Checklist and Planning
Explain how to use Styx's dashboard, sections, item pages, notes, and progress tracking to work through the planning checklist one step at a time.
Purpose
Explain how to use Styx's dashboard, sections, item pages, notes, and progress tracking to work through the planning checklist one step at a time.
Who this is for
- people using Styx for the first time after setting up guest mode or an account
- people who want a practical way to track planning instead of keeping scattered notes
- people who need to revisit items after a life change or annual review
What you can do here
Styx turns planning into a guided checklist:
- the dashboard shows overall progress and your selected state or territory
- the 7 sections group the 51 planning items into manageable chunks
- each section shows how many items are complete
- each item has a detail page with status, notes, and guidance
- some items show jurisdiction-specific guidance when you choose a state or territory
- items can be marked
Not Started,In Progress,Complete,Skipped, orN/A - notes auto-save as you type
- reminders and review prompts help you revisit items later when you are signed in
Step-by-step instructions
Start from the dashboard
- Open the dashboard.
- Check your overall progress percentage.
- Look for the state or territory banner near the top.
- Choose a section to continue.
If you have not selected a state or territory yet, Styx prompts you to do that from Settings so it can tailor guidance and resources.
Work through a section
- Open any section card from the dashboard.
- Review the section title, description, and progress count.
- Use the item list to move from one topic to the next.
- Open an item that needs attention.
Section cards give you the total items in that section and the number already addressed.
Update an item
- Open an item detail page.
- Read the short explanation of what the item covers.
- Review any warnings, review cues, or jurisdiction-specific notes.
- Choose the status that matches your current progress.
The item status controls how Styx counts the item in progress totals.
Add notes and supporting details
- Scroll to the notes field on the item page.
- Enter your reminder, decision, or next step.
- Keep typing until you finish.
Notes save automatically. You do not need to submit them separately.
Use jurisdiction-aware guidance
- Select your state or territory in Settings.
- Return to an item that has local guidance.
- Read the
Jurisdiction-specific informationsection.
When no local template exists for a given item, Styx keeps the universal guidance and may show a local resource note instead of inventing state-specific rules. The local guidance is there to help you organize questions and next steps, not confirm legal sufficiency.
Follow review cues
- Look for the
Review Itemsbutton on the dashboard when a reminder is due. - Open the suggested item.
- Complete the follow-up step or update the item status.
Review cues are meant to point you back to unfinished work, not replace your own judgment.
Important caveats or limitations
- Styx is not legal, financial, or tax advice.
- Legal rules vary by jurisdiction and may change.
- Some items may be hidden or marked as possibly not applicable depending on your circumstances.
- Territory-specific guidance can be intentionally limited while legal review is still in progress.
- Guest-mode progress stays in the current browser unless you export or migrate it.
- Signed-in reminders and review prompts are available only on authenticated accounts.
Common mistakes
- Treating
SkippedandN/Aas the same thing. - Thinking item notes need a separate save button.
- Looking for state-specific guidance before selecting a state or territory.
- Assuming a section is complete when only some items have been reviewed.
- Expecting reminders to appear in guest mode.