Onboarding — get pointed in the right direction on day one

Who it's for

Onboarding is for the owner or manager who just created the account — the person setting up the shop for the first time. It's lightweight by design: a quick first-run prompt that tailors your menu and points you at a first action, plus a setup checklist on your home screen you can work through whenever you like. There's no wizard to finish before you can use the app.

Where it fits

Onboarding is the front door, but it no longer blocks the door. The moment you sign up, your shop is created and you're dropped straight into the working app — there's no mandatory setup gate. Instead you get a one-time first-run picker (which tailors the navigation) and an optional setup checklist that lives on your home screen. Everything you set here you can change later in Settings. See workflow-map.md for the lifecycle and personas.md for the standard roles.

Overview

There are two pieces, and neither one traps you:

The first-run picker — a short two-step prompt the first time you sign in. Step one asks which you are (a shop, or an independent installer); this tailors your menu. Step two asks what you want to do first and sends you straight there. You can dismiss it with "I'll look around" and just explore.
The setup checklist — a card on your home screen with a few high-value setup tasks (pick your shop type, set pricing, add materials, add your logo and brand color, invite your team). Work them in any order, skip the ones that don't apply, and the card disappears once you're done. Dismiss it anytime.

That's it. There is no seven-step wizard, no progress-gated flow, and no separate steps for email, materials, team size, or accent color — those are either part of the checklist or handled elsewhere when you need them.

The first-run picker Shown automatically the first time you sign in, as a two-step prompt:

Step 1 — "First — which are you?" Pick A shop (a storefront or studio — wraps, tint, PPF, signage) or An independent installer (you install for hire — list yourself for shops to find). This sets your account type and tailors your menu. You can change it later in Settings.
Step 2 — "What do you want to do first?" Pick one to get going:
- Add your first job → opens a new job
- Send a quote → billing
- Make a mockup → Studio
- Set up pricing → pricing
- See your leads → your Lead Inbox (shown only if you already have directory leads waiting)
"I'll look around" dismisses the prompt and drops you into the app.

The setup checklist (on your home screen) A card titled "Finish setting up your shop" with a progress bar ("X of Y done"). It lists:

Pick your shop type (tailors your workflow board) — an inline dropdown right on the card: Vehicle Wraps, Window Tint, Paint Protection Film, Print & Cut, Signage, or Multi-service / Combo. This one isn't skippable, because it shapes your job board.
Set your pricing → pricing (skippable)
Add your materials → pricing (skippable)
Add your logo & brand color → Settings (skippable)
Invite your team → Team (skippable)

Each skippable item shows a Skip option, so a solo shop can clear "Invite your team" and still reach 100%. An × in the corner dismisses the whole card.

Capabilities

Tailor your setup in seconds

Choose shop vs. independent installer so your navigation matches how you work.
Jump straight into your first real task from the picker — add a job, send a quote, make a mockup, set pricing, or open your leads.

Get a working board fast

Pick your shop type from the inline dropdown on the checklist; it tailors your job-board workflow.
Knock out pricing, materials, branding, and team from the checklist in whatever order suits you.

Skip without regret

Dismiss the first-run picker with "I'll look around" and explore immediately.
Skip any optional checklist item, or dismiss the whole card — your shop already works without it.

Step-by-step tasks

Get going from the first-run picker
1. Sign in for the first time — the picker appears.
2. Choose A shop or An independent installer.
3. Pick what you want to do first and you'll land right there.
Just explore instead
1. Click "I'll look around" on the picker.
2. You're dropped straight into the app — come back to setup from the checklist on your home screen anytime.
Work the setup checklist
1. On your home screen, find the "Finish setting up your shop" card.
2. Use the inline shop-type dropdown to set your workflow board.
3. Tap each remaining item to set pricing, add materials, add your logo and brand color, and invite your team — or Skip the ones that don't apply.
4. When the bar hits 100% (or you dismiss the card with ×), it goes away.

Settings & permissions

Who it's for The first-run picker and checklist are for the shop's first user — the owner/manager who signed up. There's no special permission; it's simply what you see on day one.

Plan notes

Your account is created on a 30-day, no-card trial — there's no setup wall to clear before you can use the app.
Shop type and the checklist tasks are available on any plan. Some destinations they link to (like custom branding or a shop website) unlock on the Shop plan and up — see Plans.
WraptorMail is not part of onboarding. It's a paid feature provisioned when you start a paid plan, not something you claim during the free trial. Set it up from your Inbox once you're on a qualifying plan.
Independent-installer accounts skip the shop checklist and land on their own install board — see My Jobs and Installers.

Tips & common pitfalls

Nothing blocks you anymore. There's no wizard to finish — sign up and you're in. The picker and checklist are nudges, not gates.
Your shop type still shapes your board. Setting it on the checklist (Wrap vs. Tint vs. Multi-service, etc.) tailors your job-board workflow. Pick the closest match — you can adjust your workflow later in Settings.
Skip freely. Optional checklist items have a Skip, so a one-person shop can clear "Invite your team" and reach 100%.
"I'll look around" isn't a dead end. Dismiss the picker and you can still finish setup from the home-screen checklist whenever you're ready.
Branding and email are reversible. Add a logo and accent color whenever you like in Settings; turn on WraptorMail once you're on a paid plan.

Settings — where your profile, appearance, workflow, and branding live after setup.
Plans — the trial and what's included (custom branding, WraptorMail, and your shop website are all included in the $79/mo Wraptor plan from day one).
Jobs — the shop type you pick on the checklist becomes your job-board workflow.
Inventory — where the materials you add live.
Inbox — set up WraptorMail once you're on a paid plan.
Team — invite the rest of your staff.
My Jobs · Installers — where independent-installer accounts land instead.
Workflow map · Personas