Bringing someone new onto your team should be simple, not a headache. If you’re running with Reveal and need to onboard folks without tripping over permissions or creating security holes, this guide is for you. Whether you're a team lead, admin, or just the unlucky one who drew the short straw, I'll walk you through exactly what works—and what really doesn’t—so you can get back to real work.
Step 1: Get Your House in Order Before Inviting Anyone
Let’s not sugarcoat it: onboarding is a pain if you don’t have your basics sorted. Before you start firing off invites, check these:
- Is your Reveal workspace organized? No sense adding people to a mess.
- Do you know what you want folks to access? If not, pause and figure it out now. Permissions are easiest to set before chaos starts.
- Are you clear on team roles? If you have a “just let everyone in and fix it later” attitude, you’re asking for problems.
Pro tip: Take ten minutes and jot down who needs what kind of access. It’s a sanity-saver.
Step 2: Add New Users to Reveal
Okay, basics done. Time to get people in the door.
- Log in as an admin. Only admins can add users and mess with permissions.
- Go to your team or users section. Depending on what Reveal calls it, look for “Team,” “Users,” or “Members.”
- Click “Invite” or “Add User.” This usually asks for an email address.
- Decide on a role or permission set. Don’t just pick “admin” for everyone. More on this below.
- Send the invite.
What Works
- Inviting in batches saves time if you’re onboarding a whole group.
- If you’re unsure about someone’s role, start them with the lowest permissions. You can always bump them up.
What to Ignore
- Don’t bother with personalized welcome emails from Reveal—they’re boilerplate. A quick Slack or Teams message from you is more effective.
Step 3: Assign User Permissions—Don’t Get Lazy
Reveal gives you a few standard roles, usually something like:
- Admin: Full control—can add/remove users, change settings, see everything.
- Manager: Can manage some settings and users, but not full control.
- Member/User: Can see and do what they need for daily work, but can’t break anything important.
- Custom Roles (if available): Some plans let you tweak permissions for special cases.
Honest Take
- Don’t hand out admin like Halloween candy. More admins = more risk.
- If someone just needs to run reports, they don’t need access to settings or user management.
- Custom roles are great in theory, but only bother if you really need them. Otherwise, you’re just making life harder.
How to Assign
- Choose the role during invite, or change it later in the user list.
- Double-check permissions. Click into the user’s profile—look for what they can/can’t do.
- Document who has what access. Use a spreadsheet or a note somewhere. You’ll thank yourself later.
Pro tip: Schedule a quarterly “permission check.” People change jobs, and access needs drift.
Step 4: Set Up Groups or Teams (If Reveal Supports It)
If you’re dealing with a larger org, groups make life easier.
- Create groups by department, region, or function. Whatever makes sense for your workflow.
- Assign permissions at the group level. Now, add users to groups instead of fiddling with each person.
- Review group membership regularly. It’s easy to forget when someone transfers or leaves. Don’t let ex-employees hang around.
What Works
- Groups cut down on repetitive work.
- Clear group names prevent “what does this group do?” confusion.
What to Ignore
- Don’t overcomplicate things with too many tiny groups. If you need a diagram to explain your setup, it’s too much.
Step 5: Give New Users a Simple Walkthrough
Most folks don’t read long onboarding docs, so don’t bother writing one. Instead:
- Send a short message: “Hey, you’re in Reveal. Here’s what you can do, here’s who to ask if you hit a wall.”
- Link to Reveal’s official help docs. Don’t reinvent the wheel.
- Offer a quick screen-share if they’re stuck. Five minutes now saves hours of confusion later.
What Works
- Peer help. Assign a “Reveal buddy” if your team is big enough.
- Keep it lightweight. People learn best by doing, not by memorizing features they won’t use.
What to Ignore
- Don’t make everyone sit through a live demo unless you really have to. Opt-in works better.
Step 6: Review and Adjust—Seriously, This Matters
Things change. People leave, roles shift, new features roll out.
- Regularly audit user access. Set a recurring reminder or calendar event every few months.
- Remove users who are gone. Don’t let accounts linger—security risk.
- Tweak permissions as roles change. Promotions, transfers, interns—keep it current.
- Watch out for “permission creep.” Over time, people end up with more access than they need. Dial it back.
Pro tip: If Reveal offers audit logs, use them. See who’s changed what, and when.
FAQs and Real-World Gotchas
What if someone can’t access what they need?
Double-check their assigned role or group. Nine times out of ten, it’s a permission issue, not a bug. Upgrade their access if needed, but don’t just make them an admin out of frustration.
Can I bulk import users?
If Reveal has this feature, use it for big teams. But test it with a couple of dummy accounts first, so you don’t end up with a mess.
Should I sync with Google/Microsoft SSO?
If you’ve got a growing team, absolutely—it saves you from having to remove users manually when someone leaves. But double-check that SSO is set up right, or you’ll end up with locked-out users.
Is there a sandbox or test mode?
If Reveal offers it, use it to try out permissions before rolling them out for real. Saves you from “whoops” moments.
Keep It Simple—and Stay Flexible
The best onboarding is the one that’s easy to repeat and doesn’t create headaches months down the line. Don’t overthink your permissions. Start small, keep track, and adjust as you go. And if Reveal changes how their user management works (it happens), revisit these steps and tweak your process. Better to iterate than to scramble every time someone joins.
Good onboarding isn’t about fancy features—it’s about making sure your team can get to work without roadblocks. Keep it clear, keep it simple, and you’ll be fine.