> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://village-docs.villagelabs.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quick Start Guide

> Get started with Kelso in minutes

## Quick Start

Get up and running with Kelso in just a few minutes.

## Step 1: Create Your Account

<Steps>
  <Step title="Sign Up">
    Visit [villagelabs.com/kelso](https://villagelabs.com/kelso) and create your account
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify Email">
    Check your email and verify your account
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose Plan">
    Select the plan that fits your needs
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Step 2: Set Up Your ESOP

<Steps>
  <Step title="Basic Information">
    Enter your ESOP's basic details:

    * Company name
    * Plan year
    * Number of participants
    * Current share price
  </Step>

  <Step title="Plan Rules">
    Configure your plan rules:

    * Vesting schedule
    * Allocation formula
    * Eligibility requirements
    * Distribution rules
  </Step>

  <Step title="Import Data (Optional)">
    Import participant and historical data:

    * Upload census data
    * Import valuations
    * Load contribution history
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Step 3: Ask Your First Question

Now you're ready to start using Kelso!

### Example Questions to Try

**Forecasting:**

```
What will our repurchase obligations be over the next 5 years?
```

**Plan Design:**

```
What would happen if we changed our vesting to 6 years instead of 4?
```

**Scenario Analysis:**

```
How does 15% annual growth impact our ESOP over 10 years?
```

**Compliance:**

```
Are we at risk of failing the coverage test this year?
```

## Step 4: Create Your First Scenario

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Scenario Builder">
    Click "New Scenario" in the dashboard
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set Parameters">
    Adjust the assumptions you want to test:

    * Growth rates
    * Turnover rates
    * Contribution amounts
    * Valuation multiples
  </Step>

  <Step title="Run Analysis">
    Click "Analyze" to see results
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review Results">
    Examine the forecast outputs:

    * Obligations by year
    * Cash flow impact
    * Participant accounts
    * Key metrics
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save & Share">
    Save the scenario and share with your team
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Common First Tasks

### Forecast Repurchase Obligations

**Goal:** Understand your future cash needs

1. Go to "Repurchase Forecasting"
2. Review default assumptions
3. Adjust as needed for your situation
4. Run 10-year forecast
5. Export results

### Compare Plan Design Options

**Goal:** Evaluate a proposed plan change

1. Create "Current Plan" scenario
2. Create "Proposed Plan" scenario
3. Adjust plan rules in proposed version
4. Run side-by-side comparison
5. Review participant impact

### Stress Test Your ESOP

**Goal:** See how your ESOP handles adverse conditions

1. Create base case scenario
2. Create stress scenarios:
   * Low growth
   * High turnover
   * Valuation decline
3. Compare outcomes
4. Identify vulnerabilities
5. Plan mitigations

## Tips for Success

### Start Simple

Don't try to perfect all your assumptions on day one. Start with rough estimates and refine over time as you learn.

### Ask Follow-Up Questions

Kelso maintains context, so you can ask follow-up questions:

* "What about if growth is only 5%?"
* "Show me the impact by participant age group"
* "How sensitive is that to the turnover assumption?"

### Save Important Scenarios

Save scenarios you'll want to reference later:

* Annual planning scenarios
* Board presentation analyses
* Different strategic options
* Stress tests

### Use the Templates

Kelso includes templates for common analyses:

* Annual repurchase forecast
* Plan design comparison
* Acquisition modeling
* Downsizing impact

### Get Help When Needed

Don't hesitate to reach out:

* In-app chat support
* Email: [support@villagelabs.com](mailto:support@villagelabs.com)
* Video tutorials in help center
* Schedule 1-on-1 training

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Explore Features" icon="compass" href="/kelso/features">
    Learn about all of Kelso's capabilities
  </Card>

  <Card title="Plan Design Guide" icon="book" href="/kelso/plan-design">
    See how to use Kelso for plan design
  </Card>

  <Card title="Best Practices" icon="star" href="/kelso/best-practices">
    Learn from experienced users
  </Card>

  <Card title="Schedule Training" icon="graduation-cap" href="https://villagelabs.com/contact">
    Book a personalized training session
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Need Help?

<Card title="Contact Support" icon="life-ring" href="mailto:support@villagelabs.com">
  Our team is here to help you succeed with Kelso
</Card>