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

# Quickstart: Bookkeepers

> Get your bookkeeping firm running in PayPunch — add a client company, load employees, and complete your first IIF payroll export.

This quickstart takes a bookkeeper from an empty account to a finished QuickBooks export. Plan on
about 15 minutes for setup, then a few minutes each pay period after that.

**Before you start:** make sure you can sign in at **`/login`** as a SUPER\_ADMIN or ADMIN.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Sign in to the admin console">
    Go to `https://paypunch.io/login` and sign in with your admin email and password. You'll land
    on the bookkeeper dashboard. See [Logging in](/get-started/logging-in).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add your first client company">
    Open **Companies** and create a client company. Set its name, industry, and **pay-period
    type** (weekly, bi-weekly, etc.) — the pay period drives the whole payroll cycle. See
    [Client companies](/admin/client-companies).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add job codes (optional)">
    If the company tracks time by project or cost center, add **job codes** so hours can be tagged
    on the clock. See [Job codes](/admin/job-codes).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add employees">
    Add the company's workers one at a time, or **import** them in bulk from a spreadsheet. Each
    employee gets a **PIN** for clocking in. See [Employees](/admin/employees) and
    [Importing employees](/admin/importing-employees).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Let hours come in">
    Employees clock in and out at the [time clock](/employee/timeclock-kiosk); the company's
    owner reviews and submits the period to you. You'll see it arrive in the
    [payroll workflow](/admin/payroll-workflow).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review and approve payroll">
    Open the submitted pay period, check the totals, and **approve** it. Then **lock** the period
    so no further edits slip in. See [Approving payroll](/admin/approving-payroll) and
    [Pay periods & locking](/admin/pay-periods-and-locking).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Export to QuickBooks (IIF)">
    Generate the **IIF export** for the approved period and import the `.IIF` file into QuickBooks
    Desktop. Payroll is done. See [IIF export](/admin/iif-export).
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  **IIF is the PayPunch payoff.** Approved hours export straight to a QuickBooks
  Desktop `.IIF` file — no manual re-keying. This is what saves bookkeepers
  30–40% of payroll processing time. See the [IIF Export walkthrough](/admin/iif-export).
</Tip>

## What's next

* Dig into the full [Admin Guide](/admin/overview).
* Set up [branding](/admin/branding) and [holidays](/admin/holidays) for your org.
* Invite your team with [Users & invitations](/admin/users-and-invitations).