Welcome to Mendato! This guide walks you step by step through the complete initial setup — from company data to your first order with time tracking and invoice.
Overview: What Will Be Set Up?
The Mendato setup consists of 7 steps that build on each other:
Step | What? | Where? | Time |
1 | Enter company data | Settings | 5 min |
2 | Create services | Master Data | 5 min |
3 | Create customers & objects | Master Data | 10 min |
4 | Add employees | Master Data | 10 min |
5 | Create your first order | Orders | 10 min |
6 | Set up time tracking | Operations App | 5 min |
7 | Create your first invoice | Accounting | 5 min |
1. Enter Company Data
Settings > Company Data
Before you get started, enter your company information. It will appear automatically on all invoices, quotes and dunning notices.
Enter the following information:
Company name & legal form
Address (street, postcode, city)
Phone & email
Tax number / VAT ID
Bank details (IBAN & BIC) — these bank details are shown on your documents (invoices, credit notes, dunning notices)
Upload logo — appears on all documents
Note: The bank details under Company Data are not the same as the bank details under Accounting > Bank (for internal payment matching) or under Settings > Subscription (payment method for your Mendato subscription).
In addition, under Settings > Documents > Invoices:
Set invoice number prefix (e.g.
INV)Set running number
Set default due date (e.g. 14 days)
Introductory & closing text for invoices
E-invoice: recommendation — enable ZUGFeRD as the default
Under Settings > Email Sending:
Enter the SMTP data for your outgoing email server so that invoices and dunning notices are delivered reliably
2. Create Services
Master Data > Services
Services define what activities your company offers. They are later assigned to orders and employees.
Typical services for building service providers:
Maintenance cleaning
Window cleaning
Deep cleaning
Construction cleaning
Special cleaning
Stairwell cleaning
Garden maintenance
Winter service
Click New Service and enter the name. Services can also be added later when creating an order.
Further reading: Add Services
3. Create Customers & Objects
Master Data > Customers and Master Data > Objects
Create Customers
The customer is the invoice recipient. Enter:
Name & address (= billing address)
Email & phone
Optional: contact person, customer-specific invoice texts, due date
Further reading: Create Customers
Create Objects
The object is the execution location (e.g. an office building, hotel or residential building). Each object belongs to a customer.
Object name (e.g. "Main Building")
Address of the execution location
Object radius — for location verification during time tracking
Further reading: Create Object
4. Add Employees
Master Data > Employees
Three things are important for each employee:
a) Create employee
Name, address, phone number, employee number
Optional: driver's license, assigned services
b) Store working time model
Weekdays and daily target hours (e.g. Mon–Fri 8h each = 40h/week)
Gross hourly wage (optional, for controlling)
Start date of the model
c) User access for Mendato Operations
Click Add User
Login via phone number + password (recommended for cleaning staff)
The employee can then use the Mendato Operations App
Further reading: Add Employee + Working Time Model
5. Create Your First Order
Orders > New Order
Order creation consists of 4 steps:
Step 1: Order details
Select customer and object
Set start date
Step 2: Add services
Select the services that will be performed at the object (e.g. maintenance cleaning, window cleaning)
Step 3: Define billing items
Type: service, journey or material
Billing model: one-time, recurring or per operation
Quantity: fixed (automatic) or dynamic (by entry, service receipt or time tracking)
Price & tax rate
Step 4: Plan shifts & operations
Create a shift with an interval (e.g. every Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
Set times
Assign employees as performers
Optional: enable automatic service receipt generation
Further reading: Step 1: Order Details | Step 2: Services | Step 3: Billing | Step 4: Shifts
6. Set Up Time Tracking
Once orders and operations are scheduled, your employees can use time tracking.
For the employee:
Download the Mendato Operations App from the App Store / Play Store
Log in with phone number + password
Scheduled operations appear automatically in the app
Start operation → work → end operation
For administration:
Check times under Personnel > Time Tracking
Add missing times (list "Without Check-In")
Confirm times — only then do they flow into the payroll export
Further reading: Set Up Time Tracking in Mendato Operations | Onboard Employees
7. Create Your First Invoice
Mendato Accounting > Outstanding Items
As soon as operations have taken place and all quantities/times are entered, Mendato automatically generates outstanding items in accounting.
Switch to Mendato Accounting (top right)
Go to Outstanding Items
Select the items you want to bill
Click Create Invoice(s)
Review the invoice and click Send
Further reading: Create Invoice | Send Invoice
Checklist: Are You Ready to Go?
Check whether you've completed all the steps:
Company data, logo and bank details stored
SMTP for email sending set up
Invoice number prefix and default texts configured
Services created
At least one customer with an object created
Employees created with working time model and user access
First order created with shifts and operations
Employee has installed Mendato Operations and logged in
Next Steps
Once you've completed the basic setup, explore these advanced topics:
Use the schedule — visually plan and move operations
Use tasks / checklists — define recurring checkpoints for your operations
Manage absences — handle vacation and sickness
Export payroll data — for DATEV, Lexware or Excel
Set up the bank function — match incoming payments automatically
Set up the customer portal — give customers access to operations and tickets
Manage subcontractors — schedule subcontractors and bill them via credit note
Any Questions?
Use our Help Center at help.mendato.com
Write to us via the Support Chat (bottom right in the system)
Contact your personal Mendato representative