Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about Vereda.
Can't find an answer? Contact our team.
Last updated: February 2026
Getting Started
Is Vereda really free?
Yes! Standups are free forever for your whole team — no user cap. You also get 4 free platform seats for features like goals and check-ins. No credit card required. Premium features (Vera Chat, pulse surveys, performance reviews) are $15/seat/month.
How long does setup take?
Most teams are running their first standup within 10 minutes. Add the Vereda Slack app, configure your questions, and you're ready to go. No complex onboarding required.
Do I need to install anything?
No installation needed. Vereda runs entirely in Slack and our web dashboard. Just add the Slack app and you're ready to start.
Can I try premium features before committing?
Yes. Standups are free for your whole team, and every account starts with 4 free platform seats. This lets you fully evaluate Vereda before upgrading to Pro.
Standups & Check-ins
What's the difference between channel and private standups?
Channel standups post responses publicly in a Slack channel—everyone sees each other's updates. Private standups collect responses via DM that only you (the manager) can see. Use private mode when you want more honest feedback about blockers or concerns.
Can I customize standup questions?
Yes. You can fully customize the questions asked, the schedule (which days and times), and who participates. Common templates include classic standup (yesterday/today/blockers), weekly retrospectives, and project-specific check-ins.
What if engineers don't respond to standups?
Vereda sends gentle reminders at configurable intervals. You can also see participation rates in your dashboard. Some teams use the 'required' setting for critical updates, while others keep it optional.
How do async standups work across time zones?
Each engineer receives their standup prompt at their configured time, regardless of time zone. Responses are collected and summarized, so distributed teams can stay aligned without synchronous meetings.
AI Features
How accurate is the AI at detecting burnout?
Vereda's AI uses multiple signals in combination—a single bad day won't trigger an alert. We look for sustained patterns across 1-2 weeks: sentiment drops, repeated blockers, silence, or disengagement. The goal is high precision with low false positives.
Can engineers see their own risk scores?
No. Risk analysis is manager-facing only. Engineers see helpful features like Vera Chat and micro check-ins, but not diagnostic signals about themselves.
How does AI-assisted performance review writing work?
You tell the AI what aspects to evaluate and provide context. The AI combines your input with data from Git, Jira, goals, and 1:1s to generate a structured review draft. You can refine until it matches your assessment.
Is the AI goal analysis really free?
Yes. AI goal quality coaching is free for all users, regardless of subscription tier. We believe everyone should have access to help writing better SMART goals.
What can I ask Vera Chat about?
Engineers can ask about goals, action items, progress updates, and status changes. Managers can ask about team overviews, individual engineer status, 1:1 prep topics, and project keyword searches.
1:1s & Goals
Can engineers see my private notes?
No. Private notes are visible only to you. Use them for sensitive observations, coaching notes, or things you want to remember but not share.
Can engineers create their own goals?
Yes. Engineers can create and update their own goals. Managers see all goals for their team and can add goals as well. This supports a collaborative goal-setting process.
How does stalled goal detection work?
Vereda tracks goal progress over time. If a goal hasn't had an update or action item completion in a configurable period (default 2 weeks), it's flagged as potentially stalled.
Team Insights & Reviews
What is a 9 box grid in talent management?
The 9 box grid plots employees on two axes: current performance (x-axis) and future potential (y-axis). Each of the 9 boxes represents a different talent profile, from 'Stars' (high performance, high potential) to 'Risk' employees. It helps managers make data-driven decisions about development and succession.
How does Vereda populate the 9 box grid?
Vereda analyzes standup participation, goal completion rates, 1:1 feedback trends, and engagement patterns to suggest placements. You can accept suggestions or override them—final placement is always your decision.
How often should I run pulse surveys?
We recommend weekly micro-pulses (2-3 questions) and monthly deeper surveys (5-7 questions). Too frequent and engineers tune out. Too rare and you miss problems.
Will engineers actually respond to pulse surveys?
Vereda's Slack-native delivery gets 80%+ response rates. Engineers respond because it's quick (under 2 minutes) and delivered where they already work.
Privacy & Security
Is my conversation with Vera private?
Yes. Your conversations with Vera are private. Managers can only see aggregated insights, not your direct chat history.
Can pulse survey responses be anonymous?
Yes. You choose the anonymity level: fully anonymous, manager-visible only, or attributed. For sensitive questions about management or team dynamics, anonymous tends to get more honest responses.
Where is my data stored?
Vereda infrastructure is hosted in the United States using Supabase (powered by AWS) and Render. All data is encrypted in transit and at rest. See our Security page for details.
Is Vereda SOC 2 compliant?
SOC 2 Type II audit is in progress. Our infrastructure providers (AWS, Supabase, Render) maintain SOC 2 and ISO 27001 certifications.