# Quick Start Guide

> Connect your first platform, meet AVA, and get your first IRIS brief in under an hour. Everything you need, nothing you don't.
> Help → Getting Started → Quick Start Guide

URL: https://thatapp.io/help/getting-started/quick-start
Category: Getting Started

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You can be fully operational in under an hour. Here is the sequence.

**Step 1: Create your account**

Go to thatapp.io and click Start Free. No credit card required. You will create a username and password, then land in the platform.

**Step 2: Open AVA**

AVA is in the navigation bar. Click it. You will see a chat interface. This is where you run your entire ThatApp experience — connecting platforms, running queries, building automations, generating documents.

**Step 3: Connect your first platform**

Type the name of the platform you want to connect. For example:

> "I want to connect Podio."

AVA will walk you through authorization. For OAuth platforms, she will show you a button. For API key platforms, she will ask for credentials one at a time. For SQL databases, she will ask for connection details.

**Step 4: Wait for your lake to populate**

ThatApp reads your complete platform history and builds your data lake. Depending on the size of your data, this takes between a few minutes and a few hours. You do not need to wait — you can ask AVA questions while the sync runs.

**Step 5: Ask AVA your first question**

Once your lake is populated, try:

> "What are the most recent records in [your platform]?"

or

> "How many active records do I have in [your platform]?"

AVA will answer from your actual data.

**Step 6: Invite your team**

Tell AVA: "I want to invite [name] from our team." She will ask about access levels and send the invitation.

**That's it**

You are connected. Your lake is live. AVA knows your data. IRIS will deliver your first organizational brief next Thursday.

**If something goes wrong:** The most common issue is an authorization that expires mid-flow. If AVA reports a connection error, restart the connection from Step 3. Your existing lake data is not affected.

**Related:** What ThatApp Is and How It Works · How to Connect Your First Platform