# Quickstart Guide

- URL: https://betteranalyst.com/docs/get-started/quickstart
- Updated: 2026-11-12
- Author: Better Analyst

Create your account, upload data, and run your first AI-powered analysis in under 5 minutes with this step-by-step guide.

This guide will help you analyze your first dataset with Better Analyst in under 5 minutes.

## Step 1: Create Your Account

1. Visit [betteranalyst.com/signup](https://betteranalyst.com/signup)
2. Enter your email and create a password
3. Verify your email address

Free includes 10 chat messages a month to start exploring. No credit card required.

## Step 2: Upload Your Data

Once logged in, you'll see the dashboard. There are two ways to add data:

### Option A: Upload a File

1. Click **My Data** in the sidebar
2. Drag and drop your file into the upload area, or click to browse
3. Supported formats: Excel (.xlsx, .xls), CSV, PDF, Google Sheets

### Option B: Connect a Database

1. Click **Connectors** in the sidebar
2. Select your data source (Google Analytics, MySQL, etc.)
3. Follow the connection wizard

First time?

Start with a simple Excel or CSV file to get familiar with the interface.

## Step 3: Start a New Chat

1. Click **New Chat** in the sidebar
2. Your uploaded files or connected data sources will appear in the left panel
3. Select the data you want to analyze

## Step 4: Ask Your First Question

Type a question in the chat input and press Enter. Here are some examples to try:

**For sales data:**

- "What are the total sales by month?"
- "Show me the top 10 products by revenue"
- "Create a pie chart of sales by category"

**For website analytics:**

- "What were the top pages last week?"
- "Show traffic trends over the past 30 days"
- "Compare this month's sessions to last month"

**For general analysis:**

- "Summarize this data"
- "What are the key trends?"
- "Are there any outliers?"

## Step 5: Explore the Results

Better Analyst will respond with:

- **Text explanations** of findings
- **Charts and visualizations** you can customize
- **Data tables** you can sort and filter

### Interact with Charts

- Click on chart elements for details
- Use the toolbar to change chart types
- Download charts as images

### Export Your Data

- Click the export icon to download results
- Choose from Excel, CSV, or PDF formats

## What's Next?

Now that you've completed your first analysis, explore more features:

- [Learn about AI Chat features](https://betteranalyst.com/docs/ai-chat/overview)
- [Connect a database](https://betteranalyst.com/docs/connectors/overview)
- [Create automated tasks](https://betteranalyst.com/docs/tasks/overview)

Need help?

Visit our [FAQs](https://betteranalyst.com/docs/help/faqs) or [Troubleshooting](https://betteranalyst.com/docs/help/troubleshooting) if you have questions.