Brand Onboarding Flow

This guide outlines the complete process of onboarding a new brand to the Batch platform, from initial creation to production launch.

Overview

When a Super Admin creates a new brand, a comprehensive checklist is generated based on the brand's preferences and active collaboration items with Batch. This ensures a smooth onboarding experience and clear timeline expectations.

Onboarding Timeline

Phase 1: Brand Creation & Initial Setup

1.1 Super Admin Creates Brand

Who: Super Admin Where: Admin Portal > Brands > Create New Brand

Steps:

1. Navigate to Brands section in admin portal

2. Click Create New Brand

3. Fill in basic information:

   • Brand Name
   • Brand Slug (URL-friendly identifier)
   • Contact Email
   • Primary Contact Person
   • Industry (Cannabis, Beverage, etc.)

4. Select active modules:

   • ✅ Loyalty Program
   • ✅ E-commerce
   • ✅ Product Authentication (QR Codes)
   • ✅ Order Management
   • ✅ Analytics & Reporting

5. Set brand preferences:

   • White-label requirements
   • Custom domain needs
   • Integration requirements (POS, Payment Gateway, etc.)

1.2 Automated Checklist Generation

Once the brand is created, the system automatically generates a checklist:

## Brand Onboarding Checklist: [Brand Name]

### Discovery & Requirements
- [ ] Initial consultation completed
- [ ] Figma designs received and reviewed
- [ ] Feature requirements documented
- [ ] Integration needs identified
- [ ] Timeline and milestones agreed upon

### Design & Branding
- [ ] Brand logo and assets uploaded
- [ ] Color scheme defined
- [ ] Custom domain configured (if applicable)
- [ ] Email templates customized
- [ ] Mobile app assets prepared (if applicable)

### Technical Setup
- [ ] Development environment created
- [ ] Staging environment created
- [ ] Production environment prepared
- [ ] Database initialized
- [ ] API keys generated

### Integrations
- [ ] POS system connected (specify: Blaze/Dutchie/Meadow/etc.)
- [ ] Payment gateway configured (Stripe/Square/etc.)
- [ ] Email service connected (SendGrid/Mailgun)
- [ ] SMS service configured (Twilio)
- [ ] Analytics tracking setup (GA4)
- [ ] EventBridge webhooks configured

### Content & Data
- [ ] Product catalog imported
- [ ] Categories and attributes defined
- [ ] Initial inventory loaded
- [ ] User roles and permissions configured
- [ ] Loyalty tiers created
- [ ] Initial campaigns designed

### Testing & QA
- [ ] Demo environment available
- [ ] Internal team testing completed
- [ ] Brand manager review completed
- [ ] UAT (User Acceptance Testing) passed
- [ ] Performance testing completed
- [ ] Security audit completed

### Launch Preparation
- [ ] Production data migrated
- [ ] DNS records configured
- [ ] SSL certificates installed
- [ ] Monitoring and alerts setup
- [ ] Support documentation provided
- [ ] Training sessions completed

### Go Live
- [ ] Production launch completed
- [ ] Post-launch monitoring active
- [ ] Support team briefed
- [ ] Marketing materials prepared

Phase 2: Requirements & Design Review

2.1 Figma Design Review

The development team reviews Figma designs to identify:

1. Standard Components: Features that already exist in the platform
2. Customizations: Brand-specific modifications needed
3. New Features: Entirely new functionality requiring development
4. Integration Points: Where third-party services connect

Considerations for Estimation:

• Complexity of custom UI components
• Number of unique page layouts
• Mobile responsiveness requirements
• Animation and interaction needs
• Accessibility requirements

2.2 Feature Request Documentation

For each new feature or customization:

• Description: What the feature does
• User Stories: Who needs it and why
• Acceptance Criteria: How to verify it works
• Dependencies: What else needs to be built first
• Estimated Effort: Development time (hours/days)

2.3 Estimate Delivery

After reviewing all requirements:

1. Development team provides effort estimates
2. Project manager creates timeline
3. Stakeholders review and approve
4. Checklist is updated with specific dates

Phase 3: Development

3.1 Environment Setup

Development Environment:

• URL: dev-[brandname].batchsys.com
• Purpose: Active development and testing
• Data: Seed data and test records

Staging Environment:

• URL: staging-[brandname].batchsys.com
• Purpose: Brand review and UAT
• Data: Copy of production data (sanitized)

Production Environment:

• URL: [brandname].com or custom domain
• Purpose: Live customer-facing site
• Data: Real customer and product data

3.2 Core Features Development

Developer works on:

1. Storefront Customization

   • Brand theme implementation
   • Custom layouts and components
   • Navigation and menu structure

2. Product Catalog

   • Category structure
   • Product attributes
   • Variant configurations

3. Loyalty Program

   • Tier definitions
   • Point rules
   • Campaign structures

4. Integrations

   • POS system connection
   • Payment processing
   • Shipping and delivery

3.3 Parallel Development

While developer works on new projects, the brand manager can:

• Review deployed features in staging
• Test functionality
• Provide feedback
• Prepare content (product descriptions, images, etc.)

Phase 4: Review & Testing

4.1 Demo Environment Deployment

When core features are ready:

1. Deploy to staging environment
2. Notify brand managers
3. Provide demo credentials
4. Share test scenarios

Demo Website Access:

URL: https://staging-[brandname].batchsys.com
Admin: https://staging-[brandname].batchsys.com/admin
Credentials: (sent via secure channel)

TestFlight (Mobile App - if applicable):

TestFlight Invite Link: (sent via email)
App Version: v1.0.0-beta
Test Period: 14 days

4.2 Internal Team Review

Batch Internal Team tests:

• Core functionality
• Integration points
• Performance
• Security
• Browser compatibility

Feedback Loop:

1. Issues logged in project management tool
2. Prioritized by severity (Critical/High/Medium/Low)
3. Developer addresses in order of priority
4. Fixes deployed to staging
5. Re-test and verify

4.3 Brand Manager Review

Brand Managers verify:

• Brand consistency (colors, fonts, logos)
• Content accuracy
• User experience flows
• Business logic (pricing, discounts, loyalty rules)
• Mobile responsiveness

Sign-off Checklist:

• [ ] Storefront matches design specifications
• [ ] Products display correctly
• [ ] Checkout process works smoothly
• [ ] Loyalty program functions as expected
• [ ] Email notifications are branded correctly
• [ ] Admin portal is accessible and functional

4.4 Simultaneous Work

✅ Best Practice: While brand review happens, developer can work on other new brand projects, ensuring efficient resource utilization.

Phase 5: Production Launch

5.1 Pre-Launch Checklist

One week before launch:

• [ ] All critical bugs resolved
• [ ] Performance testing passed
• [ ] Security audit completed
• [ ] Backup and recovery tested
• [ ] Monitoring and alerts configured
• [ ] Support team trained
• [ ] Customer communication prepared

5.2 Data Migration

If migrating from existing system:

1. Export data from old system
2. Transform to Batch format
3. Import to staging for validation
4. Verify data integrity
5. Import to production

5.3 Go Live

Launch Day:

1. Final staging verification
2. DNS cutover (if custom domain)
3. Deploy to production
4. Smoke tests on production
5. Monitor for 24 hours
6. Announce launch to customers

5.4 Post-Launch Support

First 2 Weeks:

• Daily monitoring of error logs
• Quick response to customer issues
• Performance optimization
• Minor adjustments based on feedback

Key Roles & Responsibilities

Role	Responsibilities
Super Admin	Create brand, configure high-level settings, manage access
Brand Manager	Review designs, test features, approve for launch, manage content
Developer	Build features, fix bugs, deploy to environments, integrate services
Project Manager	Track timeline, manage checklist, coordinate stakeholders
QA Team	Test functionality, verify integrations, ensure quality
Support Team	Handle customer inquiries, document issues, escalate bugs

Best Practices

For Brand Managers

1. Provide Comprehensive Requirements Early

   • Share complete Figma designs
   • Document all feature needs
   • Identify integrations upfront

2. Test Thoroughly in Staging

   • Create realistic test scenarios
   • Test on multiple devices
   • Verify all user journeys

3. Communicate Feedback Clearly

   • Use screenshots and screen recordings
   • Prioritize issues by impact
   • Be specific about desired changes

For Developers

1. Ask Questions Early

   • Clarify ambiguous requirements
   • Validate assumptions with stakeholders
   • Document decisions

2. Deploy Frequently to Staging

   • Allow continuous review
   • Catch issues early
   • Gather feedback incrementally

3. Maintain Clean Code

   • Follow coding standards
   • Document complex logic
   • Write tests for critical features

Common Issues & Solutions

Issue: Requirements Change During Development

Solution:

• Document all changes in writing
• Assess impact on timeline and scope
• Get stakeholder approval before proceeding
• Update checklist and estimates

Issue: Integration Testing Takes Longer Than Expected

Solution:

• Start integration work early
• Use sandbox/test environments
• Have fallback options ready
• Allocate buffer time in estimates

Issue: Brand Manager Unavailable for Review

Solution:

• Schedule review windows in advance
• Set clear deadlines in checklist
• Have secondary reviewer identified
• Document feedback process

Next Steps

After onboarding is complete:

1. Training: Ensure brand managers know how to use the admin portal
2. Documentation: Provide brand-specific guides and FAQs
3. Support: Establish support channels (email, chat, phone)
4. Optimization: Monitor performance and gather user feedback
5. Growth: Plan for new features and enhancements

Related Guides

• User Roles & Permissions
• Product Management
• Loyalty Program Setup