Getting Started with PlanningIndex

Welcome to PlanningIndex

PlanningIndex gives you access to every planning application across the UK, updated daily. This guide walks you through setting up your account and finding your first application in under 10 minutes.

Step 1: Set up your company profile

After creating your account, go to Settings > Company and enter your company name, address, phone, email, and website. This information automatically appears in every proposal you create, so you only need to enter it once.

Step 2: Set your default search preferences

Go to Settings > Preferences to set your default search radius and trade tags. These are pre-selected every time you open Planning Search, saving you from configuring the same filters repeatedly.

Step 3: Run your first search

Click Planning Applications in the sidebar. Enter a keyword related to your trade — for example, "windows" or "extension" — and set a location and radius. Click Search to see matching applications.

1. 1Open Planning Search from the sidebar.
2. 2Enter a keyword like "windows" or "extension".
3. 3Set your location (town or postcode).
4. 4Choose a radius — 25 miles is a good starting point.
5. 5Click Search to see results.

Step 4: Review an application

Click any result to open the full application detail page. You will see the description, status, council, documents, location map, and application intelligence — a breakdown of the potential work identified from the application.

Step 5: Add your first lead

When you find a relevant application, click "Add to Leads" to save it to your CRM pipeline. Enter the contact name and any notes. The lead appears in your Leads page and Pipeline board.

You are ready to go

That is it. You now have a working account, a configured search, and your first lead. From here, the workflow is simple: search, identify, add to leads, create a proposal, and send it by post.