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This guide takes you from a brand-new account to your first estimate out the door. ShineCRM has a web dashboard and a mobile app backed by the same data. You create your account on the web, then sign in on either one.

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Create your account

Go to app.shinecx.com/signup in a desktop browser. You’ll enter:
  • Your name, email, and a password (at least 12 characters)
  • Your business name
  • Your workspace URL, the permanent web address for your customer portal (yourbusiness.shinecx.com). It’s suggested from your business name and cannot be changed later, so pick it deliberately.
Accounts are created on the web. The mobile app is sign-in only: install it, then log in with the account you just made. Your data is identical on both.

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Choose a plan

After signing up, choose Starter or inquire about Enterprise. Starter is C$39/month for Canadian businesses or US$29/month for US businesses, before applicable taxes. Confirm your business billing country and continue to secure Stripe Checkout to start the eligible 14-day Starter trial. Your subscription renews monthly afterward unless canceled. Manage subscriptions on the web; the mobile app links you there.

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Set up the essentials

Open Settings then Organization and fill in the basics that show up on everything you send:
1

Business details

Add your contact email, phone, address, website, and tax number. These appear on quotes, invoices, and your customer portal, and fill in your message templates automatically.
2

Logo and time zone

Upload your logo (a transparent PNG on a white background works best) and confirm your time zone. Your time zone controls when every automated message and reminder sends, so set it before you schedule anything.
3

A phone line (optional but recommended)

On Starter or higher, open Settings then Calls and claim a Canadian business number so texts and calls run through ShineCRM and land in your inbox.
4

Payments (optional)

Under Settings then Payments, connect Stripe to take online payments. Eligible accounts, including the current Starter trial, can also connect Square for in-person Tap to Pay. See Payments setup. Payouts go to your own bank.

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Add your first contact

A contact is a customer.
Open Contacts in the sidebar and click New contact. Enter their name, phone, email, and service address.

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Send your first estimate

From a contact, create an estimate, add your services, and send it.
On the contact’s page, click New and choose Estimate. Add line items from your services, set frequencies if the work repeats, then click Send to deliver it by email, text, or both.
Your customer opens a link to their portal page, where they can review the estimate, pick options, and accept it. When they accept, you can turn the estimate into a scheduled job, and later into an invoice.

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What’s next

You now have the loop: contact, estimate, job, invoice, payment. The rest of the guides go deeper on each piece. A good order from here:
  • Build out your services so estimates come together in seconds
  • Set up jobs and your calendar to schedule the work
  • Connect payments and learn the invoice flow to get paid
  • Invite your team and set their roles
Use the navigation on the left to jump to any of these.