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First Login Guide

This guide walks you through your first login to Sparko and helps you set up your account for success.

Accessing Sparko

Login Methods

Sparko supports multiple login methods depending on your company's configuration:

  1. Email & Password

    • Enter your work email address
    • Enter your password
    • Click "Sign In"

  2. Single Sign-On (SSO)

    • Shown only when your company has turned on SAML sign-in
    • Click "Sign In with SSO"
    • You'll be redirected to your company's identity provider
    • Authenticate using your company credentials, then you land back in Sparko
    • While Sparko finishes, a card shows the steps: Identity provider, Sparko, Done
    • If your company asks for a code, enter the code from your authenticator app on the same card. If your company asks you to set up a code app first, click Continue
    • If sign-in stops, the card marks the step that stopped. A stop at Identity provider usually means your admin needs to check the SSO settings

First-Time Password Setup

If this is your first login:

  1. Check your email for a welcome message from Sparko
  2. Click the "Set Password" link in the email
  3. Create a secure password that meets these requirements:
    • At least 12 characters
    • Mix of uppercase and lowercase letters
    • At least one number
    • At least one special character
  4. Confirm your password
  5. Click "Set Password"

If you are a new hire

Your invite arrives as "Set up your {Company} login", usually as soon as your employment contract is signed by both sides. The link works until a week after your start date. If it runs out, ask for a new one from your pre-start page (Resend my invite) or from HR.

Before your first day, your login opens your pre-start page and your onboarding plan, once your company has started it: your first day, your checklist, your team and your signed contract (Download). From day one it also has your payslips, your leave and the rest of Sparko.

Your Google Workspace and Slack accounts, if your company uses them, are set up by IT. Sparko does not create them.

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

For additional security, your company may require MFA:

Setting Up MFA

  1. After your first login, you may be prompted to set up MFA
  2. Download an authenticator app if you don't have one:
    • Google Authenticator
    • Microsoft Authenticator
    • Authy
  3. Scan the QR code with your authenticator app
  4. Enter the 6-digit code from your app and click Verify & finish sign-in
  5. Your backup codes appear. They are shown only this once, so click Copy or Download (it saves sparko-backup-codes.txt) and keep them somewhere safe
  6. Tick I have saved these codes and click Continue to Sparko

Lost your codes? Once you are signed in, go to Account Settings > Security and click Regenerate backup codes. Your old codes stop working.

Using MFA

When your sign-in method and company policy require an authenticator code:

  1. Sign in with your password, magic link, Google or your company's SSO.
  2. The sign-in card shows One more step. Enter the 6-digit code from your authenticator app.
  3. Click Verify.

A passkey replaces both your password and the separate code. Google and company SSO may omit the local code when your company's federated sign-in policy allows it.

No access to your app? Click Use a backup code on the same card and enter one of your saved backup codes.

A code you just used, or one from a device whose clock runs fast, is refused for up to about a minute. Wait for the next code from your app and enter that one.

The code step lasts a few minutes and allows a few wrong codes. After that the card says so. Click Sign in again to start over.

If the card says your browser did not keep the sign-in, allow cookies for this site and sign in again.

Where you land after signing in

If Sparko sent you to sign in from a page, you go back to that page once you are in. If that page needs access you do not have, such as a Workspace settings page, you land on Home instead. Signing out forgets the page, so the next person who signs in on the same browser starts on their own Home.

Opening a page you do not have access to while signed in shows You don't have access to this page. It never asks you to sign in again.

If Sparko cannot reach the server

If your connection drops while you sign in, the sign-in page says "Sign-in could not reach the server. Check your connection and try again." Retry sends the same details again, so you don't retype them.

If you are signed in but Sparko cannot load what you have access to, it tries once more on its own. If that fails too, the page says "We couldn't load your access." with Retry, rather than showing you a reduced view of Sparko. If your access was already loaded and a later refresh fails, Sparko keeps what it had.

Complete Your Profile

After your first login, complete your employee profile:

Required Information

  • Profile Photo: Upload a professional photo
  • Personal Information: Verify your name, email, and phone
  • Emergency Contact: Add emergency contact details
  • Work Information: Confirm your department and location

Profile Completion

Your profile completion percentage is shown on your dashboard. A complete profile helps:

  • Colleagues find and contact you
  • Managers have accurate team information
  • HR maintain compliance

Dashboard Overview

After login, you'll see your personalized dashboard:

Dashboard Sections

  1. Welcome bar: Personalized greeting, search, notifications, and the toggle that shows or hides your stat tiles
  2. Ask Sparko: Type a question and get an answer, plus shortcuts for requesting time off and checking your leave balance
  3. Daily check-in: How you are doing today, plus add a reflection, give a shoutout or set up a meeting
  4. Cards: Team updates, Company updates, My goals, Your team, Upcoming events, Time off and My awards, in whatever order you drag them into

Navigation

  • Sidebar: Access all modules from the left sidebar
  • Search: Global search at the top to find anything
  • Profile Menu: Access settings from your profile icon
  • AI Assistant: Press Ctrl/Cmd + K and ask for help anytime

Initial Setup Checklist

Complete these items in your first week:

  • Update your profile photo
  • Verify your personal information
  • Add emergency contact
  • Set up MFA (if required)
  • Review company announcements
  • Explore your PTO balance
  • Set up your OKRs (if applicable)
  • Meet your AI Assistant

Keyboard Shortcuts

Speed up your workflow with these shortcuts:

Shortcut Action
Ctrl/Cmd + K Open global search
G then A Open Sparko AI
Ctrl/Cmd + N Create new item (context-sensitive)
Esc Close modal/dialog

Next Steps

Still need help? Reach us at [email protected].

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