Welcome to OffConOn!
This guide will walk you through creating your company's dedicated workspace—a complete business management system that grows with you. Whether you're a solo entrepreneur or part of a larger team, this process sets up your secure, professional online presence and operational hub.
Before You Begin: What You Need to Know
Prerequisite: A Personal OffConOn Account
Why this is required: Your personal account establishes your identity and ensures accountability. Think of it as your key to managing your business securely.
What to do if you don't have one:
- Visit https://offconon.com
- Click "Sign Up" in the top right corner
- Complete the simple registration (takes 2 minutes)
- Log in to your new account
Good to know: Your personal and company accounts remain separate but connected. You can switch between them easily once both are set up.
Step 1: Starting Your Company Creation Journey
Access the Creation Page
- While logged into your personal account, go to:
https://offconon.com/en/cognitive-erp/create
or - Navigate through the menu: Business Hub → Create Business Account
What you'll see: A clean, simple form with just two important fields.
Step 2: Choosing Your Company Identity
Business Name (Public-Facing)
What this is: The name customers will see when they find you. This doesn't need to be your legal name—it's how you want to be known in the marketplace.
Tips for choosing a great business name:
- Be descriptive: "Downtown Dental Clinic" tells customers what you do
- Use your brand: "Stellar Solutions" if that's your established brand
- Keep it clear: Avoid confusing abbreviations
- Maximum: 85 characters
Examples:
- ✅ "Bean There Coffee Roasters"
- ✅ "TechGuard IT Solutions"
- ✅ "GreenLeaf Landscaping & Design"
- ✅ "Maria's Custom Wedding Cakes"
Mention Name (Your Short Identifier)
What this is: A compact version of your name used for system references, links, and quick mentions.
Important rules:
- No spaces allowed
- Maximum 32 characters
- Lowercase only
- Choose carefully—this cannot be changed later!
How it's used:
- Creates your unique web address
- Used for internal references (@yourname)
- Forms part of email addresses
Good examples:
- Business Name: "Cube Seller Innovations" → Mention: cube
- Business Name: "Toronto Downtown Dental" → Mention: torontodental
- Business Name: "Sunrise Yoga Studio" → Mention: sunriseyoga
Step 3: Your Company's Private Workspace is Born!
What Happens Immediately
After clicking "Create" the system automatically:
- Creates your secure company workspace
- Logs you into this new environment
- Starts the setup wizard to guide you through configuration
Your New Workspace Address
Your company now has a permanent, secure web address:
https://[your-mention-name].workroom.offconon.com
Example: If you chose cube as your mention name, your address is:
https://cube.workroom.offconon.com
Bookmark this! This is your company's private headquarters. Only people you invite can access it.
Two Ways to Access Your Workspace Later:
- Direct link: Use your specific address above
- Through OffConOn: Log into your personal account, go to Workplaces, and select your company
Step 4: The Setup Wizard – Your Guided Tour
Why This Wizard Exists
We want to make sure your company is properly configured from day one. The wizard ensures you have all the essentials ready before inviting your team or going public.
Important: You can stop and resume anytime. Your progress is saved automatically.
Wizard Screen 1: Official Business Details
Legal Business Name
Why we need this: For invoices, contracts, tax documents, and legal compliance. This is different from your public business name.
Example:
- Public Name: "Bean Dream Coffee"
- Legal Name: "BDC Roastery Enterprises Inc."
Privacy assured: This information is kept private and never displayed on your public profile.
Default Currency
Why this matters: Sets the primary currency for all your financial operations, reports, and transactions.
Choose carefully: While you can handle multiple currencies later, all reports will default to this currency.
Tip for international businesses: Choose the currency where most of your expenses occur.
Additional Optional Information
You may also provide (not required now):
- Company registration/VAT number
- Founding date
Wizard Screen 2: Location & Time Settings
Registered Address
What to enter: The official address where your business is legally registered.
Why it's needed: For legal documents, compliance, and official correspondence.
Building/Location Name
Help customers find you: Add recognizable building names or landmarks.
Example: Instead of just "123 Commerce Street," include "Commerce Plaza, Suite 450" to help visitors locate you easily.
The location will only be visible to customers if you activate the customer visit option. Otherwise, the location will remain hidden from the public.
Time Zone Selection
Why this is important: It affects the opening hours at the business location.
Exact Location via Map
Click and pin: Use the interactive map to drop a pin at your exact location.
Why this matters:
- For retail/customer-facing businesses: Customers can find you with precise directions
- For non-customer locations: Used internally for inventory management, delivery routing, and operations
Example uses:
- Coffee shop: Customers get walking directions to your door
- Consulting firm: Internal system knows your office location for delivery purposes
- Service business: Technicians can navigate to job sites
Wizard Screen 3: Visual Branding (Optional but Recommended)
Upload Your Logo
Formats accepted: PNG, JPG, SVG
Optimal size: Square format, minimum 200x200 pixels
Where it appears:
- Your public profile on OffConOn
- Employee dashboards
- Customer communications
- Digital invoices and documents
Add a Background/Banner Image
Showcase your business with a professional header image.
Great choices:
- Retail: Storefront or popular products
- Services: Team photo or completed project
- Food: Beautiful dish presentation
- Professional services: Office space or team collaboration
Wizard Screen 4: Setting Up Your First Employee (That's You!)
Since OffConOn mirrors real business structures, we need to create your employee profile within your company.
Job Title
What's your role? Founder, CEO, Manager, Owner?
Department
The first business department is automatically generated, you can modify/add a new one after the wizard is complete.
Direct Supervisor
At this point, you are the only employee in your new business ERP system, but you can change the settings after completing the wizard.
Place of Work
Defaults to the location you set earlier. You can change this if you work from elsewhere.
Head of Department
Check "Yes" since you're likely managing this department.
Why this matters: It defines the organizational structure that will form the basis for future operations.
Wizard Screen 5: Professional Email Setup
Create Your Business Email Address
Every employee gets a professional email address. As the first employee, you set yours up now.
Format: [email protected]
Rules: Lowercase, no spaces, letters and periods only
Examples:
Important features:
- Full email system included (no extra cost)
- Calendar integration
- Contact management
- Accessible from any device
Future Upgrade Path
Want to use your own domain (like @yourcompany.com)? You can upgrade to this later within the Email Manager module.
Wizard Screen 6: Helping Customers Find You
Business Categories
Select categories that describe what you do. This helps potential customers discover you in OffConOn directories.
You can:
- Choose multiple categories
- Select primary and secondary categories
- Change these anytime
Example selections for a coffee shop:
- Food & Beverage → Coffee Shop
- Retail → Specialty Foods
- Education → Cooking Classes (if offering brewing workshops)
Benefits: Customers searching for specific services will find you more easily.
Step 5: Completing Setup & Going Live
The Business Management Dashboard
After the wizard, you'll arrive at your company's control center. Here you can:
Add a Compelling Description
Write a brief, engaging description that appears on your public profile.
What makes a great description:
- Who you are
- What you do/sell
- What makes you special
- Who you serve
Example:
"Family-owned coffee roastery bringing ethically sourced beans from farm to cup since 2010. Visit our downtown location for expertly crafted espresso, locally baked pastries, and monthly brewing workshops. We believe in community, quality, and sustainability in every cup."
Customize Your Public Profile
Choose what information appears on your OffConOn public page:
Toggle these on/off:
- ✅ Ads & promotions (show your offers)
- ✅ Key business info (hours, contacts)
- ✅ Activity stream (recent updates)
- ✅ Coupons & deals
- ✅ Store locations
- ✅ Customer ratings
- ✅ Media gallery (photos/videos)
- ✅ Job postings
Tip: B2B businesses might disable coupons but enable job postings. Retailers might enable everything.
Add Contact Information
- Website URL
- Social media links
- Phone numbers (categorize as Sales, Support, etc.)
- Additional email addresses
Step 6: The Big Moment – Activating Your Company
Before You Activate
Verify you have:
- ✓ Legal business name entered
- ✓ Default currency selected
- ✓ Address information provided
- ✓ Time zone set
- ✓ Your employee profile created
- ✓ Email address configured
What Activation Means
Before activation:
- Only you can access the system
- No public profile exists
- Cannot invite employees
- Customers cannot find you
After activation:
- Public profile goes live
- Can invite team members
- Customers can discover you
- Full functionality available
How to Activate
- Go to Business Management → Dashboard
- Look for the activation status panel
- Click "Activate Company"
- Confirm your choice
It's instantaneous! Once activated, your company is live and operational.
Important Notes About Activation Status
If You Need to Pause
You can deactivate your company temporarily if you need to:
- Take a seasonal break
- Undergo rebranding
- Address internal changes
Only Super Admins Can Reactivate
The person who creates the company (or anyone they designate) has "Super Admin" privileges to activate/deactivate.
What Happens During Deactivation
- Public profile disappears from directories
- Employees cannot log in
- All data is preserved
- Reactivate anytime to resume operations
- All active ads temporarily disabled
Common Questions & Troubleshooting
"I stopped halfway through the wizard. What now?"
Simply log into your workspace again. The wizard will reappear exactly where you left off. Your previous entries are saved.
"Can I change my mention name later?"
No, this cannot be changed. It becomes part of your permanent web address and system identity. Choose carefully!
"What if my chosen mention name is taken?"
The system will alert you immediately. Have a few alternatives ready. We suggest:
- Add your city: torontocube
- Add your specialty: cubedesign
- Use abbreviations: cubeslr
"Do I need to complete the wizard immediately?"
No, but until you complete mandatory fields and activate, you cannot invite team members or appear in public directories.
"I'm a solo entrepreneur. Do I need all this?"
Yes! Even with no employees:
- You get a professional email address
- Customers can find you through OffConOn
- You have systems ready for when you grow
- You appear more established and professional
"What does this cost?"
The basic company account is free with essential features forever. Premium modules (advanced features) are available with subscription plans.
What Happens Next?
Immediately After Activation
- Your public profile goes live at offconon.com/business-profile/[your-name]
- You can start inviting employees (Human Resource Management System (HRMS) -> Employee invitations)
- Customers can discover you through searches and directories
- Access all modules from your dashboard
Recommended Next Steps
- Explore your dashboard – familiarise yourself with controls
- Customize your public profile – add photos, complete information
- Set up your first project or product – start using the system
- Invite your team (if you have one)
- Visit the learning center for tutorials on specific features
Need Help?
- In-app support: Click the help (?) icon in your workspace
- Community forums: Connect with other OffConOn users
- Documentation: Detailed guides for every feature
- Email support: [email protected]
Welcome to Business Management, Simplified
You've just created more than just an account—you've built your company's digital headquarters. A place where operations, team collaboration, and customer connections come together in one secure, professional environment.
Remember: Your journey has just begun. As your business grows, OffConOn grows with you, adding capabilities when you need them.
Next recommended reading: "Getting Started: Your First 30 Days with OffConOn ERP"
