Getting Started

Get up and running with Beeswax — choose your path, set up your profile or account, and start working.

Overview

Getting started with Beeswax is straightforward. After signing up, you choose the path that best suits your needs. You do not need to create a business account to use Beeswax — you can simply create a profile and be listed on the Hive directory.

Choose Your Path

After signing up, you are presented with three options:

Find Talent

Choose this if you want to browse the Hive directory to find freelancers, contractors, and businesses for your projects. You do not need a business account or a profile — you can simply search and connect with professionals.

Create a Profile

Choose this if you are a freelancer, sole trader, or contractor who wants to be listed on the Hive. This creates your personal profile where you can showcase your skills, set your rates, and let potential clients find you.

This path does not require a business account. You get access to:

  • Your personal Hive profile
  • The Hive directory (to browse other professionals)
  • Messaging (to communicate with people who contact you)

Create an Account

Choose this if you need the full Beeswax business tools — project management, invoicing, expenses, time tracking, accounting, and team management. This takes you through a setup wizard to configure your business.

You start with a free trial that gives you expanded access. When the trial ends, your account moves to the Free plan automatically, or you can select a paid plan.

Note: You can always change your path later. Freelancers can create a business account when they are ready, and business users who lose account access can create a personal profile.

Setting Up a Business Account

If you choose to create an account, the setup wizard walks you through three key steps:

  1. Create your first Project — every invoice, expense, and task in Beeswax belongs to a project, so you need at least one to get started
  2. Set up your Company — enter your business details including name, address, and contact information
  3. Configure Items and Chart of Accounts — Beeswax creates a default set of products/services and a starter chart of accounts that you can customise later

Note: The initial chart of accounts is a starting point. Work with your accountant to tailor it to your business needs.

Navigate to Settings > Preferences to upload your company logo. Your logo appears on invoices, quotes, and other documents sent to clients.

Requirement Detail
File format PNG or JPG
Maximum size 500 x 200 pixels

Upload your logo early so all documents you send are properly branded from the start.

Update Company Information

Navigate to Companies & People in the main navigation to update your company details. Select your company and use the sidebar form to edit your information.

Key fields to complete:

  • Business name and trading name
  • Address and contact details
  • ABN (for Australian businesses)

Note: If you are an Australian business, make sure your ABN is entered correctly as it appears on invoices and tax documents.

Add Items

Items are the building blocks of your invoices and expenses. They represent the products and services your business buys and sells.

Set up your commonly used items early so they are available when creating invoices and expenses. Each item can have a default sell price (for invoices) and a buy price (for expenses), along with the appropriate tax rate and account allocation.

Update Chart of Accounts

Your chart of accounts is the foundation of your accounting in Beeswax. The setup wizard creates an initial chart of accounts as a starting point.

Before sending your first invoice:

  • Review the chart of accounts with your accountant
  • Update bank account details so payments are allocated correctly
  • Ensure tax rates are configured for your region

Invite Users

Once your account is configured, invite your team members. Each user can be assigned a role that determines what they can see and do within the account. See the Roles help article for details on the available permission levels.

Migrating to Beeswax

If you are moving from another system, there are a few things to prepare:

Migration Step Description
Next numbers Set your invoice and expense numbers to continue from where your previous system left off
Chart of accounts Map your existing accounts to the Beeswax chart of accounts
Transition date Choose a date from which Beeswax takes over — this determines your opening balances
Outstanding invoices Enter any unpaid invoices so your accounts receivable is accurate from day one

Note: If you are a Xero user, you can connect Beeswax to Xero via Settings > Connected Apps and run both systems in parallel during your transition.