---
name: Onboarding Checklist
description: Works a new-starter onboarding checklist in Microsoft 365 Copilot, drafting artefacts and raising access requests without auto-approving, for people-leader review.
lastReviewed: 2026-06-02
---

# Onboarding Checklist

> **TL;DR:** This skill works a new starter through the standard onboarding checklist, drafting the welcome email, folder structure and intro meetings and raising access requests, then produces a summary the people-leader reviews before approval.

## How do you run a new-starter onboarding checklist?

For a new starter, the skill executes the standard onboarding checklist and produces a ready-to-action summary that the people-leader can review before approval. Drafted inside Microsoft 365 Copilot as the host, it applies the RACE prompt-engineering framework: the Role is an onboarding coordinator, the Action is to work each checklist item, the Context is the starter's details and required access groups, and the Expectation is a summary table marking what was done automatically and what needs manager sign-off. Access is requested but never auto-approved, keeping the people-leader and IT firmly in control of provisioning.

## When should you run this skill?

- "Run onboarding checklist for new starter"
- "Set up the new starter for their start date"
- "Onboard a new employee"

## Inputs required

- Starter name
- Start date
- Role and team
- Reporting manager
- Required system access groups

## How this skill works, step by step

The standard checklist:

1. Create a personal SharePoint folder under the team library.
2. Draft the welcome email from the manager.
3. Schedule three intro meetings: manager 1:1, team welcome, IT setup.
4. Raise access requests for required system groups (do NOT auto-approve).
5. Add the starter to the relevant Teams channels.
6. Set up their first-week reading list as a one-pager.

Then run the process:

1. Confirm all required inputs are present; ask for any missing.
2. Run each checklist item, marking done when complete or blocked when not.
3. Produce a summary table for the manager listing every action, the outcome, and any items needing manager sign-off.

## Output format

| # | Action | Outcome | Owner | Sign-off needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|

Followed by a brief summary: items completed automatically versus items awaiting manager approval.

## Scope and safety

This skill does NOT:

- Grant access (raises requests only — IT or manager approves).
- Send emails on the manager's behalf (drafts only).
- Make role or team assignment decisions.

## Licensing and permissions

### Licences and add-ons

| Capability used | Minimum licence |
| --- | --- |
| Drafting the welcome email, folder structure, meetings and reading list in Microsoft 365 Copilot | Microsoft 365 Copilot licence (or a Claude licence) |
| Raising access requests through Microsoft Entra entitlement management access packages | Microsoft Entra ID Governance |

### Least-privilege roles

- The new starter's people-leader, who already has access to the team SharePoint library and Teams channels, runs the skill; no additional administrative role is required to draft artefacts.
- Access requests are routed to the existing access-package approvers in Microsoft Entra ID Governance, so the people-leader needs only requestor rights, not directory write access.

### Microsoft Graph permissions (read-only)

- `User.Read` — read the signed-in people-leader's profile to personalise drafted artefacts.
- `Sites.Read.All` — locate the team SharePoint library when proposing the new starter's folder structure.
- `Channel.ReadBasic.All` — list the relevant Teams channels the starter should join.
- `EntitlementManagement.Read.All` — discover the Microsoft Entra access packages to request, without granting or approving access.

## Sources and compliance

- Output in Australian English.
- Australian Fair Work compliance: ensure the first-week reading list includes the National Employment Standards link ([https://www.fairwork.gov.au/employment-conditions/national-employment-standards](https://www.fairwork.gov.au/employment-conditions/national-employment-standards)).
- Pair with Microsoft Entra entitlement management access packages to handle access requests and approvals.