This page covers the first time you open SolaCount for an organization: how you get in, what the startup screen means, why setup comes first, and the first tasks to do once setup is finished.
Where to find it
- Solavel Portal → your organization → SolaCount. Solavel signs you in automatically.
- Or go directly to solacount.com. If you are not signed in, you are sent to Solavel to sign in (email and password, or Google sign-in), then returned.
There is no separate SolaCount account. To use it, you need a Solavel account, a membership in an organization that has SolaCount enabled, and SolaCount access assigned to you by the organization owner.
Step 1: Sign in and open SolaCount
- Sign in at solavel.com.
- In the Portal, choose the organization you want to work in.
- Open SolaCount.
The startup screen
While the app loads, you see a blue SolaCount logo animation with Finance & Accounting and the message Opening your accounting workspace. It closes as soon as the workspace is ready.
If something goes wrong, the message changes and a Reload workspace button appears:
| Message | What to do |
|---|---|
| Unable to load your workspace. Check your connection and try again. | Check your internet connection, then click Reload workspace. |
| Application files could not be loaded. Reload the workspace. | Click Reload workspace. This usually follows an app update. |
| The application could not start. Reload the workspace. | Click Reload workspace. If it repeats, report it. |
| Workspace startup took longer than expected. Try reloading. | Click Reload workspace. |
JavaScript must be enabled ("Please enable JavaScript to use your workspace.").
Step 2: Check you are in the right organization
The organization name appears in the top bar. Each organization has completely separate books. To switch, open the profile menu at the top right, then Your organizations, and pick another one. To create a new organization, use the Portal (Create organization in the same menu opens it).
Step 3: Finish setup (first time only)
A new organization has no country, base currency, taxes or chart of accounts yet. Until setup is finished:
- The rail shows only Settings.
- The panel shows a notice: "Finish setup to start using Finance" with "Complete the remaining setup steps for Your Organization so invoicing, tax setup, accounts, and finance workflows are ready to use." and "When setup is complete, the full finance app navigation becomes available."
- The panel offers Finish Setup (and Organizations for owners).
- Quick Add, calendar, contacts and notifications are hidden, and SolaAI is not shown.
Click Finish Setup to open the setup wizard. It has four steps: Organization, Tax & Controls, Tax Codes, Accounts & Numbering. It ends with Provision & Finish.
Who can do it: only users with the setup permission. By default that is the Owner only. Anyone else who tries to save a step sees: "Finance setup can only be completed by the organization owner or a member with setup permission. Ask the owner to finish setup."
When setup finishes, SolaCount reloads into the Dashboard with the full navigation. It also prepares the default SolaStock and SolaProjects connections where your plans include them.
Step 4: Learn the layout
- Icon rail (left): Dashboard, Accounts, Inventory, Sales, Purchases, Payments, Journal Entries, SolaProjects, Reports, Documents, Settings. Which icons you see depends on your role and plan.
- Panel: the links of the selected rail area.
- Top bar: the organization switcher, global search ("Search pages, reports, invoices, bills..."), Quick Add, contacts, calendar, language, notifications, report an issue, light/dark theme and the account menu (it also lists your other Solavel apps, which open in a new tab). On a phone or tablet the rail and panel open from the menu button and some buttons sit under a ⋯ menu. Details: Top bar, search, favorites and the account menu.
- SolaAI: bottom of the rail.
For the full menu, see SolaCount overview.
Step 5: Do your first tasks
Work through these in order. Each links to its own page.
| # | Task | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Check organization details, document language, payment terms and logo | Settings → General Settings; identity is edited in the Portal |
| 2 | Review the chart of accounts the wizard created; add accounts you need | Accounts → Chart of Accounts (guide) |
| 3 | Add bank and cash accounts | Accounts → Bank Accounts / Cash accounts (Banking) |
| 4 | Check tax codes (UAE: VAT Standard 5%, Zero Rated, Exempt, Reverse Charge, Out of Scope) | Settings → Taxes (Taxes & VAT) |
| 5 | Check numbering prefixes before your first invoice | Settings → Numbering Sequences (Settings) |
| 6 | Bring in existing data: customers, suppliers, items, balances | Data Migration Center or Opening balances |
| 7 | Pick an invoice design | Settings → PDF Templates (PDF templates) |
| 8 | Invite your team | Portal → Team (Team) |
| 9 | Create and post your first invoice | Sales → Invoices → New invoice (Invoices) |
For a step-by-step walkthrough with a worked example, see Set up bookkeeping in SolaCount.
Roles at a glance
| Role | Typical use |
|---|---|
| Owner | Runs setup, settings and permissions. Full access. |
| Manager | Runs daily operations. No setup, user or core-settings changes. |
| Member (Accountant) | Enters and posts transactions, reconciles, runs reports. |
| Approver | Approves items routed by approval workflows. |
| Viewer | Read-only. |
| Sales | Prepares customers, quotes, orders, invoices and receipts. Posting and payments belong to someone else. |
| Purchasing | Prepares suppliers, purchase orders and bills. Posting, payment and receiving belong to someone else. |
A person can have more than one role. See Roles and permissions.
If a button or menu item is missing, it is either not in your plan (check Settings → Plan & Features) or not allowed for your role (ask your organization owner).
If your paid plan has expired
SolaCount keeps working on the free tier. The dashboard shows "SolaCount is running on the free tier — paid features are locked. Renew to restore full access." with Renew plan. Nothing is deleted.
Getting help
- SolaAI (bottom of the rail) answers from the Solavel documentation. See SolaAI.
- Help in the profile menu opens the Solavel help centre.
- Report an issue in the top bar sends a problem report with the page you were on.
Common problems
- "Every page sends me to setup." Setup isn't finished. Ask the owner to complete all four steps and click Provision & Finish.
- "403 – access denied" when opening SolaCount. You are not an active member of the organization, SolaCount isn't enabled for it, or SolaCount isn't assigned to you. Ask the owner to check Team in the Portal.
- "I see the wrong company's data." Switch organization from the profile menu.