> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://localtechnologiesinc.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Getting started

Before customers can place orders, you need to tell the platform how you operate: where you ship from, what fulfillment methods you offer, and which areas you serve.

This guide walks you through the initial setup. It takes about 10–15 minutes to complete.

***

## How Fulfillment Works

Every order on the platform is fulfilled in one of three ways:

| Method               | What it means                                                         |
| -------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Pickup**           | The customer comes to you.                                            |
| **Delivery**         | You (or a driver) bring the order to the customer.                    |
| **Express Delivery** | Local Pass drivers bring the order to the customer.                   |
| **Shipping**         | You pack and ship the order via Canada Post, UPS, or another carrier. |

You can offer one, two, or all three — but each requires its own setup. This guide covers the common first steps. Dedicated pages for each method are linked at the end.

***

## Step 1 — Set Your Default Pickup Location

Your pickup location is the physical address your operation runs from. It is used as the **origin address** for all three fulfillment methods:

* Pickup orders direct customers here.
* Delivery orders calculate distance from here.
* Shipping orders use this as the ship-from address.

**To set it:**

1. Go to **Fulfillment Settings** in your vendor dashboard.
2. Select **Pickup** from the left menu.
3. If no default location exists, you will see a prompt — tap **Create now**.
4. Enter your farm or business address, a location name (e.g. "Main Farm"), and your business hours.
5. Save.

<Note>
  You must have a default pickup location saved before delivery or shipping will work correctly.
</Note>

***

## Step 2 — Choose Your Fulfillment Methods

Once your location is set, decide which methods you want to offer.

Go to **Fulfillment Settings** and use the left navigation to open each section. Each method has an on/off toggle at the top of its settings page.

* **Pickup** — Turn on if customers can collect orders from your location.
* **Delivery** — Turn on if you deliver within a local area.
* **Shipping** — Turn on if you ship orders by parcel across provinces.

You do not need to enable all three. Enable only what you actually offer.

***

## Step 3 — Set Your Service Locations

Service locations tell the platform which cities or regions you are available in. This controls where customers can discover and place orders with you.

**To set service locations:**

1. Go to **Fulfillment Settings → General**.
2. Under **Service Locations**, select your **province** from the dropdown.
3. A second dropdown will appear — select one or more **cities** you serve.
4. Your selected cities appear as tags below the dropdowns.
5. Click **Save** in the top right.

<Tip>
  Select every city where you actively sell — farmers markets, delivery zones, or pickup points all count.
</Tip>

***

## Step 4 — Configure Each Method

Once your basics are set, configure the details for each fulfillment method you enabled.

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Delivery & Express Settings" icon="truck" href="restaurants/order-fulfillment/delivery-settings">
    Set your delivery radius, fees, minimum order, and hours.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Pickup Settings" icon="store" href="restaurants/order-fulfillment/pickup-settings">
    Add pickup locations and set their hours.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Shipping Settings" icon="box" href="restaurants/order-fulfillment/shipping-settings">
    Set up package sizes, processing time, and shipping zones.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

***

## What Happens When an Order Comes In

Once you are live, every new order appears in the **Fulfillment Dashboard**. You will receive a notification and the order will show up in the queue automatically.

From there you can:

* Accept or reject the order.
* Advance it through status stages (Preparing → Packaged → Ready → Completed).
* Pick and pack items using the Picklist.
* Print a shipping label if the order ships.

See [Managing Orders](/restaurants/order-fulfillment/managing-orders) for a full walkthrough.

***

## Checklist Before Going Live

<Steps>
  <Step title="Default pickup location saved">
    At least one physical address is set under Pickup Settings.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Fulfillment methods toggled on">
    Each method you offer is enabled in its settings page.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Service locations selected">
    Your cities are set under General Settings.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Delivery zone or shipping zone configured">
    If you deliver or ship, at least one zone or radius is defined.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Payment method connected">
    Your Stripe account is linked so customers can pay and you can capture funds.
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Next Steps

* [Delivery Settings](/restaurants/order-fulfillment/delivery-settings) — zones, fees, hours
* [Pickup Settings](/restaurants/order-fulfillment/pickup-settings) — locations and hours
* [Shipping Settings](/restaurants/order-fulfillment/shipping-settings) — packages and rates
* [Managing Orders](/restaurants/order-fulfillment/managing-orders) — the fulfillment dashboard
* [Picking Orders](/restaurants/order-fulfillment/picking-orders) — picking and packing
* [Buying Shipping Labels](/restaurants/order-fulfillment/buying-shipping-labels) — print and pay for labels