---
title: 'Dashboard'
description: 'Dashboard'
position: 500
category: 'Usage'
menuTitle: 'Dashboard'
---
## Setup your first super admin
Once you have started NocoDB, you can visit the dashboard via `example.com/dashboard` .
Click `Let's Begin` button to sign up.
< img src = "https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/35857179/126597128-f88df6e5-7625-4208-9817-68e9303410ff.png" width = "75%" / >
Enter your work email and your password.
< alert >
Your password has at least 8 letters with one uppercase, one number and one special letter
< / alert >
< img src = "https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/35857179/126597144-0343b5ca-c7ca-47a4-926d-4e8df2f8c161.png" width = "60%" / >
If you start your application without specifying `NC_DB` . A local SQLite will be created in root folder. Your data will be stored there.
If you are using Docker, it is recommended to mount `/usr/app/data/` for persistent volume (since `v0.10.6` ), otherwise your data will be lost after recreating the container.
Example:
```
docker run -d -p 8080:8080 --name nocodb -v /local/path:/usr/app/data/ nocodb/nocodb:latest
```
## Initialize your first project
Once you have logged into NocoDB, you should see `My Projects` .
To create a project, you can click `New Project` .
< img src = "https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/86527202/144373314-9146e855-0791-4815-a03f-303e5ffb2a63.png" width = "60%" / >
### Creating empty project
Click `Create` , you need to specify the project name and API type. A local SQLite will be used.
< img src = "https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/35857179/126597259-b9552c71-d13b-463c-abc2-0f3be31627b2.png" width = "60%" / >
### Connecting to external database
Click `Create By Connecting To An external Datbase` , you need to specify the project name, API type, and other database parameters.
Currently it supports MySQL, Postgres, MSSQL and SQLite.
You can also configure associated SSL & advanced parameters.
Click `Test Database Connection` to see if the connection can be established or not.
> NocoDB create's a new **empty database** with specified parameters, if the database doesn't exist.
### Creating project from Excel
Click `Create Project from Excel` , you can either upload/ drag and drop Excel file (OR) specify Excel file URL
< img src = "https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/86527202/144373863-7ced9315-a70b-4746-9295-325e463dc110.png" width = "60%" / >
Supported file formats
- Xls
- Xlsx
- Xlsm
- Ods
- Ots
A local SQLite will be used.
