Windows Setup Guide

Complete installation and configuration guide for Windows systems

Prerequisites

Before installing ManageX on Windows, ensure you have the following:

  • Windows 10 or Windows 11 (64-bit recommended)
  • Administrator privileges on your system
  • At least 4GB of RAM (8GB recommended)
  • 2GB of free disk space
  • Internet connection for downloading dependencies

Step 1: Install Node.js

1

Download Node.js

Visit the official Node.js website at https://nodejs.org

Download the LTS version (Long Term Support) which is recommended for production use.

Important

Make sure to download Node.js version 16 or higher (Node 18+ recommended) as required by ManageX.

2

Run the Installer

Double-click the downloaded installer file (.msi)

Follow the installation wizard with these recommended settings:

  • Accept the license agreement
  • Choose the default installation path (usually C:\Program Files\nodejs\)
  • Select "Add to PATH" option (this should be checked by default)
  • Install npm package manager (included by default)
3

Verify Installation

Open Command Prompt or PowerShell as Administrator and run:

node --version

You should see output like: v18.x.x or higher

Also verify npm is installed:

npm --version

You should see output like: 8.x.x or higher

Step 2: Install MySQL

1

Download MySQL

Visit the MySQL download page at https://dev.mysql.com/downloads/mysql/

Select "MySQL Community Server" and choose the Windows installer (mysql-installer-community-8.0.x.x.msi)

Version Compatibility

ManageX requires MySQL 5.7 or higher. MySQL 8.0 is recommended for better performance and security.

2

Install MySQL

Run the MySQL installer and follow these steps:

  • Choose "Developer Default" setup type
  • Install MySQL Server, MySQL Workbench, and MySQL Shell
  • Configure MySQL Server with these settings:
    • Set root password (remember this password!)
    • Enable MySQL as a Windows service
    • Set service to start automatically
    • Configure Windows Firewall if prompted
3

Create Database

Open MySQL Workbench or Command Line Client and create a new database: 

CREATE DATABASE managex_db;

Or using MySQL Workbench:

  1. Connect to your MySQL server
  2. Right-click in the Navigator panel
  3. Select "Create Schema"
  4. Name it "managex_db" (or your preferred database name)
  5. Click "Apply"

Step 3: Install ManageX Server

1

Navigate to Server Directory

Open Command Prompt or PowerShell and navigate to the server directory: 

cd "C:\path\to\manage-x\server"

Replace the path with your actual project location.

2

Install Dependencies

Install all required Node.js packages:

npm install

This will install all dependencies listed in package.json including Express.js, Sequelize, JWT, and other required packages.

3

Create Environment File

Create a .env file in the server directory with your configuration:

Example .env File

# NODE Configuration
PORT=3000     
NODE_ENV=development

# Database Configuration
DB_HOST=localhost
DB_NAME=managex_db
DB_USERNAME=root
DB_PASSWORD=your_password
DB_DIALECT=mysql

# JWT Configuration
JWT_SECRET=your-super-secret-jwt-key-change-in-production
JWT_REFRESH_SECRET=your-refresh-secret-key-change-in-production
JWT_EXPIRES_IN=24h
JWT_REFRESH_EXPIRES_IN=7d

# Demo Mode Configuration
IS_DEMO=0

Security Note

Change the JWT_SECRET and JWT_REFRESH_SECRET to strong, unique values in production. Use a password manager to generate secure secrets.

IS_DEMO Configuration

Set IS_DEMO=0 for production (runs only non-demo seeders) or IS_DEMO=1 for development/testing (runs all seeders including demo data). See the IS_DEMO Configuration section in the home page for more details.

4

Run Database Migrations

Set up the database tables:

npm run db:migrate

This will create all necessary tables in your MySQL database.

5

Seed Initial Data

Add initial data to the database:

npm run demo

This will create default roles, users, organization, and configuration data. The IS_DEMO setting in your .env file determines whether demo seeders are included. See the home page documentation for details.

Note

The npm run demo command respects the IS_DEMO environment variable. For production, use IS_DEMO=0 to skip demo data.

6

Start the Server

Start the development server:

npm run dev

You should see output indicating the server is running on port 3000 (or the port specified in your .env file).

Step 4: Access the Application

Open your web browser and navigate to:

http://localhost:3000

Default Login Credentials

Use these credentials to log in for the first time:

  • Email: superadmin@managex.com
  • Password: SuperAdmin@123

Important

Change the default password immediately after your first login for security reasons.

First Steps After Login

After logging in, you should:

  • Update your profile and password
  • Configure your organization settings
  • Set up additional users and roles as needed
  • Configure system settings according to your business needs

Troubleshooting

Quick Fixes

  • Port already in use: Change PORT in .env or kill the process using that port
  • MySQL connection failed: Verify MySQL service is running and credentials in .env are correct
  • Permission denied: Run Command Prompt or PowerShell as Administrator
  • Node modules not found: Run npm install in the server directory
  • Migration/Seeder errors: Ensure database exists, MySQL is running, and IS_DEMO is set correctly

Need More Help?

For detailed troubleshooting steps, common error solutions, and advanced diagnostics, see the Complete Troubleshooting Guide.