> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.cortex.aic.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.cortex.aic.io/menu-areas/people-and-settings/platform-administration.md).
# Platform Administration
Create a tenant, its first administrator, bounded access and a ready initial workspace, with a complete isolated analyst/operator trial when required.
**Who uses this:** Administrator\
**Open in CORTEX:** `/administration/platform`\
**In-app guide:** `/help?topic=platform-administration`
**Expected result:** The organisation, administrator, exact expiring grant and selected workspace baseline are created once; a detailed Trial also includes ready fictional professional and leadership records.
## Before you start
* Hold both the current persisted Foundry global-administrator role and a valid CORTEX core.access.manage grant.
* Confirm the legal organisation name, initial administrator, relationship and non-secret external billing reference.
* Agree the smallest workflow roles, marking ceiling and finite expiry needed for the initial administrator.
## What to do
{% stepper %}
{% step %}
## Open the protected directory
From Users and access, choose Platform administration. The link is shown only after both global identity authority and current CORTEX delegation are confirmed.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
## Review the retained directories
Organisations and Onboarding attention show access-scoped totals in pages of 25. The pager states the exact visible range and keeps each tab on its own page.
If retained records change while you are on a later page, use Previous when CORTEX explains that the requested page is now beyond the last page.
Paging only reads the authorised directory; it does not change an organisation or onboarding operation.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
## Describe the organisation and workspace
The prerequisite panel shows current delegation, administrator details and conditional billing needs.
Use Organisation, Administrator, and Access and review steps:
* Red status lists missing input.
* Green status marks a ready step.
* Choose Internal, Trial or Paying customer.
* For a normal organisation, confirm the auto-filled initial workspace name and purpose and choose its operating profile.
* A paying customer requires a non-secret external contract or billing-system reference.
CORTEX does not collect a payment in this workflow.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
## Choose the trial experience
For a Trial, detailed synthetic data is selected by default when policy and delegation allow it.
It populates three isolated fictional end-to-end scenarios with:
* Approved exercise profiles
* Assessed professional records
* Mission/Operations lead appointments
Optionally send the branded ready email through the platform administrator organisation's tested SMTP mailbox. The email contains the secure login link, never the initial password.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
## Create the first administrator
Enter the exact email and a strong initial password, then transfer it through the approved credential-handover procedure.
The password is not retained in the CORTEX onboarding audit.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
## Bound the initial access
Keep Bounded access administrator selected so the customer can manage its accounts.
Add only approved workflow profiles within your own delegation and set:
* A finite marking ceiling
* An expiry
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
## Review and create once
Check the tenant, relationship, account, roles, trial content and welcome-email choices.
Access and review needs:
* A marking inside your delegation
* A future expiry no later than that delegation
* A 3–500 character reason
Create only after every step is ready. The operation reserves a permanent audit record before Foundry is called.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
## Verify the boundary
Confirm the new organisation appears in the directory.
When initial workspace setup was selected, confirm:
* The administrator can select that workspace as Manager.
* Its profile shows the expected features.
This membership does not assert professional competence or a formal appointment.
A populated trial has only its isolated synthetic workspaces and generated non-interactive workflow identities.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
## Resolve an interrupted operation
Open Onboarding attention and choose Resolve or delete.
The retained operation opens on Repair or delete, where CORTEX can:
* Confirm an exact existing outcome.
* Repair one unique active organisation and administrator.
* Delete an isolated new organisation that has only its initial administrator and no CORTEX grant.
* Reset a demonstrably empty failed attempt.
Reset releases the administrator email while retaining an immutable archive.
Ambiguous, shared or conflicting evidence remains blocked with its reason, and recovery never creates a second tenant or identity.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}
## Check the result
* Is this a new legal organisation and an unused administrator email?
* Does a paying customer have a non-secret external billing reference?
* Does the inferred workspace name, purpose and operating profile match the intended work?
* Are all roles, marking and expiry inside my current delegation?
## If you get stuck
Why can I not see Platform administration?
Your current account must have the exact persisted Foundry global-administrator role and a fresh enabled core.access.manage grant. Ask a separately authorised platform operator to review both.
Why did a later directory page become unavailable?
The access-scoped total can change after another authorised action or a refreshed search. CORTEX retains the requested page long enough to explain the change; select Previous until a populated page is reached.
This navigation does not repair, delete or otherwise change retained records.
Does Paying customer take payment?
No. It records the commercial relationship and a non-secret external reference. Payment collection, invoicing and card custody remain in the approved external billing system.
Why can the new administrator sign in but see no intelligence work?
Check whether Create the initial operational workspace was cleared, whether a requested bootstrap is retained as incomplete, and whether the administrator grant is current.
A completed standard bootstrap gives that administrator Manager membership; it does not create intelligence records or fabricate professional appointments.
Why was the welcome email not sent?
The platform administrator organisation needs enabled, successfully tested SMTP settings. The customer organisation remains created; do not retry onboarding just to resend a message.
How do I resolve an interrupted operation?
Open Onboarding attention and choose Resolve or delete.
If all retained resources match, confirm completion. If exactly one active organisation and administrator match but their bounded roles, metadata or CORTEX grant are incomplete, repair and complete the retained outcome.
To start over, an isolated new organisation with only that administrator and no CORTEX grant can be deleted after typing its exact name. If no organisation or identity exists, reset the failed onboarding.
Every action requires an accountable reason and retains an archive; ambiguous, shared or conflicting outcomes stay blocked.
Why is deletion blocked?
Open the Evidence tab.
CORTEX deletes only a unique isolated organisation with no identity other than the matching initial administrator and no CORTEX grant, or an empty reservation with no provisioned records.
Shared, ambiguous or conflicting resources remain retained so the platform administrator cannot orphan access or delete another user's organisation.
## Responsibility and limits
* Never put passwords, payment-card data or protected source information in billing references or reasons.
* A global platform role authorises identity administration only; content access remains governed by explicit CORTEX grants and workspace membership.
**Reference and scope:** Platform identity administration supports accountable access control; it does not confer a doctrinal appointment, clearance or investigative authority.
**Related workflows:** [Manage accounts, grants and workspace membership](broken://pages/99c8701bc497eefb32769b668198b1f9f5fc6a93); [Start in the right workspace](file:///7397340/getting-started/getting-started.md); [Work through connection and deployment limits](broken://pages/e2892068271c3c1f3c4471ca5a8f532a8174ba43).