Rolling out 15Five successfully involves two stages: implementation and launch. This guide walks you through both—now aligned with the in-app Getting Started onboarding experience to help you move confidently from setup to adoption.
Use this article to understand the why and how behind each step. Use the in-app checklist for hands-on setup and progress tracking.
Access and availability
⛔️ Required access to the Getting Started tab.
👥 This article is relevant to Account and HR Admin roles.
📦 The Getting Started tab is available in the Perform and Total Platform pricing packages.
Access the in-app Getting Started onboarding experience
Admins can follow a step-by-step onboarding guide directly inside 15Five.
To access it:
Go to the left-hand navigation → Getting Started:
If you do not see it, please Contact Us.
From there, you can:
Add people data
Configure company settings
Set up Engagement and Performance Review cycles
Enable tools for managers
Send invitations and launch to your organization
Explore your Outcomes Dashboard
This article works alongside the in-app Getting Started guide and walks you through the context, best practices, and rollout steps to launch 15Five with clarity and confidence.
Implement 15Five
Step 1: Add your people data
Accurate and complete employee data ensures everything in 15Five—from reviews to engagement insights—works correctly.
What to do
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Decide how you’ll add people data:
Recommended: HRIS Connector (e.g., BambooHR, Rippling, Justworks, ADP). The HRIS Connector keeps your data synced automatically, reducing manual updates.
Alternative: CSV import
Map key fields (name, email, manager, hire date, role)
Assign groups (department, location, team)
Add attributes like demographic or role data for richer reporting
Review permissions so managers and admins have the right access
Step 2: Configure company settings
Set your organization details, notifications, and login preferences to build a consistent experience for your team.
What to do
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See our Company Settings guide for how to manage all things Company Settings. To navigate to your Company Settings, click the gear icon:
Then the Company Settings option:
Here, you'll want to review:Display name
Industry
Location
Logo
Primary contacts
Adjust notification settings to fit your communication style
(Optional) Set up Single Sign-On (SSO) for simple, secure login
Step 3: Schedule your first engagement campaign
Engagement surveys help you understand how your people are doing and identify where to focus your strategy.
What to do
See our Quick Launch Guide for Creating an Engagement Campaign article for a step-by-step guide to launching your first campaign.
You can find all things related to Engagement Campaigns here.
Step 4: Schedule your first performance review cycle
Performance reviews create structure, fairness, and alignment across your organization. You can find our full list of helpful guides to help launch your first performance review here.
What to do
Set up your templates:
- Configure question templates by using 15Five’s defaults, cloning and editing an existing template, or creating one from scratch.
- Create your Performance Ratings+ formula and rubric to determine how scores and designations are calculated.
Create your review cycle:
- Choose review types (self, manager, peer, and/or upward) to ensure well-rounded feedback.
- Define review dates and milestones to set clear timelines for feedback and results.
- Select your participants and confirm who will be reviewed.
- Enable or adjust performance ratings to capture measurable outcomes.
Review and confirm your settings to finalize your first cycle.
Step 5: Configure manager tools
The tools you enable here help managers build habits that support performance and engagement.
What to do
- Explore and learn more about Check-ins, 1-on-1s, Objectives, High Fives, and Feedback.
- Turn on and customize each feature based on your organization’s needs:
- Check-ins help managers and employees stay aligned on priorities and progress.
- 1-on-1s make regular conversations simple to schedule and document.
- Objectives keep teams focused on shared goals.
- High Fives celebrate wins and encourage recognition.
- Feedback enables quick coaching and real-time support.
- Set expectations for managers to use these tools consistently to build habits that improve communication and performance.
Step 6: Send invitations and launch 15Five
You’re now ready to bring employees into 15Five. Before you send invitations, make sure employees and managers understand what’s coming and how to get started.
Prepare your rollout communications
Clear communication helps people understand why you’re using 15Five, how it supports them, and what they need to do next.
What to communicate:
Your “why” for adopting 15Five
Which features are launching first
Activation instructions
Expectations for employees and managers
Where to go with questions
Recommended communication flow:
Executive announcement – shares the purpose and vision
Manager announcement – explains what changes day-to-day
HR/Admin announcement – provides training and activation details
For full templates, timelines, and examples, see:
👉 Communicate 15Five to Your Team
Send invitations
Review your people data and permissions one last time
Share onboarding resources
To help people get comfortable quickly, share the Getting Started guide for employees and video resources to employees and managers.
Step 7: Explore your Outcomes Dashboard
Your Outcomes Dashboard brings engagement, performance, and manager effectiveness together in one place.
What to do
Go to Outcomes Dashboard from the main navigation
Explore insights across Engagement, Performance, and Turnover
Build action plans based on trends
Review data regularly to measure impact over time
FAQs
Q: Need extra assistance launching 15Five?
A: Please Contact Us.
Q: Why is the Getting Started page greyed out or not visible at all?
A: Only active admin accounts are able to access the Getting Started page. Additionally, the Getting Started tab will only appear on the left-hand side panel for the first 90 days. After that time, it will no longer appear, but you will still have access to the direct link: https://my.15five.com/resource-hub/onboarding/. If you believe you should have access but don't, please Contact Us.