> ## Knowledge Base Index
> Fetch the complete knowledge base index at: https://help.getzendo.io/sitemap.xml
> Use this file to discover available pages before exploring further.
> Pure-Markdown content can be obtained by appending a '.md' suffix to the content URLs listed in the sitemap (without the trailing slash).

# Set up the basics

Before your first client signs in, put your brand on the client portal, choose what clients see there, and run one request from start to finish.

## 1. Put your brand on it

Open **Settings › Brand › Identity** and upload the **Main logo**. Without it, clients see Zendo's logo. The invitation email shows this logo, so upload it before you invite anyone. On **Settings › Brand › Identity**, also add a **Favicon** for browser tabs and an **App icon** for clients who add the client portal to their phone's home screen. Then open **Settings › Brand › Appearance**, pick a starting point with **Choose a theme preset**, and check it in **Live preview**. See [Put your logo, favicon and app icon in place](https://help.getzendo.io/en/article/put-your-logo-favicon-and-app-icon-in-place-1sy8a1l/) and [Set your workspace appearance](https://help.getzendo.io/en/article/set-your-workspace-appearance-wobsc5/).

![Settings › Brand › Appearance, with Choose a theme preset and Live preview at the top.](https://getzendo.io/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/kb-s2-appearance.webp =800x470)

## 2. Choose what clients see

Open **Settings › Portal › Sidebar content** and open the sidebar marked **Clients**. On the **Elements** tab, drag the items into the order you want. Remove the items your clients do not need: for example, if you do not sell through Zendo, remove Orders and Billing. Your changes go live when you select **Update**; a sidebar that is still in **Draft** is not shown to anyone. See [Change what is in the client sidebar](https://help.getzendo.io/en/article/change-what-is-in-the-client-sidebar-19vnb7p/).

![The client sidebar on the Elements tab, with Live preview on the left.](https://getzendo.io/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/kb-s2-sidebar.webp =479x456)

## 3. Create your first request type

A new workspace already has one request type, marked **Default**, so clients can submit requests before you set anything up. To add your own, open **Settings › Requests › Request types** and select **Create Request type**. On **General**, enter the **Name** and add the statuses the work goes through. Start with a status from the Pending state and end with one from the Completed state; see [Understand statuses and the three states](https://help.getzendo.io/en/article/understand-statuses-and-the-three-states-10e4jci/). Under **Who can submit**, **Everyone** lets every client choose this type when they submit a new request. Select **Save**, then use **Preview** to see the type as a client will see it. See [Create a request type](https://help.getzendo.io/en/article/create-a-request-type-pucu6t/).

![A request type's General tab, with the flow preview on the right.](https://getzendo.io/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/kb-s2-request-type.webp =652x574)

## 4. Add clients

In **Clients**, select **Add client**. Only a name and an email address are required. Creating the account and inviting the client are separate steps, so you can prepare requests, files or a quote first. Before you invite the client, use **View as client** on their profile to see the client portal exactly as they will see it. When you invite them, they receive an email, set a password and are taken to the client portal. To see the emails yourself, add a second email address of your own as a client. See [Add clients](https://help.getzendo.io/en/article/add-clients-1mfm23b/) and [View the portal as a client](https://help.getzendo.io/en/article/view-the-portal-as-a-client-8xh4sc/).

![Add client: a name and an email address are all you need.](https://getzendo.io/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/kb-s2-add-client.webp =666x559)

## 5. Run one request end to end

Create a request for the client with **New request**, or let the client submit one. Open it and assign someone, unless the request type already assigns people automatically. Use **Reply** to write to the client and **Note** for a message only your team sees. Change the status as the work progresses; each time, the **Status changed** notification tells the client how far the work is. To complete the request, change its status to one from the **Completed** state, then **Archive** it to remove it from the active list. See [Work a request from arrival to done](https://help.getzendo.io/en/article/work-a-request-from-arrival-to-done-jfl1fw/).

You are ready when one request has reached a status from the **Completed** state and **View as client** shows the client portal the way you want your clients to see it.

## Related

- [How Zendo works](https://help.getzendo.io/en/article/how-zendo-works-1xzxtyd/)
- [Find your way around Zendo](https://help.getzendo.io/en/article/find-your-way-around-zendo-113nt2h/)
- [View the portal as a client](https://help.getzendo.io/en/article/view-the-portal-as-a-client-8xh4sc/)
- [Try things out in the Sandbox](https://help.getzendo.io/en/article/try-things-out-in-the-sandbox-18e137x/)