Welcome to PortaPro. Here's the fastest path from first login to billing your first customer.
Step 1 — Set up your equipment catalog. Go to Inventory & Fleet > Equipment. Make sure your common items (Standard PT, ADA, Hand Wash, etc.) exist with realistic default billing periods and prices. Most operators set the default to Per Month or Per 28-Day Cycle for service equipment. This is your fallback pricing for any item that doesn't have a customer-specific rate.
Step 2 — Add your first customer. Go to Customers and click Add Customer. Fill in the basics: name, billing contact, billing address. On the Billing section of their profile, set the Billing Cycle. Calendar Month is the default; choose 28-Day Fixed-Day if you bill on a 28-day cadence. Save.
Step 3 — Set up the Rate Card. Open the customer's Rate Card tab. Click "Add Service Location" and enter the site address. Fill in unit count, unit type, service rate, rate period, and service frequency. Save. This row is the contract — what you charge for ongoing service at that site. Add more rows for additional sites. Each customer can have as many service locations as needed.
Step 4 — Add tracked units (optional). If you have specific numbered units (#1019, #1020) that are already at the site (because you bought a business, took over an account, or already delivered), expand the Rate Card row and click "Assign Tracked Units." Pick from inventory. No delivery job needed. If you don't track unit numbers yet, skip this step — the unit count on the Rate Card row is enough for billing.
Step 5 — Generate the first Cycle Invoice. When the customer's billing cycle closes (or whenever you're ready to bill), click "Generate Cycle Invoice" on their Rate Card. A draft invoice appears in their Financials tab with one line item per site. Review, edit any line item prices if needed, and Send.
That's the whole flow. For one-off jobs — a one-day event, an extra delivery, a special service call — use the Jobs & Dispatch wizard. For ongoing recurring billing, the Rate Card is your home.