Free checklist — Agencies, consultants, and service businesses
The Client Onboarding Checklist
25 required steps across 4 phases. Use this checklist to standardize how you onboard every new client — so nothing gets missed, no matter who is running the account.
01
Phase 01: Internal setup
Complete before the client is involved — this is your house in order.
- Create the client record in your CRM or project management tool
- Assign a dedicated account owner and backup contact internally
- Confirm the scope of work, deliverables, and timeline from the signed agreement
- Set up internal project folders, file naming conventions, and access permissions
- Review the contract for any non-standard terms, payment schedules, or deliverable milestones
- Brief internal team members who will be working on this account
02
Phase 02: Client intake — days 1–3
Collect everything you need from the client before work can begin.
- Send the welcome email with your onboarding portal link or intake form
- Collect legal business name, billing address, and preferred billing contact
- Collect primary point of contact and their preferred communication method
- Collect access credentials or invites needed (ad accounts, analytics, CMS, etc.)
- Collect brand assets: logo files, brand guidelines, color codes, font files
- Collect key business context: target customer, main competitors, and positioning
- Collect any existing content, campaigns, or data you will build on
- Confirm kickoff call date and time — calendar invite sent and accepted
03
Phase 03: Document and signature collection
All agreements and compliance items must be signed before work begins.
- Confirm signed service agreement or statement of work is on file
- Collect W-9 (or W-8 for international clients) if required for accounting
- Collect payment method on file or confirm invoice delivery method
- Send and collect signed NDA if required by either party
- Confirm all documents are filed and accessible to the account owner
04
Phase 04: Kickoff readiness
Final checks before the first meeting and first deliverable.
- Verify all required steps in Phases 1–3 are complete — no open items
- Prepare kickoff meeting agenda: goals, timeline, communication cadence, escalation path
- Send client a pre-kickoff checklist confirming what they should bring to the call
- Confirm all access credentials collected in Phase 2 are working and tested
- Set up recurring status update cadence and add to calendar (both parties)
- Send the client a welcome summary: who their team is, what happens next, and when
Want this enforced automatically?
ClientEnforce turns this checklist into a required-step workflow
Clients complete their steps through a secure portal. Automated reminders handle follow-up. Required steps block kickoff until everything is done. No spreadsheet, no manual chasing.