Getting Started
Your first steps with IronCase - log in, explore, and understand the interface
Getting Started
In this tutorial, you will log in to IronCase for the first time and learn to navigate the interface. By the end, you'll understand where everything is and how to move around the system.
Quick Feature Tour
Before diving in, watch this 2-minute overview of IronCase in action:
Want to see role-specific demos? Check out our Demo Videos page.
What You'll Learn
- How to log in
- What's on your dashboard
- How to navigate between sections
- How to use search
- Keyboard shortcuts
Step 1: Log In
Let's access IronCase.
- Open your browser
- Navigate to your department's IronCase URL
- Enter your department email address
- Enter your password (or use your passkey if configured)
- Click Sign In
If you don't have credentials, contact your department administrator.
You should now see your dashboard.
Step 2: Explore Your Dashboard
After logging in, you see your personalized dashboard. Let's look at each section.
Active Cases
This panel shows investigations assigned to you. You'll see:
- Case numbers
- Case types
- Current status
- Your role on each case
Pending Approvals
If any items need your review, they appear here. This might be empty if you have no pending approvals.
Recent Activity
This shows the latest updates across your cases—new evidence, checklist completions, status changes.
Quick Actions
Common tasks like creating a new case (if you have permission) appear here.
Step 3: Navigate Using the Sidebar
Look at the left sidebar. It's organized by category:
| Category | What It Contains |
|---|---|
| Investigation | Cases, checklists, golden hour, phases |
| Evidence | Physical evidence, digital requests, lab requests |
| Legal & Compliance | Warrants, CalECPA, policy checks |
| Workflow | Approvals, notifications, handoffs |
| Administration | Officers, audit logs |
Click on any module to switch views. The sidebar shows your role at the top and can be collapsed using the button in the toolbar.
On mobile: Use the bottom navigation bar for quick access to Home, Cases, Evidence, and Alerts. Tap "More" to see additional modules.
Step 4: Use the Command Palette
The command palette is the fastest way to navigate and take actions.
- Press
Ctrl + K(orCmd + Kon Mac) - Type what you want to find or do:
- A case number like "2024-0001"
- A person name
- An action like "new case" or "evidence"
- Use arrow keys to select, Enter to execute
- Press
Escto close
The command palette searches across:
- Case numbers and titles
- Person names
- Evidence descriptions
- Module navigation (try "warrants" or "lab requests")
- Quick actions ("new case", "approvals")
Step 5: Try Keyboard Shortcuts
IronCase has shortcuts to speed up your work:
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
Ctrl/Cmd + K | Open command palette |
Ctrl/Cmd + / | Toggle AI chat |
Esc | Close dialogs/panels |
[ | Collapse/expand sidebar |
Try pressing Ctrl + K now to open the command palette. Type "dashboard" and press Enter. Then press Esc to close it.
Step 6: Check Your Role
Your role determines what you see and can do. Look at your profile area (usually top-right).
You should see your name and your current role:
- First Officer — Initial response duties
- Detective — Lead investigator
- Supervisor — Oversight and approvals
If you work in multiple roles, you can switch from the profile menu.
What You've Learned
You now know how to:
- Log in to IronCase
- Understand your dashboard sections
- Navigate using the menu
- Search for cases and people
- Use keyboard shortcuts
- Identify your role