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Welcome to Agatabo

This guide helps you get productive with Agatabo quickly. We’ll cover the essential features you’ll use daily, regardless of your role.
First time here? Start with First Login to set up your account, then return to this guide.

Your Dashboard Overview

When you log in, you’ll see the Dashboard - your central hub for key metrics and quick actions.

Key Metrics Displayed

The dashboard shows real-time financial health indicators:
  • Total Savings: Sum of all member deposit balances
  • Portfolio Outstanding: Total amount loaned to members (not yet repaid)
  • Total Arrears: Overdue loan amounts requiring attention
  • Cash Balance: Available funds in bank accounts
  • Delinquent Loans: Number of loans with overdue payments
  • Active Members: Organization users with current savings or loans

Quick Actions

Dashboard tiles provide one-click access to common tasks:
  • Record a deposit
  • Create a new loan
  • Record loan payment
  • View pending approvals (if you have approval permissions)

Essential Navigation

Agatabo organizes features into logical sections in the left sidebar:
SectionWhat You’ll Do Here
DashboardView metrics and quick actions
Organization UsersInvite members, manage roles, view member details
Bank AccountsAdd accounts, record transactions, reconcile balances
SavingsRecord deposits, view deposit history and analytics
LoansCreate loans, record payments, track portfolio
ExpensesRecord operational expenses, categorize spending
Fixed AssetsTrack assets, manage depreciation
ReservesAllocate reserves, manage withdrawals
DividendsCreate dividend pools, distribute to members
ReportsGenerate balance sheet, P&L, member statements
General LedgerView journal entries, trial balance, reconciliation
AdvancedPeriod closing, audit trail, system logs
SettingsConfigure organization, manage permissions
Navigation tip: Use the sidebar menu to navigate between sections.

Daily Operations by Role

For Treasurers

Your primary tasks involve recording member deposits and managing cash:
1

Record Deposits

Savings → Deposits → Click “Record Deposit” Full guide →
2

Review Cash Position

Check Bank Accounts to see available funds Full guide →
3

Monitor Member Balances

Organization Users → Select member → View savings ledger account Full guide →

For Loan Officers

Your primary tasks involve loan creation and payment tracking:
1

Create Loans

Loans → “Create Loan” → Complete 3-step wizard Full guide →
2

Record Payments

Loans → Select loan → “Record Payment” Full guide →
3

Track Arrears

Loans → Analytics → Review delinquent loans and follow up Full guide →

For Accountants

Your primary tasks involve ledger management and financial reporting:
1

Review Journal Entries

General Ledger → Journal Entries → Verify automatic postings Full guide →
2

Generate Financial Statements

Reports → Balance Sheet / Profit & Loss Full guide →
3

Close Periods

Advanced → Period Closing → Lock historical data Full guide →

For Administrators

Your primary tasks involve user management and system configuration:
1

Invite New Members

Organization Users → “Invite Member” → Send invitation Full guide →
2

Manage Permissions

Settings → Permissions → Assign role-based access Full guide →
3

Configure Organization

Settings → Organization Settings → Update currency, timezone, accounting periods Full guide →

Understanding Key Concepts

What is an Organization User?

In Agatabo, an organization user is anyone invited to your organization. Organization users can have various roles:
  • Member: Contributes savings and may take loans
  • Administrator: Manages users and settings
Tontine organizations come with these two default roles. Administrators can create additional custom roles as needed, such as:
  • Treasurer: Records deposits and manages cash
  • Accountant: Maintains ledger and generates reports
  • Loan Officer: Manages loan applications and repayments
  • Manager: Oversees operations with specific access levels
Configurable roles: All roles and their permissions are fully configurable by administrators. You can create roles that match your organization’s specific operational structure and assign granular permissions to each role.
A person becomes a member by being assigned a member role, not by having a savings account. Members may have savings, loans, or both.

What is a Ledger Account?

Every financial entity in Agatabo has a ledger account that tracks its balance:
  • Member savings accounts: Track individual member deposits
  • Loan receivable accounts: Track amounts owed by borrowers
  • Bank accounts: Track cash in specific bank accounts
  • Expense accounts: Track spending by category
  • Revenue accounts: Track interest income, fees, etc.
All ledger accounts appear in the General Ledger and feed into financial reports.

What is Double-Entry Accounting?

Every transaction in Agatabo creates two sides:
  • Debit: Increases assets or expenses, decreases liabilities or income
  • Credit: Increases liabilities or income, decreases assets or expenses
Example: Recording a 5,000 RWF deposit
  • Debit Cash +5,000 (asset increases)
  • Credit Member Savings +5,000 (liability increases)
Debits always equal credits, ensuring mathematical accuracy. Learn more about double-entry accounting →

Common First Steps

1. Invite Your First Member

1

Navigate to Organization Users

Click Organization Users in the sidebar
2

Click 'Invite Member'

Opens the invitation dialog
3

Enter Details

Provide name, email, phone, and assign member role
4

Send Invitation

Member receives email with login instructions
Full guide →

2. Record Your First Deposit

1

Navigate to Savings → Deposits

Click SavingsDeposits in the sidebar
2

Click 'Record Deposit'

Opens the deposit recording dialog
3

Select Member and Enter Amount

Choose member from dropdown, enter deposit amount
4

Save

Agatabo creates journal entry automatically
Full guide →

3. Create Your First Loan

1

Navigate to Loans

Click Loans in the sidebar
2

Click 'Create Loan'

Opens the 3-step loan creation wizard
3

Complete Steps

  1. Basic Info (borrower, amount, term)
  2. Loan Rules (interest, installment type)
  3. Securities (optional guarantors/collateral)
4

Review and Create

Agatabo calculates installment schedule and disburses funds
Full guide →

Understanding Permissions

Agatabo uses role-based access control with granular permissions to protect sensitive operations:
  • SELF scope: User can only access their own data
  • ANY scope: User can access all organization data
Example permissions:
  • View own account information (granted to all members)
  • Record deposits for any member (typically treasurers)
  • Create and manage loans (typically loan officers)
  • Close accounting periods (typically accountants)
  • Manage users and roles (administrators only)
Your assigned permissions determine which menu items and actions are visible to you. Full permissions reference →

Data Entry Best Practices

Before entering any transaction:
  • Verify the member/account is correct
  • Double-check amounts (especially loan principals)
  • Ensure the transaction date is accurate
  • Review calculated values (interest, installments)
Transaction corrections:
  • You can edit or delete transactions in open accounting periods
  • Edits and deletions automatically create reversals and reposts where applicable
  • After period closing, transactions become immutable - corrections must be made via adjusting entries in the current period

Getting Help

Search Documentation

Use the search bar (top of page) to find specific topics quickly.

Contextual Help

Look for the (?) icon next to complex features - it links directly to relevant documentation.

Glossary

When you encounter unfamiliar terms, check the Glossary for definitions.

Support Team

Email support@agatabo.com with:
  • Your organization name
  • Screenshot of the issue
  • Steps to reproduce (if applicable)

Next Steps

Understanding Navigation

Master the interface and keyboard shortcuts

What is a Tontine?

Learn the financial model Agatabo supports

Glossary

Reference for all terms used in Agatabo