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GUIDE · GETTING STARTED

Getting Started with ForsetiDesk

Install ForsetiDesk on your Windows server, create your first users, and submit your first ticket in under 30 minutes.

Overview

ForsetiDesk is a self-hosted IT help desk and ITSM platform that runs as a Windows service on your own server. It ships as a single installer that sets up PostgreSQL, configures the service, and launches the web interface. No cloud dependency, no SaaS subscription required.

STEP 01
Install
Run the Inno Setup installer on your Windows server. PostgreSQL is bundled.
STEP 02
Configure
Log in with default admin credentials and change your password.
STEP 03
Add Users
Create technician and client accounts from Admin → Users.
STEP 04
Submit Tickets
Click New Ticket and start tracking issues immediately.

System Requirements

ComponentMinimumRecommended
OSWindows Server 2016 / Windows 10Windows Server 2022
CPU2 cores4 cores
RAM4 GB8 GB
Disk20 GB free100 GB (for backups and attachments)
NetworkLAN accessStatic IP + DNS for remote access
BrowserChrome 110+, Edge 110+, Firefox 115+Chrome (latest)
Note: PostgreSQL 17 is bundled with the installer. You do not need to install it separately unless using BYODB mode (Enterprise).

Installation

  1. Download the ForsetiDesk installer (ForsetiDesk_Setup_v1.17.0.exe) from your distribution channel.
  2. Right-click the installer and select Run as administrator.
  3. Follow the setup wizard. Accept the license agreement and choose an installation directory (default: C:\Program Files (x86)\ForsetiDesk).
  4. The installer will prompt you for a database password. Choose a strong password and keep it — you'll need it if you ever need to access PostgreSQL directly.
  5. Click Install. The installer will:
    • Install PostgreSQL 17 (if not already present)
    • Create the forsetidb database and apply the schema
    • Register the ForsetiDesk Windows service
    • Start the service automatically
    • Create Start Menu shortcuts for Restart and Stop
  6. Once complete, open a browser and navigate to http://localhost:4000 (or your server's IP).
Firewall: If accessing from another machine on your network, open port 4000 (or 443 for HTTPS) in Windows Firewall. Go to Windows Defender Firewall → Advanced Settings → Inbound Rules → New Rule → Port.

First Login

On a fresh installation, the login page displays a First-Time Setup panel with default credentials:

  1. Enter the default credentials and click Sign In.
  2. You will be immediately redirected to the Change Password page — this is mandatory.
  3. Choose a strong password (minimum 12 characters, must include uppercase, lowercase, number, and special character).
  4. Click Change Password. You are now logged in as the primary administrator.
Security note: After you change the default password, the default credentials panel disappears from the login page for all users automatically.

Creating Users

Navigate to Admin → Users → New User to add team members. Assign each user one of the following roles:

RoleTypical Use
ADMINFull access — system configuration, user management, license, backup
MANAGERTeam oversight — sees direct reports' tickets, can reassign, receives escalations
TECHFrontline technician — creates/updates tickets, posts notes, manages assets
QAQuality assurance — reviews and approves/rejects completed tickets
CLIENTEnd user — can only see and update their own tickets

Sending a Temporary Password

When creating a user, the system generates a temporary password shown once on the screen. Share this with the new user — they will be forced to change it on first login. Temporary passwords are never stored in the database.

Setting Up Categories

Categories organize tickets by subject area (e.g., Hardware, Software, Network). They are optional but strongly recommended.

  1. Go to Admin → Categories.
  2. Click New Category and enter a name.
  3. To create a subcategory, select a parent when adding it. The Core tier supports 2 levels; Pro and above support up to 5 levels.
  4. Click the toggle to activate/deactivate categories without deleting them.

Suggested starting categories: Hardware · Software · Network · User Access · Other

Submitting Your First Ticket

  1. Click the New Ticket button in the sidebar (visible to all roles).
  2. Enter a clear, descriptive title (e.g., "Laptop cannot connect to VPN").
  3. Fill in the description with details about the issue.
  4. Select a Priority (Critical / High / Medium / Low) and a Category if configured.
  5. Optionally assign the ticket to a technician. Leave it unassigned if using a dispatch model.
  6. Click Create Ticket. The ticket appears in the list and the assigned tech (if any) is notified by email.

30-Day Pro Trial

Fresh ForsetiDesk installations automatically include a 30-day Pro trial. All Pro-tier features — custom fields, SLA, analytics, backup, email-to-ticket, and more — are unlocked immediately. No license key required.

Next Steps