Introduction
When you add contractors in Plane, the experience you and your team see depends on which onboarding flow your workspace is using. Some customers are still on our original Version 1, while many others are already using the newer Version 2.
If your team is currently on Version 1 and you need to add U.S. employees, you’ll be upgraded to Version 2. That’s because U.S. employee onboarding is only available in Version 2. It is important for you to understand the differences between the versions.
Summary
Version 1 offers a simple three-step flow where contractors gain access to all features available features when completing the three-step process. Compliance forms and contract tasks are completed outside of this process, which can result in delays.
Version 2 introduces a structured onboarding project where all selected tasks — including contracts and compliance — must be completed before contractors gain full access. This ensures better compliance, centralizes the experience, and provides clearer progress tracking
Walk throughs
Version 1: Admin view
Step | Description |
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Version 1: Contractor view
Step | Description |
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Contractor receives email invite, creates password, and starts Step 1 where personal information is requested. |
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Step 2: Contractor can optionally enter business information |
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Contractor gains immediate access to the Plane app. Compliance forms and contract signing appear as tasks, but the contractor can already request payments. |
Version 2: Admin view
Step | Description |
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Admin starts from the Team page, choosing Add Team Member. |
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Enter basic details, choose employment type (Employee or Contractor), and select contract/payroll options. |
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A structured onboarding project is created, with progress stages (Created → Invited → Onboarding → Completed). |
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Admin can complete tasks directly or delegate them to the contractor. Delegation triggers the invitation to the contractor. |
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Some admins tasks are dependent on contractors tasks, such as the Review and Approve task. |
| Once all tasks are completed, the onboarding history is archived. |
Version 2: Contractor view
Step | Description |
 | Contractor receives invite, sets password, and enters onboarding to provide personal and address information. |
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In this example, the admin delegated compliance, business information, and payment information tasks to the contractor (which is the typical flow). |
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In this example, a Plane provided contractor was selected. The contractor's onboarding is paused while the contract is being prepared. |
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Contractor gains access to the full Plane app after completing all onboarding tasks. |
Closing summary
In short, Version 1 is simpler and gets contractors into the app quickly, but compliance and contracts can take longer. Version 2 is more structured: all tasks are part of onboarding, contractors must finish them before using the app, and admins have more flexibility to complete tasks directly vs. delegating. While Version 2 involves more steps, it ensures compliance and clarity for everyone. And this isn’t the final stop—Version 3 is coming soon, with further improvements to make onboarding even smoother.