Getting Started: First-Time Users

If this is your first time signing in to Precog, you'll begin your journey here. This tutorial will help you get oriented, understand what happens automatically on your first sign-in, and complete your first hands-on setup — creating a workspace, connecting a source, adding a destination, and running your first data load.

You'll finish with a fully working setup and a clear understanding of how Precog organizes your data activity.

Haven't signed in yet? Start with How to Sign in →

Tutorial: Your First Time in Precog

When you sign in to Precog for the first time, the system automatically creates your organization and gives you immediate access to the environment — no setup required. This tutorial walks you through what happens after your first sign-in and how to create your first Workspace, connect a Source, add a Destination, and create your first Schedule.

What Happens When You First Sign In

When you sign in for the first time, Precog automatically:

  • Creates your user account
  • Generates your organization
  • Assigns a default name such as "Alex Smith's Organization"
  • Makes you the Owner of this organization

You'll land on your Organization Dashboard, where you'll see a prompt to Create Your First Workspace.

Create Your First Workspace

Click Create Workspace to make your first workspace. This workspace will be automatically named — don't worry, you can create more later and customize them for your needs.

A Workspace is where your data connections and activity live. Each workspace contains its own Sources, Destinations, and Schedules.

You can name a workspace anything that helps organize your data, for example:

  • Production and Development environments
  • HR, Inventory, or Marketing departments
  • Separate internal customers or projects

You can also add custom tags and descriptions to make your workspaces easy to find and manage later.

After creating your workspace, you'll land on your Workspace Dashboard, where you'll see a prompt to Connect a Source.

Connect Your First Data Source

You'll now be on the Get Started journey page that appears for first-time users. This page walks you through connecting a source, adding a destination, and creating schedules.

Steps

  1. Click Connect a Source.

    • If you don't have your source credentials ready, you can use the Test Source.

  2. Create a New Source

    • Type the name of the software application you want to connect to Precog.
    • Select your source and click Continue (bottom-right corner).

  3. Enter Source Details

    • Add a descriptive name in the Source Name field. This name appears in Precog and becomes the schema name in your destination.
    • Optionally, add a description to help keep your workspace organized.
    • Click Configure (bottom-right corner).

  4. Configure Your Source

    • If you're using the Test Source, type Ok in the configuration form.
    • If connecting to a real source, enter the required credentials.
    • If you don't have the credentials yet, you can return later — your setup will remain saved.

  5. Review and Create

    • Click Review (bottom-right corner).
    • After reviewing your details, click Create Source (bottom-left corner).

What Happens Next

  • Your source is created and saved to your workspace.
  • A discovery process analyzes the available data.
  • You can now create schedules to sync data to destinations.

Connect a Destination

You'll return to the Get Started page and see the prompt to Add a Destination, which is now unlocked. Click Add a Destination.

If you don't yet have a destination or credentials, you can sign up for Snowflake and use it as your destination.

Steps

  1. Select a Destination

    • Type the name of the destination you want to connect, or scroll through the list.
    • Select your destination and click Continue (bottom-right corner).

  2. Provide Destination Details

    • Add a Destination Name (this will appear in Precog).
    • Optionally, add a description for clarity and organization.
    • Click Configure (bottom-right corner).

  3. Prepare for Configuration

    • Follow the instructions in the Prepare section to gather your configuration details.
    • You may need help from your IT or admin team to get credentials or roles.
    • If you need time to gather details, your account will remain ready for you to continue later.

  4. Configure and Create

    • Once ready, click Configure (bottom-right corner).
    • Enter all configuration settings and details.
    • Click Review, then Create Destination.

What Happens Next

  • Your destination is created and saved to your workspace.
  • Precog tests the connection for validity.
  • You can now create schedules to send data to this destination.

Create a Schedule

You'll return to the Get Started page and see the prompt to Create Schedules, which is now unlocked. Click Create Schedules.

Steps

  1. Select Data Source and Datasets

    • On the Create New Schedule page, select your data source.
    • Choose datasets — start with a few key ones.
    • Note: Initial data loads can take time and use more resources.
    • Click Continue (bottom-right corner).

  2. Select Your Destination

    • Choose the destination you just created.
    • Click Continue (bottom-right corner).

  3. Name and Review

    • Name your schedule — this name becomes the schema name in your destination.
    • Optionally, add a description for clarity.

  4. Skip Triggers for Now

    • A Schedule Trigger automates data loading at set times.
    • For this tutorial, you'll load data manually.
    • Don't add a trigger; instead, click Create Schedule (bottom-right corner).

  5. Run the Schedule

    • After creating the schedule, click Run Now (top-right corner).
    • The page updates automatically when your data load completes.
    • Any issues with the load will appear on this page.

Congratulations!

You've completed your first workspace setup and configured your first Source, Destination, and Schedule. Your data is now flowing through Precog — you're ready to explore more advanced features.