So you’ve got a new team member joining, and you use Point-of-reference to keep everything on track. Great. The only problem? Onboarding in any tool can be a pain—especially if you want folks to actually use it, not just log in once and forget it exists.
This guide is for team leads, managers, admins—basically, anyone who’s tired of onboarding being a mess. Here’s how to get new people up and running in Point-of-reference without wasting hours or making things more complicated than they need to be.
Step 1: Get Your House in Order
Before you add anyone, make sure Point-of-reference isn’t a digital junk drawer.
Do this first:
- Review your workspace. Archive or clean up old projects, tasks, or reference materials. If half your boards are abandoned, new folks will assume the tool doesn’t matter.
- Set up what actually matters. Make sure the key projects, templates, and resources are up to date.
- Check permissions. Double-check who can see or edit what—nothing kills trust faster than someone stumbling into sensitive info by accident.
Pro tip: If you’re embarrassed by the state of your Point-of-reference account, take an hour to clean it up. It pays off in less confusion later.
Step 2: Add Your New Team Member
Now you’re ready to invite your new teammate.
How to add someone:
- Go to the Admin/Team Settings. (Usually, there’s a “Team” or “Users” tab somewhere obvious.)
- Click “Invite” or “Add member.” Enter their work email address.
- Choose their role. Don’t just default to “Admin”—give them only what they need. Most folks start as “Member” or “Contributor.”
- Hit Send. They’ll get an invite email with steps to join.
Things to watch out for:
- Email filters: Sometimes invites get stuck in spam—give your new hire a heads up.
- Wrong role: If you pick the wrong permissions, you’ll end up with awkward “Why can’t I see this?” conversations.
Step 3: Send a Proper Welcome (Not Just a Login Link)
Point-of-reference is only as useful as the habits around it. If you just send a login link and hope for the best, don’t be surprised when nobody uses it right.
What works:
- Send a short welcome email or Slack message. Explain what Point-of-reference is for, how your team actually uses it, and why it matters.
- Share a “how we use this” doc. Even a bullet list is better than nothing. (“We track project updates here every Friday,” etc.)
- Point them to key boards or resources. Don’t make them hunt for what’s important.
What doesn’t:
- Long, generic onboarding decks nobody reads.
- Assuming “they’ll figure it out.” Some will, most won’t.
Example welcome message:
Hi Sam,
Welcome aboard! We use Point-of-reference to track all our ongoing projects and share key files. You’ll get an invite shortly—just accept and poke around.
For now, check out the “Team Projects” board and the “How We Work” doc (linked here).
Ping me if you get lost.
Step 4: Walk Through the Basics—Live, if Possible
If you want someone to actually use Point-of-reference, don’t make them guess how it works.
Set up a quick walkthrough:
- Do it live. Ten minutes on Zoom beats an hour of reading docs.
- Show real tasks and boards. Walk through a real example, not dummy data.
- Cover only what they’ll use in week one. Save advanced features for later.
Key things to demo:
- How to find the main boards or projects
- How to add, update, or comment on tasks
- Where to find files, notes, or reference material
- Who to ask if they get stuck
If live isn’t possible:
Record a quick Loom or screen share. Keep it short and practical.
What to ignore:
Don’t try to teach every feature. Most people only need 10-20% of the tool at first.
Step 5: Assign a Starter Task
People learn by doing, not watching. Set them up with something small but real.
Examples:
- Comment on a task or update a project status
- Upload a file or link to a resource
- Add their picture or fill out a short profile
This gives them a reason to click around and gets them over the “first log-in” hump.
Pro tip:
Check in after their first task. Ask if anything was confusing. Fix small issues before they turn into big ones.
Step 6: Set Expectations and Habits
If you want Point-of-reference to become part of your team’s routine, you need to spell out when and how to use it.
Be clear about:
- What should go in Point-of-reference, and what shouldn’t. (Is it the source of truth for projects? Or just for reference docs?)
- How often to update things. (Daily? Weekly? Only at milestones?)
- Who owns what. (Are project leads responsible for updates? Or everyone?)
What doesn’t work:
Unspoken rules. If you expect weekly updates but never say so, you’ll get chaos.
Step 7: Follow Up—Don’t Just “Set and Forget”
Most onboarding fails because nobody checks in after the first week.
What to do:
- Check in after a few days. Ask how they’re finding Point-of-reference. Look for confusion or roadblocks.
- Review their activity. Not to micromanage, but to make sure they’re not stuck.
- Ask for feedback. New people see things you don’t. If something’s unclear or clunky, fix it now.
What to ignore:
Don’t send out surveys or “pulse checks”—just have a real conversation.
Step 8: Keep Improving Your Onboarding
No onboarding process is perfect. Stuff breaks, people get confused, and the tool itself will change over time.
How to keep it simple:
- Update your onboarding doc or checklist when things change.
- Remove steps that aren’t useful. If nobody ever watches that 20-minute tutorial, drop it.
- Ask each new hire what confused them most. Fix that for the next person.
Don’t bother with:
Fancy onboarding software or complex automations—unless your team is huge, it’s just more to maintain.
Final Thoughts: Keep It Simple, Iterate Fast
Onboarding in Point-of-reference doesn’t have to be a massive project. Clean up your workspace, give clear instructions, and focus on real habits. You’ll get better results by keeping things simple and fixing the rough spots as you go.
Don’t aim for perfect—just make sure the next person has an easier time than the last. That’s real progress.