Welcome to Abode! This article walks through what to expect as you get up and running, from your first call with your CSM to launching your first program.
Onboarding has five main steps — a Kickoff Call, two Onboarding sessions, one or more Working Sessions, and a Go-Live check — plus an optional add-on for teams who want to bring other stakeholders up to speed. Here's what happens at each stage:
Step 1: Kickoff Call (30 minutes)
Who should join: Leadership & program admins
This is your first call with your CSM — a conversation, not a building session. You won't need to open the tool yet.
During this call, you'll:
Get to know your CSM, and talk through your team and goals
Walk through what to expect across onboarding
Map out your onboarding timeline
Outcome: Aligned goals and a clear plan heading into onboarding.
Step 2: Onboarding (Vol. 1) (60 minutes)
Who should join: Program admins
During this session, you'll:
Cover core platform functionality
Walk through the end-user experience
Start building out your workspace together
Note: you'll get platform access after this session — you and your team will receive an email to activate your Abode accounts.
Outcome: Your team has hands-on familiarity with Abode, and workspace setup is underway.
Step 3: Onboarding (Vol. 2) (60 minutes)
Who should join: Program admins
During this session, you'll:
Build out your content
Assign templates
Finalize the cadence for your communications
Outcome: Your content, templates, and communication plan are in place.
Step 4: Working Sessions (as many as you need)
Who should join: Program admins
Once the core setup is in place, you'll move into hands-on building time with your CSM.
Schedule one working session or several — there's no fixed number. Some programs are ready after a single session; others take a few passes.
Each session picks up right where the last one left off, so you can build at whatever pace works for your team.
Outcome: Your program's content and setup are fully ready for launch.
Optional: Stakeholder Enablement Sessions
Who should join: Other stakeholders (e.g. Recruiters, Program Managers)
If you have Recruiters, Program Managers, or other stakeholders outside your core onboarding team who'll use Abode, your CSM can set up a short, separate walkthrough tailored to how they'll use the platform day-to-day. This is entirely optional and scoped to what your team needs — and it goes a long way toward driving broader adoption across your organization.
Step 5: Go-Live
Who should join: Leadership & program admins
Candidates and participants aren't uploaded into Abode until this stage. Right before your launch, your CSM will walk through the final steps with you:
Upload participants into their cohorts
Complete a final review
Activate your program
Once everything checks out, you're live!
Questions?
Your CSM is your main point of contact throughout onboarding and beyond — don't hesitate to reach out anytime with questions.