Setting the vesting parameters
Set vesting when you grant shares or options so Shareflo can track how much is earned over time. This guide shows you where to enter the vesting fields during a grant, how the fields work, and how to change vesting later using an Equity Event.
Why vesting matters (quickly)
Vesting helps make sure equity is earned over time, rather than owned in full from day one. If you want a deeper explanation (including common schedules like 4 years with a 1-year cliff), see our related article, Vesting Scheme Explained (reference below).
Before you start
Who can do this? A company user with Admin, Manager or HR permissions can grant shares and options and set or amend vesting.
Vesting can be different per holding. Vesting is stored on each individual holding created by a grant, so two option grants under the same option class can have different vesting schedules.
Changing vesting is done via an event. Typically you would specify the vesting schedule when allotting shares or granting an option. But it is possible to subsequently amend the vesting schedule. In this case, the “amendment” event is recorded for audit purposes.
The vesting fields in Shareflo (what they mean)
When vesting is enabled, Shareflo stores four parameters on the holding:
Vesting (months) — the total duration from the vesting start date until the holding is fully vested (e.g. 48).
Cliff (months) — the number of whole months that must pass before any “scheduled” vesting happens (e.g. 12).
Vesting start — the date the schedule measures from - often the grant date or start date, but it can be any date you choose.
Number initially vested — how many shares/options vest immediately on the vesting start date (normally 0).
Note: If you leave vesting period blank or enter 0 months, then the holding will be created with no vesting schedule.
How Shareflo calculates “vested”
Vesting is measured in whole months only (partial months do not count).
If the cliff has not completed, the only vested amount is Number initially vested.
After the cliff, vesting accrues linearly each month until it reaches the holding’s total Quantity.
For example, an employee who has worked 13.5 months since their vesting start date on a standard 48 months schedule with a 12 month cliff would have vested 13/48 of their shares or options (13 whole months out of a 48 month schedule).
Step-by-step: set default vesting schedules on an instrument (optional)
If most grants under an instrument share the same schedule (for example, an EMI option class where all grants vest over 48 months with a 12-month cliff), you can store defaults on the instrument.
Go to Instruments and click Edit instrument
Set the instrument’s:
Save the instrument.
This can also be done when the instrument is originally created.
What this does:
When you create a new holding for that instrument, Shareflo will pre-fill the holding’s Vesting (months) and Cliff (months) from the instrument defaults.
Changing the instrument defaults does not change any existing holdings (defaults only apply to new awards, and even then, they can be overridden at the award level).
Amending vesting on an existing holding
If you need to change the vesting parameters after a holding has been created (for example, you agreed a different vesting start date, or you’re resetting the schedule), use an Amend Vesting Equity Event.
Go to the company’s Equity Events.
Click the more icon next to the holding (three vertical dots) and choose Amend vesting.
Enter the new vesting parameters
Amend Vesting replaces the holding’s previous vesting schedule. It is not cumulative.
Note: If you later need to end vesting on a holding (for example, on departure), you would use a Stop Vesting event, not Amend Vesting.
❇️ Flo and Claude MCP Plugin
Vesting parameters can be specified when allotting shares or awarding options via the Flo AI agent and via the Claude MCP plugin. Default parameters can also be specified when creating a new Instrument via Flo or Claude. However, the use of those default settings when an award is created is not certain since it relies on the LLM referencing the Instrument’s default when creating the new holding. So it’s always best to review what the agent proposes creating before you approve it.
At present it is only possible to amend the vesting parameters on existing holdings (or indeed the default parameters on existing instruments) in the web app.
Troubleshooting / FAQs
I can’t see vesting fields when granting.
The grant options/ allot shares interface has a box halfway down which you can click to expand the vesting parameters
I changed the instrument vesting defaults, but an old holding didn’t update.
This is expected. Instrument vesting fields are defaults used when creating new holdings; existing holdings keep their own vesting parameters.
Can I edit vesting directly on the holding?
No — vesting changes are made via the Amend Vesting action so the change is recorded in the audit trail.
I need help choosing the right vesting schedule.
See our article, Vesting Scheme Explained for guidance. Link below.
Vesting settings are stored on each holding (Vesting months, Cliff months, Vesting start, and Number initially vested). Set them during the grant, and change them later using an Amend Vesting Equity Event; instrument vesting fields act as defaults for new holdings only.
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