> This is the Markdown of a Backed Help Centre page, https://admin.backed.giving/help/administrator/getting-started/getting-started-as-an-administrator.md. Every page is listed at https://admin.backed.giving/help/llms.txt.

> This page uses Backed's default terms, such as Funding Round and Application Template. An organisation may rename them, so read each as your organisation's own term if you've renamed it.

The Administrator portal is where you set up and run your organisation's grants. This article walks
through what you see when you sign in.

## Getting started

If you are an administrator, `Getting started` in the top bar, at the right of the bell, opens
the go-live checklists, in the order that takes a new organisation from an empty account to its first
published grant and on through the life of its grants.

1. [Organisation](../organisation/checklist-organisation.md)
2. [Registrations](../registrations/checklist-registrations.md)
3. [Applications](../applications/checklist-applications.md)
4. [Funding Rounds & Grant Management](../funding-rounds/checklist-funding-rounds-and-grant-management.md)
5. [Assessments](../assessments/checklist-assessments.md)
6. [Decisions](../decisions/checklist-decisions.md)
7. [Contracts](../contracts/checklist-contracts.md)
8. [Milestones](../milestones/checklist-milestones.md)
9. [Outcomes](../outcomes/checklist-outcomes.md)

The page is laid out like organisation setup: the checklists run down the left under
`Going live`, with how many you have finished, and the checklist you are on sits beside them. It
opens at the first checklist with a step left. Select a checklist on the left, or use
`Previous checklist` and `Next checklist`, to move between them. A checklist is ticked on the left
once every one of its steps is done.

Each step says what to check and links the screen it names; a step about one grant opens the list
you choose the grant from. Tick `Done` when you have finished a step, and the checklist counts
what is left. The number beside `Getting started` in the top bar is how many checklists you have
not finished, and it goes when they all are. Your ticks are kept in this browser only, so another
browser or device starts with none ticked.

## The Dashboard

The `Dashboard` opens with a greeting, then the view for your role, then your sections. Until all
six steps of your organisation's setup are done, its lead Administrator also sees
`Finish setting up` at the top. See [Set up your organisation](set-up-your-organisation.md).

### View as

To choose what leads your `Dashboard`, open your name, select `View as…`, then under `Your roles`
choose `Admin: Program manager`, `Admin: Finance` or `Admin: Board` and select `Apply`. You can do
this from any page. The view you choose is kept for you on any device you sign in on, and it
changes nobody else's `Dashboard`. It changes only what leads the page: every section you have
access to is still shown below it, in every view.

Until you choose one, your `Dashboard` opens on the view that fits what you can do:
`Program manager` if you can open applications, assessments or funding decisions; otherwise
`Finance` if you can open payments; otherwise `Board` if you can generate reports and open grants;
otherwise `Program manager`. If you ran setup, the role you chose in its first step set it.

Each panel in a view shows only what you have access to, and a panel whose screen is closed to you
or not turned on for your organisation is not shown. When none of a view's panels can be shown, the
view says so in one line. Every figure links to the list that counts it.

### Program manager

The headings below use your organisation's own terms if you've renamed them; these are the
defaults. `The grant in flight` follows the open grant closing soonest or, when none is open, the
grant that closed most recently.

- Its figures: `Applications in so far`, every application started or submitted in the grant,
  which opens the grant's `Applications` tab; when the grant closes; and how many are
  `Started, not yet submitted`. `Review N applications` opens the submitted applications; when
  none are waiting, `Open the grant` opens the grant instead.
- `Assessment completion` is a gauge of how many of the scores assigned in the grant are in, with
  the `Slowest assessment round`: the one furthest behind.
- `Applications by week` counts the applications submitted to the grant in flight in each of the
  last eight weeks, whichever columns your lists show. Its `N this week` opens that week's
  applications.
- `Assessors to nudge` lists the assessors with scoring still to do, soonest due first, with how
  many they have scored and when they are due or since when they are overdue. It needs the
  `Assessor` and `Due Date` columns shown in the grant's assessments list; when one is hidden, it
  names it, such as `The Due Date column is hidden in your columns, so nobody can be named here.`,
  and when both are, it says `The Assessor and Due Date columns are hidden in your columns`.
  When the grant has more than 200 assessments, it counts from the first 200 and says
  so: `Counted from the first 200 of N assessments.`

### Finance

`Money out the door` covers your organisation's financial year.

- `Paid to grantees this year`, with what is `Committed, not yet paid` and the
  `Average days to pay`. Its button reviews the next payment run, such as `Review Tuesday's run`,
  or says `Open payments` when none is scheduled.
- `Fund left to commit` (headed with the fund's name when you have one, such as
  `Community Fund left to commit`) is a gauge of how much of the fund is committed, with what is
  left and, at the pace of the last six months, the month it will be fully committed. Below it is
  the `Next payment run`: its date, how many payments and their total.
- `Waiting on you` lists payment batches to approve, payments past their scheduled date,
  milestones to review and milestones that are overdue.
- `Committed and paid, by month` covers the last six months.
- `Milestones due in the next 30 days` lists them, soonest first.

### Board

`Portfolio` covers your organisation's financial year.

- `Live grants`, what is `Committed to them` and what was `Paid this year`. `Build a board pack`
  opens your board packs.
- `Outcomes we said we would move` shows, for each outcomes framework, how close your grants are
  to their targets and how many indicators have been measured.
- `Where the money went` shows what was paid this year by category.
- `From the latest reports` shows the latest story from your quarterly reports that may be shared,
  such as an impact story or a learning reflection.

### Your sections

Below the view, the `Dashboard` shows these sections. A section you do not have access to is not
shown.

- `Needs you` lists what is waiting on you: people asking to join, grants closing soon, grants you
  haven't finished setting up, applications waiting for a decision, and quarter reports to write.
  When there is nothing, it says `Nothing needs you right now.`
- `Where every Application stands` counts applications across your open and recently closed grants
  by stage: `Incomplete`, `Submitted`, `Assessed`, `Approved` and `Declined`. Hover over a stage
  to see what it means.
- `Grants` shows a card per grant with its status (`Draft`, `Published` or `Closed`) and one
  date. A published grant that is taking applications shows its closing date (`Closes 30 Jun
  2026`), or `Always open` when it has none. A published grant that has not opened yet shows the
  date it opens instead (`Opens 1 Apr 2026`), and its `Published` badge takes a quieter colour
  than an open grant's. A closed grant shows the date it closed. Select `All Grants` for the full
  list, or `Set up your first one` if you have none.
- `My Tasks` lists your outstanding tasks. Select `View all tasks` to open `Tasks`.
- `Registrations to review` lists applicant registrations waiting for you. Select `Review` on one.
- `Visualisations` holds the charts you add with `Add visualisation`. Each one shows a figure from
  your data; use its menu to `Edit`, `Duplicate` or `Remove` it. Amounts in more than one currency
  are never added together: the figure or chart is shown once for each currency, headed `In NZD`.
  `Start from a recipe`, at the top of `Add visualisation`, fills the editor in from a ready-made
  chart such as `Success rate` or `Payments outstanding`. Choose `Budget` as the source to add a
  Budget tile: paid, committed and remaining for everything, one grant or one program, for this
  financial year, last financial year or the calendar year to date, with a link to the budget
  report. See [See committed, paid and remaining against each budget](../reports/budget-report.md).
  At the foot of the section,
  `Governance Dashboards` lists the named dashboards you made and those shared with your Admin
  Groups. See [Governance dashboards](../reports/governance-dashboards.md).

  Choose `Map` as the `Visualisation type` to show where your applications are. A map always shows
  applications. Its `Layer` is either `Points` or `Regions`:

  - `Points` puts each located application on the map, coloured by its `Status` or by
    `Approved or declined`. Nearby points are grouped into a numbered circle; select it to zoom in. Select a
    point to open that application. Under the map, the legend names each colour and how many
    applications have it. It also says how many applications have no located address and aren't
    shown.
  - `Regions` lists each `Local government area`, `Federal electorate` or `State electorate` with
    its count of applications, or the sum of their approved amounts. The largest is first, and
    each row's swatch is shaded by its figure. Amounts in different currencies are listed
    separately. A New Zealand application counts in its territorial authority and its general
    electorate. State electorates are Australian only, so the map says how many New Zealand
    applications it leaves out.

  A map's menu also has `Download PNG`, for a picture of the map, and `Download CSV`, for the
  rows behind it. Maps need geography turned on for your organisation. While it is off, maps are
  hidden and `Map` isn't offered.
- `This quarter` shows each Epic's quarterly report, when quarterly reporting is turned on.

If you are also an assessor, the `Admin` and `Assessor` buttons at the top switch between your
Dashboard as an administrator and as an assessor.

To choose which sections are shown and in what order, use `Dashboard Preferences` on your account's
`Preferences` tab. See [Your account](../users/your-account.md).

## Finding your way around

- The **sidebar** opens with the Backed mark and your organisation's name. A long name scrolls
  to its end every 10 seconds, and shows in full when you point at it. Below it, `Dashboard` and `Tasks` sit above a line, then the work is
  grouped by grant stage.
- **`Plan`** holds `Grants`, `Funds`, `Form templates`, `Outcomes frameworks` and `Programs`.
- **`Applications`** holds `All applications` and `Applicants`.
- **`Assess`** holds `Assessments`, `Assessment rounds`, `Sharing`, `Conflicts of interest` and
  `Assessors`.
- **`Decide`** holds `Funding decisions`, `Publication`, `Probity checklist`, `Decline queue` and
  `Decision reasons`.
- **`Award and pay`** holds `Contracts`, `Milestones`, `Milestone batches`, `Payments` and
  `Verifiers`.
- **`Report`** holds `Portfolio` and `Networks`. When quarterly reporting is turned on for your
  organisation, it also holds `Epics`, `Captain's report`, `Board packs` and `Search reports`.
- **`Communicate`** holds `Email templates`, `Broadcasts`, `Unfiled email`, `Email log` and
  `SMS log`.
- **`People`** holds `Administrators`, `Admin groups` and your team's `Team`, `Invitations` and
  `Join requests`.
- **`Settings`** holds `Profile and terms`, `Security`, `Joining`, `Audit log`, `Saved views`,
  `Tags`, the category pages, `Imports` and more.

You see only the items your permissions open. The menu labels use your organisation's own term if
you've renamed it. A number beside an item counts what is waiting there, in red when it waits on
someone.

The foot of the sidebar holds your name, which opens your account menu: `Your account` (where the
`My access` tab shows your own permissions), `View as…`, `Help Centre`, `Feedback` (when it is on
for your organisation), `Support`, `Take a tour`, `Appearance` (`Light` or `Dark`) and `Sign out`.
`Help Centre` opens the guide for the page you are on in a new tab, or the Administrator Help
Guides where no guide covers the page.
`View as…` chooses what leads your `Dashboard`, opens your other portals when you hold more than
one role, and shows Backed the way another role sees it. See
[View as another role](../users/view-as-another-role.md). On a phone or tablet
the sidebar opens from `☰`, and your initials are at the right of the top bar: select them to open
the menu. The top bar's buttons show as icons there; point at one to see its name. On a phone, the
menu under your initials also holds the organisation switcher, the search and `Getting started`.

`Support` in your account menu opens `Get help`, the Backed support panel. See
[Getting help](getting-help.md#contact-backed-support).

## Searching from anywhere

The search button in the top bar finds a record from any page. You can also press `/`, or
`Ctrl+K` (`Cmd+K` on a Mac), to open it. On a narrow tablet it is a magnifying-glass button, and on
a phone it is in the menu under your initials, at the right of the top bar.

- Before you type, it shows the records you last opened from search. Select `Clear recents` to
  empty that list.
- Type two or more characters to search applications, applicants, grants, assessors, contracts,
  milestones and admins by number, title or name. Results are grouped by type, five to a group,
  and each group's `See all` opens that list filtered by what you typed.
- Use the arrow keys to move through the results and `Enter` to open one. `Esc` closes the search.
- You only see, and only count, records you have access to. When nothing matches, the search says
  so and offers the list pages instead.

When feedback is turned on for your organisation, `Feedback` in your account menu sends a note to
the Backed team from any page. See
[Getting help](getting-help.md).

## See also

- [Understanding the typical grant workflow](understanding-the-typical-grant-workflow.md)
- [Checklist - Organisation](../organisation/checklist-organisation.md)
- [Organisation settings](../organisation/organisation-settings.md)
- [Administrators and permissions](../users/administrators-and-permissions.md)