> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.moleculedata.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.moleculedata.com/understanding-your-data/your-first-two-weeks.md).

# Your first two weeks

A day-by-day path from a fresh account to making confident decisions about your ads.

You do not need to learn the whole product at once. This is the order that gets you to a trustworthy number fastest, and then to acting on it.

## Day 1 — connect

Follow [Getting Started](https://docs.moleculedata.com/getting-started): connect your Shopify store and every ad channel you spend money on, then run the first sync.

While it syncs, open [Live Today](https://docs.moleculedata.com/dashboards/live-today). It works straight away and shows today's sales and spend in real time.

## Day 2 — tracking

This is the step people skip, and it is the one everything else depends on. Add the Molecule UTM template to each channel using the [UTM tracking guides](https://docs.moleculedata.com/tracking-ad-channels/utm-tracking-basics).

Then open the [UTM Tracking page](https://docs.moleculedata.com/tracking-ad-channels/utm-tracking-page) in the app. It lists every ad and marks it Valid or Invalid. **Do not move on until your active ads are Valid** — an ad without tracking spends money that can never be matched to the sales it produced.

## Days 3 to 5 — learn your numbers

Open the [Dashboard](https://docs.moleculedata.com/dashboards/dashboard) on **Last 30 days** and leave the attribution method on the default.

1. Read [Why your numbers don't match](https://docs.moleculedata.com/understanding-your-data/why-your-numbers-dont-match), then compare **ROAS** with **Channel ROAS** for each source. Now you know how much each platform flatters itself.
2. Read [Net ROAS](https://docs.moleculedata.com/understanding-your-data/net-roas) and **work out your break-even** — 1 divided by your gross margin. Write it down. It is the most useful number you will have.
3. Compare your Net ROAS per source against it. You now know which channels make money.

## Week 2 — start acting

Go one level deeper each time: **Sources → Campaigns → Ad Sets → Ads**.

* **Well above break-even, with real volume** — raise the budget, in steps rather than all at once, and watch Net ROAS as you do.
* **Below break-even after a fair run** — turn it off. You can do both straight from the table.
* **Too little spend to judge** — leave it alone. A handful of orders proves nothing in either direction.

Then make these a habit:

* [**Control Room**](https://docs.moleculedata.com/dashboards/insights), daily — a summary of yesterday, plus anything unusual, without opening a report.
* [**Creatives**](https://docs.moleculedata.com/dashboards/creatives), weekly — replace ads showing fatigue before their results fall.
* [**AI Agent**](https://docs.moleculedata.com/ai-agent), whenever you are unsure — ask "which channel needs my attention?" in plain words.
* [**Cohorts & LTV**](https://docs.moleculedata.com/dashboards/cohorts-ltv), monthly — check that the customers you are buying come back.

{% hint style="success" %}
When you are ready to make new ads rather than only judge the ones you have, continue with [Running Your Ads](https://docs.moleculedata.com/running-your-ads).
{% endhint %}