# getting started

- [Getting started with Phocas](https://docs.phocassoftware.com/basics/getting-started/getting-started-with-phocas.md): Have you just started using Phocas? Read through the following pages to learn the basics before you get to work.
- [Get started as a Viewer](https://docs.phocassoftware.com/basics/getting-started/getting-started-with-phocas/get-started-as-a-viewer.md): Just started out as a Viewer? You’re in the right place.
- [Data validation](https://docs.phocassoftware.com/basics/getting-started/getting-started-with-phocas/data-validation.md): Help us help you validate your data, so you can start getting value from your Phocas site as soon as possible.
- [Navigation](https://docs.phocassoftware.com/basics/getting-started/navigation.md): Learn about the user interface and how to find your way around.
- [Phocas homepage](https://docs.phocassoftware.com/basics/getting-started/homepage.md): Learn about the key elements of your homepage and how to find your content items.
- [Data access](https://docs.phocassoftware.com/basics/getting-started/data-access.md): Learn how database permissions and restrictions determine what you can see in Phocas.
- [User licenses, profiles and permissions](https://docs.phocassoftware.com/basics/getting-started/user-permissions-and-licenses.md): Learn about the factors determining what you can do in Phocas.
- [Account settings](https://docs.phocassoftware.com/basics/getting-started/account-settings.md): Learn about the personal settings you can change to customize your user account.
- [Databases](https://docs.phocassoftware.com/basics/getting-started/databases.md): Learn about databases, the foundation upon which your Phocas site is built.
- [Dimensions](https://docs.phocassoftware.com/basics/getting-started/dimensions.md): Learn about dimensions, a core concept in Phocas.
- [Periods](https://docs.phocassoftware.com/basics/getting-started/periods.md): Learn about periods, a core concept in Phocas.
- [Offset dates](https://docs.phocassoftware.com/basics/getting-started/periods/offset-dates.md): Make periods dynamic (automatically updating) using offset date.
- [Default period for a database](https://docs.phocassoftware.com/basics/getting-started/periods/default-period-for-a-database.md): See data for a specific period every time you open a database.
- [Sharing and folders](https://docs.phocassoftware.com/basics/getting-started/sharing-and-folders.md): Use the sharing and folders features for optimal team collaboration.
- [Subscriptions](https://docs.phocassoftware.com/basics/getting-started/subscriptions.md): Stay on top of important changes by subscribing to favorites, dashboards, and alerts and receiving email notifications when they update.


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