What is Safe Mode?
When you start a trial or create a new account in Socket, you'll begin in Safe Mode. Think of it as a practice environment with a few safeguards in place so you can set everything up without anything accidentally reaching your clients.
While in Safe Mode:
Proposal emails will only send to addresses on your own domain, so your clients won't receive anything.
Integrations are read-only. Socket can pull data in, but won't push test data into Xero, FYI, or any other connected app.
You can reset your data at any time, so you can clear out test clients, contacts, and proposals before you go live.
Before you request removal
Safe Mode can only be removed once you're on a paid subscription. If you're still on a free trial, head to the Subscription page to choose your plan first.
Once you're subscribed, work through this checklist before messaging us. The more of these you've completed, the smoother your first proposal will go.
Go-live checklist
Clear out test data. If you've added dummy clients, contacts, or proposals during setup, now's the time to remove them. Click the Safe Mode banner at the top of the screen and choose Select your Reset Options.
Set your proposal prefix and numbering. Go to Proposal Settings and set your preferred prefix (e.g. PROP- or your firm name). You can only change this while you're still in Safe Mode, so don't skip it!
Check your branding. Review your logo, colours, and proposal header in Branding settings.
Set up your custom email address. Configure Socket to send proposal emails from your own practice domain (e.g. [email protected]) rather than a generic Socket address. See the Sending emails from a custom address article for instructions.
Invite your team. Make sure everyone who needs access has received and accepted their invite in Team settings.
Review your engagement letter template. Give your Document Templates a final read-through. Socket Engage can help you draft these if you haven't already 💡
Set up your Service Schedule Templates. Make sure each template is linked to your pricing. You can check this in Pricing under Billing & Engagement Letter Settings.
Check your integrations. Confirm that Xero, FYI, or any other connected app is authorised and showing as active in Integrations.
How to request Safe Mode removal
Once you've worked through the checklist, message us via the chat icon in the bottom-right corner of Socket. Just let us know you're ready to go live and we'll take care of it. We'll usually have you live within a few minutes during business hours 🎉
When we remove Safe Mode, here's what changes:
Proposals and engagement letters will send to any email address, not just your own domain.
Your integrations will become read-write, so invoices will push to Xero, client records will sync, and so on.
The Safe Mode banner disappears from the top of your screen.
Note: Once Safe Mode is removed it can't be re-enabled, so it's worth taking a moment to complete the checklist above before you ask us to flip the switch.
Common questions
Can I send a proposal to a client while in Safe Mode? Not to an external email address. It'll only deliver to addresses on your own domain. If you want to send a test proposal to yourself, that works fine.
Can I change my proposal prefix after going live? No. Proposal prefix and numbering can only be changed while you're in Safe Mode, so make sure you've set this before requesting removal.
I'm on a paid plan but haven't gone live yet. Does Safe Mode expire? No, Safe Mode stays in place until you actively ask us to remove it. Take the time you need to get set up properly.
Can I reset my data after going live? The reset option is only available while in Safe Mode. If you need help tidying up data after going live, contact the team and we'll advise on the best approach.