This guide assumes that you have already followed our self-hosting guide to install (Self-Hosted) or received your domain from us (Hosted); as well as that you will have an admin or super admin user role.
We'd highly recommend reading over our Welcome and Your Hudu Environment article before proceeding.
Quick-Guide to Setup
This section will cover the main steps to getting a base for your Hudu environment; please note that this is just one way of starting your configuration of Hudu - we offer numerous integrations with other products that may be more beneficial to configure first, depending on your circumstances.
1. Create an account and input the license key.
- Keys can be obtained by submitting a ticket to our support team at here.
- License keys can be updated from your Hudu admin area >> License Key section.
2. Invite your team!
- From your Hudu admin area >> Users tab, you can invite as many team members as you'd like, but remember this will add to your licensed user count (if you're on a paid version).
For additional information, visit User Management.
- If you'd like to restrict what information invited users can access upon logging in, you'll need to create security groups!
Visit Groups/Restrictions for more information.
3. Choose how you'd like to structure your documentation.
- Hudu stores related information within spaces; these spaces could be labeled clients, divisions, locations, schools, etc. This is your highest level of organization, and changes are functionally cosmetic.
- Changes can be made from your Hudu admin area >> General tab; under 'documentation is structured by'.
We'll use clients for the purposes of this guide.
4. Create client spaces within your Hudu environment.
- By navigating to the Clients tab on your Hudu Toolbar; you'll be able to access the list of all created clients within your environment.
- Click ((+ New client)) in the top right corner of this page to create a new client, and populate the clients' information.
- Remember, these could be divisions, locations, schools, etc., information; depending on how you chose to structure your documentation.
- Click ((Create client)) at bottom of the page before navigating away to save your addition.
- You've now created a single client space. Clicking on this client will bring up features and tools specific to this client.
5. Create asset layouts within Hudu.
- Asset layouts serve as custom categories to store information inside of Hudu.
- Asset layouts only need to be created and populated with fields once; they are cross-client, meaning you'll have the same fields regardless of the client space you're within.
- Navigate to your Hudu admin area >> Asset Layouts; here you'll be able to access the list of all created asset layouts within your environment.
- Click ((+ New Asset Layout)).
- You can choose to create an asset layout from scratch or choose to start from one of our pre-built templates (either way, asset layouts can be further customized).
- Click into your just-created asset layout to update the name and icon, and choose which fields you'd like to populate the category with.
- Ensure that this asset layout is activated; so that it's available to be populated.
Visit Asset Layouts for additional information!
6. Populate asset layouts with asset information.
- In order to actually populate these 'categories' or asset layouts that you've just created, we'll need to navigate inside of a client space.
- Down at the bottom of the left-hand side menu, under 'Custom', you'll see all of your activated asset layouts.
- If you do not see your active asset layouts, and you've ensured that they are active, click the show blank button at the bottom of the left-hand side menu.
- Click into an asset layout that you'd like to populate and click ((+ New)).
- From this window, you'll see all of the fields that you created previously. Populate all required fields and any additional fields of your choosing.
- Fields not populated will not show up on the asset information page.
- From this window, you'll see all of the fields that you created previously. Populate all required fields and any additional fields of your choosing.
Visit Assets for additional information!
7. Utilize Hudu's core features.
- Knowledge Base articles (global and client-specific) can be created to assist with documenting tutorials, setup instructions, and how-tos.
- Processes serve as checklists to maintain standardized procedures and track workflow.
- Our password manager assists in storing client asset credentials, for easy access.
- Website tracking can be set up per client to assist with managing status, name expiration, and SSL cert expiration.
- Expirations can be configured to track website statuses, as well as asset and KB article expiration dates.
8. Relate things together!
- Any piece of information stored within Hudu can be related to something else within Hudu; this could be data of the same type (i.e. assets with other assets); OR data of varying types (i.e. assets with relevant passwords; articles or processes).
- By relating assets together, you'll be able to create an inter-connected web of data types; to make servicing assets as easy as possible for your technicians!
For additional information, visit Relationships.
Still Confused?
Hudu is here to help!
Our Help Center is jammed full of additional guides on features and how to use Hudu. Continue reading through articles to learn and understand how Hudu can help you!
We have tons of additional resources to help learn about our product!
Or, chat with one of our friendly support agents by submitting a ticket here, we’re happy to answer any and all questions you may have!