> ## 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.

# Quick Start

> Create your DeanDesk institution, set up your first school, and invite users in under 10 minutes.

<Info>
  This guide covers **institution-level** setup at `deandesk.com`. Once your school is created, all remaining configuration happens at the **school level** (`yourschool.deandesk.com`). See [Institutions & Schools](/getting-started/institutions-and-schools) for how these levels relate.
</Info>

This guide walks you through creating your institution, setting up your first school, and inviting your first users.

## Prerequisites

* An email address to register with
* Your institution's name and your school's preferred web address (e.g. `yourschool`)
* (Optional) Your logo file ready to upload

## Step 1: Create your institution

Your institution is the top-level account that manages everything. You create it at `deandesk.com`.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Sign up">
    Go to [deandesk.com/get-started](https://deandesk.com/get-started) and create your account. Enter your name, email address, and a password. This creates your **institution** and your **super admin identity**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Access the institution dashboard">
    After signing up, you land on your **institution dashboard** at `deandesk.com/dashboard`. This is your control center for managing schools, staff, and your DeanDesk subscription.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Step 2: Create your first school

From the institution dashboard, create the school where your students and teachers will interact.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Go to Schools">
    In the institution dashboard, click **Schools** (or **Platforms**).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose a template">
    Select the template that best matches your use case:

    | Template                     | Best for                                                                  |
    | ---------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
    | **School**                   | K-12 or higher education institutions with enrolled students and teachers |
    | **Course Creator**           | Independent instructors selling and delivering online courses             |
    | **Test Prep Academy**        | Academies focused on exam preparation and tracked practice                |
    | **Community / Organization** | General membership organizations, nonprofits, and communities             |

    You can fine-tune all settings after your school is created.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Name your school and choose a hostname">
    Enter your school's name and choose a hostname. Your school portal will be available at:

    ```
    https://yourschool.deandesk.com
    ```

    You can also configure a **custom domain** (e.g. `portal.yourschool.com`) on higher-tier plans.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set your branding">
    Upload your logo, choose a primary color, and pick a font theme. These control how your school portal looks to students and members. You can update them at any time from the school's Admin Dashboard.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create the school">
    Click **Create**. DeanDesk provisions your school instantly.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Step 3: Log in to your school

Navigate to `yourschool.deandesk.com` and log in. This is the **school portal** where you configure courses, users, admissions, and everything else covered in this documentation.

## Step 4: Invite your first users

Once your school is ready, add your team and students from the school's Admin Dashboard.

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Add instructors">
    1. Go to **Admin Dashboard → User Creation**
    2. Enter each instructor's first name, last name, and email address
    3. Assign the **Teacher** and **Member** roles
    4. Click **Send** — each instructor receives a welcome email with activation instructions

    <Tip>
      Use the CSV upload option to create multiple instructor accounts at once. Download the template, fill in the columns, and upload.
    </Tip>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Add students">
    1. Go to **Admin Dashboard → User Creation**
    2. Enter each student's name and email
    3. Assign the **Student** and **Member** roles
    4. (Optional) Assign students to their courses immediately on the same screen
    5. Click **Send** — students receive a welcome email

    <Tip>
      Personalize the welcome email by including `{{firstName}}` in the message body. DeanDesk automatically replaces it with each recipient's name.
    </Tip>
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Set up your calendar" icon="calendar" href="/setup/calendar">
    Define academic years, terms, and school events.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Create courses" icon="chalkboard-teacher" href="/setup/courses">
    Build your first course and assign it to an instructor.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Configure payments" icon="credit-card" href="/setup/payments">
    Connect Stripe and start collecting tuition or fees.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Explore the mobile app" icon="mobile" href="/mobile/overview">
    Learn how students access your platform on iOS and Android.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>