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

# Onboarding with Order Protection

> A step-by-step walkthrough of everything to set up when you're getting started with Order Protection.

This guide walks through everything to set up when you're getting started — in the order we recommend doing it. Work through it top to bottom, and use the links in each step to go deeper on anything you want to configure carefully.

<Note>
  You won't do this alone. Your implementation contact and Customer Success Manager set up your account with you, and several settings — pricing, coverage, and revenue share among them — are configured in partnership with the Order Protection team rather than by you directly.
</Note>

## Your setup checklist

<Steps>
  <Step title="Watch the dashboard walkthrough">
    Start with the [Order Protection App Walkthrough](/education-basecamp/general/dashboard-walkthrough) — a video tour of the merchant dashboard. It's the fastest way to get oriented before you start changing settings.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Log in to your dashboard">
    Your dashboard lives at [app.orderprotection.com](https://app.orderprotection.com). Access starts with an invite from your implementation contact, so if you haven't received one, ask them to send it.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add your team">
    Invite the people who'll work claims day to day, and give each of them the right level of access.

    * [How to invite a new team member](/education-basecamp/settings/team-members#how-to-invite-a-new-team-member)
    * [Learn about roles](/education-basecamp/settings/team-members#learn-about-roles) — review these before inviting, so people land with the right permissions the first time
    * [Granting developer app access](/education-basecamp/settings/team-members#granting-developer-app-access)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review your claim settings">
    These control how claims are resolved and how long they sit at each stage. Get them right early — they shape every claim your customers file.

    * [Account Store Credit](/education-basecamp/claims/claim-settings#account-store-credit) — whether store credit is offered as a resolution, and in what form
    * [Claim Queue Settings](/education-basecamp/claims/claim-settings#claim-queue-settings) — how long claims wait before moving automatically
    * [Alternate Sales Channel Settings](/education-basecamp/claims/claim-settings#alternate-sales-channel-settings) — for claims on orders placed outside your store

    **Set up your claim sub-types.** Sub-types break each top-level claim reason — Damaged, Stolen, Wrong Item — into the more specific options a customer actually picks, such as *Broken Lid* or *Arrived Cracked*. They're configured separately for shipping claims and warranty claims, so review both.

    Spending time here pays off twice: customers describe the problem accurately the first time, and you get claim data specific enough to spot recurring product and packaging issues later in your analytics. See [Claim Sub-Type Setup](/education-basecamp/claims/claim-settings#claim-sub-type-setup) for how to add and manage them.

    It's also worth reading [How the Claim Queue Works](/education-basecamp/claims/how-the-claim-queue-works) and [Filing a Claim](/education-basecamp/claims/filing-a-claim) so you know what your team and your customers each experience.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review your policies">
    Your [Policies](/education-basecamp/settings/policies) settings define the commercial and coverage terms of your account. Some are configured with your Order Protection team rather than self-serve, but you should understand all of them.

    * [Coverage Matrix](/education-basecamp/settings/policies#coverage-matrix) — which claim types are covered, at what reimbursement, and what evidence customers must provide
    * [Policy Windows](/education-basecamp/settings/policies#policy-windows) — how long after delivery a customer can file
    * [Shipping Pricing](/education-basecamp/settings/policies#shipping-pricing) — what protection costs and who pays
    * [Widget](/education-basecamp/settings/policies#widget) — cart and checkout behavior, including which regions are opt-in
  </Step>

  <Step title="Map your product taxonomy (optional)">
    **Only needed if you sell bundles or products made up of component SKUs** — a water bottle with a separate lid, for example. If every product you sell is a single standalone item, skip this step entirely.

    If it does apply, [set up your product taxonomy](/education-basecamp/claims/product-taxonomy) so a customer can file a claim against just the broken lid instead of the whole bottle. See [how to upload your taxonomy](/education-basecamp/claims/product-taxonomy#how-to-upload-your-taxonomy) and the [CSV structure](/education-basecamp/claims/product-taxonomy#csv-structure).

    It takes real effort to prepare, so start it early rather than saving it for last.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set up your customizations">
    Make the experience look and sound like your brand:

    * [Branding your claim portal](/education-basecamp/customizations/branding-your-portal) — logos, colors, and typography on your co-branded portal
    * [Email designer](/education-basecamp/customizations/emails) — the transactional emails customers receive, including your [sender signature](/education-basecamp/customizations/emails#setting-up-your-sender-signature)
    * [Widget customization](/education-basecamp/customizations/widgets) — how protection appears in your cart and checkout
    * [Info modals](/education-basecamp/customizations/info-modals) — the "What's this?" explainer customers can open
  </Step>

  <Step title="Connect your integrations">
    Connect the tools your team already uses — help desks, subscriptions, returns, and more. See the [integrations directory](/integrations) for the full list.

    Connecting your help desk is worth doing before the next step: if you use [Gorgias](/integrations/gorgias), Order Protection can [generate draft SOPs from what your team has already documented there](/education-basecamp/settings/sops#generating-sops-from-your-help-desk).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set up your SOPs and macros">
    These teach both your team and claim automation how you want claims handled.

    * [Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)](/education-basecamp/settings/sops) — your store's rules for handling claims. Active SOPs are used directly by [claim automation](/education-basecamp/claims/claim-automation), so the more specific they are, the more closely automation follows your policies. If your help desk is connected, you can [generate a first set of SOPs from it](/education-basecamp/settings/sops#generating-sops-from-your-help-desk) rather than writing them from scratch.
    * [Message macros](/education-basecamp/settings/message-macros) — the voice used when agents message your customers
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set up payment and payout methods">
    Make sure money can move in both directions before you go live.

    * [Add a payment method](/education-basecamp/finance/how-payments-work#how-to-add-a-payment-method) and [set a default](/education-basecamp/finance/how-payments-work#how-to-set-a-payment-method-as-default) for your invoices
    * [Manage your payout methods](/education-basecamp/finance/how-payouts-work#how-to-manage-payout-methods) so you receive your monthly payouts
    * Read [How Payouts Work](/education-basecamp/finance/how-payouts-work) and [Claim Types Credited](/education-basecamp/finance/claim-types-credited) to understand what you're paid and what's reimbursed
  </Step>
</Steps>

## After a few weeks: review your analytics

Once you have claims flowing, your analytics become the feedback loop for everything you configured above.

* [Analytics Dashboard](/education-basecamp/analytics/dashboard) — claim volume, resolution mix, and trends. Start with [what you'll see](/education-basecamp/analytics/dashboard#what-youll-see) and [filtering the dashboard](/education-basecamp/analytics/dashboard#filtering-the-dashboard).
* [Analytics Gallery](/education-basecamp/analytics/gallery) — customer-submitted claim photos, [filtered by issue type](/education-basecamp/analytics/gallery#filtering-by-issue-type). Useful for spotting packaging or product problems behind repeat claims.

<Tip>
  Give it a few weeks before drawing conclusions. Early volume is small and seasonal spikes can be misleading.
</Tip>

## Keeping things current

Onboarding isn't quite finished when you go live. A few things are worth revisiting:

* **Your SOPs**, as your policies change — automation follows whatever is active today.
* **Your product taxonomy**, as you add products. See [keeping your taxonomy up to date](/education-basecamp/claims/product-taxonomy#keeping-your-taxonomy-up-to-date).
* **Your coverage and windows**, once you can see real claim patterns in analytics.

## Also worth reading

* [Frequently Asked Questions](/education-basecamp/general/faq) — common questions about coverage, claims, and billing
* [Order Protection as an Optional Service](/education-basecamp/general/order-protection-optional-service) — opt-in/opt-out configuration and pricing compliance
* [Order and Claim Tags](/education-basecamp/settings/order-and-claim-tags) — sync claim data back to Shopify for reporting and flows
* [Manufacturer & Extended Warranties](/education-basecamp/claims/warranties) — if you offer warranty coverage alongside shipping protection

## Questions?

Your Customer Success Manager and your shared Slack channel are the fastest way to get help during onboarding.