# Corbis Quick Start Guide > Get started with Corbis quickly: create your account, run your first research chat, and learn where Projects, Workflows, and documentation fit in. Corbis is a research workspace built for source-backed analysis. You can use it for open-ended chat, structured workflows, project-based research, and organization access. This guide walks you through the first steps in plain language. --- ## After you sign in New accounts usually land on **[chat](/chat)** after sign-up or login. Before you start chatting, the app may ask you to: - finish your **profile** (first and last name), if required - accept **updated terms**, if prompted Complete those steps when they appear. Then you are ready to use **New Inquiry** or **Past Inquiries** in the sidebar to work in chat. --- ## Where things live in the app Use the **left sidebar** as your map: - **Projects** — opens **`/projects`**. Expand it to see recent projects. - **Workflows** — each workflow has its own sidebar link (for example **Referee Report**, **Technical Audit**, **Market Outlook**, **IC Memo**, **LOI Builder**). They go straight into that workflow's page. - **Workflows hub** — open **`/workflows`** for a full catalog and overview of the same workflows. **Settings** (avatar or app menu) includes tabs such as **Billing**, **Team** (for org admins), and **API Keys**. MCP connection keys are created in **Settings → API Keys**, in the MCP section of that tab. --- ## Start with chat ### 1. Open a new inquiry Use **New Inquiry** in the sidebar, or go to **`/chat`**. If you are not signed in, you will be sent to log in and then returned to chat. ### 2. Use the welcome screen On a new chat, you will see **starter prompts** and **skills** you can tap to pre-fill a first message. That is often the fastest way to send a useful opening question. ### 3. Ask something specific Concrete questions work better than very broad ones. For example: - "Find recent papers on office vacancy and summarize the main drivers." - "Show me CPI and Fed funds rate trends and explain the relationship." - "What does the research say about cap rate compression in multifamily?" - "Compare two markets and highlight the strongest fundamentals." ### 4. Check the sources Corbis is meant to show its work. When a reply includes citations or data references: - open the sources - check how recent they are - confirm they support the claim you care about ### 5. Refine with follow-ups You do not need to start over each time. Follow-ups like these usually work well: - "Go deeper on the main risk." - "What is the counterargument?" - "Only use studies from the last five years." - "Turn this into a short memo." ### 6. Scale up with Projects or Workflows - **Chat** — flexible back-and-forth research. - **Projects** — when several chats should share **instructions** and **files**, with saved papers kept alongside the work (see sidebar **Projects**). - **Workflows** — when you want a **fixed, multi-step** process (sidebar links or **`/workflows`**). --- ## Core features (short tour) ### Source-backed research Corbis can pull academic papers, economic data, and market context when tools support it, and answer with **citations or linked sources** when that path applies. ### Projects A project is a workspace that can hold: - related chats - custom instructions - uploaded reference files (how many files you can attach **depends on your plan**) - saved academic papers For multi-day or multi-document work, move it into a project early. More detail: [How to Use Projects](/docs/projects-guide). ### Workflows Workflows are guided runs for repeatable tasks. The app currently ships these five: - **Referee Report** - **Technical Audit** - **IC Memo** - **Market Outlook** - **LOI Builder** More detail: [Guide to Structured Workflows](/docs/workflows-guide). **Plans:** Structured workflows use a **monthly workflow allowance** that depends on your subscription or **organization** seat. On the **Free** tier, workflow runs are **not** part of the included allowance (see [Plans & Pricing](/docs/plans-and-pricing) and **Settings → Billing** for what applies to your account). If you are on Free, explore workflows after you upgrade or join a team whose plan includes them. ### Documents and exports When an output supports downloads, export actions show up in the surrounding UI. ### Organizations If your team uses Corbis through an organization, **billing and access** may be managed by an admin instead of only by you. More detail: [Organization Memberships](/docs/organization-memberships). ### MCP (Cursor, Claude Code, ChatGPT, and more) To use Corbis tools from an MCP client, create a key under **Settings → API Keys** (MCP keys appear in that tab). More detail: [Understanding MCP Tools](/docs/mcp-guide). --- ## A practical first week 1. Run several research chats and **verify sources**. 2. **Create one project** for a real deliverable (sidebar **Projects**). 3. Add a **small set** of high-signal reference files (stay within your plan’s project file limits). 4. **If your plan includes workflow runs:** try one workflow from the sidebar or **`/workflows`**. If you are on **Free**, check [Plans & Pricing](/docs/plans-and-pricing) or **Settings → Billing** before expecting to run structured workflows. 5. If you expect heavy use, review **Settings → Billing** and your plan limits early. --- ## Common questions ### Do I need Projects to start? No. Start in chat. Use a project when the work needs shared files, shared instructions, or saved papers kept in one place. ### When should I use a workflow instead of chat? Use a workflow when you want the app to **hold a fixed process** for you. Use chat when you want maximum flexibility. ### Where do I manage billing or plan limits? Use **Settings → Billing**, or read the public [Plans & Pricing](/docs/plans-and-pricing) page. ### Where do I manage team access? Organization admins use **Settings → Team**. ### Do I always need an account? Most full product use requires sign-in. Some deployments allow **limited guest** access; if you see a guest entry path, treat it as optional and environment-specific. --- ## Next reads - [How to Use Projects](/docs/projects-guide) - [Guide to Structured Workflows](/docs/workflows-guide) - [Organization Memberships](/docs/organization-memberships) - [Understanding MCP Tools](/docs/mcp-guide) - [Plans & Pricing](/docs/plans-and-pricing)