> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.lerian.studio/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Creating an Account
> Create a new Account in the Console, tie it to an Asset, set its alias and type, and optionally link it to a Portfolio or add metadata during setup.
You **must** link an Account to an existing Asset. [Create the Asset](/en/midaz/console/creating-an-asset) before you create the Account.
## Before you start
***
You need an existing Organization, Ledger, and Asset. If the Ledger uses **Validate Account Type**, create the required Account Types before you open this form.
Decide what the account represents before you choose its type and alias. Common examples include customer, merchant, treasury, fee revenue, settlement, suspense, and expense accounts.
## Create the Account
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To create an Account, follow these steps:
From the **Accounts** page, click the **New Account** button.
The **New Account** form will open on the right side of the screen with three tabs: **Account Details**, **Portfolio**, and **Metadata**.
Fill in the required information in the **Account Details** tab.
For more information about the fields in the form, refer to the [Field guide](#field-guide) section.
*(Optional)* Switch to the **Portfolio** tab to link this account to a portfolio for reports and management.
* Select a portfolio from the dropdown list
* If no portfolios exist, you can [create one first](/en/midaz/console/managing-portfolios)
* You can link or unlink accounts from portfolios at any time
*(Optional)* Switch to the **Metadata** tab to add custom key-value pairs for additional context or integration purposes.
Click the **Save** button to create the Account.
## Field guide
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| Field | What to enter | Example |
| ---------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------- |
| Account Name | Optional descriptive name for the account. Midaz accepts up to 256 characters and supplies a default name if no name is submitted. | `John Doe Checking Account` |
| Account Alias | Unique human-readable identifier. A leading `@` is a common convention, not a requirement. This cannot be changed after creation. | `@customer_john_checking` |
| Type | Account classification. Required. When Account Type validation is enabled, you select from the predefined Account Types; otherwise you type it freely. This cannot be changed after creation. | `customer` |
| External account | Switch available when creating an account. Turn it on to create an external account — the type is set to `external` automatically and represents balances held outside this ledger. | — |
| Entity ID | Optional external holder, customer, department, or partner identifier. | `customer_123` |
| Asset | Asset this account will use. Select an existing Asset. This cannot be changed after creation. | `BRL` |
| Segment | Optional grouping category, available when Segments exist. | `Retail` |
| Portfolio | Optional reporting or management group for this Account. | `Customer Portfolio` |
| Metadata Key | Optional classification or integration field name. | `costCenter` |
| Metadata Value | Value for the metadata key. | `BR_11101997` |
## Quick examples
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**Scenario**: Create a checking account for a customer.
| Field | Value |
| --------------- | ------------------------ |
| Account Name | `John Doe Checking` |
| Account Alias | `@customer_123_checking` |
| Type | `checking` |
| Entity ID | `customer_123` |
| Asset | `USD` |
| Allow Sending | `true` |
| Allow Receiving | `true` |
**Scenario**: Create a main treasury account for company operations.
| Field | Value |
| --------------- | ------------------- |
| Account Name | `Main Treasury` |
| Account Alias | `@treasury_main` |
| Type | `treasury` |
| Entity ID | `org_treasury_dept` |
| Asset | `USD` |
| Segment | `Finance` |
| Allow Sending | `true` |
| Allow Receiving | `true` |
**Scenario**: Create a budget account for the engineering department.
| Field | Value |
| --------------- | ------------------------- |
| Account Name | `Engineering Budget 2024` |
| Account Alias | `@eng_budget_2024` |
| Type | `expense` |
| Entity ID | `dept_engineering` |
| Asset | `USD` |
| Segment | `Engineering` |
| Allow Sending | `true` |
| Allow Receiving | `true` |
## Important notes
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You cannot change the following fields after you create the account:
* **Account Alias** - Choose it carefully, because transactions use the alias
* **Type** - You cannot reclassify it after you set it
* **Asset Code** - You cannot change the account's currency or commodity
To change any of these fields, create a new account.
If your ledger uses Account Type validation:
* You select the **Type** from your predefined Account Types instead of typing it freely
* You must select from predefined account types or create them first
* This ensures consistency across your organization's chart of accounts
See [Managing Accounts](/en/midaz/console/managing-accounts#account-type-validation) for more information.
These flags control transaction permissions:
* **Allow Sending = false**: You cannot use the account as a source (debit side) in transactions
* **Allow Receiving = false**: You cannot use the account as a destination (credit side) in transactions
Both flags default to on. You can change them only after you create the account. Use these flags to:
* Freeze an account temporarily
* Create a receive-only account (for example, escrow)
* Create a send-only account (rare case)
After you create an account, you can use it in transactions immediately. Make sure all the information is correct before you save, especially the immutable fields.
## What to do next
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After you create the source and destination Accounts:
1. Create or review Accounting Routes in [Creating an Accounting Route](/en/midaz/console/creating-an-accounting-route).
2. Create a Transaction in [Creating a Transaction](/en/midaz/console/creating-a-transaction).
[Create an Account endpoint](/en/reference/midaz/create-an-account)