After creating your Begin account, you need to configure a few key settings before your team can start tracking time. This article walks you through the essential first-time setup steps.
Step 1 — Set your company contacts
Click your account name at the bottom of the sidebar and select Settings. Then go to Company Contacts. Fill in:
Company name — your organization's legal or display name
Invoice email — where billing invoices will be sent
Contact person name, phone, and email — for account-related communications
Click Save changes when done.
Step 2 — Create your company structure
Go to Organization in the left sidebar. Begin uses a two-level hierarchy:
Locations — your physical offices, sites, or branches
Departments — teams or units within each location
Click Add location to create your first location, then use the Add department action on that location to create departments within it.
Step 3 — Configure overtime and working time rules
Go to Settings → Overtime calculation. Set your standard working day length, overtime calculation period, and any evening, night, or weekend hour multipliers. These rules determine how Begin calculates overtime and special hours.
Step 4 — Set up time tracking methods
Decide how employees will register their working time. Begin supports multiple methods:
Mobile app — configure in Settings → Mobile app
Biometric devices (fingerprint/face readers) — configure in Settings → Biometric terminal
Tablet terminal — configure in Settings → Tablet
Phone call (IVR) — available if your plan includes this feature
Self-service web entry — available through the web portal
Step 5 — Add employees
Go to Employees in the left sidebar and click Add employee. You can also import employees in bulk via CSV. Each employee needs at minimum a first name and last name. Email, department, and other fields are optional but recommended for full functionality.
What to do next
Once employees are added and settings are configured, your team can start tracking time. See the Quick Start by Role articles for role-specific guides.