Run onboarding on autopilot from one form

Step by step

1. Create the new-starter form

   Make a Google Form for the manager to fill in: starter's name, role, start date, manager, buddy, equipment needed. Keep personal details like bank info out of it; collect those through your payroll process.

2. Track it in a sheet

   Link the form to a Google Sheet and turn on email notifications for new responses. Add checklist columns (Contract sent, Equipment ready, Logins set up) with tick boxes, and use conditional formatting to turn a row red if the start date is close and anything is unticked.

3. Write the welcome emails with AI

   Ask your AI assistant for a set of emails to schedule.

   Prompt to copyWrite 3 short emails for new starters at [business]: 1) sent 1 week before starting: warm welcome, first-day time, address, who to ask for, what to bring, dress code, 2) sent the evening before: a friendly 'see you tomorrow' with the plan for day one, 3) sent at the end of week one from the manager: thanks, what's next, and an invitation to share feedback. Each under 120 words, British English, use [brackets] for details. Then list 4 calendar check-ins to book (with timing and a 3-bullet agenda each) for the first 3 months.

4. Schedule emails and check-ins

   When a form arrives, fill in the email templates and use Gmail's Schedule send for each one. Create the calendar check-ins with the starter and manager straight away.

5. Review after each hire

   Ask each new starter what was missing, and update the form, emails and checklist.

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