In this tutorial you will bring your first people into your space two ways — a shareable join link and a manual add — shape what a new member sees when they first open the app, and move everyone to `current` status. Work through it as a space admin; by the end you will have a repeatable way to grow your roster.

## Before you start

You need the **admin** role (a **board** member can copy and share existing invite codes, but not create, disable, or delete them). Everything below happens on the [/members](/members) screen and the onboarding card in [/customize](/customize).

There are two ways in:

- **Invite code / join link** — people sign themselves up, then you approve them.
- **Add member** — you enter someone directly and they are active immediately.

You will use both.

## Step 1: Create an invite code

1. Open [/members](/members) and find the **Invite codes** card.
2. Click **+ New invite**.
3. Leave the code blank to auto-generate one, or type your own. Optionally set a **Label**, an expiry, and a **Max uses** cap. Leave both blank for a permanent code.
4. Pick what the code **grants** — for new members, choose `member`.
5. Tick **Single use** if the code should auto-disable after one join.
6. Click **Create invite**.

Your code appears in the list with a `grants member` tag and a live use count.

## Step 2: Share the join link

On the new code's row you have two buttons:

- **Copy code** — copies just the code (for people who will type it during signup).
- **Copy link** — copies the one-click join link, which looks like:

```
https://your-space.example/join/your-space?code=ABC23XYZ
```

Send the link. Whoever opens it lands on a **Join** page for your space, creates an account, and is added as a member with `unverified` status — waiting for your approval.

If a code is ever shared too widely, an admin can click **Disable** to revoke it, or **Delete** to remove it outright — both controls are admin-only.

## Step 3: Approve people who joined

New self-serve joiners do not get in automatically.

1. Back on [/members](/members), open the **Pending Approval** tab. Everyone who used your link is here.
2. Click **APPROVE** on a row to move that member to `current`.
3. To clear a batch at once, select the rows and click **Approve selected**.

Approving flips the member to `current` and marks them approved, so they count toward your active roster.

## Step 4: Add a member manually

Some people you will enter yourself — a founding member, someone who paid at the door.

1. On [/members](/members), click **Add Member**.
2. Fill in **Full Name** and **Email** (both required). Phone and handle are optional.
3. Choose a **Tier** (`Plus`, `Basic`, `Associate`, or `Admin`) and a **Role** (`Member`, `Board`, `Treasurer`, or `Admin`).
4. Optionally set **Joined At** and tick **Card Access**.
5. Click **Add Member**.

A manually added member starts at `current` immediately — no approval step needed.

## Step 5: Shape the onboarding flow

Now decide what a member sees the first time they open the app.

1. Go to [/customize](/customize) and find the **New member onboarding** card.
2. Every new space starts with four built-in steps in order: **Welcome**, **Code of Conduct** (a required acknowledgement), **Complete your profile**, and **Set up your dues**.
3. Edit any step's title inline, and its body where the step has one (body supports Markdown) — the built-in **Complete your profile** step has only an editable title, no body. Change the order with the number box, and untick **Enabled** to hide a step.
4. On the **Set up your dues** step, paste your **Payment link** so the member gets a working "Set up payment" button.
5. Add your own with **+ Custom step**, or use **+ Form step** to make members sign a published form or waiver as part of onboarding.

Built-in steps can be disabled and reordered but not deleted. Only steps you mark **Required** block a member from finishing.

## Step 6: See what the new member sees

The first time an approved member opens the app they are routed to [/onboarding](/onboarding) and walk your enabled steps in order — a progress bar tracks **Step X of Y**. They must tick the code-of-conduct box and any other required step before the final **Finish** button lets them through to the [/dashboard](/dashboard). If no step is required, a **Skip for now** link is available.

## You are done

You now have members arriving two ways and a first-run flow that greets them. From here:

- Keep an eye on the **Pending Approval** and **Payment Issues** tabs on [/members](/members).
- Refine your onboarding copy and required steps in [/customize](/customize) as your space's norms settle.

### Member statuses at a glance

| Status | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| `current` | Active member in good standing |
| `late` | Active but behind on dues |
| `inactive` | No longer participating |
| `unverified` | Joined via a link, awaiting approval |