If you’ve landed here, you’re probably trying to wrangle a team through onboarding or project delivery using GuideCX. Maybe things are a bit messier than you’d like. This guide is for project managers, onboarding specialists, or anyone who wants to actually get things done in GuideCX—without wasting hours clicking around or getting lost in role confusion.
The reality: GuideCX is pretty solid for tracking tasks and clarifying who’s doing what, but it’s easy to overcomplicate things or set up your project in a way that bites you later. Here’s how to keep things simple and efficient from the start.
1. Get Clear on What GuideCX Actually Does (and Doesn’t)
Before diving in, let’s be clear: GuideCX is NOT a full-blown project management tool like Jira or Asana. It’s built for onboarding projects—shorter, repeatable processes where you need to keep clients and internal teams on track. That’s its sweet spot.
- Strengths: Task assignment, visibility into progress, keeping internal and external folks in the loop.
- Weaknesses: Not great for tracking ad-hoc work, deep reporting, or managing complex dependencies. Don’t expect it to replace your main PM tool if you run huge, custom projects.
So, if you’re trying to run a multi-year software buildout, you’ll be frustrated. But if you want to make sure everyone knows what to do—and when—during onboarding, you’re in the right place.
2. Start with the Right Roles
GuideCX revolves around roles, not just users. If you get this wrong, your workflow turns into spaghetti.
The Basics
- Project Owner: The main person responsible for the overall project. Usually the onboarding specialist or project manager.
- Internal Team: Your folks—sales, success, support, technical leads.
- External/Client Team: The client’s main contacts.
There are built-in roles (like “Client,” “Internal User,” “Observer”), but you can create custom ones. Don’t go overboard—keep it to the minimum you need to avoid confusion.
Pro Tip:
If you’re not sure someone needs to own tasks, make them an Observer. You can always upgrade access later.
3. Build Your Task List (But Don’t Get Fancy Yet)
It’s tempting to create a massive, detailed checklist for every possible scenario. That almost always backfires. Instead:
- Start with the core steps. What’s always required to get your client live?
- Group tasks logically. Use phases (like “Kickoff,” “Configuration,” “Training”) rather than endless lists.
- Don’t micromanage. If a task is only relevant 10% of the time, leave it out or make it optional.
You can always add more detail as you iterate. The point is to get a clear, actionable list that doesn’t overwhelm anyone.
4. Assign Tasks: Who Owns What?
Here’s where most teams get tripped up. Assigning tasks in GuideCX is straightforward—if you keep your roles clean.
Step-by-Step: Assigning Tasks
- Create or open your project.
- Go to your task list.
- For each task, assign it to a role—not a specific user.
(e.g., “Client Admin” or “Implementation Specialist.”) - Invite users to those roles.
This way, if someone leaves or takes vacation, you just swap out the user—not the whole assignment. - Set due dates.
Keep them realistic. Padding timelines rarely helps; it just delays action.
What works:
- Assigning by role keeps things flexible and sustainable.
- Use the “Client” role for anything you need the customer to do; “Internal” for your team’s tasks.
What doesn’t:
- Assigning everything to yourself (unless you want to be the bottleneck).
- Overusing custom roles. Stick to standard ones unless there’s a really good reason.
5. Inviting and Managing Users
GuideCX lets you invite both internal and external users. Here’s how to do it without making a mess.
Best Practices
- Invite only who’s needed. Don’t cc the whole company.
- Set roles before inviting. Avoid confusion about who’s responsible for what.
- Use Observers for execs or stakeholders. They get visibility, but can’t mess up task assignments.
How to Invite
- In your project, go to “Team.”
- Click “Add User.”
- Enter their email, pick their role, and (optionally) add a message.
- Send the invite.
Watch out:
If you invite someone as a “Client” but they’re actually your teammate, you’ll end up with weird permissions and tasks assigned to the wrong people. Double-check before sending.
6. Adjusting and Reassigning Tasks
Plans change. People leave. GuideCX is decent at letting you reassign tasks on the fly, but the interface can feel clunky.
- To reassign a single task: Open the task, change the assigned role, and save.
- To reassign a whole batch: Use the bulk edit feature (if your plan allows it) to save time.
- If someone leaves: Swap the user in their role—don’t individually change every task.
Pro Tip:
If you find yourself constantly reassigning tasks, it’s a sign your roles aren’t set up clearly. Go back and fix your template for next time.
7. Using Templates for Efficiency (But Don’t Overdo It)
GuideCX templates can save you tons of time, but only if you approach them with a bit of skepticism.
- Start with a basic template. Don’t try to map every possible edge case.
- Update templates after projects finish. If you always have to add a step, bake it in for next time.
- Ignore the urge to create a template for every client type. One well-tuned template beats a dozen half-baked ones.
What works:
- Iterating on a single template as your process improves.
- Using placeholders in tasks (like “Client Admin: Upload XYZ”) so roles are obvious.
What doesn’t:
- Templates with dozens of rarely-used tasks.
- Assigning everything to “Project Owner” just because you’re not sure.
8. Keeping Everyone Accountable (Without Nagging)
GuideCX will send email reminders and notifications, but nobody likes spam. Here’s how to keep things moving:
- Set clear due dates. Be realistic, not aspirational.
- Use status updates. If someone’s falling behind, reach out directly—don’t just hope automated reminders will fix it.
- Regular check-ins help. A quick weekly review of outstanding tasks works better than relying on the system alone.
Pro Tip:
Don’t rely on GuideCX to “manage” your team. It’s a tool, not a manager. Real accountability comes from actual conversations.
9. What to Ignore
There’s a lot you could do in GuideCX, but here’s what you can skip unless you have a very specific need:
- Over-customizing notification settings. Most folks just ignore extra emails.
- Creating tons of custom fields or statuses. Adds complexity without real value.
- Trying to use GuideCX as your all-in-one project manager. It’s just not built for that.
Focus on clarity and action. The rest is window dressing.
Quick Recap: Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
Assigning tasks and managing roles efficiently in GuideCX is less about mastering every feature, and more about building a repeatable, clear process. Start simple. Use roles wisely. Assign tasks to roles, not people. Invite only who’s necessary. Update your templates as you go. Don’t get bogged down in complexity—most problems come from trying to be too clever.
You’ll get the most out of GuideCX by treating it as a living system, not a set-it-and-forget-it checklist. Try things, see what works, and don’t be afraid to trim the fat. Your future self (and your team) will thank you.