Prerequisites: Review the checklist of minimum requirements to confirm that Smartsettle can be comfortably installed on your computer.

Orientation: Review background theory and take the tour (see menu at the left).

Setup: If the Smartsettle client is not already installed on your computer, you may download it here.

Start Smartsettle: After installing Smartsettle, it will be on your list of programs under the Windows Start menu. The first time you open Smartsettle, you will see a grey screen with a menu across the top

Update: Smartsettle is continually being updated as new functionality is added. When you first start Smartsettle, you will be reminded to update. It is recommended that you update to at least build 1555. Then get on the Internet the way you usually do. From the File menu, select Online Update. Read the descriptions and choose any desired updates. Also available to download is Microsoft's Word Document Viewer if you need that for viewing or printing the documentation.

Network Test: The status indicator at the lower left of the Smartsettle interface shows if you are offline or online. To check your ability to connect to the Smartsettle neutral site server, first get on the Internet the way you usually do. Then, from the File menu, choose "Go Online". If the status display at the bottom left corner of the Shared Information window changes to "Online", you have been successful. If not, here are some troubleshooting tips:

Can you browse the Internet? (e.g., with Firefox or Internet Explorer). If not, then there may be something amiss with your Internet connection.

Is your firewall preventing you form going online? Click here for instructions to configure Smartsettle for your firewall.

Sometimes restarting or re-installing Smartsettle or restarting your computer will fix something.

If all else fails, please email a description of your problem to support at smartsettle.com.

Instant Messenger: (Optional) We recommended an Instant Messanger for brief communications and long distance support where high security is not a concern. Our favorite is still ICQ. If you already have an IM, you may consider switching to Trillian, which will give you the ability to simultaneously communicate with several of the most popular IMs. You can download a stable version of ICQ from Smartsettle's online update. After installation, search for Smartsettle on ICQ (87266138). On AIM, our screen name is Smartsettle.