Free template · CSV
Onboarding checklist template
Run a calm, structured first 90 days for every new hire — no tabs, no missed steps.
An onboarding checklist isn't about ceremony — it's the difference between a new hire who's productive in week three and one who's still chasing logins in week six. This template lays out the work in five phases: pre-start, week 1, day 30, day 60, day 90.
Download it as a CSV, open it in Google Sheets or Excel, and assign every task an owner and a due date. When you're hiring more than one person at a time, import it into RecruitFlow.io alongside your candidate pipeline so hiring and onboarding live in the same place.
What's in the template
Built for: Hiring managers and ops leads at small teams onboarding their next hire.
| Phase | Task | Owner | Due date | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-start | Send welcome email with first-week agenda | Hiring manager | Day -3 | Not started | Include parking, dress code, who to ask for. |
| Pre-start | Order laptop and provision accounts | IT | Day -5 | Not started | Email, Slack, calendar, password manager. |
| Pre-start | Assign an onboarding buddy | Manager | Day -2 | Not started | Peer on the same team, not the manager. |
| Week 1 | Day-one welcome and office tour | Manager | Day 1 | Not started | Keep it short — coffee, intros, a calm desk. |
| Week 1 | Walk through tools, accounts, and access | IT + buddy | Day 1 | Not started | |
| Week 1 | Share team rituals (standup, retros, demos) | Manager | Day 2 | Not started | |
| Week 1 | First 1:1 with manager | Manager | Day 3 | Not started | Set rhythm — weekly 1:1. |
| Week 1 | Ship a small, real piece of work | New hire | Day 5 | Not started | Confidence beats perfection. |
| Day 30 | 30-day check-in: clarity, context, gaps | Manager | Day 30 | Not started | |
| Day 30 | Confirm 30/60/90 goals are written and agreed | Manager | Day 30 | Not started | |
| Day 60 | 60-day check-in: scope, ownership, friction | Manager | Day 60 | Not started | |
| Day 90 | 90-day review and probation sign-off | Manager + HR | Day 90 | Not started | Decision + written feedback. |
How to use it
- 1Download the CSV and open it in Sheets or Excel.
- 2Set the Due date for each task relative to the new hire's start date.
- 3Assign every row an Owner — onboarding fails when nobody owns a step.
- 4Update Status weekly during the new hire's first 90 days.
- 5Run a 30-, 60-, and 90-day review using the notes column as your prep doc.
From spreadsheet to pipeline in one click
When this template starts to feel heavy, upload the same CSV to Recruit Flow. We'll auto-map your columns, normalize the stages, and turn it into a board you can drag.
- Drag-and-drop board across stages
- Per-candidate timeline of every change
- CSV export, anytime — your data stays portable
Questions
What should an onboarding checklist include?
Five phases: pre-start (accounts, hardware, welcome), week 1 (tour, tools, first ship), day 30 (clarity check-in), day 60 (scope and ownership), and day 90 (formal review). Every task needs an owner and a due date.
How long should onboarding take?
Plan a structured 90 days. Most new hires hit real productivity around day 60 — the day 90 review is when you confirm fit and finalize 30/60/90 goals for the next quarter.
Who owns the onboarding checklist — HR or the hiring manager?
The hiring manager owns the outcome; HR or ops owns the recurring pre-start tasks (hardware, accounts, paperwork). The Owner column makes that split explicit so nothing falls between teams.
Is this template free? Do I need to sign up?
Yes, it's free — download the CSV and edit it forever, no sign-up. When you're onboarding more than two people at once, RecruitFlow.io keeps the same shape with status tracking and per-hire notes.