# Start Using CrewCost

This guide is designed to get you up and running with CrewCost as quickly as possible. Whether you are transitioning from a general accounting software or starting fresh, our goal is to help you bridge the gap between your field operations and your back-office financials.

To start using CrewCost: 

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### Create your account 

Start by setting up an account. \
As you set it up, you can:

* **Access every feature** with no restrictions, including job costing, budgeting, reporting, and dashboards.
* **Invite team members** to test workflows collaboratively.
* **Import sample data** to simulate real scenarios before committing.

This gives you a full view of how CrewCost can support your business.
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### Configure your settings

You can customize CrewCost to meet your specific business needs by configuring your settings. 

1. [Update business information](https://docs.crewcost.com/documentation/general-settings/update-your-business-info)\
   Add your company name, address, tax details, and display preferences so documents and reports reflect your brand.
2. [Manage payroll periods](https://docs.crewcost.com/documentation/payroll-and-employee-settings)\
   Define how often you run payroll (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly) to align labor costs with your reporting cycles.
3. [Set up your cost codes](https://docs.crewcost.com/documentation/work-breakdown-structure/manage-cost-codes-names)\
   Create or import cost codes that organize your project expenses into meaningful categories (e.g., labor, materials, subcontractors).
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### Add customers and products

You can add your customer database and your products or services.

1. [Add customers](#add-customers-and-products)\
   Build your customer database and attach contacts, billing information, and default terms for quicker job creation.
2. [Add products](https://docs.crewcost.com/documentation/daily-workflows/accounts-receivable/add-products)\
   Configure the labor types, materials, equipment, or service items you sell, including unit costs, markup rules, and descriptions.
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### Create a job

With your framework configured, you can now create a job in the **Job Center**.\
Each job serves as a complete financial container and includes:

* **Estimates**\
  Build detailed estimates using your cost codes and product catalog.
* **Contract**\
  Define the job agreement, fee structure, and payment terms.
* **Budget**\
  Establish planned labor, materials, subcontractor costs, and margins.
* **Change orders**\
  Track all scope adjustments and their financial impact.
* **Transactions**\
  Capture time entries, vendor invoices, material costs, and payments in one place.

Jobs are the central hub for tracking both operational and financial activity.
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### Monitor project financials 

Once your job is running, use the dashboard to track performance in real time.\
You can monitor:

* **Budget vs. actuals** to identify variances early and course-correct.
* **Cash flow** to understand incoming payments vs. outgoing costs.
* **Estimated profit and margin** based on live cost accumulation.
* **Labor productivity** metrics.

This visibility helps keep projects on schedule and financially healthy.
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### Monitor company health 

All job-level activity rolls up into the **Company Dashboard**, giving leadership a high-level view of overall performance.\
You can quickly review:

* **Company-wide profitability** based on all active and completed jobs.
* **Cash position trends** to support operational and financial planning.
* **Job distribution and performance** to identify which types of work generate the best returns.
* **Labor cost trends** to evaluate staffing efficiency.

This consolidated view helps you make strategic decisions backed by data.
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With your initial setup complete, you are ready to explore  help you manage jobs with confidence and clarity.

### See also

Keep exploring our platform by taking the next step:

* [Dashboard Overview](https://docs.crewcost.com/documentation/getting-started/dashboard-overview): Learn how to read the , focusing on cash flow and profitability.
* [Core Concepts Glossary](https://docs.crewcost.com/documentation/getting-started/core-concepts-glossary): Learn the defining key accounting and construction-specific terminology used throughout the platform.