Getting Started¶

The Vessel Smart Assessment Platform (VSAP) helps you manage the full lifecycle of client assessments — from onboarding accounts and designing assessment templates, through the complete workflow of assigning, publishing, delivering, analyzing, and reporting on assessment results.

This quick-start guide walks you through everything you need to know. Start with the Preparation steps, then follow the Workflow steps that match what you'll see in the Assessment Details page.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN — Preparation Steps¶

These two steps get your system ready before you start the assessment workflow.

Preparation Step 1 — Add an Account¶

Create client organizations in the system. You can add accounts manually or invite external users to self-populate via the Intake Form.

View Prep Step 1 — Add an Account

Key Topics: Account setup, contacts, intake forms

Preparation Step 2 — Design an Assessment¶

Create assessment templates in the Library with questions, categories, and scoring rules. Templates define the structure for all assessments of that type.

View Prep Step 2 — Design an Assessment

Key Topics: Library templates, question types, scoring zones

The Assessment Workflow — 5 Steps¶

Once your account and assessment template are ready, you'll work through these five steps for each assessment you create. These steps map directly to the Assessment Workflow Guide you'll see in the Assessment Details page.

graph LR
    A["<b>Step 1</b><br/>Assign"] --> B["<b>Step 2</b><br/>Publish"]
    B --> C["<b>Step 3</b><br/>Deliver"]
    C --> D["<b>Step 4</b><br/>Build Report"]
    D --> E["<b>Step 5</b><br/>Provide Results"]

    classDef stepBox fill:#e3f2fd,stroke:#1976d2,stroke-width:3px,color:#000,rx:12px,ry:12px
    class A,B,C,D,E stepBox

    linkStyle 0,1,2,3 stroke:#1976d2,stroke-width:3px,color:#1976d2

Workflow Step 1 — Assign Assessment¶

Create an assessment instance and assign it to an account. This is automatically done when you create a new assessment, so this step is typically already complete.

View Step 1 — Assign Assessment

Key Topics: Creating assessments, account assignment

Workflow Step 2 — Publish Assessment¶

Move the assessment from Draft to In Progress status. Make any final edits before publishing, then activate it to start collecting responses.

View Step 2 — Publish Assessment

Key Topics: Assessment editing, publishing, status management

Workflow Step 3 — Deliver Assessment¶

Share the assessment with respondents using direct links or anonymous survey links. Track response progress in real-time.

View Step 3 — Deliver Assessment

Key Topics: Sharing assessments, response tracking, anonymous links

Workflow Step 4 — Build Report & Recommendations¶

Review assessment responses, create comprehensive reports, and generate recommendations for each category. Use AI suggestions to accelerate the process.

View Step 4 — Build Report & Recommendations

Key Topics: Response analysis, report builder, AI recommendations, category insights

Workflow Step 5 — Provide Results¶

Close the assessment and share polished web reports and PDF reports with clients. Configure branding, templates, and access controls.

View Step 5 — Provide Results

Key Topics: Report publishing, web reports, PDF reports, branding, sharing

What's Next?¶

Once you've mastered the core workflow, explore these related features:

Dashboards — View assessment activity and trends across all accounts
Ecosystem View — Compare performance across multiple accounts
Impact Tracking — Manage action items and track impact metrics
Settings — Configure intake forms, web reports, branding, and more
Library — Build and manage assessment templates