First Fix

How it works, one tap at a time

Four short guides. Each one shows the screen you'll see and where to tap. The yellow ring on a picture means "tap here".

6 steps · about 3 minutes

Get set up

You do this once. Have your phone and your email to hand.

  1. Open the app

    This is the first thing you see. Tap the yellow button, Continue with email.

    No passwords here. I can't remember them either.

    The welcome screen with three characters and a Continue with email button. Tap here

  2. Type your email address

    Type it in, then tap Email me a code.

    Use the email you check on your phone. That's where the code goes.

    The email screen with an address typed in and an Email me a code button.

  3. Type the 6-digit code

    We email you a code straight away. Type the six numbers into the box. That's you signed in.

    No email? Wait a minute, then tap Send a new code.

    Your phone might offer the code just above the keyboard. Tap it and it fills itself in.

    The Check your email screen with a box for the six-digit code.

  4. Pick your trade

    Tap the trade that fits you best. Each one comes with its own sidekick. Then tap Continue.

    Pick joiner and you get me. The others are sound too.

    The trade picker with Joiner and carpenter chosen and Chip saying hello.

  5. Tell it about your business

    Your business name, your first name and roughly what you turn over in a year. The name goes on your quotes. Then tap Finish.

    A rough turnover is fine. It only tells me when the tax updates start for you.

    The business details screen filled in for Dale Joinery, with Chip explaining quarterly tax updates. Tap here

  6. You're in

    That's set-up finished. Tap Go to Today to see your home screen.

    That's the fiddly bit done. You won't see those screens again.

    The You're all set screen with Chip celebrating.
5 steps · about 2 minutes

Send a quote

Do it on the customer's drive, while the job is fresh in your head.

  1. Start on Today

    Today is the screen the app opens on. Tap the yellow Quote button.

    Today is home. Whenever you're lost, tap Today at the bottom left.

    The Today screen with Quote and Invoice buttons. Tap here

  2. Who is it for, and what's the job?

    Type the customer's name and a line about the work. "Hang four oak doors" is plenty.

    Write the job the way you'd say it to the customer.

    The Start a quote screen with the customer name and job description filled in.

  3. Put in the price

    Type what the line is for, how many, and the price for each. The total adds itself up as you go. Then tap Save draft quote.

    I do the adding up. Need labour and materials separate? Tap Add line.

    The quote's work and price section: Labour, hanging doors, quantity 1, £340, total £340.00. Tap here

  4. Check it over

    Your quote is saved and has its own screen. Have a look. Nothing has gone to the customer yet.

    Saving doesn't send anything. Nothing goes to the customer until you say so.

    The saved quote for Helen Brooks showing the job and the £340 total.

  5. Send it

    Tap Email quote to send it to the customer. When they say yes, come back and tap Mark as accepted.

    When they say yes, mark it as accepted and it counts towards your month.

    The quote screen's buttons, including Email quote and Mark as accepted.
3 steps · under a minute

Record a cost

Anything the business pays for: materials, fuel, tools, insurance.

  1. Tap More, then Costs

    More is at the bottom right of every main screen. Costs is first in the list.

    More is the three dots, bottom right. Everything that isn't on Today lives there.

    The More screen listing Costs, Tax, Quotes and invoices and other tools. Tap here

  2. Put in what you spent

    Tap Add a cost. Type the amount, who you paid, and pick what it was for. Then tap Save cost.

    Just the amount is enough. Add the rest if you've got ten seconds.

    The Add a cost screen with £86.40 paid to Howdens, in the Materials category.

  3. It's on your list

    The cost shows in your list with a running total. Tap the buttons along the top to see one kind of cost at a time.

    Every cost you put in here is already counted in your tax figures.

    The Costs list showing the Howdens cost and the total.
2 steps · a quick look

Check your tax

The tax year is split into four lots of three months. HMRC calls each one a quarter.

  1. Tap More, then Tax

    You'll see the four quarters with the date each is due. The one you're in is marked. Underneath is money in and what you've spent so far.

    You never fill this in. It builds itself from your quotes and your costs.

    The Tax screen with four quarters, their due dates and this quarter's money in and costs.

  2. Send the figures on

    Scroll down and tap Share as a spreadsheet to email the quarter to your accountant. Or tap Print or save as a PDF for a one-page summary.

    I can't send to HMRC myself yet. Your accountant can, and this is what they'll ask for.

    The Send these figures on card with Share as a spreadsheet and Print or save as a PDF buttons. Tap here