# From a first lookup to the weekly loop

> Six steps from looking a brand up to running Parse every week, each with who acts and how to tell it worked.

HTML: https://parse.gl/docs/get-started · Site index: https://parse.gl/llms.txt

An assistant does step 1 alone and runs step 6 with the person's confirmation for each change. Steps 2 to 5 are each a person's, once: signing up, approving a connection, allowing changes and paying. Hand the person the link in that step; it carries the brand, so they do not start over.

## 1. Look the brand up (assistant, alone)

Call [`parse_check_brand`](https://parse.gl/docs/mcp/tools/parse_check_brand) with the brand's name or website. No account or connection is needed beyond the MCP address `https://mcp.parse.gl/mcp`.

- **It worked** when the result has `"found": true` and a brand `slug`.
- `"state": "ambiguous"` lists candidates: choose by name, domain and parent before reading any number.
- `"state": "not_indexed"` means Parse has not indexed the brand yet. It is not evidence that AI never mentions it.

Without MCP, read the brand's public page at `https://parse.gl/brands/<slug>`.

## 2. Track it on Free (a person)

Give the person this link with the brand's website in it:

```text
https://parse.gl/check?q=acme.com
```

They see the brand's first check, then sign up to track it. No card required. Free updates weekly, on Mondays.

**It worked** when the brand appears in their workspace. Parse emails them when its first results are in.

## 3. Connect the assistant to the workspace (a person approves once)

Add `https://mcp.parse.gl/mcp` in the assistant's connector settings ([how, per client](https://parse.gl/docs/mcp#connect)). On the first workspace tool, the assistant opens Parse sign-in. The person signs in, picks the workspace and grants read access; they can also grant changes.

**It worked** when [`parse_dashboard_workspace`](https://parse.gl/docs/mcp/tools/parse_dashboard_workspace) lists the brand. Never ask the person for a password or a pasted token: sign-in is the only way to reach a workspace.

## 4. Allow changes (a workspace admin, once, optional)

Changes through an assistant are off until an admin turns on **Let assistants make changes** in Settings › AI agents, and the connection holds the change permission (`parse:dashboard:write`). Without both, every change tool refuses and says which one is missing.

**It worked** when a change tool returns `"success": true` with a receipt.

## 5. Upgrade to Pro (a person)

Pro is $79 a month per brand, updates daily on every market the brand is in, and adds its full answers, sources and tasks. Up to 4 tasks a month. Follow-ups and progress tracking included.

Give the person the brand's page in Parse or the check link with `monitor=1`:

```text
https://parse.gl/check?q=acme.com&monitor=1
```

Checkout shows the price and terms before it charges. An assistant never opens checkout or pays. Limits per plan are on [Plans and limits](https://parse.gl/docs/limits).

## 6. Run the weekly loop (assistant, with confirmations)

Each week: [`parse_what_changed`](https://parse.gl/docs/mcp/tools/parse_what_changed), then [`parse_next_tasks`](https://parse.gl/docs/mcp/tools/parse_next_tasks), then the work on each task, recorded back to Parse. Ask the person before each change. The full loop is on [Workflows](https://parse.gl/docs/workflows).

## What Parse needs from the person

- The brand's website. Parse works out its markets and rivals from AI answers; the person corrects a rival or an answer about another company with the same name.
- Answers to Parse's questions about the business, in the app, when a task waits on a fact only they know.
- Their own mail or the page's form to send a task's message. Parse drafts it; the assistant records that it was sent.