Steps
Step 1: Create your account
Enter your work email and a password of at least 8 characters, then choose “Create account”. Open the confirmation link in your email; it brings you straight to business setup.
By creating an account you accept the terms of service and privacy policy.
Step 2: Name your business and pick its time zone
Step 1 of 4 asks for the “Business name” — customers see it on every text and their tracking page, never “Porch Route”. “Time zone” defaults to your browser’s; delivery dates and windows are read in this zone. A support phone and email are optional here and appear on tracking pages so customers can reach you. Choose “Create business and continue”.
Keep the name under 120 characters. You can change all of this later in Settings → General → Business profile.
Step 3: Set the depot
“Where do routes start?” Type the “Depot address” — street, city and state — and it is placed on the map for you. For a spot maps get wrong (a ranch road, a new build) choose “Add exact coordinates” and enter latitude and longitude. Then “Save and continue”, or “Skip for now”.
Every route starts and ends at the depot, so miles and times are counted from the right place. Routes can’t be built until it’s set.
Step 4: Add your first vehicle
Give it a “Name” drivers recognise (“Van 1” is prefilled), a “Type” (Van, Car, Pickup or truck, Box truck) and tick “What it can carry”: Dry, Refrigerated, Frozen. Weight capacity is optional — leave it blank for no limit. Choose “Add vehicle and continue”.
What a vehicle can carry decides which orders it can take: a frozen box never rides in a dry van.
Step 5: Say how orders will arrive
Pick the closest fit: add them by hand, import a spreadsheet, from your online store, from your own system over the API — or “Try a sample day first”, which places 12 labelled orders around your depot so you can build a route right away. Nothing is locked in; every way stays available. Choose “Finish setup”.
Finishing setup starts your 14-day trial of the Porch plan’s allowances. No card is needed.
Step 6: Follow the checklist on the day board
The “Get set up” panel on the day board lists what’s left — depot, vehicle, driver, orders, first routes, first dispatch — with a button for each, plus optional steps for zones, your team and connecting a store. “Hide” it whenever you like; everything on it is still in the app.
Good to know
- Loaded the sample day and want it gone? “Remove sample data” on the day board deletes the 12 sample orders, any draft routes made only of them and the sample van. Your own data stays.
- Only an owner or admin can change the business profile; dispatchers see it read-only.
Questions
Do I need a credit card to start?
No. Setup starts a 14-day trial of the Porch plan with no card. When it ends without a paid plan, the account moves to Porch Light, which stays free up to 150 orders a month.
Can I run more than one business from one login?
Yes. Choose “Add a business” from the business switcher; each business has its own depot, vehicles, orders and team.
What if my depot address isn’t found on the map?
Save it anyway and add exact coordinates — the setup step offers latitude and longitude fields. Settings → General shows whether the depot is placed and lets you fix it later.