A plain-language guide, even if you've never used a business app before.
No jargon, no assumptions. Follow these steps in order the first time you use the app, or jump to the feature you need help with.
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1. Download and open the app — that's it
There's no sign-up screen. No email, no password, no "create an account" step. Install CanteraPro from the App Store or Google Play, open it, and you're straight into the app. It works the same with full signal, one bar, or airplane mode.
[SCREENSHOT: App home screen immediately after first opening the app — no login screen present.] -
2. Set your language
Go to Business Settings and tap the language toggle to switch the entire app — every screen, every form, every PDF you generate — between English and Spanish. You can switch back and forth as often as you like, for free, forever.
[SCREENSHOT: Business Settings screen with the English/Spanish toggle highlighted.] -
3. Add your first client
Open the Clients tab and tap the add button. Enter their name, phone number, email, and property address. Once saved, this client's profile will automatically collect every job, estimate, and invoice you create for them — you'll never have to hunt for their history again.
[SCREENSHOT: Clients tab showing the "Add Client" form with name, phone, email, and address fields.] -
4. Create a job
From a client's profile, tap "New Job." Give it a status, add any notes about the work, and snap before-photos if useful. As you work, add during and after photos and log the materials you used — this becomes part of that job's permanent record.
[SCREENSHOT: Job detail screen showing status, photo grid, notes, and a materials list.] -
5. Build and send an estimate
From a client's profile, tap "New Estimate" and add line items for labor and materials. Apply tax or a discount if needed. Tap "Export PDF" to generate a professional-looking estimate, then send it straight to your client by email or text from the same screen.
[SCREENSHOT: Estimate builder screen with line items, tax/discount fields, and the "Export PDF" button.] -
6. Turn an accepted estimate into an invoice
Once your client says yes, open that estimate and tap "Convert to Invoice." Every line item carries over automatically — no retyping. When the job's done, hand your customer your phone to sign, then export and send the finished PDF invoice.
[SCREENSHOT: Invoice screen showing the signature capture pad and the "Convert to Invoice" origin banner.] -
7. Plan your day with Schedule
Open the Schedule tab to see every job laid out by day. If you've got more than one stop, tap "Optimize Route" and CanteraPro will suggest the most efficient order to visit them, saving you drive time between jobs.
[SCREENSHOT: Calendar day view with several jobs listed and the "Optimize Route" button.] -
8. Clock in and out
From a job screen, tap "Clock In" when you arrive and "Clock Out" when you leave. Add a quick note if anything affected your time — a supply run, a client conversation, whatever it was. Your hours are saved automatically per job.
[SCREENSHOT: Time clock widget on a job screen showing an active clocked-in timer.] -
9. Set up a recurring maintenance account
For clients you service on a schedule — weekly mowing, biweekly trimming, monthly upkeep — open their profile and tap "Add Maintenance Account." Choose the frequency and CanteraPro will automatically flag the account when it's overdue for its next visit.
[SCREENSHOT: Maintenance Account setup screen with frequency options (weekly / biweekly / monthly).] -
10. Log a product application
Open a property and tap "Log Application" under Product Applications. Record what was applied and when. CanteraPro tracks the due date for the next application automatically, so you always know when a property is due for its next treatment.
[SCREENSHOT: Product Application log entry screen with product name, date applied, and next-due date.] -
11. Use the Material Calculator
Open the Material Calculator, choose your material — mulch, topsoil, gravel, decomposed granite, sand, lava rock, river rock, or crushed concrete — and enter your area's dimensions. CanteraPro calculates the cubic yards you need, adds a 10% waste buffer, and gives you a cost estimate.
[SCREENSHOT: Material Calculator screen with material dropdown, dimension fields, and the resulting yardage and cost.] -
12. Check your Mileage Log
CanteraPro automatically tracks the business miles you drive between jobs in the background. Open the Mileage Log any time to see your running monthly total for free. On Pro, tap "Export Tax PDF" for a ready-to-file report with IRS mileage rates already calculated.
[SCREENSHOT: Mileage Log screen showing the monthly running total and the Pro "Export Tax PDF" button.] -
13. Back up your data
Open Business Settings and tap "Backup Now." Set a password to encrypt the backup file, then save it anywhere you like — your Files app, Google Drive, or emailed to yourself. If you ever get a new phone, install CanteraPro, tap "Restore from Backup," pick your file, and enter your password to bring everything back exactly as it was.
[SCREENSHOT: Backup & Restore screen showing "Backup Now" and "Restore from Backup" buttons with a password field.]
Still have a question?
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