> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.ruler.nl/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.ruler.nl/introduction.md).

# Introduction to Ruler

Documentation for Ruler, the regulatory watch platform for financial institutions.

Ruler helps financial institutions become and stay compliant with external and internal regulations. Ruler's legal editorial team monitors laws, regulations, guidance and case law, decides what is relevant to your type of institution, and turns that into alerts, topic summaries and radar items inside the application. You then use Ruler to record how your organisation complies, to analyse risks, to assign follow-up work and to monitor whether it is done.

This documentation explains how Ruler works and how to use each part of it. It follows the order of the menu in the application, which is also the order of the compliance cycle: from receiving an alert, through the legal framework and your control measures, to risks, tasks and monitoring.

## Where to start

<table data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th></th><th></th><th data-hidden data-card-target data-type="content-ref"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Getting started</strong></td><td>Your dashboard, the menu, user roles and the compliance cycle.</td><td><a href="/getting-started/dashboard.md">Your dashboard</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Inbox</strong></td><td>Receive and handle alerts selected by the editors for your organisation.</td><td><a href="/inbox.md">Inbox</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Legal Framework</strong></td><td>Themes and topics, the Radar and Consultations.</td><td><a href="/legal-framework.md">Legal Framework</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Tasks</strong></td><td>Assign follow-up work and track it to completion.</td><td><a href="/tasks/creating-a-task.md">Creating a task</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Administration</strong></td><td>Users, departments, profiles and tailoring Ruler to your organisation.</td><td><a href="/administration.md">Administration</a></td></tr><tr><td><strong>Glossary</strong></td><td>The terms Ruler uses, explained.</td><td><a href="/glossary.md">Glossary</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

## How to read this documentation

Not everyone has the same rights in Ruler. Where a feature is only available to administrators, or only when your organisation has purchased an optional module, the page says so at the top. See [User roles and access](/getting-started/roles-and-access.md) for the four user types.

Pages marked **Ruler in practice** contain recommendations from Ruler on how to work with a feature, as opposed to descriptions of what the feature does.

{% hint style="info" %}
Ruler is available in Dutch and in English. Where the Dutch and English texts differ in interpretation, the Dutch text prevails. See [Language settings](/help/language.md).
{% endhint %}