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Getting started

Get set up in 10 minutes.

A first-day walkthrough of ClientDeck: create your account, set up your business, add a client, send an invoice, and share a client portal. Each step takes a minute or two and links to the full guide.

Updated

On this page
  1. 01Create your account (1 minute)
  2. 02Set up your business (2 minutes)
  3. 03Add your first client (1 minute)
  4. 04Start a project or a proposal (2 minutes)
  5. 05Send your first invoice (2 minutes)
  6. 06Share the client portal (2 minutes)

01

Create your account (1 minute)

ClientDeck starts on the Free plan, which never expires and needs no credit card. You can upgrade later from Settings.

  1. Go to app.clientdeck.pro and choose Sign Up.
  2. Enter your email and a password of at least 8 characters, or use Continue with Google.
  3. If you signed up with email, open the confirmation link we send you. Check your spam folder if it has not arrived.
  4. On your first sign-in a 60-second tour shows where everything lives. You can replay it any time from Restart Tour in Settings.

02

Set up your business (2 minutes)

Your business details and branding appear on invoices, proposals, reports, and client portals, so set them before you send anything to a client.

  1. Open Settings and select the Business tab.
  2. Enter your company name, choose your default currency, and set a default hourly rate if you bill by time. Click Save Business.
  3. Select the Branding tab, upload your agency logo, and pick a primary color. Click Save Branding.

03

Add your first client (1 minute)

Every project, invoice, proposal, and portal belongs to a client, so the client record comes first.

  1. Open the Clients tab and click Add Client.
  2. Enter the company name. It is the only required field.
  3. Add the contact name and email address. You need the email to send invoices and portal links.
  4. Click Save Client.

04

Start a project or a proposal (2 minutes)

Already agreed the work? Create a project. Still pitching? Send a proposal first, then convert it once the client accepts.

  1. For agreed work, open Projects, click New Project, enter a name, select the client, and click Save Project.
  2. To pitch first, open Proposals, start a new proposal for the client, and fill in the scope, deliverables, timeline, and value.
  3. When the client accepts a proposal, use Convert to Project or Convert to Invoice so you do not retype anything.

05

Send your first invoice (2 minutes)

Invoices can be sent as soon as a client exists. Online payment is optional and needs a connected payment gateway.

  1. Open Invoices and create a new invoice.
  2. Select the client, add line items, and confirm the due date.
  3. Click Save as Draft to finish later, or Send Invoice to email it to the client.
  4. To let clients pay online, connect Stripe, PayPal, or Razorpay from Settings → Integrations. Payment gateways are included on the Plus and Pro plans.

06

Share the client portal (2 minutes)

The portal is one branded link where your client sees their projects, invoices, proposals, reports, and files. Clients do not need an account.

  1. Open Client Portals and click Generate New Link.
  2. Choose the client under Assign to Client and click Generate Link.
  3. Click Email Portal Link to send it now, or Skip, I'll share it manually and copy the link later.
  4. Use Enter Preview Mode to see exactly what your client will see.

Notes

That is the core loop: client, work, invoice, portal. When you are ready, add time tracking, recurring invoices, and team members from their guides.

Stuck on a step? The troubleshooting guide covers the most common problems and how to fix them.

Related guides

Workspace settingsConfigure profile, business details, branding, team, notifications, integrations, billing, and security.ClientsBuild the client directory and use the client detail page for projects, files, and invoices.Invoice workflowCreate invoices, record payments, collect online, and sync accounting data.Client portalsShare branded client portals with files, reports, invoices, proposals, updates, and a discussion.

Further reading on the blog

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