🚀 Get Started in 6 Steps
Setting up AccountEdge for the first time? This guide walks you through the essential steps — from creating your company file to entering opening balances.
💡 You don’t need to finish everything at once. Most users can start working in AccountEdge after completing the first 4 steps and return later to fine-tune preferences and accounts.
🧭 Jump to a Step:
Open the software and understand the Welcome Window
Create your company file
Use the Easy Setup Assistant
Set up your preferences
Set a password for the Administrator user ID
Set up accounts and opening balances
1. 🖥️ Open the software and understand the Welcome Window
When you launch AccountEdge, you’ll see the Welcome Window. Here’s what you can do:
Open an existing company file (.myo file)
Create a new company file (if it’s your first time)
Browse to locate other files
Try a sample company to explore features
Access support tools via the Company File Maintenance section
🧠 Tip: Don’t close the window until you’ve created or opened a company file.
2. 📁 Create your company file
Go to “Create a company file” from the Welcome Window or menu. You’ll use the New Company File Assistant, which will guide you through:
What You’ll Set | Why It Matters |
Your current fiscal year | Defines the year you’ll start tracking transactions |
Last month of fiscal year | Usually December — used to set year-end processes |
Conversion month | First month of usable transaction entry |
# of accounting periods | Choose 12 or 13 (13 = cleaner year-end adjustments) |
Default accounts list | Use AccountEdge’s, import your own, or build from scratch |
3. ⚙️ Use the Easy Setup Assistant
After creating your file, the Easy Setup Assistant will launch. It helps you configure essential preferences across:
Customize
Accounts
Sales
Purchases
Payroll
You can choose to hide this assistant in the future after completing it once.
4. 🛠 Set up your preferences
Preferences let you tailor how AccountEdge works for your business. You can set them using either:
Easy Setup Assistant (for basic options)
Preferences Window (for full control under Setup > Preferences)
Common preferences include:
📝 Whether transactions can be changed or must be reversed
📌 Whether to use audit trail tracking
🌍 Whether to enable multi-currency support
⚠️ You can skip this for now, but reviewing preferences before entering real data is strongly recommended.
5. 🔐 Set a password for the Administrator user ID
By default, the Administrator user doesn’t have a password — anyone using it has full access to all features. You should:
Open your company file
Go to Setup > Preferences, then click the Security tab
Click User IDs, then select the Administrator
Create a strong password and click Record
Set access restrictions if needed
🛡️ This step is especially important in a team environment or office where others may have access to the company file.
6. 📚 Set up accounts and opening balances
Your Chart of Accounts groups all your transactions by category. You can:
Start with the default list from AccountEdge
Import a list from another file or system
Build your own from scratch
Each account includes:
A 5-digit number
A type (Asset, Liability, Equity, etc.)
Optional header and detail relationships
Once accounts are in place, you can enter opening balances for each one if you’re migrating from another system.
💬 If your accountant created your file, this may already be done for you.
🚧 Optional: Advanced Setup (Do This Later)
Once you’re up and running, you can explore these advanced features:
🔄 Set up sales and purchases
🧾 Configure payroll
🏦 Perform a bank reconciliation
📦 Track inventory and create items
🌐 Set up AccountEdge Connect or Web Store
🎯 You’re all set!
At this point, your company file is ready to go. You can start recording sales, managing expenses, and generating reports.
Need help?
Review AccountEdge University for more how-to information -
Contact our technical support team!