Starting a new job usually creates several administrative tasks before the first paycheck arrives.
A new employee may need to:
- Complete Form I-9
- Submit federal and state withholding information
- Add direct deposit
- Activate an isolved account
- Review company policies
- Enroll in benefits
- Complete electronic signatures
- Verify personal information
Employers using Paper Trails can handle many of these tasks through an isolved-powered electronic onboarding workflow.
Paper Trails describes its onboarding platform as a mobile-friendly system that allows new hires to complete forms, electronically sign documents, review company policies and move through automated onboarding tasks. The platform can also connect employee information directly with payroll, reducing duplicate data entry.
Paper Trails’ new-employee resources specifically reference electronic onboarding, Form I-9, federal and state W-4 forms, employee self-service and direct-deposit setup.
This guide explains how those pieces fit together and what new employees and managers should review before the first payroll.
What Is Paper Trails New-Hire Onboarding?
Paper Trails provides payroll and HR administration for client employers and uses isolved as the underlying platform for employee payroll, HR, timekeeping and benefits information.
For a new employee, the onboarding workflow can connect:
Employer hiring decision → Paper Trails/isolved employee record → onboarding forms → self-service activation → payroll setup → first paycheck
Paper Trails says its digital onboarding system includes:
- Task management
- Automated workflows
- Electronic signatures
- Compliance tracking
- Payroll-system integration
- Mobile-friendly document completion
The exact steps depend on what the employer has enabled.
Paper Trails Uses isolved for New Employees
Paper Trails’ help center describes isolved as the platform that stores employee payroll, HR, timekeeping and benefits records.
That means a newly hired employee may first hear the name Paper Trails from the employer but later receive:
- isolved activation email
- myisolved instructions
- People Cloud app instructions
- Paper Trails onboarding links
These are connected parts of the same employer payroll and HR setup.
Employee Information Needed for Setup
A new employee record may include:
- Legal name
- Home address
- Social Security number
- Date of birth
- Personal email
- Phone number
- Hire date
- Job title
- Department
- Pay rate
- Pay type
- Work location
- Tax elections
- Direct-deposit information
Employees should use their correct legal information for payroll and tax records.
A preferred name can sometimes be stored separately, but it should not replace legal identity information on forms that require a legal name.
Electronic Onboarding
Paper Trails encourages employers to use electronic onboarding instead of manually passing paper forms between managers and payroll.
Its onboarding platform allows new hires to complete forms and signatures from a phone, tablet or computer and can route tasks between the employee, manager and HR.
Possible onboarding tasks include:
- Employment forms
- Tax forms
- I-9
- Handbook acknowledgment
- Confidentiality agreement
- Direct-deposit setup
- Benefits enrollment
- Company-specific documents
Not every employee receives the same workflow.
Activation Email
Paper Trails says employees are automatically provided online access when their employer sets them up, and new employees receive an activation email for isolved self-service.
The employee generally uses that message to establish account access.
After activation, employees can use isolved People Cloud or myisolved for functions such as:
- Pay history
- W-2 forms
- Tax withholding
- Direct deposit
- Personal information
- PTO
- Timekeeping
- Benefits
depending on employer configuration.
Activation Email Did Not Arrive
Check:
- Spam
- Junk
- Promotions
- Work-email quarantine
- Personal email
- Employer-provided email address
Then ask the employer which email is stored in the employee record.
Common causes include:
- Typo in email
- Employee record not completed
- Self-service not enabled
- Invitation already expired
- Employer has not finished setup
Do not create several unrelated isolved accounts.
The employee needs access to the payroll record created by the employer.
What Is myisolved?
Paper Trails describes myisolved.com as the employee-facing self-service website.
Employees can use it for tasks including:
- Viewing pay stubs
- Updating direct deposit
- Requesting time off
- Enrolling in benefits
- Managing payroll information
Paper Trails also provides myhrstuff.com as an employee-facing access route in its own materials.
Employees should use a route supplied by Paper Trails or their employer rather than an unfamiliar login page.
isolved People Cloud Mobile App
Paper Trails also supports the isolved People Cloud mobile app.
The application can provide mobile access to available self-service features.
A new employee may use it for:
- Payroll records
- Direct deposit
- Time off
- Timekeeping
- HR information
- Benefits
Download the application from the official Apple App Store or Google Play listing rather than from an unofficial download site.
Form I-9
Paper Trails’ new-employee setup resources identify Form I-9 as part of the new-hire process and state that employers may use E-Verify in connection with electronic onboarding.
Form I-9 is used to document identity and authorization to work in the United States.
The employee completes the employee portion and presents acceptable documentation through the employer’s approved process.
Do not:
- Send identity documents to an unknown recruiter
- Upload them through an unrelated website
- Give another employee access to them
Use the employer’s verified onboarding process.
I-9 Documents
Employees generally choose from the acceptable document combinations permitted for Form I-9 rather than being required to produce one specific document solely because a manager prefers it.
The employer should follow the applicable I-9 process and current federal instructions.
Paper Trails’ system helps employers organize and track I-9 completion as part of electronic onboarding.
I-9 Is Still Incomplete
Possible reasons include:
- Employee section not submitted
- Documents not reviewed
- Manager step incomplete
- Verification deadline approaching
- Electronic signature missing
- Remote process still pending
Check the onboarding task list.
If the employee completed their portion but the task remains open, contact the employer.
Form W-4
Paper Trails says all new employees should complete federal and applicable state W-4 forms to indicate withholding preferences.
The IRS explains that Form W-4 tells the employer how to calculate federal income-tax withholding from the employee’s wages.
The current 2026 Form W-4 is available from the IRS.
The employee—not Paper Trails—determines the withholding elections.
W-4 Information
Form W-4 can include information about:
- Filing status
- Multiple jobs
- Dependents
- Other income
- Deductions
- Additional withholding
The employee should enter information based on their own circumstances.
Payroll then applies the submitted election.
Paper Trails does not need to know the employee’s tax-return password or banking login to process a W-4.
State W-4
Paper Trails specifically provides Maine withholding resources because many of its clients are located in Maine, while employers in other locations may use additional state forms as applicable.
Employees should confirm:
- Residence state
- Physical work state
- Applicable state form
This becomes especially important for remote employees.
Direct Deposit Setup
Paper Trails strongly encourages employee direct deposit and says employees can make banking changes themselves through the secure payroll system.
The basic information normally includes:
- Routing number
- Account number
- Account type
Paper Trails specifically says it no longer makes employee direct-deposit changes on employees’ behalf because of increased fraud risk.
Employees should therefore use authenticated self-service when available.
Never Send Bank Passwords
Direct-deposit setup does not require:
- Online-banking password
- Debit-card PIN
- Bank MFA code
- Full login session
Payroll needs deposit instructions, not access to the employee’s bank account.
A message asking for bank credentials in order to “activate payroll” should be treated cautiously.
Multiple Direct-Deposit Accounts
Paper Trails’ isolved setup supports multiple bank accounts and allows payroll to distribute a fixed amount, percentage or remaining net pay among them.
For example:
- $200 → savings
- Remaining net pay → checking
New employees should verify the configuration before the first payroll.
New Employee Does Not Have a Bank Account
The available payment alternatives depend on the employer.
Ask whether the employer supports:
- Paper check
- Another approved payroll method
Do not enter another person’s bank information without confirming that the employer’s policy and account-ownership rules permit it.
First Pay Date
New employees should confirm:
- Pay frequency
- Pay-period ending date
- First pay date
- Timecard cutoff
- Direct-deposit cutoff
Paper Trails notes that payroll submission deadlines matter. Its current client welcome materials give the example that payroll intended for a Friday pay date must be submitted by the applicable earlier cutoff or the payment may be pushed to the next business day.
The exact deadline for an employee’s company can differ.
Why the First Paycheck May Be Smaller
Possible reasons include:
- Employee started midperiod
- Fewer hours worked
- Benefit deductions started
- Tax withholding
- Retirement election
- Partial salary period
- Unpaid time before hire
Compare the first pay statement with:
- Start date
- Hours
- Pay rate
- deductions
- tax elections
Do not compare only the bank deposit with an expected gross amount.
First Paycheck Is Missing
Determine whether a pay stub exists.
Pay stub exists
Investigate:
- Direct deposit
- Bank account
- Paper check
- Payment destination
No pay stub
Investigate:
- Employee included in payroll
- Hire date
- Timecard
- Payroll setup
- Employee status
The employer is generally the best first contact for a missing first paycheck because it controls hiring data, time approval and payroll submission.
Wrong Pay Rate
New-hire pay-rate errors can come from:
- Incorrect offer information
- Hourly versus salary setup
- Typo
- Effective-date problem
- Department transfer
- Employer data-entry error
Report:
- Rate shown
- Rate expected
- Offer or compensation record
- Effective date
Do not try to correct compensation through tax or direct-deposit settings.
Timekeeping Setup
Paper Trails clients can also use isolved Time.
A new employee may need:
- TimeClock ID
- Department
- Labor group
- Work location
- Mobile punching access
Paper Trails’ client instructions reference TimeClock IDs as part of employee setup for companies using timekeeping devices.
If the employee cannot clock in on the first day, notify the manager immediately.
Benefits Enrollment
Paper Trails’ onboarding system can include benefits enrollment in the new-hire workflow.
Enrollment may not open immediately because the employer can have:
- Waiting period
- Full-time eligibility rule
- Class requirement
- Plan effective date
Payroll self-service access and benefits eligibility are separate milestones.
Employee Handbook and Company Policies
Digital onboarding can also deliver:
- Handbook
- Attendance policy
- Safety policy
- Confidentiality agreement
- Technology policy
- Other employer documents
Paper Trails’ platform supports electronic document completion and signatures.
Employees should read a document before acknowledging it.
An electronic signature should not be treated as a meaningless click.
Electronic Signatures
Paper Trails says its onboarding system supports electronic signatures and digital storage of completed onboarding documents.
Before signing:
- Verify the employer
- Read the document
- Check employee information
- Confirm dates
- Save a copy where appropriate
Do not share account credentials so another employee can sign on your behalf.
Emergency Contact Information
Employee self-service can also allow personal-information updates.
A new employee should review:
- Home address
- Phone
- Emergency contact
Accurate contact information helps with:
- Payroll records
- W-2 delivery
- account recovery
- HR communications
New Hire Has the Wrong Email in isolved
An incorrect email can affect:
- Activation
- MFA
- password recovery
- notifications
Ask the employer to correct the source employee record.
Do not simply open another account with the correct email.
Employee Name Is Wrong
Report legal-name errors promptly because the name can flow into:
- Payroll
- W-2
- Benefits
- Employee verification
- I-9 records
Minor display-name preferences can be handled separately from legally required records.
Duplicate Employee Record
Duplicate profiles can appear when:
- Employee was previously employed
- New profile was created instead of rehire
- Name changed
- Different email was used
- Manager added employee twice
Paper Trails’ FAQ specifically provides an isolved process for rehiring terminated employees.
An employer should review an existing terminated profile before creating a new identity.
Rehired Employees
A returning employee may already have:
- Payroll history
- Prior employee ID
- W-2 records
- Old direct deposit
- Old tax elections
- Old email
The employer should use the appropriate rehire process rather than blindly duplicating the employee.
The returning employee should review all old information.
Do not assume banking or withholding details from the previous employment period are still correct.
Rehire Direct Deposit
Before the first new payroll, verify:
- Account still exists
- Routing number remains valid
- Employee still wants the account
- Split deposit remains appropriate
A bank account from several years earlier should not be trusted automatically.
Rehire W-4
Returning employees should also review current withholding information.
Paper Trails recommends employees review W-4 elections periodically.
A prior W-4 may no longer reflect:
- Marriage
- dependents
- multiple jobs
- desired additional withholding
Employee Self-Service Checklist
Before the first paycheck, confirm:
- isolved account activated
- legal name correct
- address correct
- phone correct
- email correct
- W-4 submitted
- state withholding completed
- direct deposit entered
- timekeeping works
- onboarding tasks completed
- benefits deadline understood
Manager New-Hire Checklist
The employer should verify:
- Hire date
- Employee status
- Pay rate
- Department
- Work location
- Pay schedule
- I-9 workflow
- Tax forms
- Direct deposit
- TimeClock ID where applicable
- Self-service access
- Benefits eligibility
Paper Trails’ electronic onboarding platform is specifically designed to reduce repeated data entry and help HR track these tasks centrally.
Common Paper Trails Onboarding Problems
Activation email missing
Verify the employee email and ask the employer to resend self-service activation.
Employee cannot log in
Use the existing account recovery process rather than creating another employee profile.
I-9 task remains open
Confirm whether the employee or employer verification step is incomplete.
W-4 is missing
Complete the applicable current federal and state withholding forms.
Direct deposit is not showing
Check whether the employee saved the banking information before payroll cutoff.
Employee cannot clock in
Confirm isolved Time is enabled and the employee is assigned correctly.
Benefits are unavailable
The employee may still be in a waiting period or outside an enrollment window.
First paycheck is missing
Check whether the employee has a pay stub and whether the employer included them in payroll.
First paycheck amount is wrong
Review hire date, hours, pay rate, taxes and deductions.
Returning employee has two profiles
Ask the employer whether the prior terminated employee record should have been rehired.
Common Paper Trails New-Hire Questions
Does Paper Trails offer electronic onboarding?
Yes. Paper Trails provides an isolved-powered onboarding system with automated tasks, electronic signatures and payroll integration.
Does Paper Trails use isolved for new employees?
Yes. Paper Trails uses isolved for payroll and employee HR records and provides electronic new-hire setup resources.
Do new employees complete Form I-9?
Paper Trails’ new-employee resources identify Form I-9 as a required new-hire employment-eligibility form.
Do new employees complete Form W-4?
Yes. Paper Trails directs new employees to complete applicable federal and state withholding forms.
Where do employees access self-service?
Paper Trails identifies myisolved.com and the isolved People Cloud app as employee self-service routes.
Can employees update direct deposit themselves?
Yes. Paper Trails specifically encourages employees to make direct-deposit changes through secure self-service.
Can onboarding include benefits?
Yes. Paper Trails says its automated new-hire workflow can include benefits enrollment.
Why can’t a new employee clock in?
The employer may not use isolved Time, or the employee’s timekeeping assignment may not be complete.
What should a rehired employee do?
The employer can use isolved’s rehire process for an existing terminated employee record, and the employee should review all existing payroll information.
Who should a new employee contact about incorrect pay?
Start with the worksite employer or payroll administrator because the employer provides hire date, pay rate and hours used in payroll.
The First Paycheck Starts With Correct Onboarding
A Paper Trails new-hire setup moves through a connected chain:
Hiring → employee record → onboarding forms → I-9 → W-4 → direct deposit → self-service → timekeeping → payroll → first paycheck
A mistake early in the chain can create a problem later.
Wrong email → activation fails.
Wrong hire date → first payroll may be wrong.
Missing timekeeping setup → hours may not flow correctly.
Wrong bank account → deposit may fail.
Wrong W-4 information → withholding may not match the employee’s election.
The strongest employee workflow is:
Complete onboarding promptly → use legal information → activate isolved → verify direct deposit → submit tax forms → test timekeeping → review benefits deadlines → inspect the first pay statement.
The strongest employer workflow is:
Create the employee once → verify identity data → assign the correct pay and work details → complete employment verification → enable self-service → verify timekeeping → review onboarding completion before payroll.
That approach makes Paper Trails onboarding more than a paperwork exercise: it becomes the foundation for accurate payroll, tax reporting and employee self-service.
Independent Site Notice: This is an independent informational guide. It is not Paper Trails, isolved, myisolved, USCIS, the IRS or an official employee-onboarding portal. It does not collect I-9 documents, tax forms, bank credentials or payroll passwords and cannot activate employee accounts. Use Paper Trails’ verified resources, your employer and official government sources for account-specific or compliance-related assistance.