First-Day Setup Checklist

If you're staring at a folder full of spreadsheets right now wondering where on earth to even click first, you're exactly where every single Money Mastery user has stood before you. Nobody opens this system already knowing where things live. That's not a gap in you — it's just day one. Today isn't about mastering anything. It's about clicking one button, filling in one welcome screen, and letting the system walk you the rest of the way.

Before You Begin

Confirm you're signed into the same Google account you used to purchase Money Mastery. If you have more than one Google account, this is the moment that trips people up most — double-check now rather than troubleshooting later.

Have your welcome email open in another tab — it contains your access key, and you'll need it in a few minutes. If you purchased both Personal and Business, plan to run through this entire checklist twice. They don't share a registration — each one gets its own access key and its own welcome flow.

Step-by-Step

1. Open Your Shared Money Mastery Folder

   Go to Google Drive and find your shared Money Mastery folder — it should already be sitting in your "Shared with me" section, or in the location linked from your welcome email. Inside, you'll see your core files: your Personal system, your Business system (if purchased), Cash Tracking Tools, Net Worth Center, and Debt Dashboard. You don't need to open any of them fully yet. Just confirm they're there.

   

2. Save This Folder Somewhere You'll Actually Find It Again

   Star the folder in Google Drive, or drag it into your "Favorites" or "Priority" section. This single click saves you from ever having to search your inbox for "that Money Mastery link" again.

3. Create a Download Folder on Your Computer

   Before you touch a single bank login, create one folder on your desktop or documents called something like Money Mastery Downloads. Every CSV or PDF you pull from a bank or credit card will land here first. This one habit is the difference between a smooth monthly routine and a messy Downloads folder full of files named statement (14).csv.

4. Bookmark the Essentials

   In your browser, create bookmarks for your Money Mastery folder, your Personal sheet, your Business sheet, and the login pages for the banks and cards you use most. Group them together in one bookmarks folder so your entire financial world lives in one click.

   

5. Click START HERE to Begin

   Open your Personal or Business Money Mastery file and go to the START HERE tab — it's the very first tab at the bottom of the sheet, and it's the only tab you'll be able to see until you register. On that tab, you'll see a START HERE button. Click it.

   The first time you click it, Google will step in with a permissions request before the welcome window opens — that's expected. We walk you through exactly what to click in Authorize Permissions Safely.

6. Complete Your Welcome Registration

   Once permissions are granted, a "Welcome to Money Mastery" window opens right over your sheet. It asks for:

   • Your Access Key from your welcome email (looks like MM-ABC123)
   • Your First and Last Name
   • A PIN of 4–6 digits you'll remember

   Click Create My Account. If anything's off, the window tells you gently and lets you fix it on the spot. Nothing breaks.

7. Take the Quick Welcome Tour

   After your account is created, the window walks you through a short three-part tour: Quick Start Guide → You're All Set! → How It All Works. When you reach the end and click I'm Ready — Let's Go!, the welcome window closes and your Dashboard opens automatically.

   

8. Confirm You Have Access

   You'll know registration took hold when your Dashboard opens on its own and your tabs are no longer hidden behind START HERE. Open the system once more from your bookmark to be sure the door opens on the first try, every time.

9. Bring In Your First Transactions

   This is where day-one setup ends and your actual Money Mastery routine begins. Your next stop is the Account Upload Flow — where your first CSV or PDF gets read by AI, laid out for review, and turned into real transactions inside your system.

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Before You Move On