Onboarding that finishes before the first punch.
Build a checklist once for each role. When an offer is signed, PunchPro assigns it, sets the deadlines, sends the handbook for signature, and holds the first clock-in until the must-haves are done. No binder, no chasing, no "I never got that form."
14 days freeNo credit card requiredEvery feature included
Ryan Mitchell
Office · $55.00/hr · starts Mon, Oct 12- ✓Profile created from offerAt hire · automaticDone
- ✓Employee handbook v2Before day 1 · blocks first punchSigned
- !I-9 identity documentsWithin 3 days of start · blocks first punchRemind
- W4W-4 tax formBefore first payrollWaive
- DDDirect deposit setupBefore first payrollWaive
- ITSoftware accessBefore day 1Waive
Six steps from signed offer to first clock-in.
Everything in a new hire's checklist is created from the signed offer and the workflow their role matches — nothing is re-entered.
Why onboarding hourly employees breaks down.
The new hire starts Monday
They clock in before anyone remembered the I-9 — and now the deadline is a scramble.
Paper packets in trucks
Forms go out to the job site, come back half-filled, and live in a glovebox until payroll asks.
Every role, same checklist
An apprentice and an office manager don't need the same paperwork, so the list is either bloated or wrong.
Nobody knows what's missing
Status lives in someone's head. Turnover means it leaves with them.
Every role gets the right onboarding. Automatically.
Build the checklist once. Reuse it for every hire.
Create a workflow for office staff, apprentices, field technicians, crew leads — whatever roles you actually hire. Each step gets a deadline and, if you want, the power to block the first punch.
- Steps: handbook, W-4, I-9, direct deposit, system access, mentor assigned, safety policy
- Deadlines that make sense: before day 1, within 3 days of start, before first payroll
- New roles start from a template you edit
No clock-in until the must-haves are done.
Mark any step as "blocks first punch." A new hire who hasn't signed the handbook or submitted I-9 documents sees exactly what's left in their app — and can't clock in until it's complete. Need to make an exception? Waive the step for that person; it's noted on their record.
- Employees see their own to-do list in the PunchPro app
- Managers get one reminder button, not a phone tree
- Waivers are logged with who, when and why
Paperwork, without the paperwork.
Offer letters, handbooks and policies are signed from a phone. W-4 and I-9 status is visible on every new hire. Every signed copy files itself in the right employee record, so the audit trail builds itself.
- Handbook acknowledgment collected per version
- I-9 and W-4 completion tracked with deadlines
- Licenses and certifications uploaded at onboarding, with expiry alerts after
Onboarding ends. The record keeps going.
The same profile that held the checklist now holds the schedule, the punches, the PTO balance and the pay rate. Day-30 and day-90 check-ins, mentor assignments and policy re-acknowledgments live in the same place.
- One employee record from offer to last day
- Schedules and GPS time tracking in the same app
- Time off balances visible from the first week
What to look for in onboarding software for hourly employees.
Most onboarding tools were designed for salaried hires with a laptop and an email address on day one. Hourly teams need a different checklist.
| Requirement | Why it matters for hourly teams | PunchPro |
|---|---|---|
| Works from a phone, no email required | Many crew members onboard from a truck or a break room, not a desk | Yes |
| Role-based checklists | A technician needs a vehicle agreement; an office hire doesn't | Yes |
| Deadline logic tied to start date and first payroll | I-9 within 3 days of start; W-4 before the first check | Yes |
| Can block clock-in until required items are done | The only enforcement that works when nobody checks a binder | Yes |
| Handbook acknowledgment by version | New policies need new signatures, not a fresh PDF in a drive | Yes |
| Certification uploads with expiry tracking | Trades, home care and food service run on expiring credentials | Yes |
| Connected to time tracking and scheduling | Otherwise onboarding ends and a second system begins | Yes |
| Benefits enrollment | Common in enterprise HR suites | No |
| Job-board posting & applicant tracking | PunchPro starts at the offer, not the job post | No |
Onboarding that matches the job.
Onboarding tools built for desks vs. built for crews.
Typical onboarding software
- Assumes an email address and a laptop
- One checklist for every hire
- Lives in a separate system from time and scheduling
- Handbook is a PDF attachment
- Nothing stops a new hire from working before paperwork is done
PunchPro
- Phone-first; signs from a job site
- Workflow per role with real deadlines
- Same app as the time clock, schedule and PTO
- Handbook drafted, versioned and signed in-app
- First punch waits until required steps are complete
Onboarding is included. So is everything else.
per business, plus $7 per active user / month
A 20-person team: $179.99 / month · 14-day free trial, no credit card required
- Onboarding workflows
- Offer letters & e-signature
- Handbook builder
- Document & certification tracking
- Employee records
- GPS time tracking
- Scheduling
- Time off
- Payroll review & export
- Cost codes
Employee onboarding software, answered plainly.
What should an onboarding checklist for hourly employees include?
At minimum: a signed offer letter, W-4, I-9 with identity documents, direct deposit or pay setup, handbook acknowledgment, any role-specific policies (safety, vehicle use, phone use), emergency contact, and uploads of required licenses or certifications. PunchPro ships role templates with these steps that you edit.
Can PunchPro really stop someone from clocking in?
Yes. Any step in a workflow can be marked "blocks first punch." Until it's complete, the employee's clock-in button is replaced by their remaining to-do list. You can waive a step for one person; the waiver is noted on their record.
Does PunchPro complete the I-9 for me?
PunchPro tracks the I-9 step, its deadline and the document upload, and shows you who's outstanding. The employer's verification responsibilities still apply — PunchPro doesn't replace them or give legal advice.
How do new hires sign things without a work email?
They receive a link by text or personal email, open the offer or policy on their phone, and sign. After signing, they get login details for the PunchPro app where the rest of their checklist lives.
Can I have different onboarding for different roles?
Yes — that's the default. Build one workflow per role (office, apprentice, field technician, crew lead, caregiver, line cook). When an offer for that role is signed, the matching workflow is assigned automatically.
What happens when I publish a new handbook version?
Everyone is asked to re-acknowledge, and the new version is added to current onboarding checklists. Signature status is tracked per version.
Does onboarding connect to time tracking and scheduling?
Yes. It's the same app. The profile created from the signed offer is the one that holds the schedule, punches, PTO and pay rate going forward.
How long does it take to set up?
Most businesses edit the starter workflows and send their first offer the same day. There's no implementation project.
What does it cost?
Onboarding is included in the single PunchPro plan: $39.99 per month per business plus $7 per active user per month. 14-day free trial, no credit card required.
Your next hire should be ready before their first shift.
Build your first workflow and send an offer in an afternoon.
14 days freeNo credit card requiredEvery feature included