The first time you land in Mucka you'll see a Get started screen with a step called Set up with Mucka and an orange Chat with Mucka button. Tap that and Mucka will talk you through the basics. It takes a couple of minutes.
You just talk. There's no typing in this one.
On a phone the chat runs in the bar along the bottom, the same place you'll talk to Mucka from then on. On a computer it's the panel down the right-hand side.
If you opened Mucka from Facebook or Instagram
If you tapped through from an ad, you might be looking at Mucka inside the Facebook or Instagram app rather than in your phone's own browser. Those apps usually don't let a website use your microphone, so the chat often can't start there.
Mucka spots this, and instead of Chat with Mucka the button says Get the Mucka app. Install it, log in, and have the chat there.
- On an iPhone, if you'd rather stay in the browser, tap the ••• at the top of the screen and choose Open in external browser, then log in in Safari.
- On Android there's an Open in your browser button as well.
You can still tap Try the chat here anyway, and it does work for some people. Or skip the chat with I'll set it up myself (see below).
If you said no to the microphone
If your phone asked to use the microphone and you tapped Don't Allow, it won't ask again on its own, and Mucka tells you where to turn it back on for the browser you're in:
- Chrome or Safari on an iPhone: open your iPhone's Settings, find Chrome (or Safari) and turn on Microphone.
- In the Mucka app on an iPhone: open your iPhone's Settings, find Mucka and turn on Microphone.
- In the Mucka app on Android: open your phone's Settings, go to Apps, then Mucka, then Permissions, and turn on Microphone.
- Chrome on Android, or on a computer: tap or click the icon to the left of the web address and allow the microphone.
Then come back and tap Chat with Mucka again.
If you closed the question without choosing either answer, nothing has been switched off. Tap Chat with Mucka again and choose Allow this time.
What it asks
Seven things, one at a time:
- What the business is called. This goes on your quotes and invoices.
- Your business address. The one that goes on your invoices. Mucka reads it back to you before saving it, so if it mishears a postcode you can put it right there and then.
- Whether you're vat registered. Just yes or no. Mucka won't ask for the number, because nobody knows it off the top of their head. If you say yes, adding the number turns up as a step on your Quick Start where you can copy it off a letter. Say no and it never asks you again.
- What you've been using up to now. Whatever it is — other software, a spreadsheet, a diary, a pile of paper. Mucka will offer to move that lot across for you, free. Say yes and it puts the request in there and then; our team pick it up from there.
- Whether you use Xero, QuickBooks, Sage or FreeAgent.
- Whether you keep a diary in Google, Microsoft 365 or Apple Calendar.
- What skills are. Mucka opens the list at the end so you can switch on the bits you want there and then.
Naming Xero doesn't connect Xero
Worth knowing, because it surprises people.
If you say you're on Xero, Mucka doesn't link it up on the spot. It puts a Connect Xero button on your Quick Start list, ready for when you've got your login handy. Same with your calendar.
Say you use Apple Calendar on your iPhone and the button is Set up Apple Calendar instead. That one is a link you add on your phone so your jobs show up in Apple Calendar. It only goes one way, from Mucka to your calendar, so for two-way you'd want Google or Outlook. Once you've made the link, the step ticks itself off.
That's on purpose. Signing in to Xero takes you off the page, which would cut the chat off halfway through. So Mucka gets everything else done first and leaves the button waiting for you.
Until you press that button and sign in, nothing is connected and nothing is flowing across.
Why the screen is locked
Until you've had the chat, Get started won't let you tap anything except that orange button. You can see the whole list of what's coming — it's just not live yet.
You can end the chat the second it starts if you're busy. That's fine, and it unlocks the list either way.
If you'd rather skip it
Under the orange button there's a quieter link: I'll set it up myself.
Tap that, confirm, and the whole list opens up straight away — no chat. Everything Mucka would have asked you is on the list anyway, so you lose nothing by working down it yourself.
Use it as well if you pressed Chat with Mucka and nothing happened. Occasionally the chat fails to start — bad signal, a browser blocking the microphone — and if that happens you shouldn't be stuck staring at a screen you can't get past.
One thing to know: once you've skipped, the step is ticked and the orange button goes. So if you did want the chat, have it first.
It only happens once
This is the bit to know: you get one go at the setup chat. Once it's started, that's it. If you hang up, close the tab, or your signal drops, Mucka can't run it again.
You haven't lost anything. Every single thing that chat asks about is a step on your Quick Start list, and you can do the lot yourself whenever suits:
- Your business name and address live in Settings, under Business.
- The free data migration is on Quick Start as Move your data across, free.
- Connecting Xero, QuickBooks, Sage, FreeAgent, Google or Microsoft 365, or making your Apple Calendar link, is all in Settings, under Connections, Integrations.
- Skills are on the Skills page, any time.
So if it ended early, just work down Quick Start instead. Same result.
And if the chat never started at all — you pressed the button and nothing came up — use I'll set it up myself to open the list. Don't sit on a locked screen.
This is not the same as your setup call
Two different things, and the names are close enough to trip over.
- Set up with Mucka is the spoken chat above. Everyone gets it, it takes two minutes, and it's with Mucka.
- Your setup call is a real call with a real person from our team. If there are six or more of you, you'll be asked to book one before you can start using Mucka properly.
If there are five or fewer of you, you'll never be asked to book a call — you go straight in.
While you're waiting for your call
Once a team of six or more has booked, the app opens on a You're booked in screen showing the time of your call. Mucka stays shut until then, in the app and on WhatsApp, and opens up straight after the call. Your call reminders still come through on WhatsApp.
There's no skip link on that screen. If your call is a few days away and you'd like to get going sooner, tap Need to move it? and pick an earlier time.