Start Here: First 15 Minutes in iVaultx

This is the fastest path to being productive in IronClad Family. Follow the steps in order — don't skip the Sample Data step.

Step 1 (1 min): Confirm whether you're in Sample Data Mode

• Look at the top-left for a badge that says Sample Data Mode.
• If you see it, the clients and opportunities in your account are examples, not real data.

What to do next:

• Exploring? Keep sample data for now.
• Ready to onboard real clients? Clear sample data in Settings.

Step 2 (2 min): Open Help & Getting Started

• Top-right, click Help & Getting Started.
• This opens the guide linking to your key first actions (Clients, Opportunities, Settings, and scheduling onboarding).

Note: after you click Help once, the button becomes less prominent. That's expected — it's still available anytime.

Step 3 (3 min): Keep or clear Sample Data

If you're exploring: keep sample data and use the demo clients and opportunities to learn where things are.

If you're onboarding real clients now:

• Go to Settings → Sample Data Management
• Uncheck Display sample clients, opportunities and tasks for demonstration purposes
• Click Save

Step 4 (5 min): Add your first real client

• Go to Clients
• Click + Add Client
• Enter the client's information and save

Best practice: start with 2–3 existing clients you know will engage. Early wins matter. Full detail in Adding a New Client.

Step 5 (5 min): Open the client vault and see how it works

This is the step that makes everything else make sense — don't skip it, even with a demo client.

• Open a client and click Manage vaults
• Note how it's built: records (an account, a policy, an ID) live in categories with structured fields, and vaults are what deliver those records to people
• Create one record — a financial account is a good first one — then use the Assign to vault picker at the bottom of the form to place it in a vault

Step 6 (3 min): Add your first revenue opportunity

• Go to Opportunities
• Click + Add Opportunity
• Add a clear title, link it to the client, and enter an estimated value

Best practice: pick one definition of “value” and use it consistently — a planning or engagement fee, a drafting fee, expected commission, or annual recurring revenue, whichever fits how you're paid.

The strongest opportunities come straight from what a client records: a beneficiary that conflicts with the will, or a coverage gap like a missing directive or unnamed guardian. Both are real planning needs regardless of how you charge — see Hot Revenue Opportunities.

Step 7 (1 min): Schedule your onboarding meeting (recommended)

• Open Help & Getting Started
• Click Schedule Onboarding Meeting to book time with the team

Common issues

• I don't see Help & Getting Started: it may be disabled in Settings → Help & Onboarding.
• The welcome guide no longer appears on startup: you likely checked “Don't show this on startup.” Re-enable it in Settings.
• The Sample Data badge disappeared: sample data has been cleared (expected).

Next Articles

• Managing Client Vaults (Advisor Guide)
• Client Progress: Week, Progress %, Status, and When to Intervene
• Opportunities: Stages and How to Move Deals Forward