Start a free trial

This guide takes you from the public site to your own FlowLakes instance at an address like acme.flowlakes.com. The trial runs on the shared tier. For what the trial includes and when it ends, read Plans and the trial. For the dedicated tiers, read Tiers.

Prerequisites. A mailbox you can read. No password, credit card or role is needed to sign up. One mailbox can hold one live instance at a time.

Sign up

1. Open the sign-up page. Go to https://flowlakes.com/request-instance. You see a card titled Create your instance with a sign-in button for each way in that is available: Continue with Microsoft, Continue with Google, and a Continue with email field.

2. Pick one way to sign in. The method you pick only changes what FlowLakes learns about you. Everyone gets the same instance.

   You pick	What happens next
   Continue with Microsoft	You sign in with your work account. Your sign-in proves your address.
   Continue with Google	You sign in with your Google account. Your sign-in proves your address.
   Continue with email	Type your address and press Send me a link. The card changes to Check your email.

   A personal Microsoft account is treated like the email option. If your Microsoft organization does not confirm your address to FlowLakes, you are sent an email link as well.

3. Email option only: click the link. Open the message and click the link. It opens in any browser, so your default mail browser is fine, and sign-up continues in the browser that opened it. The link works once and expires after 30 minutes. The sign-up page shows One moment while it picks up your session, then the next screen.

4. Name your instance. The card is titled Name it and shows Signed in as your address. Type your Company name. The Address field fills itself from it (for example acme for Acme Corporation), and you can edit it. Wait for the green line acme.flowlakes.com is available.

5. Press Start free trial. The card changes to Setting up and shows a four-step bar: Creating your database, Preparing the schema, Installing your apps, Ready. The whole build takes about two minutes.

6. Press Open your instance. When the card reads Your instance is ready, press the button. You land on your instance already signed in as its first admin. You also receive one email, acme.flowlakes.com is ready, with your instance address and how to sign in again.

Set a password (email option only)

If you signed up with an email link or a personal Microsoft account, your account has no password yet. The first time you are inside, a Set a password dialog opens and stays until you choose one.

1. Type the same password in New password and Confirm password. The length rule is your instance’s own password setting.
2. Press Set password. From now on you sign in on your instance’s login page with your address and this password.

The dialog cannot be closed without a password: the one-time sign-in from the sign-up page does not come back, so this is the moment your way back in is set. If you lose the password later, use Forgot password? on your instance’s login page.

Sign in again later

The Open your instance button signs you in once. After that you sign in on your instance’s own login page, https://acme.flowlakes.com.

• Email option: sign in with the password you set above.
• Microsoft or Google option: signing in with Microsoft or Google on your instance’s login page is not set up for you automatically. Use Forgot password? on the login page to set a password, or set up single sign-on under Access & Governance → Single Sign-On in the admin menu (see Identity and access).

You know it worked when

• Your instance opens at your chosen address and you are signed in as its admin.
• Email option: the Set a password dialog opened and closed once you chose one.
• You received one email saying your instance is ready.

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Cause	Fix
That address already has a FlowLakes instance.	Your mailbox already holds a live instance or a pending request. A suspended trial still counts.	Use that instance, or sign up with a different mailbox.
That link has expired. or That link has already been used.	Email links work once, within 30 minutes.	Start again and request a new link.
Please use a work or personal mailbox we can reach you at.	The email option refuses throwaway mailbox domains.	Use a mailbox you keep, or sign in with Microsoft or Google.
The address shows as not available	The name is taken, too short (under 3 characters), or kept by FlowLakes (for example www, admin, docs, demo).	Choose another address.
Too many attempts. Please try again later.	Sign-up attempts are limited per network and per mailbox.	Wait and try again later.
The card says Request received instead of Setting up	FlowLakes has switched on a manual review for your sign-in method.	Nothing to do. The card says FlowLakes writes to you within one business day.
Your instance’s login page says Your sign-in link could not be completed.	The one-time sign-in from Open your instance lasts 60 seconds and works once.	Go back to the sign-up page and press Open your instance again, or use Forgot password? on the login page.