---
title: First run
section: selfhost
order: 2
summary: The first sign-up creates the facility and its admin; then groups, data, a second admin, closing sign-ups, and what the Community edition leaves out.
screen: Settings
role: Self-hosting admin
keywords: first run, sign up, create account, facility, admin, staff groups, import, second admin, signups disabled, community, hosted, differences
---

## Create the facility

There is no default username or password. Whoever creates an account first creates a facility and becomes its admin.

1. **Open your address.** `/` sends you to the sign-in page at `/auth`.
2. **Choose to create the facility's account.** Sign-up is three steps.
3. **Step 1, You.** Your first and last name, your work email and a password of at least 8 characters. The email is where a password reset goes, so it has to be right.
4. **Step 2, Your facility.** The facility name, plus two optional answers. The setting (hospital, aged care or community) chooses a starting list of staff groups. The state sets the time zone that counts and month-end use.
5. **Step 3, Confirm.** You are signed in as the facility's admin.

| Record | Change | Undo |
|---|---|---|
| Facility | Created with your facility name | Delete the account under `Settings › People & sign-in` |
| User | You, role Admin, title Uniform Coordinator | Edit under `Settings › People & sign-in` |

The address you typed is not verified. If mail is set up, a welcome note goes to it. If it is not, the screen says so and asks you to make sure the address is right.

## Staff groups first

Open `Settings › Issuing rules` and find Staff groups. If you chose a setting at sign-up, a starting list is already there; rename or remove any of them. If you did not, the list is empty and the screen says everybody is on manager approval until you add groups.

Each group takes one route to its kit. The routes are explained in [groups and routes](/docs/people/groups-and-routes).

## Load your data

`Settings › Data` imports the catalogue, departments, staff register and opening stock from CSV. Templates for each file are on that screen, and the columns are in [CSV templates](/docs/reference/csv-templates).

## Add a second admin

Do this before you sign out.

1. **Open `Settings › People & sign-in`.** The Users list is near the bottom, for admins only.
2. **Choose Add user.** Enter the name, email, a password of at least 8 characters and the role: Admin or Issuer.
3. **Hand the password over yourself.** Passwords set here are not emailed.

An admin can later set a new password for another user from the same list. That is the way back in when mail is not configured: the forgot-password form sends nothing without mail, so a facility whose one admin forgets their password has nobody who can reset it. See [users](/docs/account/users).

## Close sign-ups

Once your facility exists, stop anyone else creating one on your server:

```sh
# in .env
SIGNUPS_DISABLED=1
```

```sh
docker compose up -d
```

With `SIGNUPS_DISABLED=1` the sign-in page no longer offers to create a facility, and the sign-up endpoint answers `403` with "New facility sign-ups are closed." Nothing in the product can reopen sign-ups while the variable is set.

> **Careful** While sign-ups are open, any visitor to your address can create their own facility on your database.

## What differs from hosted

The Community edition is built from the same code, with the parts that belong to threadcount.tech removed before release. Your instance has the coordinator app at `/app`, the phone counter at `/m` and the staff app at `/my`, in full.

| Area | Hosted | Community |
|---|---|---|
| Plans, staff ceiling, trials | Yes | None. Every facility has everything, with no limit on staff records. |
| Single sign-on | Yes | Not included. Password plus an authenticator code. |
| Health-service organisations | Yes | Not included |
| Card payments | Yes | Not included |
| Public website, guides, pricing, legal pages, demo | Yes | Not included. `/` goes to sign-in. |
| Cloudflare Turnstile | Required | Optional. Without it the per-address limits stand alone. |
| Error reports and usage statistics | Sent to ThreadCount | Sent nowhere |
| Android App Links | Yes | Not included |
| Email | ThreadCount's mail server | Yours, or none |

The published Android apps can still use your server: on the app's first screen, change the server, pick Self-hosted and enter your hostname. See [the counter app](/docs/apps/counter-app).