Getting started

Run Blotter on your computer and set up the people who will prepare and review the first job.

Run Blotter

You need macOS, Linux or Windows with WSL2, and Node 22 or later to start. Follow the two steps on Run Blotter: install rer, then clone the source and run rer dev from the checkout.

The first launch installs the locked dependencies, selects the project's pinned runtime, prepares a local database and starts the app on a free port. It can take several minutes. If interrupted, run rer dev again to resume.

The command prints RER_READY with the address and RER_OPEN with a sign-in link. Open the RER_OPEN link on this computer. Keep that link private: it signs you in as the principal.

Review your owner account on Finish setup, tick the confirmation and press Finish setup. The workspace opens at /app.

Set up your team

In Team & safety, open Add or change a person to save a reviewer and a preparer. Set an hourly rate for yourself and each person under Set an hourly rate. Rates are integer AUD cents, ex GST: 15000 means $150.00 per hour. New time entries use the person's current rate.

The principal manages people, approves billing exports, imports clients and handles archives. Reviewers can work across jobs. Preparers see only jobs assigned to them. Deactivating a person removes access immediately.

On a deployed installation, Send an invitation emails a saved person a sign-in link. Local mail is suppressed; use the local personas to try the other roles.

Try reviewer and preparer roles locally

Save reviewer@dev.localhost as a reviewer and preparer@dev.localhost as a preparer in Team & safety. Stop the app, then start as the role you want:

rer dev --stop
rer dev --as reviewer

Use rer dev --as preparer to try the preparer. Open the new RER_OPEN link each time. Starting rer dev without --as returns to the principal.

Start the first client

Open Clients & templates, add a client and save a job template. Jobs and templates walks through the first recurring job.

To stop local serving, run:

rer dev --stop

Use your own installation

A production installation needs your own Cloudflare account and a verified sending address with Resend. Follow the repository's deployment instructions and operations guide. Keep credentials in your private environment or secret manager.