics/complete-the-setup-guide).
## What you will accomplish
When you finish (or skip optional steps and return later), your facility will have:
* Your facility name, address, logo, and colors saved for customer-facing pages.
* At least one customer record — imported from a spreadsheet or typed by hand.
* Vehicle records linked to your storage or service workflow.
* An optional storage contract PDF ready for signatures.
* Stripe billing connected if you plan to collect payments online.
* Existing storage plans imported as recurring billing, linked to customers by email.
* Team invite emails sent to colleagues who will help run the facility.
## Before you start
* You can sign in as a staff user with permission to change facility settings.
* Have your facility name, address, and logo file ready (PNG or JPG works well).
* If you will import customers, cars, or plans, start from the example sheets. See [Load customers, cars, and plans during onboarding](/docs/basics/import-customers-cars-and-plans-during-onboarding) for downloads and how email links them together.
* If you will connect billing, have your Stripe business details handy.
## Open the onboarding wizard
Use the login link from your welcome email or ask your facility owner for a staff sign-in link.
**Expected result:** You land on [Create event](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard) or another dashboard page with the sidebar on the left.
Open [Setup Guide](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/onboarding/v2).
You may also see **Setup Guide** in the left sidebar with a number badge when steps are still open.
**Expected result:** The page shows **Let's set up your account** with seven large step cards below it.
After you complete a step, the hub shows how many steps are finished (for example, **2 of 7 complete**).
**Why this matters:** You can leave and come back anytime. Completed steps show a green check mark on the hub.
*The wizard hub lists every setup area as a large card. Tap any card to open that step — Facility is a good first choice, but you can return to any step later.*
## Step 1: Facility (name, location, logo)
This step saves the details customers see on emails, invoices, and your public website.
On the wizard hub, click **Facility** (Step 1).
**Expected result:** You see sections for facility name, address, and logo upload.
Type the business name customers should recognize — for example, **Mega Speed Storage**.
**Why this matters:** This name appears on customer portal pages, message footers, and many PDF documents.
Start typing your street address in the address field and pick the correct match from the list.
The app uses your address to set time zone and region automatically. You do not need to pick time zone by hand in most cases.
Drag your logo onto the upload area or click to choose a file from your computer.
After upload, the wizard may suggest brand colors from your logo. You can accept those colors or adjust them.
**Expected result:** A preview shows how your logo and colors will look on customer-facing screens.
Click **Save & continue** at the bottom of the page.
**Expected result:** You return to the wizard hub with **Facility** marked complete, or you move to the next step automatically.
*The Facility step combines name, address, logo, and colors in one calm screen.*
## Step 2: Customers (import or add by hand)
Bring your customer list into the app so cars and invoices can link to the correct owner.
From the wizard hub, click **Customers** (Step 2).
* **Upload a spreadsheet** — use CSV or Excel if you already have a customer list. Click **Download example template** to see the columns the app understands.
* **Add customers manually** — type one or a few names when you are just getting started.
* **Import demo customers** — load two sample customers to try things out.
**Why this matters:** Importing saves time when you have dozens of owners. Manual entry is fine for your first day with one or two customers.
If you uploaded a file, match each column in your spreadsheet to the correct field (first name, email, phone, and so on).
Review the preview table before you confirm. Fix any rows that look wrong.
Under **Match existing customers by**, keep **Email** so rows for customers who are already in the app update them instead of creating duplicates.
**Expected result:** Imported customers appear in [Contacts](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/contacts) after you save.
Click **Save & continue** when your customer list looks correct.
You can also use **Skip for now** if you plan to add customers later from [Contacts](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/contacts).
*The Customers step accepts a spreadsheet import or simple manual cards for your first few owners.*
Include an email for every customer you can. Cars and recurring plans link to customers by that email in the next steps. See [Load customers, cars, and plans during onboarding](/docs/basics/import-customers-cars-and-plans-during-onboarding).
## Step 3: Cars (vehicles in your care)
Add the vehicles you store or service so your team can assign parking, run intake, and send invoices.
From the wizard hub, click **Cars** (Step 3).
Like the customer step, you can upload a spreadsheet or add cars one at a time with year, make, model, and VIN or plate when you have them.
Connect each car to the customer who owns or manages it. In a spreadsheet, add a **Customer Email** column with the owner's email, the same email you used in the Customers step. You can also link by external customer ID or owner name.
**Why this matters:** Billing, messages, and portal access all depend on the correct customer link.
Click **Save & continue** when the vehicle list looks right, or skip and use [Add a car](/docs/cars/add-a-car) later.
*Add cars during onboarding so parking, intake, and billing have real records to attach to on day one.*
## Step 4: Contracts (optional storage agreement)
Upload a PDF storage agreement or waiver. The app can suggest signature fields so customers can sign online later.
**You can skip this step today**
Many facilities finish **Facility**, **Customers**, and **Cars** first, then return to contracts when a manager has the PDF ready. Use **Skip for now** if you are not ready.
Click **Contracts** (Step 4) on the wizard hub.
Drag your storage agreement PDF onto the upload area or click to browse for the file.
**Expected result:** The app analyzes the PDF and prepares a contract template you can edit in [Settings > Contracts & Documents](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/settings/contracts-and-documents).
If the app opens a field editor, drag signature and date boxes to the correct lines on your form.
You can refine this later — uploading now means your team has a starting template.
Click **Save & continue** when the template looks acceptable, or skip if contracts will wait until later.
See [Contracts overview](/docs/contracts/overview) when you are ready to send signatures to customers.
## Step 5: Billing (connect Stripe)
Connect payment processing so customers can pay invoices and storage fees online.
**Billing is optional on day one**
If you are not collecting payments online yet, skip this step and return from [Settings > Billing](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/settings/billing) when your manager is ready. Your team can still add customers, cars, and schedule work without Stripe connected.
Click **Billing** (Step 5) on the wizard hub.
The wizard walks you through Stripe setup inside the app — you do not leave for a separate website in most cases.
Have your business details ready (legal name, address, bank account for payouts).
When Stripe finishes, return to the wizard and confirm the status looks connected.
**Expected result:** Your team can create invoices and collect card payments. See [Connect payment processing](/docs/settings/connect-payment-processing) for full billing settings.
If you are not collecting payments online yet, skip this step and return from [Settings > Billing](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/settings/billing) when your manager is ready.
## Step 6: Recurring plans (import storage plans)
If your customers already pay you monthly or yearly, import those plans here instead of setting each one up by hand.
Click **Recurring plans** (Step 6) on the wizard hub.
Choose the recurring product the plans belong to. If you don't have one yet, create it in [Payments > Products](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/payments/products) first.
Click **Download example sheet** for the columns. Each row needs a **Customer Email**, **Amount**, **Billing Interval**, and a **Start Date** after today.
Click **Preview import**. Each row defaults to **Ask for payment method**, which emails the customer to choose how to pay. Switch to **Charge** for customers who already have a card on file. Then click **Import selected rows**.
Full walkthrough: [Import recurring billing plans](/docs/payments/import-recurring-billing-plans). Use **Skip for now** if you'll set up billing later.
## Step 7: Team (invite colleagues)
Send email invites to people who will help run the facility day to day.
Click **Team** (Step 7) on the wizard hub.
Type each colleague's work email and choose whether they should be a **team admin** (full settings access) or a staff member with selected permissions.
Click the send button. Your colleague receives an email with a link to join your facility workspace.
**Expected result:** Pending invites appear on this page until the person accepts.
Click **Save & continue** on the Team step to reach the celebration page, then open the dashboard.
You can always invite more people later from [Settings > Team](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/settings/team).
*Invite admins or staff from the Team step. You can add more teammates later in Settings.*
## After the wizard — what to do next
* **Daily work:** open [Use the Create event home page](/docs/basics/use-the-create-event-home) when vehicles arrive.
* **Find records fast:** use [Search your facility quickly](/docs/basics/search-your-facility-quickly) (keyboard shortcut **Ctrl+K** on Windows or **⌘K** on Mac).
* **Learn the sidebar:** read [Learn the dashboard](/docs/basics/learn-the-dashboard) for a tour of Cars, Contacts, Schedule, and Payments.
* **Deeper settings:** open [Settings overview](/docs/settings/overview) for communications, portal, CRM, and security.
## Troubleshooting
**I do not see the onboarding wizard**
Go directly to [Setup Guide](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/onboarding/v2). If the page redirects you to the dashboard, your facility may have already finished all the steps — use [Settings](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/settings) for any remaining configuration.
**My import failed or columns look wrong**
Download the example template from the Customers or Cars step (or grab every example sheet from [Load customers, cars, and plans during onboarding](/docs/basics/import-customers-cars-and-plans-during-onboarding)), compare your column headers, and try again. You can also skip import and add records manually with [Prepare your first customer and car](/docs/basics/prepare-your-first-customer-and-car).
**Can I change facility name or logo later?**
Yes. Open [Settings > Branding](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/settings/branding) anytime. The wizard is a fast first pass, not a one-time lock.
## What success looks like
* The wizard hub shows green check marks on the steps your team finished.
* At least one customer and one car exist in the dashboard with the correct link between them.
* Your facility name and logo look correct on [Settings > Branding](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/settings/branding).
* Teammates know how to sign in and start work from [Create event](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard).
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