Okay so I’ve been hearing about this arepastel thing for a while, right? People kept saying it’s awesome for managing workflows but no one actually showed how to jump in. So last Tuesday afternoon, I cleared my schedule, made some coffee, and just dove in blind. Here’s exactly what I did:
Step 1: Grabbed That Installer
First thing, I hunted down the actual installation file. Took me like 10 minutes of clicking around their confusing docs page – seriously, that button should be way bigger. Finally found it hidden under some “Resources” tab. Clicked download, crossed my fingers, and waited. Got a .dmg file since I’m on Mac. Double-clicked, dragged it to Applications like usual. Boom, done.
Step 2: That Annoying Setup Wizard
Opened arepastel from my dock. Immediate pop-up: “Configuration Required”. Ugh. Had to type in:
- My workspace name (just used “MyStuff”)
- Default save location (left it as ~/Documents)
- Theme (picked Dark Mode obviously)
Almost missed the tiny “Finish” button at the bottom. Why do they make those so small?
Step 3: Made My First “Flow” Thing
Clicked the big plus button on the dashboard. Blank screen panic! Realized I needed to add “tasks”. Dragged in a “Trigger” box from the left menu, named it “Client Email”. Then added an “Action” box, picked “Send Notification”. Typed a test message like “Bro check your inbox”. Connected them with that little arrow tool. Felt weirdly proud even though it took three tries to link the boxes properly.
Step 4: Smashed That Run Button
Clicked the play icon at the top. Immediate error message – forgot to save first! Saved the flow as “EmailAlert”. Hit run again. Got a scary terminal window popping up with scrolling text. Held my breath… then saw “SUCCESS” in green letters. Checked my phone and bam – test notification appeared instantly. Did a little chair dance.
Took me under an hour total even with my clumsy clicking. Honestly thought it’d be way harder. Works smoother than I expected, though that setup wizard needs redesign. Already automating my invoice reminders now!
