How to Set Up Candidate Onboarding in CrmLeaf
All editions. Requires the Recruitment add-on module to be enabled for your account. Recruitment is a paid module, not part of the core feature set.
Availability: All editions. Requires the Recruitment add-on module to be enabled for your account. Recruitment is a paid module, not part of the core feature set.
Overview
Candidate onboarding covers the period between an accepted offer and the person's first working day. CrmLeaf supports onboarding policies, the steps within them, and the tasks that make up each step, so every new joiner is taken through the same documented process. Candidates see their onboarding in the candidate portal, where they can upload the documents you ask for.
How It Works
You define an onboarding policy with its steps and tasks. The policy is applied to a candidate whose offer has been accepted, the candidate completes their part in the candidate portal, and your team tracks the remaining tasks through to the handover into HR.
Define policy → Add steps → Add tasks → Apply to candidate → Candidate uploads documents → Complete
- An onboarding policy is the reusable template; steps break it into phases and tasks are the individual actions.
- Onboarding runs on the candidate record, before the candidate is converted into an employee.
- Document upload is done by the candidate in the candidate portal, so files arrive attached to the right record.
- Completing onboarding leaves the documents and history available when the candidate becomes an employee.
Who Can Use This Feature?
Administrator
- Create and maintain candidate onboarding policies.
- Define the steps in each policy and the tasks within each step.
- Apply a policy to a candidate and track completion.
- Review the documents candidates upload.
This functionality is available only to Administrators, or to users whose role an Administrator has granted recruitment onboarding access.
Prerequisites
- The Recruitment add-on module is enabled for your account.
- The candidate has an accepted offer letter.
- Candidate portal access is available to the candidate, so they can complete their steps and upload documents.
- You know which documents your organisation requires from a new joiner.
For Administrators
Step 1: Create the onboarding policy
What to do: Open the candidate onboarding area of the Recruitment module and select Add to create an onboarding policy. Name it for the group of joiners it applies to, then Save.
What to verify: The policy appears in the onboarding policy list.
Step 2: Define the steps
What to do: Add the steps of the policy in the order they should happen, for example document collection, then pre-joining formalities, then first-day preparation.
What to verify: The steps are listed in the intended order on the policy.
Step 3: Add tasks to each step
What to do: Add the tasks that complete each step. Write each task as a single clear action, so it is obvious who does what and when it is done.
What to verify: Every step has at least one task and no task duplicates another.
Step 4: Apply the policy to a candidate
What to do: Open the candidate with the accepted offer and apply the onboarding policy so their onboarding tasks are created.
What to verify: The candidate's onboarding shows the steps and tasks from the policy, and the candidate can see their onboarding in the candidate portal.
Step 5: Track completion and hand over to HR
What to do: Monitor the tasks as they are completed and review each document the candidate uploads. When onboarding is complete, convert the candidate into an employee to move the record into HR.
What to verify: All tasks are complete, the required documents are on file, and the employee record exists in HR.
Expected Result
The onboarding policy is saved with its steps and tasks, the candidate's onboarding is visible to them in the candidate portal, and completed tasks and uploaded documents are recorded before the candidate becomes an employee.
Service Organisation Context
Consulting and IT services joiners often need to be client-ready on their first day: signed confidentiality terms, background or right-to-work checks, and any document a client site requires before access is granted. One onboarding policy per joiner type keeps that consistent — one for office-based staff, another with the extra checks for people who will work on client premises. Collecting the documents in the candidate portal before conversion means the paperwork is complete by the time the person becomes an employee and can be assigned to an engagement. The same policies serve construction, manufacturing and administrative onboarding equally well.
Important Notes
- Menu names and their position can differ between product editions and can be customised for your account, so your sidebar may not match these paths exactly. Use Search or your Quick Access items if you cannot find a screen.
- Recruitment is a paid add-on module. Confirm it is included in your plan.
- Candidate onboarding is separate from the "Getting Started" onboarding checklist your Administrator follows when setting up CrmLeaf.
- Ask only for documents you need. Uploaded candidate documents are personal data and are subject to your own retention rules.
Common Scenarios
Example: two joiner types. Office joiners need identity and qualification documents; field joiners also need a licence check. Create two onboarding policies with shared steps and one extra step for field roles, then apply the right policy per candidate.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Possible Cause | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| The candidate sees no onboarding in the portal. | No onboarding policy has been applied to the candidate. | Apply the policy to the candidate record. |
| The candidate cannot upload documents. | The candidate does not have portal access. | Confirm the candidate's portal login is available. |
| Onboarding tasks are missing. | The policy has steps with no tasks defined. | Add the tasks to each step on the policy. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does onboarding happen before or after the candidate becomes an employee?
Candidate onboarding runs on the candidate record before conversion. Converting the candidate creates the employee in HR.
Can I reuse a policy for many candidates?
Yes. A policy is a reusable template that you apply to each candidate who needs it.
Who uploads the candidate's documents?
The candidate uploads them in the candidate portal, and your team reviews them in CrmLeaf.
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