brotherton-erpnext/docs/docs.user.setup.first.md

---
{
	"_label": "Initial Setup"
}
---
After a successful sign-up / installation of ERPNext, on your first sign-in, you will be shown a form to fill.

![First Screen](img/setup-first-screen.png)

This form will create your first **Company** and **Fiscal Year** (accounting or financial year) record. You can create other Companies later.

Some definitions:

- Fiscal Year: is your financial year, the fiscal year usually starts on 1st Jan or 1st March for most regions. If you are not sure, consult an accountant.
- Abbreviation: In a multi-company setup, the abbreviation is appended to each account, so keep it small (2-4) characters and all caps.

This will also set the default **Currency** and time zone for your account. Once you complete this, your first **Company** and **Chart of Accounts** will be created.

Congrats! You are already on your way.

The next step is to configure your Chart of Accounts or start adding users and setting their permissions.