> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://dronelist.io/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Getting Started

> Set up your dronelist.io account, organization, and core workflows in minutes

# Getting Started

dronelist.io is built to run your drone business end-to-end. This guide walks you through initial setup and shows how the platform's features connect into a single workflow.

## Initial setup

Follow these steps to go from sign-up to fully operational:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create your account">
    Register at [app.dronelist.io](https://app.dronelist.io/register) using email or Google sign-in. Complete your professional profile with your name, qualifications, and contact details.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set up your organization">
    Your organization is the central hub for everything — team members, services, projects, and finances. Give it a name and configure your business details under **Settings > Organization**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Invite your team">
    Go to **Team** and invite colleagues by email. Assign roles to control what each person can access:

    | Role       | Access level                                         |
    | ---------- | ---------------------------------------------------- |
    | **Owner**  | Full access, billing, and account management         |
    | **Admin**  | Manage team, services, and all operational data      |
    | **Member** | Work on projects, log flights, manage assigned tasks |
    | **Viewer** | Read-only access to dashboards and reports           |

    Solo operators can skip this step — the platform works just as well for one-person operations.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Define your services">
    Navigate to **Services** and build your service catalog. Define what you offer, set pricing models, and create tiers for each service. See [Services & Pricing](/docs/features/services-and-pricing) for the full guide.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add your equipment">
    Go to **Fleet** and register your drones, cameras, and accessories. Tracking equipment lets you log flights, monitor maintenance, and include equipment fees in proposals. See [Fleet Management](/docs/features/fleet) for details.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Connect Stripe">
    Under **Settings > Payments**, connect your Stripe account to accept online payments through invoices. This enables one-click payment links for your clients.
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## How it all connects

The core business workflow in dronelist.io follows a natural progression from lead to revenue:

```
CRM → Proposals → Projects → Invoicing
```

| Stage                                | What happens                                                                                                                    |
| ------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **[CRM](/docs/features/crm)**             | A new lead comes in. You create an account, log interactions, and track the deal through your pipeline.                         |
| **[Proposals](/docs/features/proposals)** | When a deal is ready, generate a proposal with line items pulled from your service catalog. Send it to the client for approval. |
| **[Projects](/docs/features/projects)**   | Once accepted, the proposal becomes a project. Assign team members, schedule missions, and track deliverables.                  |
| **[Invoicing](/docs/features/invoicing)** | When work is complete, generate an invoice from the project. Send it with a Stripe payment link for fast collection.            |

Every step feeds data forward — deal values inform proposals, proposal line items populate projects, and project costs flow into invoices and [Profitability](/docs/features/profitability) tracking.

***

## Platform features

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="CRM" icon="address-book" href="/docs/features/crm">
    Track accounts, contacts, and deals. Manage your sales pipeline with Kanban boards and activity logging.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Proposals" icon="file-lines" href="/docs/features/proposals">
    Build professional proposals with dynamic pricing from your service catalog. Send to clients and track acceptance.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Projects" icon="folder" href="/docs/features/projects">
    Plan and deliver drone operations. Assign team members, track milestones, and manage deliverables.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Fleet" icon="helicopter" href="/docs/features/fleet">
    Register equipment, log flights, track maintenance schedules, and monitor certifications.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Services & Pricing" icon="tags" href="/docs/features/services-and-pricing">
    Define your service catalog with tiered pricing. Configure margins, auto-modifiers, and team rate overrides.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Invoicing" icon="file-invoice-dollar" href="/docs/features/invoicing">
    Generate invoices from projects or standalone. Accept payments via Stripe with one-click payment links.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Expenses" icon="receipt" href="/docs/features/expenses">
    Track business expenses against projects. Categorize costs for accurate profitability analysis.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Profitability" icon="chart-line" href="/docs/features/profitability">
    See real margins on every project. Compare estimated vs. actual costs across your operations.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Client Portal" icon="users" href="/docs/features/client-portal">
    Share project updates, deliverables, and invoices with clients through secure links — no account required.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Team Management" icon="users-group" href="/docs/features/team-management">
    Manage team members, roles, credentials, insurance records, and availability across your organization.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Dashboard" icon="layout-dashboard" href="/docs/features/dashboard">
    At-a-glance view of your business — active projects, pipeline value, upcoming tasks, and key metrics.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Settings" icon="settings" href="/docs/features/settings">
    Configure organization details, payment integrations, notification preferences, and subscription plans.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

***

## Tips

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Start with your most common service">
    You don't need to define your entire catalog on day one. Start with the service you sell most often, set up its pricing tiers, and add more as you go.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Use templates to speed up service creation">
    When creating a new service, choose from built-in templates like Real Estate Photography, Roof Inspection, or Orthomosaic Mapping. Templates pre-fill base rates and time estimates.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Log equipment early for accurate profitability">
    The [Profitability](/docs/features/profitability) module factors in equipment depreciation. Adding your fleet early means your first project margins will already be accurate.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Connect Stripe before sending your first invoice">
    Invoices with payment links get paid faster. Set up Stripe under **Settings > Payments** so your first invoice includes a one-click payment option.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>