# Create your owner account and business > The first time you open your Crewtavo, you create the owner account, name your business, pick your trade, connect Railway and set up your web address. The first time anyone opens your Crewtavo's address, it asks for the owner account, then for your business. It takes about two minutes. :::caution[Do this before you share the address] Until the owner account exists, whoever opens the address first gets to create it. Create yours right after the setup finishes. ::: ## 1. Create the owner account On **Welcome to Crewtavo**, enter your name, your email and a password of at least 8 characters, then choose **Create owner account**. This is the account you'll sign in with. The owner can do everything, including making other people owners. ## 2. Save your key file Next comes **Save your key file**. Until email is set up, Crewtavo can't send you a password reset link, so this file is how you get back in if you forget your password. 1. Choose **Download key file** and keep it somewhere safe, like your password manager or a folder you back up. If you'd rather keep paper, open **Rather keep it on paper? See the keys** and choose **Print the keys**. 2. Tick **I saved my key file somewhere safe**, then choose **Continue**. Each key in the file works once. Anyone who has the file can get into your account (it has your email in it), so don't share it. Once email is connected, **Forgot password** sends you a link instead. See [Sign in, reset a password and get back in](https://crewtavo.com/docs/team/sign-in/). ## 3. Set up your business On **Set up your business**: 1. Type your **Business name**, the way clients should see it. 2. Choose your **Time zone** and **Currency**. 3. Choose your **Trade**. It fills in a starter price list, checklists and forms for that kind of work. **Paving & Sitework** also installs the Paving app, and **Roofing & Exteriors** the Roofing app. See [Choose a trade preset](https://crewtavo.com/docs/getting-started/trade-presets/). 4. Agree to the Crewtavo Terms, then choose **Create business**. They say your business runs Crewtavo on its own accounts and is responsible for its data and its customers. ## 4. Connect Railway On **Connect Railway**, choose **Log in with Railway**. You're still signed in to Railway from the setup, so choose **Authorize** on Railway's screen. Crewtavo needs this: it's how it warns you before your Railway trial runs out, so your Crewtavo never stops by surprise. It also shows what Crewtavo costs in **Settings → Hosting**, and sets up your own domain for you. See [What Railway costs](https://crewtavo.com/docs/hosting/railway-costs/#see-it-in-crewtavo). If you can't right now, or someone else looks after your Railway account, choose **Ask me tomorrow**. Crewtavo asks again the next day, each day until Railway is connected. ## 5. Your web address Then Crewtavo offers your own web address: buy a new domain on Railway, or use one you already have, like `crm.yourbusiness.com`. See [Use your own domain](https://crewtavo.com/docs/hosting/own-domain/). You can skip this; **Settings → Web address** does the same thing any time. ## What to set up next Work through these when you have a few minutes. None of them has to be done on day one. - **Email.** So quotes, invoices and team invitations go out by email. See [Send email from Crewtavo](https://crewtavo.com/docs/connections/email/). - **Settings → People.** Invite your team and give each person a role. See [Invite your team and set roles](https://crewtavo.com/docs/getting-started/invite-your-team/). - **Settings → Company.** Your logo, address (used as the start of routes and in email footers), payment terms, tax rate and brand color. See [Set your business details, tax and defaults](https://crewtavo.com/docs/getting-started/company-settings/) and [Add your logo to quotes, invoices and emails](https://crewtavo.com/docs/getting-started/add-your-logo/). - **Settings → Schedule and routes.** How the schedule snaps when you drag, and whether crews' routes are organized automatically. See [Schedule visits and organize mowing routes](https://crewtavo.com/docs/jobs/schedule-and-routes/). - **Settings → Price list.** Change the starter prices to what you charge, and add what's missing, or import your own list. See [Set up your price list](https://crewtavo.com/docs/sales/price-list/). - **Clients.** Bring your client list over from a spreadsheet. See [Switching from Jobber](https://crewtavo.com/docs/getting-started/switch-from-jobber/). - **Settings → Crews and Checklists.** Group your people into crews and check the starter checklists. See [Set up crews and checklists](https://crewtavo.com/docs/jobs/crews-and-checklists/). - **Apps → Stripe.** To take card and bank payments. See [Take payments with Stripe](https://crewtavo.com/docs/connections/stripe/). - **Marketing → Reviews.** Paste your Google review link, so review requests point at it. See [Ask for Google reviews](https://crewtavo.com/docs/clients/reviews/). - **Marketing → Referrals.** Set the reward you offer for referrals, if any. - **Settings → Automations.** Most starter rules are on, like the past-due invoice reminder. Seven start off until you turn them on: **Remind clients the day before a visit**, **Text the client when the crew is on the way**, **Ask for a Google review after a job**, **Ask for a Google review on recurring work**, **Ask for referrals after a job**, **Re-engage past clients** and **Win back lost quotes**. Change their wording or timing, or add your own. See [Automate reminders and follow-ups](https://crewtavo.com/docs/clients/automations/). - **Finance → Overview.** An admin can set the yearly revenue goal and a target job margin. See [See your money and how the business is doing](https://crewtavo.com/docs/billing/finance-and-metrics/). Source: https://crewtavo.com/docs/getting-started/first-sign-in/ (last updated 2026-11-04)