User walkthrough for a new website - where to store progress?

So I have a website where a new user registers. They have to set up their profile and details. So the way they do this is a section by section walkthrough where they learn about and then save the details pertaining to their profile.

What I want to happen is if the user hasn't gone through the tutorial they get the prompt anytime they log on until they complete it. However when they enter into it I want them to be progressed straight to the incomplete section.

I can't work out how I should approach this. In my database do I create a specific section for the tutorial and link it to the user? So I can recall where they are on a case by case basis?

Or do I do it via cookie - the problem with cookies is they are finite. So if a user sets up and registers and a year down the track they wipe cookies lets say - they get prompted all over again to go through setup. Which seems unwise. At the same time if I detect what the user hasn't completed and send them there automatically it gets in the way of the tutorial (as it's a mix between tutorial and profile filling out).

What would be the superior approach in this case? Unique database table to record it all?