Getting started in ten minutes

CivicPorch is built so a clerk can set it up alone, without a sales call or training. Here is the whole path from sign-up to published minutes.

1. Create your account

Sign up at civicporch.com/signup with your town or district name, state and time zone. Your state sets the posting-deadline rules we remind you about. One board is free forever, including two meetings drafted from recordings.

2. Add a board and its members

On the dashboard, add a board (for example "Planning Board"). Open it and add its members with their titles ("Chair", "Councilor"). The roster is how the minutes spell names, check attendance and identify who made and seconded motions. See Boards and members.

3. Schedule a meeting and post the agenda

Schedule the next meeting, then type the agenda items or upload the agenda PDF you already made. Click Post agenda: your public page updates and a time-stamped certificate of posting is saved. See Build and post an agenda.

4. Upload the recording

After the meeting, upload the audio or video (a phone recording works). Draft minutes are usually ready within the hour, and we email you. See Upload a meeting recording.

5. Review, approve and publish

Fix anything marked "⚠ check", read the notes for the clerk, then Approve and post. The approved minutes, transcript and captions appear on your public page. See Review and approve minutes.