Create your workspace

You build your first property before you make an account. Nothing is saved to Nutshell until you reach step 4, and nothing in steps 1 to 3 is about another person.

Before you start: have the property's name and street address, the names of its units (for example Flat 1, Flat 2), and, if you want to add a lease now, the start and end dates and the rent.

Step 1. Your first property

1. Go to usenutshell.com and choose Create your workspace.
2. Enter the Property name (for example Lekki Gardens Estate) and the Street address.
3. Choose Continue.

Step 2. Add units

A unit is a flat, shop, office or any part of the property that can be let.

• One at a time: type a name such as Flat 1 and choose Add.
• Several at once: choose how many, and Nutshell adds them with matching names.

Add at least one unit to continue. Bedrooms and use can be added later, from the property.

Step 3. Lease terms (optional)

If you want a lease ready, fill in:

Field	What to enter
Unit	Which unit the lease is for
Start date	The first day of the lease
End date	Filled in for you as one year less a day after the start; change it if the lease is different
Rent for each payment	The rent for one payment, in naira (for example 1,200,000)
Rent is paid	Monthly, Quarterly, Every six months or Annual

If the lease started before today, tick the box that says so. Nutshell invoices only the lease's first instalment when you save, and it shows as overdue straight away. No payment is recorded for it.

You can choose Skip and add the lease later, from the property.

Step 4. Create your account

Enter your full name (shown as the sender on invoices), email, your organisation name (the name tenants see on invoices) and a password of at least 8 characters with a letter and a number.

Nutshell then asks you to verify your email: open the link we send you, or enter the 6-digit code. Your workspace, property and units are created once your email is verified. If something goes wrong part-way, trying again carries on from where it stopped and creates nothing twice.

Add your tenant

If you added lease terms, Nutshell now asks Who is the tenant? Enter the tenant's full name and email. The lease, the tenant and the first rent invoice are created together. If you would rather do it later, choose I'll add the tenant later.

What you have afterwards

A property with its units, your organisation, and, if you added a tenant, a lease with its first rent invoice. Continue with your first rent invoice.

Checked against Nutshell 0.1.14