Client Onboarding Checklist

Industry-specific checklist with email templates — never miss a critical step again

Overall Progress
0%
0 of 34 completed
Critical Items Remaining
15
Do not start work until these are done
Phase Progress
Pre-Kickoff
0/8
Kickoff
0/7
During
0/6
Delivery
0/6
Post-Project
0/7
15 critical items incomplete — these must be done before starting work
Pre-Kickoff0/8 done
Signed contract received
Get a countersigned copy of the contract before any work begins.
criticalOwner: client
Deposit / first payment received
Confirm deposit has cleared in your account before starting.
criticalOwner: client
NDA signed (if required)
For sensitive projects, ensure NDA is executed before sharing any proprietary info.
highOwner: both
Scope of work confirmed in writing
Written scope prevents scope creep. Confirm via email or contract addendum.
criticalOwner: both
Project timeline and milestones agreed
Document specific dates for deliverables, reviews, and final delivery.
criticalOwner: both
Payment schedule documented
Milestones, amounts, and due dates clearly stated and acknowledged.
criticalOwner: both
Primary communication channel agreed
Email, Slack, WhatsApp — agree on one. Set expected response times.
highOwner: both
Single point of contact identified on client side
One person who can make decisions. Multiple approvers cause delays.
highOwner: client
Kickoff0/7 done
Kickoff meeting held and documented
Goals, timeline, and responsibilities reviewed. Send meeting notes within 24 hours.
criticalOwner: you
All necessary access / credentials received
CMS, hosting, analytics, social accounts, brand assets — collect everything upfront.
criticalOwner: client
Brand assets received (logo, fonts, colors)
Style guide, logo files (SVG/PNG), color codes, and approved fonts.
highOwner: client
Competitor and target audience information gathered
At least 3 competitors identified. Target persona documented.
highOwner: both
Success metrics defined and agreed
What does success look like? KPIs documented before work starts.
criticalOwner: both
Project management tool / workspace set up
Notion, Trello, Asana — client invited and tasks created.
mediumOwner: you
Revision rounds and approval process explained
How many rounds are included? What happens if client exceeds them?
highOwner: you
During Project0/6 done
Weekly progress updates sent
Brief status email every Monday. Never let a client go silent for more than 5 days.
highOwner: you
Milestone sign-off received before proceeding
Get written approval at each phase before moving forward. Email confirmation counts.
criticalOwner: client
Scope changes documented with change orders
Any change to scope = new estimate and written approval. No exceptions.
criticalOwner: both
Feedback deadlines set for each deliverable
Tell client they have X business days to review. Silence = approval after that.
highOwner: you
Work backed up and version-controlled
Regular backups to cloud. Git for code. Dated file naming for designs.
highOwner: you
Milestone invoices sent on time
Invoice immediately when milestone is hit, not when client approves.
criticalOwner: you
Delivery0/6 done
QA / testing completed internally
Test everything yourself before client review. Never send broken work.
criticalOwner: you
Handover documentation prepared
How-to guides, login credentials, maintenance instructions, and video walkthroughs.
highOwner: you
Final review call scheduled
Walk through deliverables together. Confirm client is satisfied before closing.
highOwner: you
Final invoice sent
Send immediately after final delivery, before off-boarding begins.
criticalOwner: you
All assets and files transferred to client
Source files, credentials, design files, reports — everything the client owns.
criticalOwner: you
Client trained on how to use deliverables
Screen recording walkthrough or live training session documented.
mediumOwner: you
Post-Project0/7 done
Final payment confirmed received
Confirm payment cleared before archiving project files.
criticalOwner: client
Testimonial / review requested
Ask within 48 hours of project completion when satisfaction is highest.
highOwner: you
Case study permission obtained
Get written permission to use project details and results in your portfolio.
mediumOwner: you
Referral requested
Best time to ask: immediately after delivering results. Make it easy for them.
mediumOwner: you
Project files archived and organized
Final folder structure saved. Client files, contracts, invoices in one place.
mediumOwner: you
Internal retrospective completed
What went well? What to improve? Document for future projects.
lowOwner: you
Ongoing maintenance / retainer offered
Convert one-time projects to recurring revenue. Send offer within 1 week of delivery.
highOwner: you