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When you add a worker to Plane, the platform creates an onboarding process tailored to that person’s worker type and country. Onboarding organizes everything that needs to happen before someone is fully active—tasks for you, tasks for the worker, and any compliance steps that depend on their location. The goal is to get people set up quickly without missing anything important. Admin and worker tasks run in parallel, the worker is invited immediately, and you can track what is still outstanding at any time.

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What happens when you add a worker

When you click Add worker and provide the basic details (name, email, type, country), Plane does several things at once:
  1. Creates the worker record with their employment type and location
  2. Generates an onboarding project with checklists and tasks specific to the worker type
  3. Sends an invitation email so the worker can sign up and start completing their tasks
  4. Assigns tasks to you (the admin) and the worker based on who is responsible for each step
You can start completing your admin tasks immediately. You do not need to wait for the worker to accept their invitation.

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Onboarding by worker type

The onboarding experience differs based on the worker type. Each type has its own set of checklists and tasks, organized by what needs to happen and who is responsible.

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Contractors

Contractor onboarding balances admin setup with worker self-service. The process is organized into three areas: Admin tasks (your responsibility):
  • Set the worker’s role and job title
  • Set compensation (amount, currency, and pay unit)
  • Set a start date
  • Optionally add the contractor to a recurring pay schedule
  • Optionally create and send a contractor agreement
Worker tasks (the contractor completes these):
  • Sign up for Plane (accept the invitation)
  • Provide personal details (name, date of birth, nationality)
  • Enter administrative details (tax residency, government ID)
  • Add their address
  • Set up a bank account for payments
  • Sign their tax form (W-9 or W-8BEN)
The tax form step depends on the contractor completing their personal details, administrative details, and address first. Plane enforces this order automatically.

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W-2 employees (US)

W-2 employee onboarding includes everything needed for US payroll compliance. It is the most comprehensive onboarding flow. Admin tasks:
  • Set role and job title
  • Set compensation and select a pay schedule
  • Set a start date
  • Review tax registration requirements for the employee’s work state
Worker tasks:
  • Sign up for Plane
  • Provide personal details
  • Enter administrative details (SSN, residency)
  • Add their address
  • Set up a bank account
  • Complete federal and state withholding forms (W-4)
  • Choose tax form delivery preference (electronic or paper)
W-2 onboarding also includes a behind-the-scenes compliance check that verifies the worker’s state is registered with your payroll provider. If registration is needed, Plane surfaces this as a task for you.

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EOR employees (international)

Employer of record onboarding adds contract review and approval steps on top of the standard employee flow. Because Plane acts as the legal employer, the employment contract goes through a multi-step process. Admin tasks:
  • Set role, compensation, and start date
  • Decide on optional benefits: background check, immigration support, supplemental health, and additional incentives
  • Review and approve compensation details including employer taxes
  • Authorize any security deposit
  • Review and approve the employment contract
Worker tasks:
  • Sign up for Plane
  • Provide personal details and administrative details
  • Add their address and bank account
  • Add an emergency contact
  • Review and sign the employment contract
The employment contract follows a structured flow: Plane prepares a draft, you (the admin) approve it, the worker reviews it, Plane sends it for signature, and the worker signs. Each step must complete before the next one begins.

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Vendors

Vendor onboarding is the most streamlined. There are no admin tasks—the vendor handles everything themselves after receiving the invitation. Vendor tasks:
  • Sign up for Plane
  • Enter administrative details (business tax information)
  • Provide business details
  • Add a business address
  • Set up a bank account
  • Sign a tax form (W-9 or W-8BEN)
This makes vendors the fastest to onboard. Once you add them, they handle the rest.

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Admin tasks vs worker tasks

Plane uses a parallel execution model for onboarding. Admin tasks and worker tasks are independent by default—you can complete your setup without waiting for the worker, and vice versa. This reduces idle time and gets people active faster. Some tasks do have dependencies. For example, a contractor’s tax form step requires them to complete their personal details and address first. Plane manages these dependencies automatically and only unlocks tasks when their prerequisites are done. The distinction between admin and worker tasks matters:
  • Admin tasks are things you control: compensation, role, payroll configuration, agreement decisions
  • Worker tasks are things only the worker can do: providing personal information, signing tax forms, adding bank details
Plane preserves this boundary. Workers must personally attest to their own information—an admin cannot complete a tax form or sign an agreement on a worker’s behalf.

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Tracking onboarding progress

You can see onboarding status in several places:
  • Workers list—filter by “Onboarding” to see everyone still in progress
  • Worker profile—shows the onboarding project with all checklists and task status
  • Onboarding project—the full view of every task, who it is assigned to, and whether it is complete
Each task shows its current state: open, in progress, or completed. You can see at a glance what the worker still needs to do and what is blocking progress.

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What the worker sees

When a worker receives their invitation email and signs up for Plane, they land on their own onboarding view. This shows only their tasks—a focused checklist of what they need to complete. Workers see:
  • A clear list of tasks they need to finish
  • Guided forms for each step (personal details, tax forms, bank account)
  • Status indicators showing what is done and what is next
Workers do not see admin tasks or internal process details. The experience is kept focused and guided so they can get through onboarding without confusion.
If a worker has not accepted their invitation, you can resend it from their profile at any time. There is no limit on resending invitations.

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Common onboarding scenarios

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Adding a contractor in a new country

When you add a contractor in a country where you have not operated before, the onboarding flow remains the same. Plane adjusts the tax form requirements based on the contractor’s country—US-based contractors get a W-9, while international contractors get a W-8BEN. No additional setup is needed on your end.

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Onboarding an employee through EOR

If you do not have a legal entity in the worker’s country, choose the EOR (employer of record) option when adding an employee. Plane handles the local employment relationship. The onboarding flow includes additional steps for contract preparation, review, and signature, but the process is guided—you will see exactly what needs to happen at each step.

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Re-sending an invitation

If a worker’s invitation email was lost or expired, go to their profile and click to resend the invitation. The worker will receive a new email and can pick up onboarding where they left off.
It depends on the worker type and how quickly both sides complete their tasks. Contractor and vendor onboarding can be done in minutes if everyone acts quickly. Employee onboarding (especially EOR) may take longer due to contract review and compliance steps. Plane runs tasks in parallel to minimize wait time.
No. Plane sends the invitation as soon as you add the worker. This is intentional—it allows the worker to start completing their tasks immediately, which reduces overall onboarding time.
Incomplete onboarding tasks remain open. The worker will not be fully active until all required tasks are done. You can see what is outstanding from the worker’s profile and follow up as needed.
Yes. If you need to remove a worker before onboarding completes, you can archive their profile. This cancels any pending onboarding tasks and removes the worker from active lists. See Offboarding for details.