# Setup Guide

## Firm Setup

Get your firm account configured before onboarding clients.

* **Register your firm** — [Register for Kick](https://accountants.kick.co/start-here/set-up-your-firm/register-for-kick) to create the parent account that will house all your client workspaces.
* **Invite your team** — [Add team members](https://accountants.kick.co/start-here/set-up-your-firm/invite-your-team) and assign roles (Owner, Admin, Manager, Member) based on what each person needs to access.
* **Use your free workspace** — Test workflows in your [free firm workspace](https://accountants.kick.co/start-here/set-up-your-firm/free-firm-workspace) before going live — it's a full Plus-tier sandbox for prepping your own books, or demoing to prospects.

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## Client Onboarding

Set up each client's workspace, connect their data, and give them access.

* **Create the workspace** — [Create a client workspace](https://accountants.kick.co/start-here/add-your-first-client) and [add entities](https://accountants.kick.co/setting-up/multi-entity/adding-and-removing-entities) if they have multiple businesses — this keeps related companies organized and enables intercompany automations.
  * If your client is already on Kick, have them [invite your firm](https://accountants.kick.co/managing-clients/add-your-first-client/add-existing-kick-users-as-clients) instead. 
* **Migrate historical data** — Follow the [migration guide](https://accountants.kick.co/setting-up/migration) to migrate historical data for your clients.
* **Set up the Chart of Accounts** — If not already completed in migration, [import your Chart of Accounts](https://accountants.kick.co/setting-up/chart-of-accounts/import-your-chart-of-accounts) and verify opening balances against prior period financials.
* **Connect financial accounts** — [Connect accounts](https://accountants.kick.co/setting-up/integrations/connect-accounts) via Plaid or direct integration ([Stripe and PayPal](https://accountants.kick.co/setting-up/integrations/payment-processors), [Ramp](https://accountants.kick.co/setting-up/integrations/ramp), [Mercury](https://accountants.kick.co/setting-up/integrations/mercury), [Gusto](https://accountants.kick.co/setting-up/integrations/gusto)), or import data manually via the [Universal Importer](https://accountants.kick.co/setting-up/universal-importer). 
  * **Connect personal accounts too** — to capture business expenses that occurred in personal accounts, and to improve categorization accuracy for contributions and distributions ([read more](https://accountants.kick.co/bookkeeping-workflows/personal-to-business) about personal accounts in Kick).
* **Invite the client** — [Invite your client](https://accountants.kick.co/setting-up/invite-your-clients) with the **Member** role so locked periods are view-only.

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## Automation and Personalization

Reduce manual work and keep processes consistent across clients.

* **Rules** — Create [Rules](https://accountants.kick.co/bookkeeping-workflows/rules) to automate [categorization](https://accountants.kick.co/bookkeeping-workflows/categorization) and more — rules always override AI, so use them for client-specific patterns that reduce review time.
* **Classes** — Use [Classes](https://accountants.kick.co/bookkeeping-workflows/classes) to segment transactions by department, location, or project for granular reporting.
  * Using [Gusto](https://accountants.kick.co/setting-up/integrations/gusto) or [Ramp](https://accountants.kick.co/setting-up/integrations/ramp)? Departments you've created will automatically sync as Classes in Kick.
* **Collaborate** — Streamline communication with [Tasks](https://accountants.kick.co/close-workflows/tasks) for open item requests or confirmations, create [Memos](https://accountants.kick.co/collaboration/memos) for shared transaction context, apply [Locks](https://accountants.kick.co/close-workflows/locks) to protect closed periods, and view [Activity](https://accountants.kick.co/close-workflows/activity) for audit trails (who did what, and when).

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## Onboarding Checklist

* [ ] Register firm and invite team
* [ ] Create client workspace and add entities
* [ ] Migrate data (if applicable)
* [ ] Import Chart of Accounts (if not already completed in migration) and verify opening balances
* [ ] Connect all financial accounts (including personal) 
* [ ] Invite clients to Kick
* [ ] Set up automations
* [ ] Collaborate with your team