So you’ve picked Clientpoint for your team, and now it’s time to bring new users onboard. Maybe you’re a team lead who just wants people to stop pinging you for help, or you’ve drawn the short straw and landed the “onboarding champion” role. Either way, you want a clear, no-nonsense path to get folks set up and productive—without wasting anyone’s time.
This guide walks you through the real process, step by step. I’ll flag what works, what you can skip, and where people typically get stuck.
Step 1: Get Your Admin Access Squared Away
First things first: you need admin privileges. If you’re not the person who set up Clientpoint, find out who is and make sure you’re added as an admin. No admin access, no onboarding.
What to check: - Can you add users? If not, you’re not an admin. - Do you see “Admin” or “Settings” in the main menu? You should. - If you’re stuck, Clientpoint support is generally responsive, but don’t wait until the day you need to add people.
Pro tip: Don’t share your login. It’s tempting, but it’ll mess up user tracking and audit trails later.
Step 2: Decide Who Needs What Access
Not everyone needs the keys to the kingdom. Before you start clicking “Add User,” figure out what roles you actually need.
Typical roles in Clientpoint: - Admin: Full control. Can add/remove users, change settings, see everything. - Manager: Can manage teams and see reports, but not system-wide settings. - User: Can use basic features, but not manage others.
What works:
- Making a quick spreadsheet of team members, roles, and what they’ll actually use. Saves a ton of hassle later.
What doesn’t:
- Giving everyone admin because “it’s easier.” You’ll regret it when someone accidentally nukes a template.
Ignore:
- Overly complex role setups. Most teams just need Admin, Manager, and User.
Step 3: Clean Up Before You Add People
This is the step people skip, and then regret later. Take a few minutes to set up your workspace:
- Templates: If you’re using docs or proposals, set up templates first. Otherwise, everyone will make their own (and you’ll have a mess).
- Branding: Add your logo, set up company info, and check email settings. First impressions matter.
- Default Settings: Check what new users will see when they log in. Set defaults so people aren’t confused.
Pro tip:
Send yourself a test invite. Log in as a new user to see what they see. Fix anything confusing now, before you unleash the hordes.
Step 4: Add New Users
Now for the main event. In Clientpoint, adding users is pretty standard, but here’s what you’ll want to watch for.
The process: 1. Go to the Admin or Users section. 2. Click “Add User” or similar. 3. Enter the email, assign a role, and, if prompted, set a temporary password (or let the system email them a link). 4. Double-check spelling. If you mess up an email, that person won’t get the invite. 5. Optionally, add them to a group or team if you’ve set those up.
Pitfalls: - Invites in Spam: Tell users to check their spam folder. Clientpoint emails sometimes get filtered. - Duplicate invites: Don’t resend invites more than once or you’ll confuse people. - Wrong roles: Double-check you’re not making everyone an admin by accident.
What works:
- Batch invites. Add everyone at once if possible, then send out a “Check your inbox!” nudge in Slack or email.
- A quick internal note or doc explaining what to expect.
What doesn’t:
- Letting users figure it out with zero context. Even if Clientpoint is “intuitive,” new tools are always a little weird at first.
Step 5: Send a Simple Welcome Message
Don’t rely on the system email alone. Most people ignore “You’ve been invited to use…” emails, or they get lost in clutter.
Draft a short, friendly message from you or a manager, and send it out separately. Include:
- Why you’re using Clientpoint (“We’re moving all client docs here” or “Proposals are now sent via Clientpoint”)
- What to do next (Log in, update your profile, check out the templates)
- Who to bug for help (ideally, not you forever)
Sample message:
Hey team,
You’ll get a Clientpoint invite today. Please log in, update your info, and poke around. We’ll use this for all our client docs from now on. Any issues, ask me or check the help docs.
Pro tip:
Include a link to a quickstart doc or a 2-minute Loom video, if you have one. People are more likely to watch a video than read a wall of text.
Step 6: Guide Them Through Their First Login
First logins are where people get tripped up—password resets, weird browser issues, “I never got the email.” Expect it.
How to help: - Be ready for basic tech support: “Check your spam,” “Try using Chrome,” “Reset your password.” - Encourage people to set up their profile and notification preferences right away. - Remind them to bookmark the login page. Yes, really—people will forget the URL.
What works:
- Having a “first 5 minutes” checklist in your welcome message.
- A group training session (live or recorded) if you’re onboarding a lot of people at once.
What doesn’t:
- Hoping everyone will just figure it out. Some will, most won’t, and you’ll get the same questions over and over.
Step 7: Demo the Basics—But Keep It Short
You don’t need a 90-minute webinar. Focus on just the key tasks people will do in Clientpoint, like:
- Creating a new document or proposal
- Sharing with a client
- Finding templates
- Viewing client history or activity
Tips: - Do a live screen share, or record a quick walkthrough. - Invite questions, but don’t get bogged down in edge cases. - Share shortcuts, not every single feature.
What works:
- Letting people try it themselves right away. Give them a safe place to “play” without messing up real data.
What doesn’t:
- Overwhelming folks with every button and menu. Teach them what they’ll actually use.
Step 8: Encourage Questions and Build a Simple FAQ
You’ll get repeat questions. Embrace it. Start a running FAQ in Slack, Google Docs, or wherever your team lives.
- Add answers as they come up. (“Where’s the template for client X?” “How do I reset my password?”)
- Pin it or make it easy to find.
- Update it as Clientpoint updates their UI—things move around, and old screenshots cause more confusion than they solve.
Ignore:
- Fancy, formal wikis unless you already use them. A living doc is fine.
Step 9: Check In After a Week (and a Month)
Don’t assume silence means everyone’s happy. After a week, check in:
- Any blockers or confusion?
- Is anyone not logging in?
- Are people using the right templates or workflows?
After a month, review adoption. Are people actually using Clientpoint, or did they revert to old habits? If you see gaps, ask why—maybe something’s genuinely clunky, or people just need another walkthrough.
What works:
- Low-key check-ins (“How’s it going, any snags?”) rather than formal surveys.
What doesn’t:
- Waiting until quarter-end to fix issues. Early fixes save headaches later.
Step 10: Iterate and Keep It Simple
Don’t get precious about your onboarding process. Tweak as you go. If people keep stumbling over the same thing, fix it or clarify your instructions. Cut steps that aren’t helping.
A few last thoughts: - Most onboarding problems are simple misunderstandings, not technical fails. - You don’t need perfection—just enough structure so people aren’t lost. - Skip the bells and whistles. Focus on the basics: access, clear instructions, and support.
That’s it. Onboarding new users in Clientpoint isn’t rocket science, but it does take a bit of prep and a dash of patience. Keep things simple, don’t overthink it, and adjust as you go. Your team (and your sanity) will thank you.