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Registering and Getting Started (Plain Language)

Here’s how to set up your Cobot account and start using it

Amany avatar
Written by Amany
Updated over a week ago

When you sign up for a trial, you’ll see a dashboard that shows you how to get started. Cobot is easy to set up on your own.

You can also watch our ‘Getting Started With Cobot’ videos or follow the guides below.

Step-by-step guides:


How to Sign Up for a Trial

Go to our signup page to create your free trial account.

You’ll choose a custom URL for your space. For example, if you enter "Your-Space," your Cobot URL will be your-space.cobot.me.

Once you’ve signed up, you’ll go to your admin dashboard. You’ll see little question marks that give you tips or a link to guides.


Setting Up Basic Settings

Start by setting these basic settings:

  • Add your space details

    This is an image of the Basic Setup page in Cobot. On the left side, there is a dark menu bar with sections like Manage, Calendar, Products, Analyze, Customize, Setup, and Add-ons. The Setup section is highlighted, and within it, the Basic option is selected.  On the right side of the screen, the main panel shows Basic Settings. The fields include the name of the space, which is filled in as Your Space, and the subdomain, entered as yourspace. Below that, there are dropdowns for selecting the country, which is set to Germany, and the time zone, set to Europe - Berlin. There is also a field for selecting the default language, which is empty, and another field for the email used for outgoing member communication, filled in as [<a href="mailto:info@yourspace.me" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">info@yourspace.me</a>](mailto:<a href="mailto:info@yourspace.me" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">info@yourspace.me</a>).  This section is where administrators configure the fundamental details of their coworking space in Cobot.

  • Customize what admins and members see

    This is an image of the Administrators and Permissions page in Cobot. On the left side, the dark menu bar is visible with the Setup section open, and the Administrators option is selected.  On the right side, the main panel shows a list of administrators for the space. Each entry displays the person’s name, email address, and their role marked as Admin. Some users also have additional labels such as 2FA, meaning two-factor authentication is enabled.  Next to each administrator’s details are three options: Make owner, Edit, and Remove. The Edit option next to Amy is highlighted, indicating it is selected or being referenced. At the top of the page, there is a button to add a new administrator.  This section is where administrators for the coworking space are managed, including editing permissions, assigning ownership, or removing access.

    This is an image of the Permissions page in Cobot. At the top, there is an explanation about how permissions work. Revoking view permissions hides a section from an administrator, while revoking edit permissions allows them to see the section but prevents them from making changes. It also notes that admin permissions extend to the API and that some add-ons may not function correctly if certain permissions are revoked.  Below this explanation is a list of sections in the workspace, such as Accounting codes, Activity feed, Administrators, Basic settings, Booking calendar resources, Bookings, and Calendar blockers. Each section has checkboxes for view and edit permissions. In this image, most of the checkboxes are ticked, meaning the administrator being edited has both view and edit permissions for nearly all of these sections.  On the left side, the dark navigation bar is visible, with the Setup section highlighted, and within it, Administrators is selected. This screen allows customization of what each administrator can see and change in the coworking space’s Cobot setup.

    This is an image of the Features section in Cobot under the Customize menu. The tab that is open is called Hiding Features.  In this view, you can see a list of options that allow you to hide certain information or tools from members or the public. The options include hiding booking details from other members so they cannot see who made a booking or what it is called, hiding the entire booking calendar from members, hiding prices from the public so that plans and signup buttons are not displayed on the public page, hiding the help desk from members so that issues or guides are not visible to them, and making help desk issues private so that future issues are always private and invisible to other members.  Each option has a blue button labeled Activate on the right, allowing you to enable the feature. This section is designed to give administrators control over what information and tools are visible to members and the public, letting you customize the level of transparency in your coworking space.

  • Set up your privacy policy

    This is an image of the Privacy section in Cobot’s Setup menu. At the top is the Privacy Policy, which is uploaded and can be edited, previewed, or viewed in history. Below is the Data Processing Agreement, which has not yet been accepted, with a button to review it. At the bottom is the Member Approvals History, which can be downloaded as a CSV file. The Privacy tab in the Setup menu is highlighted.

    This is an image of the Privacy Policy editor in Cobot’s Setup section. The screen shows a text box where the Privacy Policy is written. It begins with the effective date, May 8, 2018, and explains that Your Space operates the service. The policy covers how personal data is collected, used, and disclosed, stating that data is used to provide and improve the service. It also explains that by using the service, members agree to this collection and use of information. The text continues with sections about information collection, types of data collected, and personal data. On the left side, the Privacy tab under Setup is highlighted.

Finishing Your Account Setup:

After that, set up these features:


Resources

Add resources like meeting rooms. Members can book these rooms online using their Member Portal.

This is an image of the Bookings page in Cobot. On the left-hand side menu, the Bookings section is highlighted. In the main area, there is a tab for Upcoming Bookings, which is selected, as well as tabs for Past Bookings and Calendar. One upcoming booking is shown for December 5, 2024, at 10 in the morning, lasting four hours, in the Event Space. At the top right, there is a blue button labeled Make Booking for creating a new booking.

This is an image of the booking selection screen in Cobot. At the top, the date is set to December 3, 2024, with a booking time from 5 in the evening to 9 at night, lasting four hours. Below that are different spaces shown with their availability.  The Event Space is shown with a large photo of people working in a bright, decorated open area. It can fit six people, is available Monday to Friday from 9 in the morning to 10 at night, must be booked at least two days in advance, and costs \$26.25 per hour. It allows bookings of at least one hour and up to eight hours. The price displayed at the bottom is 107 dollars. A dark button below says Available.  Next to it, the Meeting Room is grayed out and labeled with a warning saying Must fall within Available Booking Times. It is available only Monday to Friday from 9 in the morning to 5 in the evening, with a minimum of four hours and a maximum of four hours per booking, costing \$10.50 per hour. It is unavailable for the selected time.  On the far right, the One-on-One Room is also grayed out with the same warning. It can fit two people, is available Monday to Friday from 9 in the morning to 6 in the evening, allows bookings from one hour up to one hour only, and costs \$10.50 per hour. It is also unavailable for the chosen time.

This is an image of the final booking confirmation screen for an Event Space in Cobot. On the left, there is a photo of the event space, showing a bright room with long tables, string lights hanging from the ceiling, and people working at computers.  On the right, the text explains that the event space is on the top floor of a building in Berlin and is about 110 square meters. It is described as suitable for workshops, conferences, and meetups. The room can hold up to 100 people standing or 40 people seated comfortably. It also mentions that the space comes with the necessary furniture and equipment to support successful activities.  At the bottom right, there are two options: Cancel in plain text and a blue button labeled Book Now, which completes the booking.

You can also let non-members book your resources through External Bookings.

This is an image of the Rooms and Resources page on the Your Space platform. At the top are navigation options for Memberships &amp; Passes, Rooms &amp; Resources, and Events.  Three rooms are listed. The Event Space is a large, 110-square-meter room in Berlin for workshops, conferences, and meetups, priced at \$26.25 per hour with tax, shown with a photo of desks and string lights. The Meeting Room is designed for bigger projects, equipped with easels and sewing machines, priced at \$21.00 per hour, shown with a photo of a white table and chairs. The One-on-One Room is for private conversations or small meetings, priced at \$2.10 per hour, shown with a booth-style photo of two people talking.  Each room card shows capacity and has a blue Book Now button.

This is an image of the Event Space booking page on the Your Space platform. A large photo shows a workspace with long tables, computers, and hanging string lights.  The Event Space is listed at \$26.25 per hour including tax, with room for six people. A description explains that the 110-square-meter space in Berlin is ideal for workshops, conferences, and meetups, fitting up to 100 people standing or 40 seated.  On the right side, a calendar is open to December 2024, with the date set to December 30. Below, the booking time is selected from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. for a duration of one hour. An order summary confirms the booking details for the Event Space on that date and time.

This is an image of the Event Space booking confirmation page on the Your Space platform.  On the left, details are shown about the booking. The space is available Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Optional services include an additional monitor, catering, a cleaning fee, and a projector. Booking availability allows a minimum of one hour and a maximum of eight hours. Cancellations can be made up to two days before the booking.  On the right side, the order summary confirms the Event Space is reserved for December 30, 2024, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., for one hour. The cost is \$26.75, including 7 percent tax. At the bottom, there is a large blue button labeled “Continue” to proceed with the booking.

This is an image of the step in the booking process where visitors and extras are added for the Event Space reservation.  On the left, the number of visitors is set to one, with plus and minus buttons to adjust. Below are optional extras with toggle switches to add them: an additional monitor for \$1.19 per hour, catering with coffee, fruit, and snacks for \$16.05 per person, and a cleaning fee of \$116.00 as a fixed cost.  On the right, the order summary shows the Event Space booked for December 30, 2024, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The booking cost is \$26.75 for one hour, with tax included. At the bottom of the summary is a large blue “Continue” button to move to the next step.

This is an image of the booking process at the contact information step.  On the left, there are fields to enter details: full name, company, email, and billing address. The fields for full name, email, and billing address are marked as required.  On the right, the order summary shows the booking details for the Event Space on December 30, 2024, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The booking is for one hour at a cost of \$26.75, with tax included. Below the summary is a large blue button labeled “Continue” to proceed to the next step.

This is an image of the payment step in the booking process.  At the top, the progress bar shows the steps completed: selection, visitors and extras, contact, and now payment.  On the left, there is a section titled "Enter payment details" with four options for payment: bank transfer, cash payment, credit card or ACH powered by Stripe, and eCheck. Bank transfer is currently selected.  On the right, the order summary lists the Event Space booking for December 30, 2024, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., with a total cost of \$26.75 including tax. At the bottom of the summary, there is a large blue button labeled “Book with fee” to confirm the booking.

Membership Plans

To add members to your space, you’ll need at least one membership plan.

This is an image of the Membership Plans section in an admin dashboard.  On the left sidebar, the Products menu is highlighted, with Membership Plans selected. In the main area, different membership levels are displayed. At the top, there’s a blue button labeled “Add Plan” to create a new plan.  Three existing plans are shown. Premium Membership is priced at 210 USD per month, Basic Membership at 157.50 USD per month, and Full-Time Membership at 840 USD per month. Each plan has a small image, a label for individual membership, and action buttons for deleting, editing, or viewing details. There are also shareable links under each plan.  This screen allows administrators to manage membership options by adding new plans or editing existing ones.

This is an image of the Edit Plan screen for a membership in the admin dashboard.  On the left side, the Products section is highlighted with Membership Plans selected. In the main area, the plan being edited is called Premium Membership. Under Basic Settings, the description says: "Pick a desk to work at for the day on a first-come-first-served basis." This is what members will see when they sign up.  Below that, in the Pricing section, the cost is set at 200 USD per month.  This screen allows administrators to update the name, description, and pricing of a membership plan.

This is an image of the Extras tab within the Edit Plan section of the admin dashboard.  It shows a recurring extra item that can be added to a membership plan. The extra is named Locker, with a price set at 50 USD per month. Members who select this extra will be charged automatically each month along with their plan.  There is also a field for an accounting code, which can be linked for bookkeeping purposes. At the top, there is an option to remove this extra if needed.  This screen is where administrators can add or manage recurring add-ons like lockers, keys, or other additional services tied to a membership.

This is an image of the Bookings tab within the Edit Plan section of the admin dashboard.  At the top, there are options under Resource Privileges, where you can limit access to specific resources or apply booking privileges to all existing memberships on the same plan.  Below that, in the Booking Credits section, you can assign free monthly usage credits to members for certain resources. For example, the Meeting Room has been selected, while the Event Space and One-on-One Room are available but not included.  This screen allows administrators to define which resources members on this plan can book freely and how those booking credits are applied.

This is an image of the Messages tab inside the Edit Plan section of the admin dashboard. At the top, there is a Welcome Message box, which will appear on the dashboard for all confirmed members. In this example, it says “Hello and welcome to Your Space!” Further down, there is another box for a Welcome Message for Unconfirmed Members. This message is shown to people whose membership has not yet been confirmed, so they also receive a greeting or instructions on their dashboard. This section allows administrators to create personalized welcome notes for both confirmed and unconfirmed members to improve onboarding and communication.

This is an image of the Signup Charge tab in the Edit Plan section of the admin dashboard. It allows administrators to add a one-time charge that is automatically applied to new members, such as a deposit or signup fee. There is a description field for entering what the fee is for, an amount field to specify the cost, and a tax rate field to define the percentage of tax applied. There are also fields for assigning an accounting code and a cost center. At the bottom right, there is a blue button labeled Save Public Plan, which saves the updated membership plan with the signup charge included.

For part-time members, Cobot can handle time passes automatically.

This is an image of the Time Passes tab in the Edit Plan section of the admin dashboard. Here, administrators can set limits on the number of days per week or month included in a membership plan. Members can also purchase additional time once their included time has been used up. Any changes made in this section will take effect from the next billing cycle. There is a button labeled Add Time Pass, which allows admins to create new passes. At the bottom right, there is a Save Public Plan button to confirm and apply changes.

Create How-To Guides

You can create guides in the Help Desk. These guides can explain how to do things like use the printer or coffee machine and help answer common questions from members.

This is an image of the Dashboard in the admin portal. On the left, the Manage menu is open, showing options such as Dashboard, Members, Community Directory, Contacts, Events, Invoices, Help Desk, Messages, and Companies. The Help Desk option has a badge showing three open items.  The main dashboard displays statistics including 28 members total, 13 unpaid invoices totaling \$14,089.64, bookings revenue of \$1,568.00 over the last four weeks, and zero issues reported. The Activity Feed in the center shows recent actions, such as invoices created for members like Alessia Rolfson, Jack Barner, and Greg Smith, each with specific amounts and timestamps from 15 hours ago.  On the right-hand side, the Bookings section lists upcoming reservations. For example, Andrea Ferrante booked the Meeting Room tomorrow from midnight to 1:00 a.m., Denis von Brasche booked it from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m., and Greg Smith has bookings on December 3 and December 5. Other bookings include the Tent meeting rooms, Event Space, and reservations by Hedy Lamarr and Morgan.

This is an image of the Help Desk section in the admin portal, specifically under the Guides tab. The Manage menu is expanded on the left, with the Help Desk option selected. The top right shows a button labeled Create Guide, allowing admins to add new resources.  In the main section, several help guides are listed. These include "Do I need to book the phone booth in advance?", "Floor Plan of Our Space", "How to access the parking lot", "The Internet is down, now what?", "What to do if the coffee machine is broken", and "Your Local Membership Benefits." Some of these guides have Public Link options, making them accessible for members directly.  At the top of the Help Desk, there are three tabs: Open Issues, Closed Issues, and Guides, with Guides currently selected. This area provides members with self-service resources to handle common questions and issues.

Adding Members

Add members to your space so you can manage their details, payments, and set up automatic invoices.

Once added, members can log in through your Cobot Homepage to manage their accounts.

This is an image of a coworking space’s public website page. At the top, the logo and name “Your Space” are displayed, with navigation links for Memberships &amp; Passes, Rooms &amp; Resources, and Events. A circular profile image appears on the far right.  The main banner shows a large photo of three people sitting around a table with coffee cups, working on a laptop together in a bright, modern space with large windows and plants. On the right side of the banner, the text “Your Space” is shown in large bold blue letters.  Below the banner, there is a welcome message that reads, “Welcome to Yourspace. Choose from one of our plans below - work a little or work a lot! Looking forward to seeing you!” Further down, a section titled “Membership Plans” begins, introducing options for joining the space.

This is an image of the Membership Plans section on the coworking space’s public website. At the top, the heading reads “Membership Plans.”  Two membership options are displayed side by side. The first option on the left is the Premium Membership, which shows a photo of a smiling person using a laptop in a casual setting. The plan costs 210 USD per month and renews automatically. A “Sign up” button is shown beneath it along with a link for more details.  The second option on the right is the Basic Membership, with a photo of a large open coworking area filled with desks, chairs, and natural light. This plan costs 157.50 USD per month and also renews automatically. It also has a “Sign up” button and a details link beneath it.  Below these two plans, another image is partly visible, showing people sitting together and talking in a cozy seating area, suggesting additional membership options further down the page.

Automating Check-Ins

You can use WiFi, swipe cards, or door access systems to track attendance and automatically deduct time passes.


Next Step: Add More Administrators

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