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Quick Start

Get up and running with SpeyBooks in under 5 minutes.

1. Create an account​

Sign up at app.speybooks.com/register. Your account includes:

  • A pre-configured UK chart of accounts
  • Current financial period (UK tax year)
  • 30-day free trial (no credit card required)

2. Get your API key​

Once logged in:

  1. Navigate to Settings → API
  2. Click Generate API Key
  3. Copy your key — it won't be shown again

Your API key looks like this:

sk_live_a1b2c3d4e5f6g7h8i9j0...
Keep your API key secure

Never expose your API key in client-side code or public repositories.

3. Make your first request​

Let's verify your API key works by fetching your organisation details:

curl https://api.speybooks.com/v1/organisation \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_live_your_api_key"

Response:

{
  "id": "org_abc123",
  "name": "Your Company Ltd",
  "currency": "GBP",
  "vat_registered": true,
  "created_at": "2026-01-15T10:30:00Z"
}

4. Create your first invoice​

Now let's create an invoice:

curl -X POST https://api.speybooks.com/v1/invoices \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_live_your_api_key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "contact_id": "cont_xyz789",
    "currency": "GBP",
    "items": [
      {
        "description": "Consulting Services - January 2026",
        "quantity": 1,
        "unit_price": 150000,
        "vat_rate": "standard"
      }
    ],
    "due_days": 30
  }'

Response:

{
  "id": "inv_7k2m9p",
  "number": "INV-0001",
  "status": "draft",
  "contact_id": "cont_xyz789",
  "subtotal": 150000,
  "vat_amount": 30000,
  "total": 180000,
  "currency": "GBP",
  "issue_date": "2026-01-31",
  "due_date": "2026-03-02",
  "created_at": "2026-01-31T14:30:00Z"
}
Amounts are in minor units

All monetary values are in the smallest currency unit. For GBP, this means pence. 150000 = £1,500.00

5. Next steps​

You've successfully:

  • ✅ Created an account
  • ✅ Generated an API key
  • ✅ Made your first API request
  • ✅ Created an invoice

Continue learning: