Getting Started

We are so excited that you have just purchased Pulse for your organization. It is time to set up your account and get everyone logged in and using the tool. Our step-by-step guide will help you get started.

Welcome to Pulse

Step 1 : Build Custom Reflections

Reflections are the foundation of Pulse. How you structure your questions is an important part of getting meaningful insights. The following PDF and video can help spur your imagination towards building meaningful reflections. If you need additional assistance, please reach out to our team to schedule a call.

Step 2 : Add Users to Your Account

You want to wait to add users into the system until you have added the core reflections into your system. This way, when they log in, they will have all the tools set up and be ready to implement the processes.

Understanding User Roles

Every Pulse account allows your organization to add different users. Use the list below to determine which level of access you need for different people.

  • Manager - This role has total access to your account. They can perform all administrative functions on behalf of your organization.
  • Mentor - This role can add mentees to their accounts, complete reflections, and view reports. They can complete self-reflection and reflection on others in the organization.
  • Reflection Writer - This role can only create and edit reflections for your organization.
  • Report Writer - This role can only create and edit reports for your organization.
  • Mentee - This person (or group) does not have login access to the account. This would be an individual or group whose development in key areas you are attempting to monitor.

Example (Business) : All staff may be added as mentors to cultivate 360-degree reflective practice across your organization. Managers may be added as an "assigned mentor" to staff members.

Example (Nonprofit) :
All staff may be added as mentors while constituents are added as mentees. Frequent reflections on constituents provide the organization with actionable insights to resource their clients more accurately.

Step 3 : Set Up Campaigns

You can send reflections and reports to a mass list of email addresses using our Campaigns feature. You need to have a SendGrid/Twilio account to get started. For most use cases, the free account will be sufficient.

1. Sign up With Sendgrid/Twilio

They are our preferred partners with the industry's best deliverability rates. Having your own account with them also keeps your cost with Pulse lower.

2. Create An API Key

Navigate to the settings tab > API Keys > "Create API" Key Button. SAVE THIS KEY somewhere secure. They will not show you it again, and it will be needed to integrate into our system.

3. Copy the API key into Pulse

In your Pulse account, go to the Settings menu then add the SendGrid API Key into the system.  

Step 4 : Onboard Users

Integrating new technology into your organization presents its challenges. Fostering buy-in through phased rollouts with pilot groups is crucial to facilitate a smoother adoption of Pulse. As your team members derive more value from the platform, the quality and depth of insights from their regular reflections will increase.

1. Start with Pilot Group

Identify a select group within your organization known for embracing innovation—your "early adopters." These individuals should be open to exploring new solutions, providing constructive feedback, and leading the way for broader adoption.

2. Establish consistent Rhythms

Your pilot group must find a sustainable rhythm for completing Pulse reflections. Overly frequent reflections might lead to fatigue, while sparse input could result in less comprehensive data. Striking the right balance is essential for extracting meaningful insights.

3. Initiate second pilot

Based on the initial group's experiences, invite a second cohort to start engaging with the platform. This phased approach allows you to refine the onboarding process and manage any queries or issues more effectively, ensuring a smoother transition for subsequent users.

4. Communicate Successes Organization-wide

After witnessing positive outcomes from your pilot groups, develop a strategy to share these insights across the entire organization. Highlight the tangible benefits experienced by the early users, such as real-time insights into their daily activities, and emphasize how this intelligence can guide strategic resource allocation.

Step 1 : Logging Into Pulse

Step 2 : Adding Mentees + Groups

Step 3 : Adding Reflections + Thoughts

Step 4 : Understanding Trend Lines