Welcome to Aplauso! 🎉 After you create your account and sign in for the first time, you are guided through a quick onboarding wizard that gets you ready to start receiving tips. The whole process takes about 5 minutes - and by the end, your personal tip link is live, with a QR and printable options ready to use.

Before You Start

You reach the onboarding wizard after:

  • Signing up at auth.aplauso.io (via phone OTP, email, or Google)
  • Completing the initial sign-up form (first name, last name, country)
  • Entering an invite code from your employer (if you have one)

Once those steps are done, you are redirected to my.aplauso.io/onboarding where the wizard begins.

Step 1 - Your Profile ✨

The first step is all about making a great first impression. You will set:

  • Display name (required) - The name guests see when they scan your QR code or visit your tipping page. Pick something memorable and professional, like "Sarah C." or "Marco R."
  • Bio (optional) - A short intro that appears on your tipping page. Something fun works great: "Your friendly bartender at The Grand. Making drinks and making nights."
  • Email address - Used for payout receipts and account recovery. Pre-filled from your sign-up if available.

Click Let's go! to continue.

Pro tip: You can always update your display name and bio later from Settings on your dashboard.

Step 2 - Guest Prompt 🎯

Next, you pick the rating question that guests see when they scan your QR code. This is the prompt that encourages guests to leave a star rating alongside their tip.

You will:

  1. Select a category that fits your role (e.g. "Individual - Hospitality", "Valet", "Spa & Wellness")
  2. Choose a prompt from the list of options in that category

Examples:

  • "How's my service?"
  • "How was your stay?"
  • "Did I make your visit special?"
  • "How's your experience?"

A live preview shows exactly what guests will see - your name and the selected prompt with the star rating icons.

Click Looks great! to continue.

Step 3 - Get Paid (Optional) 💰

This step connects your bank account so payouts can be sent directly to you. Aplauso uses Stripe Connect - trusted by millions of businesses worldwide - to handle payouts securely.

At the top of this step, you can choose Live or Training:

  • Live connects your real Stripe payout account and is used for real guest payments.
  • Training opens Stripe test onboarding so you can practice safely. No real cards are charged and no real money moves.

Click Connect my bank account to be redirected to Stripe's secure onboarding flow. You will need:

  • Full legal name
  • Date of birth
  • Last 4 digits of SSN (or government ID for non-US)
  • Bank account and routing number

The process takes about 5 minutes. Once complete, you are automatically returned to the onboarding wizard.

Key benefits shown on this step:

  • ✅ Direct deposits straight to your bank
  • ✅ Bank-level security & encryption
  • ✅ Withdraw anytime - no minimums, no waiting

Prefer to do this later? Click "I'll do this later" to skip ahead. You can connect Stripe anytime from Settings > Payment on your dashboard. Your live tip link, QR, sign mode, and printables still work before payouts are connected.

Step 4 - Your Page Is Live 🚀🎉

This is the celebration step. Your personal tipping page is already live, and this screen surfaces the fastest ways to share it.

Your accomplishment progress now follows this same activation path, so the first thing you see is momentum toward sharing and earning rather than a payout requirement.

On this screen, you will see:

  • Your live tip link - ready to copy and share
  • Your personal QR code - ready to scan and tied to that same live page
  • Your display name and rating prompt displayed above the code
  • Your short code (if assigned) - a memorable code guests can use
  • Access to printables rendered from that live link

Pro Tips to Start Earning

  • 📱 Open Sign Mode or screenshot your QR code for instant access
  • 🏷️ Print small cards for tables, name tags, or check presenters
  • 📤 Share your link on social media - friends and family can tip too!
  • ⭐ Ask guests to leave a quick rating - great reviews boost your profile

Click Let's go! 🎉 to complete onboarding and enter your dashboard.

What Happens After Onboarding

Once you click the finish button:

  • Your onboarding status is marked as complete
  • You are automatically enrolled in a welcome email series with tips for getting the most out of Aplauso
  • You are redirected to your personal dashboard at my.aplauso.io
  • Your live tip link is ready immediately, with QR, sign mode, and printable options available from the same link
  • If payouts are not connected yet, tips can still accumulate while you finish Stripe setup later
  • Your accomplishments reflect activation progress first, and payout setup appears as a follow-up accomplishment instead of the thing that defines whether onboarding worked

Can I Change Settings After Onboarding?

Absolutely! Everything you set during onboarding can be updated at any time:

SettingWhere to Change It
Display name & bioSettings → Profile on your dashboard, or in the mobile app
Rating promptSettings → Profile → Rating Prompt
Stripe / payout detailsSettings → Payouts → Open Stripe Dashboard
QR code & tipping linkQR Templates in the sidebar (dashboard) or QR tab (mobile app)
Email addressSettings → Profile

Troubleshooting

ProblemFix
"Save" button is disabledMake sure your display name is filled in (it's required)
Stripe redirect failsTry again - if the issue persists, skip the step and connect Stripe from Settings → Payouts
QR code not showingYour employee profile may still be setting up. Wait a moment and refresh the page
Onboarding keeps restartingClear your browser cache and sign in again. If the issue persists, contact support
Didn't receive welcome emailCheck your spam folder. Ensure the email address in Step 1 is correct

Next Steps