Quick Start Guide

This guide walks you through setting up UniAsset from scratch. Follow these 5 steps to go from zero to fully operational in approximately 15 minutes.

Before You Begin

What you'll need:

• Your organization details (name, address)
• List of asset categories you want to track (e.g., Laptops, Furniture, Vehicles)
• Location/site names (e.g., HQ - Floor 1, Warehouse A)
• Department names (e.g., IT, Operations, Finance)
• (Optional) CSV file with existing asset inventory

Time required: 15-20 minutes

Step 1: Complete Organization Profile (3 min)

Your organization profile sets the foundation for all asset tracking.

Navigate to Settings

1. Log in to your UniAsset account
2. Click Settings in the left sidebar
3. Select Organization tab

Fill in Organization Details

Required fields:

• Organization Name: Your company/entity name (e.g., "Acme Manufacturing")
• Industry: Select from dropdown (IT, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Education, Nonprofit, etc.)
• Time Zone: Choose your primary operating time zone
• Currency: Select default currency for cost tracking (USD, EUR, GBP, etc.)

Optional but recommended:

• Address: Physical headquarters address
• Phone: Main contact number
• Website: Company website URL
• Logo: Upload company logo (displayed on reports and exports)

Save Changes

Click Save Organization Settings at the bottom of the page.

💡 TIP: If you're a registered nonprofit, scroll down to "Free Access Request" section and apply for free Growth plan features. You'll need to provide proof of 501(c)(3) status or equivalent.

Step 2: Create Categories, Locations, and Departments (5 min)

These organizational structures help you classify and find assets quickly.

Create Asset Categories

Categories group similar assets (e.g., all laptops, all vehicles).

Navigate: Dashboard → Settings → Categories

Recommended starter categories:

1. Computers & IT (laptops, desktops, monitors, servers)
2. Furniture (desks, chairs, cabinets, tables)
3. Vehicles (cars, trucks, forklifts)
4. Tools & Equipment (drills, saws, test equipment)
5. Office Equipment (printers, copiers, phones)

To create a category:

1. Click + New Category button
2. Enter Category Name (e.g., "Laptops")
3. (Optional) Add Description (e.g., "All company-issued laptops and notebooks")
4. Click Create Category

💡 TIP: Start with 3-5 broad categories. You can always add more later. Avoid creating too many categories upfront—it makes selection tedious.

Create Locations

Locations represent physical sites where assets are stored or deployed.

Navigate: Dashboard → Settings → Locations

Example location hierarchy:

🏢 Headquarters
  └─ Floor 1 - Reception
  └─ Floor 1 - IT Department
  └─ Floor 2 - Operations
  └─ Warehouse

🏭 Manufacturing Plant
  └─ Production Floor A
  └─ Production Floor B
  └─ Maintenance Shop

To create a location:

1. Click + New Location button
2. Enter Location Name (e.g., "HQ - Floor 1")
3. (Optional) Add Address if different from HQ
4. Click Create Location

💡 TIP: Use clear, descriptive names like "HQ - Floor 2 - Engineering" instead of vague names like "Room 203". This makes searching easier.

Create Departments

Departments represent organizational units (useful for cost allocation and access control).

Navigate: Dashboard → Settings → Departments

Common departments:

• IT
• Operations
• Finance
• Human Resources
• Facilities
• Marketing

To create a department:

1. Click + New Department button
2. Enter Department Name (e.g., "IT Department")
3. Click Create Department

Summary: What You Just Created

At this point, you should have:

• ✅ 3-5 asset categories
• ✅ 2-5 locations
• ✅ 2-5 departments

These will appear in dropdown menus when creating assets.

Step 3: Add Your First Asset (4 min)

Now let's create your first asset to understand the data model.

Navigate to Create Asset

1. Go to Dashboard (home screen)
2. Click + New Asset button in the top-right corner

Fill in Asset Details

Basic Information (required):

Cost Information (optional but recommended):

Assignment & Location (optional):

Additional Details (optional):

• Manufacturer: Dell
• Model: Latitude 5520
• Notes: Purchased for remote work program; includes extended warranty

Upload Documents & Images (optional)

1. Scroll to Documents section
2. Click Upload Document to attach warranties, invoices, manuals
3. Click Upload Image to add photos of the asset

Supported formats: PDF, JPG, PNG, DOCX (max 10MB per file)

Save the Asset

Click Create Asset button at the bottom.

✅ SUCCESS: You'll be redirected to the asset detail page. You should see all the information you just entered, plus a unique Asset ID assigned automatically (e.g., #AST-00001).

Step 4: Import Bulk Assets (Optional - 5 min)

If you have existing inventory in a spreadsheet, import it via CSV instead of manual entry.

Download CSV Template

1. Navigate to Dashboard → Import/Export
2. Click Download CSV Template button
3. Open the template in Excel/Google Sheets

Fill in the Template

The CSV template has these columns:

Important rules:

• Categories, locations, and departments must already exist in UniAsset (create them first in Settings)
• Dates must be in YYYY-MM-DD format (e.g., 2023-06-15)
• assignedTo must be user's email address (user must exist)
• status values: Active, In Maintenance, Damaged, Disposed (case-sensitive)

Upload the CSV

1. Save your filled CSV file
2. Go to Dashboard → Import/Export
3. Click Upload CSV button
4. Select your file
5. Click Import Assets

UniAsset will:

• ✅ Validate all data (check if categories/locations exist, dates are valid, etc.)
• ✅ Show preview with any errors highlighted
• ✅ Ask for confirmation before creating assets

If validation passes, click Confirm Import. Assets will be created in bulk.

💡 TIP: Import 10-20 assets first to test the process. Once you're confident, import your full inventory. If import fails, you'll get detailed error messages pointing to the problematic rows.

See: CSV Import Guide for detailed troubleshooting.

Step 5: Invite Team Members (3 min)

Add users so your team can collaborate on asset management.

Navigate to User Management

1. Go to Settings → Users
2. Click + Invite User button

Enter User Details

Required fields:

• Email Address: User's work email (they'll receive an invitation)
• Role: Select appropriate permission level

Role options:

⚠️ WARNING: Owner and Admin roles can delete assets and change critical settings. Assign sparingly. Most users should be Managers or Viewers.

Send Invitation

1. Click Send Invitation button
2. User receives email with subject "You've been invited to UniAsset"
3. They click the link, set a password, and log in

Verify Access

After user logs in:

1. Go to Settings → Users
2. Confirm their status shows "Active" (not "Pending")

💡 TIP: Check your plan limits. Free plan supports 1 user, Starter plan supports 3 users, Growth plan supports 10 users. Upgrade if you need more seats.

Step 6: Configure Notifications (2 min)

Set up alerts so you don't miss critical events.

Navigate to Notification Settings

1. Go to Settings → Notifications
2. Review default notification preferences

Recommended Settings for Beginners

Email Notifications (enabled by default):

• ✅ Maintenance task due in 7 days
• ✅ Maintenance task overdue
• ✅ Document expiry approaching (30 days)
• ✅ Asset assigned to you
• ✅ Weekly digest of overdue maintenance

In-App Notifications:

• ✅ All of the above (shown in notification bell icon)

Frequency:

• Daily digest at 9:00 AM
• Immediate alerts for overdue maintenance

Save Notification Preferences

Click Save Settings.

💡 TIP: You can mute specific notification types later if they become noisy. Start with defaults and adjust based on your workflow.

Checklist: Are You Ready?

Before you start daily operations, confirm you've completed these setup tasks:

• ✅ Organization profile filled in (name, time zone, currency)
• ✅ 3-5 asset categories created
• ✅ 2-5 locations created
• ✅ 2-5 departments created
• ✅ At least 1 asset created (manually or via CSV import)
• ✅ Team members invited (if applicable)
• ✅ Notification preferences configured

If all boxes are checked, you're ready to use UniAsset!

What Happens Next?

Now that setup is complete, here's how to use UniAsset day-to-day:

Daily Operations

• Add new assets when they're acquired
• Log maintenance when repairs or servicing happen
• Assign/unassign assets as users join/leave or equipment moves
• Upload documents (warranties, invoices) as you receive them

Weekly Tasks

• Review dashboard alerts for overdue maintenance
• Check expiring warranties and plan renewals
• Approve maintenance requests from team members

Monthly Tasks

• Run TCO reports to identify high-cost assets
• Review asset status and archive disposed equipment
• Audit location assignments to ensure accuracy

Related Articles

• Creating Your First Asset — Field-by-field walkthrough
• Understanding the Dashboard — Navigate the UI
• Inviting Team Members — User management deep dive
• CSV Import Guide — Bulk import best practices
• Understanding Asset Lifecycle — Lifecycle phases explained

Need Help?

If you get stuck during setup:

1. Check the Troubleshooting section
2. Search the FAQs for common questions
3. Contact support at support@uniasset.app (we respond within 24 hours)

Happy asset tracking! 🎉