Initial Configuration Walkthrough

Recommended order for configuring a new Atlantisboard installation.

Initial Configuration Walkthrough

After creating your first admin account, follow this recommended order to configure your Atlantisboard installation. Each step builds on the previous one, so working through them in sequence ensures everything is set up correctly.

Step 1: Login Options

Admin → Login Options

Start here to decide how users will authenticate and register.

  • Choose your authentication method:
    • Local Accounts — email and password only (simplest setup).
    • Local Accounts + Google — both local passwords and Google sign-in.
    • Google Login Only — no local passwords; users sign in exclusively with Google.
    • Google Login + Database Verification — Google sign-in verified against an external MySQL database.
  • Set the registration mode:
    • Open — anyone can create an account.
    • Invite-only — users need an invite link from an existing member.
    • Disabled — no new registrations; only existing accounts can log in.

  • Configure mandatory email verification — require users to verify their email before accessing the application. This is automatically forced on when Google OAuth is configured alongside local accounts.

  • Set up Google OAuth (if applicable) — enter your Client ID and Client Secret from the Google Cloud Console.

See Login Options for detailed instructions.

Step 2: Email (SMTP)

Admin → Email

Configure SMTP so that Atlantisboard can send essential emails:

  • Password reset links
  • Email verification messages
  • Board invitation emails

Choose a preconfigured provider (Gmail, SendGrid, Mailgun, Postmark, SES, Brevo) or enter custom SMTP settings. After saving, use the Send Test Email feature to verify your configuration works.

Warning: Without SMTP configured, users will not be able to reset forgotten passwords or receive email invitations. Set this up early.

Step 3: Permissions & Roles

Admin → Permissions & Roles

Review the built-in roles and create custom roles if your team needs them.

  • Admin — full workspace and board administration.
  • Manager — day-to-day board operations with constrained hierarchy.
  • Viewer — read-only collaboration role.

Adjust the 15 permission categories to match your organisation’s needs. Consider the hierarchy mode for role assignment — this controls which roles a user with a given hierarchy level can assign to others.

See Permissions & Roles for the full reference.

Step 4: Backup

Admin → Backup & Restore

Set up backups before your team starts creating boards and adding data.

  1. Set BACKUP_LOCATION in your .env file to an absolute path on the server (e.g. /var/backups/atlantisboard). The directory must exist and be writable.
  2. Configure retention — choose how many days to keep old backups (1–3,650 days).
  3. Test a manual backup — click “Create Backup” and verify it completes successfully.
  4. Set up scheduled backups (optional) — configure automatic backups at your preferred frequency.

Tip: If using Docker, mount the backup location as a host volume so backup archives are accessible outside the container.

Step 5: Customisation

Admin → Customisation

Brand your Atlantisboard instance to match your organisation’s identity:

  • Login Branding — customise the login page background, logo, app name, tagline, and sign-in button colours. A live preview shows your changes in real time.
  • App Branding — customise the homepage and board navbar icons, labels, colours, and background.
  • Email Branding — style the transactional emails (password reset, verification) with your brand colours and footer text.
  • Custom Fonts — upload .woff2, .woff, .ttf, or .otf font files to use throughout the application.

You’re Ready

Once you have completed these five steps, your Atlantisboard installation is ready for your team. The next things to do:

  • Create your first workspace on the home page.
  • Create your first board within the workspace.
  • Invite team members using invite links (Admin → Login Options must allow registration or invite-only mode).
Configuration Area Where to Find It Wiki Page
Login Options Admin → Login Options Login Options
Permissions & Roles Admin → Permissions & Roles Permissions & Roles
General Settings Admin → General Settings General Settings
Environment Variables .env file Environment Variables Reference