Onboarding Wizard

The Onboarding Wizard guides you through everything needed to set up a new client in Kraal. It walks you through a multi-step flow — from basic client details to connecting data sources and activating features — so your client is ready to work with from day one.

Accessing the Wizard

The onboarding wizard launches automatically when you create a new client. You can also access it at any time from Settings > Clients, then selecting the client you want to configure.

The Setup Flow

Step 1: Organization Setup

Confirm your organization details and preferences. This includes your firm name, default settings, and any organization-wide configurations that apply to new clients. If you have already completed this step for a previous client, your settings carry forward.

Step 2: Client Creation

Enter the basic information for your new client:

• Client name — the display name used throughout Kraal
• Accounting backend — choose ERPNext, QuickBooks, or None depending on the client's needs
• Client description — optional notes to help your team identify this client

Your choice of accounting backend determines which features and integrations are available in later steps.

Step 3: Connect Data Sources

Link the external accounts and platforms this client uses:

• Bank feeds via Plaid — connect to over 12,000 financial institutions for automatic transaction imports
• QuickBooks — optionally connect an existing QuickBooks account to migrate historical data into Kraal
• E-commerce platforms — optionally connect Shopify, Amazon, or other sales channels for revenue tracking

You can skip any connection and add it later from the client's settings.

Step 4: Initial Data Import

Bring in the foundational accounting data:

• Chart of accounts — start from a template, use the AI builder to generate one based on the client's industry, or sync directly from ERPNext
• Opening balances — enter or import starting balances so reporting is accurate from the beginning
• Review imported data — verify that accounts, balances, and categories look correct before proceeding

Take time on this step. Accurate starting data makes everything downstream — reconciliation, reporting, close — much smoother.

Step 5: Feature Activation

Enable the features relevant to this client:

• Inventory management — for clients with physical goods
• Automated close — enable period-end close checklists and automation
• AI auto-post — let the AI automatically post routine transactions that meet your confidence thresholds
• Initial preferences — configure default categories, approval workflows, and notification settings

You can adjust all of these settings later as the client's needs evolve.

After Onboarding

Once you complete the wizard:

• The client appears in your client list and is ready to use
• The Workspace populates with Next Actions based on the imported data and connected sources
• You can begin processing transactions, reconciling accounts, and running reports immediately

Re-Running Steps

Need to change something? You can revisit any onboarding step from the client's detail page in Settings > Clients > select client. Each step can be re-run independently without affecting the others.

Setup Doctor

Setup Doctor is a built-in diagnostic tool that checks your client configuration for completeness. It scans for:

• Missing bank feed connections
• Incomplete chart of accounts
• Unset preferences or disabled features that are typically needed
• Data import gaps

Run Setup Doctor at any time from the client's settings page to make sure nothing was missed during onboarding. It provides clear, actionable recommendations for each flagged item.