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Nine. - Quick Start Guide

Version: 1.0.0
Last Updated: March 1, 2026
Estimated Time: 15 minutes

📖 Welcome!

This guide will help you get started with Nine in just 15 minutes. By the end, you'll have:

  • ✅ Installed the application
  • ✅ Created your organization
  • ✅ Added your first property
  • ✅ Added a tenant
  • ✅ Created a lease
  • ✅ Generated an invoice
  • ✅ Recorded a payment
  • ✅ Scheduled an inspection

Let's get started!

📋 Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

  • Operating System:
    • Linux (Ubuntu 20.04+, Debian 11+, Fedora 35+), OR
    • Windows 10/11 (64-bit)
  • Hardware:
    • 2 GB RAM minimum (4 GB recommended)
    • 500 MB disk space
  • Downloaded: Nine v1.0.0 installer for your platform

Universal Linux Support:

Nine. is distributed as an AppImage, which runs on all major Linux distributions—including Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, RedHat, Arch, openSUSE, and more. No installation required: just download, make executable, and run.

Windows Portable Version:

Nine. is available as a portable Windows executable (.exe). No installation required—just download, extract, and run. All application data is stored locally in the same folder, making it easy to use Nine from a USB drive or move between systems.

🚀 Step 1: Installation (5 minutes)

Linux Installation

Option A: AppImage (Recommended for most users)

# 1. Download the file
# File: Nine-1.0.0-x86_64.AppImage

# 2. Make it executable
chmod +x Nine-1.0.0-x86_64.AppImage

# 3. Run the application
./Nine-1.0.0-x86_64.AppImage

Option B: Debian Package (Ubuntu/Debian users)

# 1. Install the package
sudo dpkg -i Nine-1.0.0-amd64.deb

# 2. Run the application
nine

Windows Installation

Option A: NSIS Installer (Recommended)

  1. Download Nine-1.0.0-x64-Setup.exe
  2. Double-click the installer
  3. Follow the wizard:
    • Click "Next" to begin
    • Accept license agreement
    • Choose installation directory (default: C:\Program Files\Nine\)
    • Create desktop shortcut (recommended)
    • Click "Install"
  4. Launch from Start Menu or Desktop shortcut

Option B: Portable Executable (No installation)

  1. Download Nine-1.0.0-x64-Portable.exe
  2. Place in your desired folder (e.g., C:\Nine\)
  3. Double-click to run

✅ Checkpoint: Application window should open showing the New Setup Wizard.

🏢 Step 2: Create Your Organization (2 minutes)

When you first launch Nine, the New Setup Wizard guides you through initial setup.

Organization Setup

On the "Create Organization" screen:

  1. Organization Name: Enter your business name

    • Example: "ABC Property Management" or "John Smith Rentals"

  2. Contact Information:

    • Phone: Your business phone number
    • Email: Your business email address
    • Website: (Optional) Your website URL

  3. Address:

    • Street address
    • City, State, ZIP code
    • Country

  4. Click "Create Organization"

✅ Checkpoint: You should see "Organization created successfully!" message.

👤 Step 3: Register Your User Account (2 minutes)

On the "Register User" screen:

  1. Personal Information:

    • First Name: Your first name
    • Last Name: Your last name

  2. Login Credentials:

    • Email: Your email address (becomes your username)
    • Password: Choose a strong password
      • Minimum 8 characters
      • Must contain: uppercase, lowercase, number, special character
    • Confirm Password: Re-enter your password

  3. Role: Administrator (automatically selected for first user)

  4. Click "Register"

✅ Checkpoint: You should be logged in and see the Dashboard.

First-Time Dashboard

After registration, you'll see the main dashboard with:

  • Navigation menu on the left
  • Dashboard widgets showing 0 properties, tenants, leases
  • Welcome message with quick actions

Note: Your account is automatically confirmed in Nine (no email verification step).

🏠 Step 4: Add Your First Property (3 minutes)

Let's add a rental property to your portfolio.

Navigate to Properties

  1. Click "Property Management" in the left navigation menu
  2. Click "Properties"
  3. Click "Add Property" button (top-right)

Enter Property Details

Basic Information:

  • Property Name: Give it a friendly name

    • Example: "123 Main Street House"

  • Address:

    • Street Address: 123 Main Street
    • City: Anytown
    • State/Province: CA
    • ZIP/Postal Code: 12345
    • Country: USA

  • Property Type: Select from dropdown

    • Options: Single Family, Multi-Family, Apartment, Condo, Townhouse
    • Choose: Single Family

  • Number of Units: 1 (for single-family home)

Financial Information:

  • Monthly Rent: $1,500.00
  • Security Deposit: $1,500.00 (typically equal to one month's rent)

Property Status:

  • Select: Available (ready to rent)

Description (Optional):

  • Enter a brief description of the property
  • Example: "Beautiful 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom single-family home with large backyard. Recently renovated kitchen with modern appliances."

Save Property

  1. Click "Save" button at the bottom
  2. You'll be redirected to the property list

✅ Checkpoint: You should see your property in the list with status "Available".

Add Property Photo (Optional)

  1. Click on your property name to view details
  2. Click "Upload Photo" button
  3. Select an image file (max 10MB)
  4. Photo appears in property profile

👥 Step 5: Add a Tenant (2 minutes)

Now let's add a tenant who will rent this property.

Navigate to Tenants

  1. Click "Tenant Management" in left navigation
  2. Click "Tenants"
  3. Click "Add Tenant" button

Enter Tenant Details

Personal Information:

Current Address (Optional but Recommended):

  • Street Address: 456 Oak Avenue
  • City: Anytown
  • State: CA
  • ZIP: 12345

Emergency Contact (Optional):

  • Name: John Doe (Spouse)
  • Relationship: Spouse
  • Phone: (555) 123-4568

Save Tenant

  1. Click "Save" button
  2. You'll be redirected to the tenant list

✅ Checkpoint: You should see Jane Doe in the tenant list.

Note: In a real-world scenario, you'd go through the full prospect-to-tenant journey (application, screening, approval). For this Quick Start, we're creating the tenant directly.

📄 Step 6: Create a Lease (2 minutes)

Let's create a lease agreement between your property and tenant.

Navigate to Leases

  1. Click "Lease Management" in left navigation
  2. Click "Leases"
  3. Click "Create Lease" button

Enter Lease Details

Lease Information:

  • Property: Select "123 Main Street House" from dropdown
  • Tenant: Select "Jane Doe" from dropdown

Lease Terms:

  • Start Date: Choose today's date (or desired move-in date)
    • Example: February 1, 2026
  • End Date: Choose one year from start date
    • Example: January 31, 2027
  • Monthly Rent: $1,500.00 (pre-filled from property)
  • Security Deposit: $1,500.00 (pre-filled from property)
  • Due Day: 1 (rent due on 1st of each month)

Payment Terms:

  • Late Fee Grace Period: 5 days (rent due 1st, late fee applied on 6th)
  • Late Fee Amount: $50.00 or 5% of rent
  • Payment Methods Accepted: Check all that apply
    • ☑ Cash
    • ☑ Check
    • ☑ Credit Card
    • ☑ ACH
    • ☑ Online Portal

Generate Lease

  1. Click "Generate Lease" button
  2. System creates the lease with status: Active
  3. Property status automatically changes to: Occupied

✅ Checkpoint: You should see the new lease in the lease list with status "Active".

View Lease PDF (Optional)

  1. Click on the lease to view details
  2. Click "Download Lease PDF" button
  3. PDF opens showing complete lease agreement with all terms

💰 Step 7: Generate a Rent Invoice (1 minute)

Let's create the first month's rent invoice.

Navigate to Invoices

  1. Click "Financial Management" in left navigation
  2. Click "Invoices"
  3. Click "Create Invoice" button

Enter Invoice Details

Invoice Information:

  • Lease: Select "Jane Doe - 123 Main Street House" from dropdown
  • Invoice Type: Rent (from dropdown)
  • Description: "February 2026 Rent"

Financial Details:

  • Amount: $1,500.00 (pre-filled from lease monthly rent)
  • Due Date: February 1, 2026
  • Issue Date: Today's date (auto-filled)

Status:

  • Invoice Status: Pending (default)

Save Invoice

  1. Click "Save" button
  2. Invoice is created and added to the list

✅ Checkpoint: You should see the invoice with status "Pending" and due date of February 1, 2026.

Note: In production, rent invoices are automatically generated monthly by the background task system. For this Quick Start, we're creating one manually.

🏦 Step 8: Record a Payment (1 minute)

Now let's record that the tenant paid their rent.

Navigate to Payments

  1. Stay in "Financial Management"
  2. Click "Payments"
  3. Click "Record Payment" button

Enter Payment Details

Payment Information:

  • Invoice: Select "February 2026 Rent - Jane Doe" from dropdown
  • Payment Method: Check (or select what applies)

Financial Details:

  • Amount: $1,500.00 (full rent payment)
  • Payment Date: Today's date (or actual payment date)
  • Payment Reference: Check #1234 (optional but recommended)

Notes (Optional):

  • "Check received and deposited on [date]"

Save Payment

  1. Click "Save" button
  2. Payment is recorded
  3. Invoice status automatically updates to: Paid
  4. Invoice "Amount Paid" field updates to $1,500.00

✅ Checkpoint: When you view the invoice list, the invoice should now show status "Paid" with green indicator.

View Payment Receipt (Optional)

  1. Click on the payment to view details
  2. Click "Generate Receipt" button
  3. PDF receipt generated showing payment confirmation

🔍 Step 9: Schedule an Inspection (1 minute)

Let's schedule a move-in inspection for the property.

Navigate to Inspections

  1. Click "Maintenance & Inspections" in left navigation
  2. Click "Inspections"
  3. Click "Schedule Inspection" button

Enter Inspection Details

Inspection Information:

  • Property: Select "123 Main Street House"
  • Inspection Type: Move-In (from dropdown)
  • Inspection Date: Choose today's date or soon after move-in

Scheduled By:

  • Your name (auto-filled)

Notes (Optional):

  • "Initial move-in inspection before tenant occupancy"

Save Inspection

  1. Click "Schedule" button
  2. Inspection is added to calendar and inspection list

✅ Checkpoint: You should see the inspection scheduled on the calendar and in the inspection list.

Complete Inspection (Optional)

Later, when you perform the inspection:

  1. Click on the inspection from the list
  2. Click "Start Inspection" button
  3. Go through 26-item checklist:
    • Exterior (4 items): Roof, Siding, Windows, Landscaping
    • Interior (6 items): Walls, Floors, Ceilings, Doors, Closets, Light Fixtures
    • Kitchen (4 items): Appliances, Cabinets, Countertops, Sink/Plumbing
    • Bathroom (4 items): Fixtures, Toilet, Sink, Shower/Tub
    • Systems (8 items): HVAC, Electrical, Plumbing, Water Heater, etc.
  4. Mark each item: Pass / Fail / Needs Repair
  5. Add notes for any issues found
  6. Click "Complete Inspection"
  7. Click "Generate PDF Report"

🎉 Congratulations!

You've successfully completed the Quick Start Guide!

In just 15 minutes, you've learned how to:

  • ✅ Install Nine
  • ✅ Create your organization
  • ✅ Register your user account
  • ✅ Add a property
  • ✅ Add a tenant
  • ✅ Create a lease
  • ✅ Generate a rent invoice
  • ✅ Record a payment
  • ✅ Schedule an inspection

🧭 What's Next?

Explore More Features

Property Management:

  • Add up to nine (9) properties
  • Upload property documents (certificates, insurance, photos)
  • Mark properties as Under Renovation or Off Market
  • Track property value and appreciation

Tenant Workflow:

  • Use the Prospect-to-Tenant journey for new tenants:
    1. Add Prospect (inquiry phase)
    2. Schedule Tour
    3. Submit Rental Application
    4. Screen Application (background/credit checks)
    5. Approve/Deny Application
    6. Generate Lease Offer
    7. Tenant Accepts Lease
    8. Automatic Tenant Creation

Financial Management:

  • Set up recurring rent invoices (auto-generated monthly)
  • Configure late fees (grace period + amount/percentage)
  • Generate financial reports (income, expenses, payment history)
  • Track security deposits and annual dividends

Maintenance & Inspections:

  • Create maintenance requests from tenants
  • Assign requests to vendors
  • Track repair costs and completion
  • Schedule routine inspections (quarterly, semi-annual, annual)
  • Generate inspection reports

Calendar & Scheduling:

  • View all events in monthly calendar
  • Schedule property tours for prospects
  • Track lease expiration dates
  • Set payment due date reminders

Notifications:

  • Configure email notifications (SendGrid)
  • Enable SMS alerts (Twilio)
  • Customize notification preferences per user
  • View notification history in Notification Center

Background Automation:

  • Let the system automatically:
    • Apply late fees after grace period
    • Send lease expiration warnings (60/30/14 days)
    • Calculate and distribute security deposit dividends
    • Schedule routine inspections
    • Clean up old data

📚 Additional Resources

Documentation

  • Release Notes - What's new in v1.0.0
  • User Guide - Comprehensive 10-chapter guide covering all features
  • Administrator Guide - System configuration and management
  • Database Management Guide - Backup, restore, troubleshooting

Getting Help

Support Channels:

Community:

  • Star the project on GitHub
  • Contribute to development
  • Share feedback and suggestions

⚙️ Settings & Configuration

Essential Settings to Configure

Organization Settings:

  1. Navigate to Settings → Organization
  2. Update business hours, contact information, logo

User Settings:

  1. Navigate to Settings → Profile
  2. Update personal information, password, notification preferences

Notification Settings:

  1. Navigate to Settings → Notifications
  2. Enable/disable email, SMS, in-app notifications
  3. Configure SendGrid (email) and Twilio (SMS) API keys if needed

Database Settings:

  1. Navigate to Settings → Database
  2. Configure automatic backups:
    • Enable scheduled backups
    • Set backup frequency (daily, weekly, monthly)
    • Choose backup time (default: 2 AM)
  3. Monitor database health and size

Financial Settings:

  1. Navigate to Settings → Financial
  2. Configure late fees:
    • Grace period (default: 5 days)
    • Late fee amount ($50 or 5% of rent)
    • Apply late fees automatically: Yes/No

Inspection Settings:

  1. Navigate to Settings → Inspections
  2. Configure routine inspection frequency:
    • None, Quarterly, Semi-Annual, Annual
  3. Enable auto-scheduling of move-in inspections

🔒 Security & Data Protection

Best Practices

Password Management:

  • Use a strong, unique password
  • Enable password manager for secure storage
  • Change password periodically

Data Backups:

  • Enable automatic daily backups
  • Store backups in multiple locations (local + cloud)
  • Test restore process periodically

Session Security:

  • Application auto-locks after 18 minutes of inactivity
  • Always log out when leaving computer unattended

Data Privacy:

  • All tenant data encrypted at rest
  • Soft delete enabled (data recoverable if accidentally deleted)
  • Audit trails track all data changes (who, when, what)

❓ Common Questions

Q: Can I import data from another property management system?

A: Not directly in v1.0.0. You'll need to manually enter your properties, tenants, and leases. Data import features are planned for a future release.

Q: What happens when I reach the 9-property limit?

A: When you try to add a 10th property, you'll see an upgrade message explaining that Nine is limited to 9 properties. You can either:

  • Remove an inactive property to add a new one
  • Upgrade to Nine Professional (future release) for unlimited properties

Q: Can I have more than 3 users?

A: No, Nine is limited to 3 users (1 system account + 2 login users). This is a product-level restriction. For more users, you'll need to upgrade to Nine Professional when available.

Q: Is my data stored in the cloud?

A: No, Nine stores all data locally on your computer in a SQLite database file. Your data never leaves your device unless you choose to enable email/SMS notifications or back up to a cloud service.

Q: Do I need internet access?

A: No for core features - the application works completely offline. Yes for optional features:

  • Email notifications (SendGrid)
  • SMS notifications (Twilio)
  • Future online payment processing

Q: How do I back up my data?

A: Navigate to Settings → Database → Backup & Restore:

  • Click "Create Backup" for manual backup (recommended before major changes)
  • Enable "Schedule Automatic Backups" for daily/weekly backups
  • Backups stored in: Data/Backups/ folder
  • Copy backups to external drive or cloud storage for safety

Q: What if I accidentally delete something?

A: Nine uses soft delete - deleted records are marked as deleted but not permanently removed. Contact support for data recovery assistance if needed.

Q: Can I run this on a Mac?

A: Not in v1.0.0. macOS support is planned for a future release. For now, use a Windows or Linux computer.

Q: Is there a mobile app?

A: Not yet. A mobile companion app (view-only) is planned for a future release.

🐛 Troubleshooting

Application won't start

Windows:

  • Right-click installer → "Run as Administrator"
  • Check if antivirus is blocking the application
  • Ensure .NET 10 Runtime is installed (bundled with app)

Linux:

  • Ensure AppImage has execute permissions: chmod +x Nine*.AppImage
  • Check system logs: journalctl -xe
  • Verify dependencies installed (usually auto-included)

Database connection error

  1. Navigate to Settings → Database
  2. Click "Check Database Health"
  3. If corrupted, click "Restore from Backup"
  4. If no backup, click "Reset Database" (⚠️ loses all data)

Can't log in

  • Verify email and password are correct
  • Check Caps Lock is off
  • If forgotten password, use "Reset Password" link
  • If still stuck, check logs in Data/Logs/ folder

Email notifications not working

  1. Navigate to Settings → Notifications
  2. Verify SendGrid API key is correct
  3. Check SendGrid account is active and not rate-limited
  4. View error logs in Settings → System → Logs

Application is slow

  • Check database size: Settings → Database → Database Size
  • Run database optimization: Settings → Database → Optimize
  • Close other applications to free up memory
  • Consider hardware upgrade if below minimum specs

📞 Support

Need help? We're here for you!

Email: cisguru@outlook.com
GitHub: https://github.com/xnodeoncode/nine

When contacting support, please include:

  1. Version number (Settings → About)
  2. Operating system (Windows/Linux)
  3. Description of issue (what happened vs what you expected)
  4. Steps to reproduce (how to recreate the problem)
  5. Screenshots (if applicable)
  6. Log files (Settings → System → Export Logs)

🎓 Next Steps

Ready to dive deeper?

  1. Read the User Guide - Comprehensive 10-chapter guide covering every feature
  2. Configure automation - Set up late fees, recurring invoices, backups
  3. Explore reports - Generate financial and operational reports
  4. Customize settings - Tailor the application to your workflow
  5. Join the community - Connect with other landlords using Nine

Thank you for choosing Nine! 🏠

We hope this Quick Start Guide helped you get up and running quickly. Enjoy managing your properties with confidence!

Document Version: 1.1
Last Updated: February 18, 2026
Author: CIS Guru with GitHub Copilot