> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.meritmatch.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quickstart: from signup to your first pursuit

> Create your account, find your company, add a pursuit to the pipeline, and open the Gate Tracker.

Welcome to MERIT. This guide walks you through the shortest path from creating your account to tracking your first pursuit in the pipeline.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create your account">
    Go to [meritmatch.io](https://meritmatch.io) and click **Get started**.

    Enter your **email address**, choose a **password**, and confirm it. Your password must be at least 8 characters and include an uppercase letter, a lowercase letter, a number, and a special character. A real-time strength meter shows **Weak**, **Fair**, **Good**, or **Strong** as you type — aim for **Strong** before moving on.

    Prefer a faster option? Click **Sign in with Google** to use your existing Google account and skip the password step entirely.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Find or create your company">
    Next, MERIT asks you to connect your account to a company. This is step 2 of 2 in the signup flow.

    Type your company name into the search box. MERIT starts searching after you type three characters and shows up to three matching results. If you see more options, click **Show more**. Each company card shows the company name, NAICS codes, and certifications — verified certifications appear in green, self-reported ones in blue.

    When you find your company, click its card to select it.

    **Don't see your company?** Click **Company Not Found? Create New Company**, type your company name, and MERIT creates a fresh company profile for you.

    A few other options on this screen:

    * **Invite code** — if a teammate sent you a code, enter it here to join their existing company workspace
    * **Continue as Solo User** — if you are not affiliated with a company yet, you can skip this step and add a company later

    Before finishing, check the box to agree to the **Terms of Service** and **Privacy Policy**, then click **Complete Registration**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Land on the pipeline dashboard">
    After signup, MERIT drops you into the main pipeline dashboard — your pursuit board. This is where every opportunity you track lives, organized as a Kanban board across six stages: **Identification**, **Qualification**, **Capture**, **Proposal Submitted**, **Won/Program**, and **Lost**.

    On desktop, the **Workflow Guide** opens automatically for full-access users after setup is complete. The guide is an interactive first-pursuit tour that highlights exactly where to click as you create and open your first pursuit.

    <Tip>
      If you close the Workflow Guide and want to restart it later, go to **Settings** and click **Redo First Pursuit Tour**.
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Follow the Workflow Guide to your first pursuit">
    The Workflow Guide branches based on how you want to add the pursuit. Here is what to expect:

    <AccordionGroup>
      <Accordion title="Steps 1–2: Navigate to the board and add your first pursuit">
        The guide starts by orienting you on the **Pursuit Board**. Then it prompts you to add your first pursuit. MERIT gives you three ways to do this — pick the one that fits what you have in hand right now:

        * **Search SAM.gov** — find live opportunities from the government's contracting database
        * **Upload a SOW or RFP** — drop in a PDF or text file and let MERIT parse it for you
        * **Create manually** — enter the opportunity details yourself
      </Accordion>

      <Accordion title="Steps 3–6: Add an opportunity using your preferred method">
        Depending on the method you chose above, the guide walks you through:

        * **SAM.gov search** — type keywords or an agency name, browse results, and import the one you want
        * **SOW or RFP upload** — drag and drop your file; MERIT reads it and drafts opportunity details for your review
        * **Manual creation** — fill in the opportunity name, agency, estimated value, and response deadline
      </Accordion>

      <Accordion title="Steps 7–8: Open the pursuit workspace">
        Once your pursuit is on the board, click its card to open the opportunity details modal, then click the workspace button. The workspace is where all the real work happens — tasks, documents, team collaboration, and the Gate Tracker all live here.
      </Accordion>

      <Accordion title="Steps 9–10: Calculate PWin and open the Gate Tracker">
        If the PWin calculator is enabled for your workspace, the guide prompts you to click **Calculate pWin** from the **Overview** tab and see your first probability-of-win score. Then it walks you to the **Gate Tracker** tab, where you can start filling in the capture inputs that drive your PWin score and track your progress through each stage.
      </Accordion>

      <Accordion title="Step 11: You are set">
        The guide wraps up with a completion screen. If you ever need help, reach out to the MERIT team at **[support@meritmatch.io](mailto:support@meritmatch.io)**. We respond fast.
      </Accordion>
    </AccordionGroup>
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Where to go next

You now have your first pursuit in the pipeline and your Gate Tracker open. Here is what to explore next:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Understand your PWin score" icon="chart-line" href="/pursuits/pwin">
    Learn how MERIT scores nine factors to calculate your probability of win, and how to approve or override the result.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Work through the Gate Tracker" icon="list-check" href="/pursuits/capture-stages">
    See how the Gate Tracker guides you through Qualification, Capture, and Proposal with structured field inputs.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Search for opportunities on SAM.gov" icon="magnifying-glass" href="/pursuits/opportunity-search">
    Search live government solicitations directly from the pursuit board and import results with one click.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Upload a SOW or RFP" icon="file-arrow-up" href="/pursuits/upload-opportunity">
    Drop in a requirements document and let MERIT draft opportunity details or extract staffing roles for review.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>