> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.sigmahmis.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# How Sigma Health HMIS Onboarding Works Step by Step
> Understand the three onboarding phases — workflow discovery, guided setup, and team training — so your clinic goes live on Sigma HMIS without disruption.
Getting your clinic live on Sigma HMIS doesn't require an IT project. The onboarding process is designed to match the way your clinic already works — and most teams go live within a single business day.
## The Three Onboarding Phases
Before any configuration, the Sigma team maps how visits, bills, claims, and payments currently move through your clinic. This ensures the workspace is configured to match your reality, not a generic template. Expect a focused discovery call of approximately one hour with your clinic administrator.
A Sigma team member works with your admin to configure the workspace: clinic details, insurer schemes, fee schedules, and user roles. Setup typically takes 2–4 hours and is done collaboratively — you do not need any technical background to complete it.
Your team learns Sigma through the actual work they do — patient registration, invoicing, and claims submission. Training is structured around your workflow, not abstract demos, so staff leave the session ready to use the system on real patients.
## What to Prepare Before Onboarding
Gathering the following information before your discovery call helps the Sigma team configure your workspace without delays:
* **List of insurer schemes** your clinic bills, with payer codes for each
* **Current fee schedule** listing all services you bill and their prices
* **Staff roster** with names, roles, and which modules each person will access
* **Sample documents** — recent invoices and claim forms to validate that configuration is correct
* **Active patient count** to estimate the scope of any data migration you may need
Having these ready before Phase 2 means your guided setup session moves faster and requires fewer follow-up calls.
## Migrating Existing Records
If your clinic is moving from paper records or spreadsheets, migration is handled in a structured way to avoid gaps in your revenue trail:
* **Historical patient records** can be imported in batches. The Sigma team will advise on the preferred file format and import method based on your volume.
* **Active open claims** should be entered manually into Sigma to ensure they are tracked correctly and do not fall through the cracks during the transition.
* **Closed historical claims** can be imported as a reference archive if you need them accessible in the system.
* The Sigma team will walk you through the right migration approach for your specific situation — there is no one-size-fits-all method.
## Timeline
Most clinics complete onboarding within three to five business days. Here is a typical schedule:
| Day | Activity | Duration |
| - | - | - |
| Day 1 | Workflow discovery call | \~1 hour |
| Days 1–2 | Workspace configuration with Sigma team | 2–4 hours |
| Days 2–3 | Team training session | Half-day |
| Days 3–5 | Parallel run (Sigma alongside existing system) | 3–5 days |
| Day 5+ | Go live — all visits billed in Sigma | Ongoing |
The parallel run period is optional but recommended. It lets you catch any configuration gaps before they affect real claims, and gives your staff time to build confidence with the system before it becomes the primary tool.
Book your workflow discovery call before you complete registration. The configuration decisions you make during setup depend on how your clinic currently operates — the discovery call surfaces exactly what needs to be configured and in what order.
## Related Pages
Run through the pre-launch checklist to confirm your workspace and team are ready before you switch fully to Sigma.
Step-by-step instructions to register your clinic, configure your workspace, and create your first invoice.
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