Getting new customers up and running is rarely as easy as “send the login, cross your fingers, and wait for magic.” If you’re in customer success—or just want your customers to actually use what they paid for—you know a good onboarding process makes all the difference.
That’s where personalized onboarding checklists come in. Done well, they’re a roadmap, not a guilt trip. This guide is for anyone who wants to use Recapped to build onboarding checklists that actually get used, not ignored. We’ll skip the fluff, focus on what works, and call out anything that’s more trouble than it’s worth.
Why bother with personalized onboarding checklists?
Before you start building, a quick reality check: Not every customer needs the same onboarding. The “one checklist to rule them all” approach usually makes things worse. People ignore steps that don’t apply, get overwhelmed, or just stop reading.
Personalized onboarding checklists solve for this by: - Making the process less overwhelming (“just do these 4 things” beats a 20-item marathon) - Cutting down on back-and-forth emails (less “what’s next?”) - Keeping both sides honest about progress
But don’t overthink it. Your goal isn’t to create a checklist for the ages—it’s to make it ridiculously easy for new customers to get value, fast.
Step 1: Get clear on what “onboarded” means—for real
If you can’t define “onboarded,” you can’t build a useful checklist. Don’t just copy your sales handoff or last year’s playbook.
Ask yourself: - What actually needs to happen before a new customer is getting value? - What doesn’t matter (even if it looks official)?
Write down the minimum critical steps. This usually means: - Setting up user accounts - Connecting necessary integrations - One or two key actions in your product (not every possible feature) - Scheduling a quick follow-up
Pro tip: If you see a step like “Read our entire knowledge base,” delete it. No one does this, and it won’t help.
Step 2: Map out your typical onboarding flows
Most companies have a few types of customers. Maybe it’s self-serve vs. enterprise, or different product tiers. Each might need a slightly different onboarding checklist.
- Sketch out (on paper or a doc) the 2–4 main onboarding journeys you see.
- For each, list the handful of steps that really matter.
Don’t try to cover every edge case. You can always tweak later.
Step 3: Set up your Recapped workspace and templates
Assuming you’re already using Recapped—if not, set up an account first—log in and head to your workspace.
Templates are your friend:
Recapped lets you create templates for onboarding checklists. These save tons of time, but only if you keep them clean. Here’s how to do it right:
- Create a new template for each main onboarding flow you mapped.
- Name it clearly (“Enterprise Onboarding,” “Standard Onboarding,” etc.)
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Add only the steps that matter for that flow.
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For each step, write in plain language.
- “Upload your logo” beats “Brand asset implementation phase.”
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Add quick tips or links where helpful, but avoid essay-length instructions.
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Assign owners if needed.
- If a step is on you, mark it. If it’s on the customer, make that clear.
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Being explicit avoids awkward “who’s supposed to do this?” moments later.
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Keep it short.
- Under 10 steps is ideal. If you have more, combine or cut.
What to ignore:
Recapped will let you add due dates, dependencies, and all sorts of bells and whistles. Unless you know your customers will use them, keep it simple. Most people just want to know “what do I do next?”
Step 4: Personalize for each new customer
Templates are a starting point, not a finish line. Here’s where you make it actually personalized:
- When you kick off with a new customer, duplicate the right template in Recapped.
- Quickly scan and remove anything that doesn’t apply. Add anything unique for this customer.
- Double-check for jargon—if you have an internal step like “provision SSO,” rephrase it or explain.
Real talk:
You’ll be tempted to automate this entire process. Don’t. Automation is great for reminders or assigning owners, but the value here comes from a human touch. It takes two minutes to tweak a checklist for a real customer, and it makes a huge difference.
Step 5: Share and walk through the checklist together
Don’t just dump a checklist in someone’s inbox and hope for the best. The best onboarding happens when both sides are clear on what needs to happen, and why.
- Share the Recapped checklist during your kickoff call, or by email if that’s your style.
- Take 5 minutes to walk through the steps, answer questions, and confirm owners.
- Resist the urge to turn this into a lecture—make sure the customer knows they can ask for help or clarification at any step.
Pro tip:
If you notice customers always get stuck on the same step, it’s not their fault—it’s your checklist. Fix it, or offer more help there.
Step 6: Track progress and follow up (without being a pest)
Recapped lets you (and the customer) check off steps as you go. Use this, but don’t become a checklist cop.
- Set reasonable deadlines for each step, but stay flexible.
- Use Recapped’s reminders sparingly—nobody likes daily nag emails.
- If progress stalls, reach out as a human, not an automated bot (“Hey, noticed we’re stuck on X. Anything I can clarify or do to help?”)
What to ignore:
Don’t obsess over every box being checked. Sometimes the customer gets value without finishing every step. Focus on outcomes, not paperwork.
Step 7: Review and improve your checklists regularly
No checklist survives first contact with real customers. The good news: Recapped makes it easy to update templates.
- Every month or so, look at which steps get skipped, which cause confusion, and which actually move the needle.
- Ask customers for honest feedback (“Was this helpful? What was a waste of time?”)
- Ruthlessly cut or reword anything that doesn’t help.
Pro tip:
Don’t let your checklist become a dumping ground for every onboarding idea. If a step isn’t essential, leave it out. You can always add more later if customers ask.
Common mistakes (and how to avoid them)
Even good teams fall into these traps: - Making it too complicated: More steps = more confusion. Aim for “just enough.” - Forgetting the customer’s perspective: If it feels like homework, they’ll ignore it. - Automating the personal touch away: Templates are great, but customers notice when you’re on autopilot. - Not updating checklists: Products change. Checklists need to keep up.
Wrapping up: Keep it simple, tweak as you go
Building personalized onboarding checklists in Recapped isn’t rocket science, but it does take some thought. Start simple. Focus on what gets new customers using your product, not what looks impressive in a slide deck.
Iterate as you learn. The best checklists are living documents, not museum pieces. Your customers (and your team) will thank you for cutting the fluff and keeping it real.