> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.doozy.live/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Preboarding: Welcome new hires before their first day

> Reach new hires by personal email before their first day, then hand them off to Slack onboarding automatically when they start.

**Preboarding** lets you start welcoming a new hire before their first day, when they
don't yet have a work account or Slack access. Doozy reaches them at their personal email,
so paperwork reminders, a warm welcome, and a heads-up on what to expect can land in
the weeks before they start. On their first day they move into your normal Slack onboarding
automatically, with no manual handoff.

<Note>
  Preboarding isn't available by default. Once it's enabled and you've completed the
  [setup below](#what-you-need-to-turn-it-on), a **Preboarding** area appears in your
  Workspace Settings, and you can **add a day before their first day** when you build a
  track. If your workspace doesn't have preboarding yet, contact
  [support@doozy.live](mailto:support@doozy.live) to get it turned on.
</Note>

## How preboarding works

A **preboarder** is a new hire who's set up in Doozy before their first day. They can't
sign in or use Doozy yet, and they're not in your Slack workspace. The only way to
reach them is their **personal email**, so everything you send before they start goes
there.

The handoff to their first day happens on its own:

| Stage                      | What happens                                                                                                                                            |
| -------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Before their first day** | The person is a preboarder. Doozy sends pre-start content to their personal email.                                                                      |
| **On their first day**     | Once they have a work email, Doozy automatically makes them a regular member. They move into your usual Slack onboarding, just like any other new hire. |

## How preboarders are added

There are two ways someone becomes a preboarder:

* **From your HRIS.** Once preboarding is on for your account, a new hire synced from
  your HRIS with a future start date is brought in as a preboarder automatically. This
  works the same for any connected HRIS.
* **Added by hand.** Owners can add a preboarder directly, filling in their name,
  personal email, and first day. Use this for a hire who isn't coming through your
  HRIS.

To receive pre-start emails, a preboarder needs a personal email on file. If one is
missing, Doozy flags it for you (see [Preboarders that need your
attention](#preboarders-that-need-your-attention)).

## What you need to turn it on

Doozy turns preboarding on for your account. On your side, two things need to be in
place before pre-start content can send:

* A [connected HRIS](/integrations/how-to-connect-my-hris), so start dates are
  accurate and new hires can be brought in ahead of their first day.
* **Email delivery** enabled, so Doozy can send pre-start content.

## Preboarding in tracks

Preboarding uses the tracks you already know. There's no separate preboarding trigger:
a preboarding track is a normal [first day](/tracks/triggers/first-day) track with
steps scheduled **before** the first day. When you build the track, you add a day
before their first day and put your pre-start steps there.

Because a preboarder isn't in Slack yet, those before-first-day steps go to their
**personal email**. The rest of the track (everything from their first day on) runs in
Slack as usual.

## Preboarding in cohorts

Preboarders can be part of a [cohort](/cohorts/overview), the same as anyone else who
starts around the same time. They receive their pre-start content by email, then join
the cohort's Slack channel and group onboarding on their first day.

## Preboarders that need your attention

Doozy flags any preboarder it can't move forward on its own. Two cases:

* **No personal email.** A preboarder with no personal email can't receive pre-start
  content. Their steps wait, and Doozy flags them so you can add an address.
* **Started, not yet in Slack.** If someone's start date passes but no work email has
  come through, Doozy flags them so you can enter their work email and move them into
  Slack onboarding.

## Related

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="First day trigger" icon="user-check" href="/tracks/triggers/first-day">
    The trigger preboarding tracks are built on
  </Card>

  <Card title="Cohorts" icon="users" href="/cohorts/overview">
    Onboard people who start together as a group
  </Card>

  <Card title="Connect your HRIS" icon="link" href="/integrations/how-to-connect-my-hris">
    Keep start dates accurate for new hires
  </Card>
</CardGroup>