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Getting Started as a Business Owner

This guide explains the essential setup steps for business owners and helps you configure Fiskl to manage your finances efficiently from day one.

Why These Steps Matter​

As a business owner, your priority is running your business, not spending hours on bookkeeping. Completing these setup steps automates your financial workflows and gives you accurate, real-time visibility into your business performance.

What you'll accomplish:

  • Automate transaction imports from your bank accounts
  • Send professional invoices and accept payments online
  • Track expenses and income accurately
  • Generate tax-compliant financial reports
  • Get AI-powered insights from Fi, your financial assistant

Essential Setup Steps​

Complete these steps in order for the smoothest setup experience. Each step takes 5-10 minutes.

1. Connect Your Banking Accounts​

Banking connections automate transaction imports and eliminate manual data entry.

Supported banking providers:

  • Salt Edge - Connects to thousands of banks worldwide
  • Yodlee - Major banks in North America and Europe
  • Wio Bank - Direct integration for UAE businesses
  • Stripe - Automatically imports payment transactions

To connect your bank:

  1. Go to Banking > Connect Account
  2. Select your banking provider
  3. Follow the secure authentication process
  4. Select which accounts to connect

Your transactions will sync automatically within minutes.

tip

If you take payments through Stripe (either in Fiskl or externally), connect your Stripe account to automatically import payment data and reconcile against invoices.

Learn more: Connecting Your Bank

2. Set Up Invoicing​

Professional invoicing helps you get paid faster and maintains your brand consistency.

Key invoicing configuration:

Add Your Branding:

  1. Go to Settings > Invoicing
  2. Upload your company logo
  3. Select your brand colors
  4. Add custom footer text or payment instructions

Configure Payment Terms:

  1. Set your default payment terms (Net 30, Net 60, etc.)
  2. Add late payment fees if applicable
  3. Configure payment reminders

Connect Payment Gateways:

  • Stripe - Accept credit cards and digital wallets
  • PayPal - Offer PayPal payment option
  • Bank Transfer - Add your bank details for direct deposits

After connecting payment gateways, clients can pay invoices directly online.

Learn more: Your First Invoice

3. Complete Your Business Settings​

Accurate business information ensures your invoices, reports, and tax filings are correct.

Essential settings to configure:

Company Profile:

  1. Go to Settings > Company
  2. Enter your legal business name
  3. Add your business address
  4. Enter your business registration number

Accounting Settings:

  1. Go to Settings > Accounting
  2. Verify your base currency
  3. Set your fiscal year start date
  4. Select your accounting method (Cash or Accrual)

Learn more: Profile Settings

4. Configure Tax Settings​

Proper tax configuration ensures compliance and accurate reporting from day one.

Tax authority setup:

  1. Go to Settings > Taxes
  2. Enter your tax authority number (VAT, GST, Sales Tax, etc.)
  3. Verify your tax registration status
  4. Add tax nexus information if you operate in multiple jurisdictions

Configure tax rates:

Fiskl includes common tax rates for your region. Review and customize as needed:

  1. Select Tax Rates in the tax settings
  2. Review pre-configured rates
  3. Add custom rates for specific products or services
  4. Set default tax rates for sales and purchases

Tax exemptions:

If you sell tax-exempt products or services, configure exemptions:

  1. Go to Tax Settings > Exemptions
  2. Add exemption categories
  3. Assign exemptions to products or clients as needed
warning

Tax regulations vary by jurisdiction. Consult with your accountant or tax advisor to ensure your configuration complies with local requirements.

5. Review Your Chart of Accounts​

The Chart of Accounts is the foundation of your financial reporting. Fiskl provides a pre-configured chart based on your region and industry.

To review your accounts:

  1. Go to Accounting > Chart of Accounts
  2. Review the default account structure
  3. Add custom accounts for your specific business needs
  4. Archive unused accounts to keep your chart organized

Most businesses can use the default chart without modifications. You can always add accounts later as your business grows.

Learn more: Chart of Accounts

6. Invite Your Accountant​

Give your accountant secure access to your financial data for collaboration and year-end tax preparation.

To invite your accountant:

  1. Go to Settings > Team
  2. Select Invite User
  3. Enter your accountant's email address
  4. Select their access level (View Only or Full Access)
  5. Select Send Invitation

Your accountant receives an invitation email and can access your account immediately after accepting.

Learn more: Getting Started as an Accountant

Get Help from Fi, Your AI Assistant​

Fi is Fiskl's AI-powered financial assistant that helps you navigate setup and manage your finances.

What Fi can help you with:

  • Personalized setup recommendations based on your business
  • Step-by-step guidance for complex tasks
  • Quick answers to accounting questions
  • Insights from your financial data

To ask Fi for help:

  1. Select the Fi icon in the bottom right corner
  2. Type your question or describe what you need help with
  3. Follow Fi's recommendations

Fi learns from your business and provides increasingly personalized guidance over time.

What's Next?​

After completing these setup steps, you're ready to start using Fiskl daily:

Daily tasks:

  • Create and send invoices to clients
  • Record expenses and upload receipts
  • Review imported bank transactions
  • Categorize transactions

Weekly tasks:

  • Reconcile your bank accounts
  • Review outstanding invoices
  • Follow up on overdue payments

Monthly tasks:

  • Generate financial reports
  • Review your Profit & Loss statement
  • Prepare data for your accountant
tip

Use the Dashboard to get a quick overview of your business health. The Dashboard shows key metrics including revenue, expenses, outstanding invoices, and cash flow.

Need More Help?​

Import data from another system: Importing Data

Customize your workflow: Dashboard Navigation

Contact support: Get Support