Phases 0–2 are Admin-only and done once. If you were invited into an already-configured organization, jump straight to Phase 4. Creative-only users do not require complex configurations.
Phase 0 — Account & Organization
1
Register and sign in
Create an account with email/password or Google on the login page.✅ Done when: you can log in and see the main screen.
2
Create and name your organization
The organization holds all stores, orders, costs, and members. Rename it with the pencil icon next to the organization name in the sidebar.✅ Done when: the sidebar shows your organization’s correct name.
Phase 1 — Foundation setup (the most important)
This phase decides whether your data stays clean later. Depending on your profile, follow the relevant steps:- Fulfillment-Only (POD): Do step 1, step 4, and step 5.
- Operations Management: Do all steps (1 to 6).
- Creative & AI-Only: Skip Phase 1 entirely and go straight to Phase 5.
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1. Create Stores (Fulfillment & Operations) — Settings → Stores
Create a record for each storefront you sell on (every Etsy shop is one store). Everything in Sellfern — orders, reports, access — is scoped by store, so this must come first.✅ Done when: the store list covers every shop you sell on, spelled exactly right (typos cause Store Mismatch errors during import).
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2. Configure Email Map (Operations only) — Settings → Email Map
Connect sender email addresses to each store, so Gmail order syncs know which confirmation email belongs to which shop. Stores must exist first (step 1).✅ Done when: every store has at least one mapped email. (Skip if you don’t ingest orders via Gmail.)
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3. Add Suppliers (Operations only) — Settings → Suppliers
Add your production/fulfillment partners (Printway, BurgerPrints…). Needed before cost assignment, because every item must be attached to a supplier before it can go to production.✅ Done when: every production partner you use has a profile. (Fulfillment-only sellers use built-in system suppliers like Printway.)
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4. Define SPUs (Fulfillment & Operations) — Settings → SPU Definitions
Declare your internal base products (product type, sub-type) and a default supplier per type. Step 3 (or built-in supplier profiles) is what lets you pick suppliers here.✅ Done when: your main product lines each have an SPU.
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5. Create SKU Prefix Rules (Fulfillment & Operations) — Settings → SKU Prefix Rules
Map marketplace SKU prefixes to your internal SPUs (step 4). This is the “brain” that lets imported orders auto-recognize products and auto-fill suppliers — without it, every imported order needs manual handling.✅ Done when: your most common SKU patterns each match a rule.
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6. Configure finance (Operations only) — Settings → VAT/IOSS, Currencies, Expense Categories
- VAT/IOSS — if you sell into the EU/internationally.
- Currencies — if any orders or expenses aren’t in USD.
- Expense Categories — create categories for Operating Expenses (Ads, Software…) and the Payroll group.
Phase 2 — Invite the team & set permissions
1
Create users — Settings → Users
Create an account per team member, pick roles (Manager, Support, Fulfillment Support, Supplier…), assign stores, and fine-tune page permissions. Details in Users & Roles.
2
Members activate their accounts
Each person receives an activation email, clicks the link, and sets a password.✅ Done when: every member shows Active and sees the right menus for their role after login.
Phase 3 — Trial import & verification (Fulfillment & Operations)
Don’t import a full year of history right away. Run a small batch to verify the configuration:1
Import a small batch (10–20 orders)
Go to Order Ingestion and use the method you’ll rely on long-term (CSV, Etsy Processor…). See Order Ingestion.
2
Check the 3 Review tabs
- Failed Ingestions — empty is good.
- Out of Balance — order totals match line-item math.
- Store Mismatch — if present, fix store names from Phase 1 step 1.
3
Verify SKU mapping
Open COGS & Fulfillment → Cost Table: did items auto-recognize their product and default supplier? If not, add SKU Prefix Rules and re-import.✅ Done when: the trial batch imports clean — only then import your full history.
Phase 4 — Daily operations
The daily loop once the system is live:Phase 5 — Advanced (optional)
Once operations are steady:- Listing Studio — AI images, mockups, and listing optimization (uses credits).
- AI Assistant — enable the agent for chat-based data lookups; think carefully before enabling writes.
- Products — sync listings from your stores and centralize design links.
- API & Webhooks — Settings → API Tokens to automate with external systems. See the Developer Quickstart.
Master checklist
Copy this checklist to track your setup progress:- Account and organization created
- All Stores created (spelled correctly)
- Email Map per store (if using Gmail)
- Suppliers added
- SPU Definitions + default suppliers
- SKU Prefix Rules for the main SKU patterns
- VAT/IOSS, Currencies, Expense Categories
- Users created, permissions set, activated
- Trial batch of 10–20 orders, Review tabs clean
- Items auto-recognize product/supplier
- Full history imported
- Payroll and recurring expenses configured
- (Optional) Listing Studio, AI Assistant, API