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Onboarding new staff

Create staff profiles, assign locations, set the right role, and send the welcome message so new hires can take training and get announcements from day one.

What you'll set up

By the end of this guide each new staff member will have:

• A staff profile with name, email, and contact details
• Assigned location(s) so announcements and training reach the right people
• A role (Staff, Manager, or Admin) with the right permissions
• A first training module or onboarding checklist
• An invitation email with login access

Step 1 — Open the Staff Directory

From Shopify admin, open Staff Hub from the sidebar, then go to Manage → Staff. (On the standalone web app, navigate to Admin → Staff Profiles.) Click Add Staff Member.

Step 2 — Enter the basics

Fill in:

• First and last name (and optional preferred name)
• Email — required for login and the welcome email
• Phone number — optional but useful for emergencies
• Job title and department — used for filters and the org chart

Step 3 — Assign a role

Pick the right permission level:

• Staff — Can take training, read announcements, confirm updates, and use the staff portal. Cannot edit other people's data.
• Manager — Everything Staff can do, plus create training, publish announcements, review read receipts, and help new starters.
• Admin — Full access. Can create staff, edit records, configure organisation settings, and manage billing.

Step 4 — Set their first training path

Give the new starter one concrete first action so they do not land in an empty portal:

1. Add them to the right location or team group.
2. Assign the first-day onboarding module or checklist.
3. Publish a short welcome announcement if they need shop-floor context.
4. Confirm they can see the training module before their first shift.

For most stores, the first useful setup is a short training module plus one announcement that explains where to find daily operating notes.

Step 5 — Assign location(s)

If your store has multiple locations:

1. Choose one or more locations for the staff member.
2. Use location groups to target the right announcements and training modules.

Single-location stores can leave this empty.

Step 6 — Add optional admin context

Add only the context managers need for training, onboarding, and internal communication:

• Start date — useful for onboarding filters.
• Manager — who should check their progress.
• Location or department — used for announcement and training targeting.
• Notes — keep these operational and appropriate for managers.

Step 7 — Save and invite

Click Save. Staff Hub creates the profile and queues an invitation email. The staff member receives a one-time link to set their password and access the staff portal.

If your SMTP isn't configured yet, the invitation won't send. Configure SMTP under Settings → Email first, or send your team the staff portal URL and they can use Forgot password to set a password manually.

Step 8 — Tell them what to do first

Send your new hire a one-pager with three things:

1. The staff portal: https://app.staffhubapp.com or the Shopify entry point you use.
2. Their first task: complete the first-day training module.
3. Where updates live: read the first announcement and confirm receipt.

Common issues

"Staff member can't log in"

Check that they used the email address you put in their profile and that the invitation email arrived (check spam). If SMTP isn't configured, use Resend invitation from the staff profile or share the staff portal URL and have them use Forgot password.

"Training not visible"

Check the module is published and that its audience includes the staff member's role or location.

"Welcome email not sending"

Configure SMTP under Settings → Email. Without SMTP, password reset and welcome emails won't go out. The app still works — staff just need the staff portal URL and the manual password-reset flow.