# Your first hour in Meisa: the setup checklist

Source: https://help.meisa.io/articles/first-hour-setup-checklist

Your first hour has five steps: connect your email provider, verify your domain, add a sender address, add contacts, and send your first email. The **Get ready to send** card on your dashboard tracks them in that order and always shows the next one.

![The dashboard with the Get ready to send checklist](https://cdn.kamaan.io/kamaan/sites/6ae9f671d5ea373710b2366f/images/meisa-dashboard-7f0d53e7.webp)
## How the checklist works

- Open **Dashboard** in the sidebar. The **Get ready to send** card shows how many steps are done (for example, 2 of 5) and a **Next step** box.
- Click the blue button in the **Next step** box to go straight to that step.
- Already did a step another way? Click **I have already done this**.
- The sidebar also shows **Setup** with your progress until all five are done. Click it to jump back to the checklist.
- Each product has its own checklist, because each product has its own sending setup.

## Step 1: Connect your email provider

Plug in Amazon SES or the provider you already use. You pay them for sending, at cost.

1. If you use Amazon SES, first create an IAM user and access keys. See [Create an AWS IAM user and access keys for Meisa](/articles/create-aws-iam-user-for-ses).
2. In Meisa, go to **Email setup** and add your provider. See [Connect Amazon SES to Meisa](/articles/connect-amazon-ses).
3. New SES accounts start in the sandbox. Request production access early, because AWS can take up to a day to reply. See [Move AWS SES out of the sandbox](/articles/request-ses-production-access).

If the step shows **Keys not working**, check your provider details and save them again.

## Step 2: Verify your domain

This proves the address you send from is yours, so mail reaches the inbox.

1. Add your domain in **Email setup**.
2. Copy the DNS records Meisa shows into your DNS host. See [Add Meisa's DNS records at Cloudflare, GoDaddy, Namecheap or Route 53](/articles/add-dns-records-at-your-dns-host).
3. Wait for the domain to show as verified. See [My domain is still pending verification](/articles/domain-verification-pending).

## Step 3: Add a sender address

The sender is the name and address people see on your emails, like "Sam at Northwind". See [Add a sender (From name and address)](/articles/add-a-sender-address).

## Step 4: Add contacts

Import a list or add people one by one. See [Import contacts from a CSV file](/articles/import-contacts-from-csv) or [Add a contact](/articles/add-a-contact). Only import people who agreed to hear from you.

## Step 5: Send your first email

Any email sent counts, including a broadcast to yourself. A good first send:

1. Send a test to yourself. See [Send a test email to yourself or your team](/articles/send-a-test-email).
2. Then send your first broadcast. See [Send your first broadcast](/articles/send-your-first-broadcast).

## After the checklist

- Set up your onboarding emails: [Create an onboarding email sequence](/articles/create-an-email-sequence).
- Connect your app: [API quickstart: your first API call](/articles/api-quickstart).
- Bring your team in: [Invite team members](/articles/invite-your-team).

## Troubleshooting

- **A step shows "Could not check".** Meisa could not confirm that step right now. You can still go ahead.
- **My trial limit stopped a send.** During the 7-day trial there are daily and total sending limits. See [Manage your plan, card and invoices](/articles/manage-your-plan-and-billing) to start your plan early.
- **Stuck?** Email hi@meisa.io or use the chat on this help center.

## Related articles

- [Connect Amazon SES to Meisa](/articles/connect-amazon-ses)
- [Verify your sending domain (DKIM, SPF and DMARC)](/articles/verify-your-sending-domain)
- [Send your first broadcast](/articles/send-your-first-broadcast)
- [Why was my email not sent?](/articles/why-was-my-email-not-sent)