> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.deandesk.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# First login
> Log in to DeanDesk and navigate your dashboard for the first time.
This page covers logging in to your **school portal** at `yourschool.deandesk.com`. For institution-level access, log in at `deandesk.com/login`. See [Institutions & Schools](/getting-started/institutions-and-schools) for how these levels differ.
Your school portal lives at a unique URL. Once your account is activated, you can log in and start exploring your dashboard.
## Log in to your school
Every DeanDesk school has its own address in the format:
```
https://[yourschoolname].deandesk.com
```
Replace `[yourschoolname]` with the hostname your administrator chose during setup. For example, if your school is called Lincoln Academy and the hostname is `lincolnacademy`, your login URL is `https://lincolnacademy.deandesk.com`.
Your administrator will typically share the login URL in your welcome email. If you are not sure what your URL is, contact your admin.
Open a browser and navigate to your institution's DeanDesk address.
Enter your email address and password, then click **Log In**.
If this is your first login, check your inbox for a welcome email from DeanDesk. Click the activation link in that email before logging in. The link sets your password and confirms your account.
## Reset a forgotten password
If you cannot remember your password, click **Forgot password?** on the login page. Enter your email address and DeanDesk will send you a reset link. Follow the link to create a new password.
If you do not receive the reset email within a few minutes, check your spam folder. If you still have not received it, ask your administrator to resend your activation email from the Admin Dashboard.
## Dashboard overview
After you log in, you land on your **Dashboard** — your home base in DeanDesk. The dashboard is divided into several sections that give you a quick summary of what is happening at your institution.
| Section | What it shows |
| ------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Calendar** | Upcoming events, term dates, and school schedule at a glance |
| **Quick Links** | Shortcuts to the areas of the platform you use most often |
| **Admin Dashboard** | Administrative controls for managing users, courses, billing, and settings (admin and teacher roles only) |
| **Courses** | All courses you are enrolled in or teaching, with direct links to each course page |
| **Assignments** | Pending and recent assignments across all your courses |
Admins can hide the **Quick Actions** section school-wide for both desktop and mobile users. If you don't see quick actions on your dashboard, your school has turned them off — see [School configuration](/setup/school-settings).
## Search everywhere
A command palette lets you jump anywhere in DeanDesk without clicking through menus. Open it with **Cmd+K** (Mac) or **Ctrl+K** (Windows), or click the search button in the sidebar. It's available in both the main site and the Admin Dashboard.
The palette searches:
* Pages
* Courses
* Assignments
* Materials
* Admin tools (admins only)
Results are scoped to your role — you only see what you have access to.
## Switching accounts
If you have more than one DeanDesk account, use the account switcher to move between them without logging out. Each account in the switcher shows a role label, so you can tell your accounts apart at a glance.
Institution staff also see a **switch to Institution Dashboard** action in the switcher for jumping to the institution-level dashboard at `deandesk.com`. See [Institutions & Schools](/getting-started/institutions-and-schools) for how the two levels relate.
## Admin Dashboard vs. member views
DeanDesk shows different interfaces depending on your role.
Admins see the full **Admin Dashboard** link in the sidebar and on the main dashboard. The Admin Dashboard contains every management tool: User Creation, Calendar Management, Stripe Configuration, Bulk Course Creator, and more.
Use the Admin Dashboard for any task that affects the whole institution — creating accounts, setting up courses, configuring billing, or adjusting platform settings.
Teachers see a streamlined view that includes their assigned courses, student rosters, gradebook, and assignment management. Teachers can access limited administrative actions (such as posting announcements or managing their own course materials) but cannot create users or change billing settings.
Students and members see only the content relevant to them: their enrolled courses, upcoming assignments, announcements, and billing history. They do not have access to the Admin Dashboard or any platform-wide settings.
Your role is assigned by an administrator. If you believe your access level is incorrect, contact your institution's admin.
## Role-based access at a glance
| Capability | Admin | Teacher | Student | Member |
| --------------------------- | ----- | ----------------- | ------- | ------ |
| Access Admin Dashboard | Yes | No | No | No |
| Create and manage users | Yes | No | No | No |
| Create and manage courses | Yes | Yes (own courses) | No | No |
| View and submit assignments | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| View billing history | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Post announcements | Yes | Yes | No | No |
## Next steps
Once you are familiar with the dashboard, set up the core parts of your institution.
Create academic years, terms, and events.
Create instructor and student accounts.
Build courses and assign them to instructors.
Connect Stripe to collect tuition and fees.