First-Time Onboarding

Complete guide to setting up Sorta for the first time

First-Time Onboarding

When you launch Sorta for the first time, you'll go through a guided onboarding flow that helps you set up a personalized file organization system tailored to how YOU work.

What to Expect

The onboarding process has 7 steps:

  1. Login & License Verification — Authenticate your account
  2. Permissions Setup — Grant macOS permissions
  3. Create Your First Structure — Define your personalized folder organization
  4. Set Storage Path — Choose where projects will be created
  5. Create Your First Project — Set up your first organized project
  6. Set Sorting Folder — Choose where files will be auto-sorted from
  7. Your First Sort — Experience the complete workflow

Toast notifications appear at the bottom-left of the screen to guide you through each step, so you'll never feel lost.

Step 1: Login & License Verification

What Happens

When you first launch Sorta, you'll be prompted to login or create an account.

What You'll Need

  • Email address — Used for your account
  • Password — Secure your account
  • License key — Provided after purchase (or trial access)

Actions

  1. Enter your email and password
  2. Click Login (or Create Account if new)
  3. Enter your license key when prompted
  4. Wait for verification

Once verified, you'll proceed to permissions setup.

Step 2: Permissions Setup

Why Permissions Are Needed

Sorta needs macOS permissions to:

  • Access your folders — Read and organize your project files
  • Watch folders — Detect new files in your sorting folder automatically
  • Create directories — Set up project folder structures
  • Move files — Sort files into the right locations
  • Generate thumbnails — Show file previews in the app

What You'll Grant

On macOS, you'll be asked for:

  • Full Disk Access — Required to access and manage your project folders
  • File System Access — Required for watching folders and detecting changes

How to Grant Permissions

  1. Click Grant Permissions in Sorta
  2. macOS will open System Settings → Privacy & Security
  3. Find Full Disk Access in the left sidebar
  4. Click the (+) button
  5. Navigate to Applications and select Sorta
  6. Check the box next to Sorta
  7. Restart Sorta if prompted

Once permissions are granted, the onboarding continues.

Step 3: Create Your First Structure

What Is a Structure?

A structure is your personalized folder organization template. It defines:

  • Root folders — Main categories (e.g., Design, Documentation)
  • Subfolders — Organized sections (e.g., Assets, Source, Export)
  • File destinations — Where different file types get sorted

This is the foundation of Sorta — it's what makes the app adapt to how YOU organize your work, not the other way around.

What Happens

On first launch, Sorta redirects you to the Structure tab with a toast notification:

Toast: "Create your first structure to define how you organize files"

Creating Your Structure

You'll see the structure creation interface with two options:

Option 1: Start with Default

The default structure includes:

Roots:
├── Main (_design)          — For all design/creation work
└── Secondary (_documentation) — For documentation and publishing

Folders (within each root):
├── assets/   — Raw media files
├── source/   — Software/project files
└── export/   — Final renders and deliverables

You can customize the folder names to match your workflow:

  • Rename _design to _creative or _production
  • Rename _documentation to _marketing or _social
  • Rename assets, source, export to anything you prefer

Option 2: Build from Scratch

  1. Click Create New Structure
  2. Name your structure (e.g., "My Workflow")
  3. Add root folders (Main, Secondary, or custom names)
  4. Add subfolders (assets, source, export, etc.)
  5. Customize folder names to match your workflow

Best Practices

  • Use clear names — "Assets" is better than "Files1"
  • Match your workflow — If you call them "Footage" and "Edits", use those names
  • Keep it simple — Start with 2-3 roots and 3-4 folders
  • You can always change it — Structures can be edited anytime

Save Your Structure

Once you're happy with your structure:

  1. Click Save
  2. Give it a name (e.g., "Video Production Workflow")
  3. Click Confirm

A toast notification appears:

Toast: "Great! Now go to Projects tab to set your storage path"

Step 4: Set Storage Path (Projects Folder)

What Is the Storage Path?

The storage path is the location on your Mac where Sorta will create your project folders.

For example:

  • /Users/YourName/Documents/Projects
  • /Users/YourName/Desktop/Work
  • /Volumes/ExternalDrive/MyProjects

When This Happens

After creating your structure, when you click the Projects tab, Sorta prompts you to select a storage path.

Choosing the Right Location

Recommended locations:

  • ~/Documents/Projects — Good for organization
  • ~/Desktop/Work — Easy access
  • External drive — If you have lots of files

Avoid:

  • System folders (/System, /Library)
  • iCloud Drive root — Can cause sync issues
  • Folders you don't own — Permission problems

How to Set It

  1. Click Projects tab
  2. A dialog appears: "Select your projects storage folder"
  3. Click Browse
  4. Navigate to or create your preferred location
  5. Click Select Folder

The storage path is saved, and a toast appears:

Toast: "Storage path set! Now create your first project"

Step 5: Create Your First Project

What Is a Project?

A project is a folder on your Mac with:

  • Your custom folder structure applied
  • All subfolders created automatically
  • Ready to receive sorted files

Examples:

  • "Client Website Redesign"
  • "Q1 Marketing Campaign"
  • "Home Renovation Planning"

Creating Your Project

After setting the storage path, you'll see the Projects tab with a Create Project button.

  1. Click Create Project
  2. Enter a project name (e.g., "My First Project")
  3. Select a client (default: "Personal")
  4. Choose your structure (the one you just created is selected)
  5. Click Create

Sorta creates the project folder with your complete structure in seconds.

A toast notification appears:

Toast: "Project created! Visit Sorting tab to enable auto-sorting"

What Gets Created

In your storage path, you'll find:

My First Project/
├── _design/           (or your custom root name)
│   ├── assets/
│   ├── source/
│   └── export/
└── _documentation/    (or your custom root name)
    ├── content/
    │   ├── assets/
    │   ├── source/
    │   └── export/
    └── website/
        ├── assets/
        ├── source/
        └── export/

All folders are created automatically based on your structure.

Step 6: Set Sorting Folder

What Is the Sorting Folder?

The sorting folder is where you drop files that need to be organized. Sorta watches this folder and helps you sort files into your projects automatically.

Common choices:

  • Downloads — Where most files end up
  • Desktop — Easy to drag files here
  • Inbox folder — Dedicated sorting location

When This Happens

After creating your first project, when you click the Sorting tab, Sorta prompts you to select a sorting folder.

How to Set It

  1. Click Sorting tab
  2. A dialog appears: "Select your sorting folder"
  3. Click Browse
  4. Choose Downloads, Desktop, or create an "Inbox" folder
  5. Click Select Folder

The sorting folder is now being watched for new files.

A toast notification appears:

Toast: "Sorting enabled! Drop a file in your sorting folder to try it"

Step 7: Your First Sort

Triggering Your First Sort

To experience the complete workflow:

  1. Drop a file (any file) into your sorting folder
  2. Sorta detects it immediately
  3. The sorting modal appears automatically

Understanding the Sorting Modal

The modal shows:

  • File preview — Thumbnail and filename
  • Project selector — Choose which project
  • Root selector — Choose Design or Documentation (or your custom roots)
  • Folder selector — Choose assets, source, or export

Making Your First Sort

  1. Select a project — Click "My First Project" (or your project name)
  2. Select a root — Click _design or _documentation
  3. Select a folder — Click assets, source, or export
  4. Click Sort File

The file is moved instantly to the correct location in your project.

What Just Happened

Sorta:

  1. Detected the file in your sorting folder
  2. Opened the sorting modal
  3. Used your structure to show destination options
  4. Moved the file to your selected location

This is the core workflow you'll use every time you sort files.

Toast Notification System

How Toasts Guide You

Throughout onboarding, toast notifications appear at the bottom-left of the screen. They:

  • Tell you what step comes next
  • Guide you to the right tab
  • Confirm when actions complete
  • Keep you oriented in the flow

Progressive Unlocking

Features unlock as you complete prerequisites:

  • Structure tab → Available immediately
  • Projects tab → Requires structure creation
  • Sorting tab → Requires project creation
  • Sorting modal → Requires sorting folder setup

This prevents confusion and ensures you understand each step.

Tips for Success

Take Your Time

  • Don't rush through structure creation
  • Think about how you naturally organize files
  • You can always edit your structure later

Start Simple

  • Begin with 2 roots and 3-4 folders
  • Add complexity as you understand the system
  • The default structure works great for most users

Experiment

  • Try sorting a few different file types
  • See where they naturally belong
  • Adjust your structure based on real usage

Ask Questions

If anything is unclear:

Common Questions

Can I skip steps?

No — each step builds on the previous one. Structures must be created before projects, and projects before sorting.

Can I change my structure later?

Yes! Go to the Structure tab anytime to edit, rename, or create new structures.

Can I change my storage path?

Yes, but it's better to choose carefully during onboarding. You can change it in Settings later.

What if I don't like my first structure?

Create a new one in the Structure tab and apply it to future projects. Existing projects keep their current structure.

Can I create multiple projects?

Absolutely! After onboarding, create as many projects as you need. Each can use a different structure.

Troubleshooting

"Permission denied" errors

  • Make sure Full Disk Access is granted
  • Check that you selected folders you own
  • Restart Sorta after granting permissions

Toast notifications don't appear

  • Check that notifications aren't blocked in macOS
  • Try restarting Sorta
  • Toasts should appear at bottom-left of the app window

Sorting folder isn't being watched

  • Verify you selected a valid folder
  • Check the Sorting tab to confirm the path
  • Try selecting the folder again

Structure didn't save

  • Make sure you clicked "Save"
  • Check that the structure has a name
  • Try creating it again

Can't create project

  • Verify storage path is set
  • Check that you have write permissions for that location
  • Make sure the project name doesn't contain special characters

Next Steps

Congratulations! You've completed the onboarding flow.

Now you can:

You're ready to experience organized, efficient file management tailored to how YOU work.