Dubsado has been a popular choice for creatives and small agencies—its forms, workflows, and contract management help solopreneurs run their businesses. But as agencies grow, Dubsado's outdated interface, limited client portal, and performance issues become hard to ignore. If you're ready to migrate from Dubsado to AgencyPro, this guide provides a step-by-step process for a smooth transition.
Key Takeaways:
- Dubsado's dated interface and performance issues frustrate growing agency teams
- Prioritize recreating your top 2–3 intake forms before anything else
- Test the full client flow (form to contract to portal) before inviting real clients
- Most agencies complete the Dubsado to AgencyPro migration in 1–2 weeks
Why Agencies Switch from Dubsado
Dubsado offers solid fundamentals: customizable forms, workflow automation, contract templates, and invoicing (see Dubsado's pricing and features). Many agency owners adopted it early and have built their processes around it. For solopreneurs and very small teams, it works.
The challenges emerge as you scale:
Outdated interface. Dubsado's UI feels dated. Slow page loads, clunky navigation, and a design that hasn't kept pace with modern standards frustrate teams who use it daily. Design agencies, in particular, find it embarrassing to present to clients.
Limited client portal. Dubsado's client-facing experience is functional but basic. It doesn't offer the polished, branded portal that agencies want. Customization options are limited, and the experience feels generic rather than premium.
Complexity without payoff. Dubsado's form builder and workflow automations are powerful but complex. Setting up pipelines, triggers, and custom fields consumes significant time. For agency-specific needs—team collaboration, retainer management, campaign workflows—the customization doesn't fully deliver.
Performance issues. Users report sluggish performance, especially with large numbers of projects and heavy form usage. Software review platforms confirm these performance concerns. When you're managing multiple clients and deadlines, speed matters.
Limited team collaboration. Dubsado was built for solopreneurs. Team features exist but aren't robust. Task assignment, workload management, and multi-person project workflows feel tacked on rather than native.
Reporting gaps. Basic financial reports are available, but agency-level metrics—retainer utilization, team capacity, project profitability—require workarounds or external tools.
AgencyPro addresses these gaps with a modern, fast interface, client portal built for agencies, team-focused project management, and integrated billing and time tracking.
What to Migrate
Clients and contacts. Export your Dubsado client list with contact details, tags, and notes. Each client will be recreated in AgencyPro with access to their client portal.
Forms and questionnaires. Document your Dubsado forms—intake forms, questionnaires, lead captures. Note field names, types, and logic. Recreate essential forms in AgencyPro's intake and brief tools during setup.
Contracts and templates. Export or copy your contract templates. Download signed contracts for your records. Recreate key templates in AgencyPro with e-signature support.
Projects and pipelines. Document active projects and their status in Dubsado's pipeline. Recreate them in AgencyPro's project structure. Pipeline stages can map to project phases or statuses.
Invoices and payment history. Export financial data for accounting. Settle or plan migration of outstanding invoices before fully switching.
Workflow automations. Document any critical automations (e.g., "when contract signed, create project and send welcome email"). Recreate the most important ones in AgencyPro; some may no longer be needed with AgencyPro's simpler workflows.
Step-by-Step Migration Process
Step 1: Plan Your Timeline
Allow 1–2 weeks for migration. Communicate to your team and clients 1–2 weeks in advance. Avoid peak client delivery periods. Many agencies migrate at month-end for a clean billing cutoff.
Step 2: Export Data from Dubsado
Export your Dubsado data:
- Clients: Dubsado allows client export. Go to Clients → use export or bulk export if available. Download CSV with contact details.
- Contracts: Download signed contracts from each project. Store in a secure folder for records.
- Forms: Document form structure—screenshot fields, note conditional logic. You'll recreate these in AgencyPro.
- Projects: List active projects with client, status, key milestones. Dubsado's project structure differs from AgencyPro's; you'll map during migration.
- Invoices and payments: Export for accounting. Resolve outstanding invoices.
- Templates: Copy contract, proposal, and email templates for recreation in AgencyPro.
Step 3: Set Up AgencyPro
Create your AgencyPro account and build your structure:
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Create clients. Add each client from your export. In AgencyPro, each gets a branded portal.
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Recreate forms. Build intake forms and project brief questionnaires in AgencyPro. The platform offers client-facing forms that integrate with projects and workflows. Start with your most critical forms.
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Recreate contract templates. Set up your key contract and proposal templates. AgencyPro supports e-signatures and integrates with project kickoff.
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Configure billing. Set up billing preferences—invoice templates, payment terms, recurring billing. Configure time tracking if you use it.
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Create project templates. Build templates for your common project types. AgencyPro's project management supports phases, tasks, milestones, and approval workflows—structure them to match your delivery process.
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White-label your portal. White-label with your logo and colors. The client experience will feel dramatically more modern and professional than Dubsado's default.
Step 4: Migrate Active Projects
For each active project:
- Create the project in AgencyPro under the correct client
- Add tasks, milestones, and current status
- Assign team members
- Attach relevant files
- Set up any retainer or billing terms
For completed projects, many agencies keep them in Dubsado exports and only migrate active work.
Step 5: Migrate Workflows
Identify your essential Dubsado workflows. Common ones:
- Lead intake → proposal → contract → project kickoff: AgencyPro supports this flow natively. Configure your templates and automate project creation from signed contracts.
- Invoice reminders: AgencyPro's billing includes payment reminders.
- Client onboarding sequence: Recreate welcome emails and onboarding steps in AgencyPro or your email tool.
Focus on high-impact workflows. Some Dubsado automations may be unnecessary in AgencyPro's integrated design.
Step 6: Onboard Your Team
Invite your team to AgencyPro. The interface is faster and more intuitive than Dubsado—most team members adapt quickly. Train them on:
- Project structure and task assignment
- Time tracking (if applicable)
- Client communication through the portal
- Where to find reports and dashboards
Step 7: Onboard Clients
Invite clients to their client portals:
- Send portal invites with login links
- Explain the new experience: projects, approvals, invoices
- Migrate active communication to AgencyPro
- Provide support during the first week
Clients will notice the upgrade: faster, cleaner, and more professional than Dubsado's client view.
Step 8: Go Live and Sunset Dubsado
Make AgencyPro your primary system. Update processes, links, and documentation. After confirming migration completeness, cancel Dubsado. Archive your exports.
What You'll Gain with AgencyPro
Modern, fast interface. AgencyPro is built on modern technology with performance as a priority. Page loads are quick, navigation is intuitive, and the design meets current standards. No more fighting a sluggish, dated interface.
Client portal built for agencies. A branded portal where clients see projects, approve deliverables, view invoices, and communicate. White-label ensures every touchpoint reflects your brand.
Team collaboration. Project management with real task assignment, workload visibility, and collaboration. Built for agencies with multiple people serving multiple clients—not solopreneur workflows.
Integrated platform. Forms, contracts, projects, time tracking, billing—all in one place. Simpler than maintaining Dubsado plus supplemental tools.
Purpose-built reporting. Dashboards for retainer health, team capacity, revenue by client, and project profitability. Agency-level visibility Dubsado doesn't provide.
Better client experience. Clients get a faster, clearer, more professional experience. The improvement in client perception alone justifies the switch for many agencies.
Migration Checklist
- [ ] Set migration timeline; communicate to team and clients
- [ ] Export Dubsado clients and contacts
- [ ] Document form structures and workflows
- [ ] Export or download contracts and templates
- [ ] Export invoice and payment history
- [ ] Document active projects and status
- [ ] Settle or plan migration of outstanding invoices
- [ ] Create AgencyPro account
- [ ] Add clients; recreate forms and contract templates
- [ ] Configure billing, time tracking, and white-label
- [ ] Create project templates
- [ ] Migrate active projects
- [ ] Invite team; train on new workflows
- [ ] Invite clients to portals
- [ ] Go live
- [ ] Cancel Dubsado; archive exports
Common Migration Questions
How long does the migration take? Most agencies complete migration in 1–2 weeks. Dubsado's data structure is manageable; the main effort is recreating forms, templates, and onboarding clients to the new portal.
Is AgencyPro actually faster than Dubsado? Yes. Users consistently report significant performance improvements. AgencyPro is built on modern web technology with speed as a core requirement. The difference is noticeable from day one.
Will we lose our forms and workflows? You'll need to recreate them in AgencyPro. Document your Dubsado setup before migrating. AgencyPro's forms and workflows are designed for agency use cases—you may find simpler, more effective ways to achieve the same outcomes.
Does AgencyPro have the same features as Dubsado? AgencyPro covers proposals, contracts, forms, projects, time tracking, billing, and client portal. It adds team collaboration, modern UX, and agency-specific reporting. Some Dubsado customizations may not have direct equivalents—focus on core workflow alignment.
Can we get migration help? Yes. Book a demo and mention you're migrating from Dubsado. Our team can assist with form mapping, template setup, and transition best practices.
How does AgencyPro compare to Dubsado? AgencyPro offers a modern interface, faster performance, client portal built for agencies, and team-focused project management. Dubsado excels for solopreneurs; AgencyPro excels for growing agencies. See our AgencyPro vs Dubsado comparison for details.
What will clients think? Clients typically respond positively. The client portal is faster, clearer, and more professional. White-label ensures they interact with your brand. Many agencies report improved client satisfaction after switching.
Can we keep Dubsado for a few clients during transition? Some agencies run both platforms for a month while migrating client-by-client. This works but adds overhead. Most prefer a clean cutover once active projects are migrated.
Tips for a Smooth Dubsado Migration
- Prioritize form recreation. Your intake and questionnaire forms are critical. Recreate the top 2-3 first; add others as needed after go-live.
- Test the client experience. Before inviting clients, log in as a test client and walk through the full flow: form submission → contract → project → portal access.
- Migrate during a slow period. Avoid overlapping with major proposals or deliverables. A quiet week gives your team time to adjust.
- Document your Dubsado workflows. Before shutting down, write down any automations or workflows you relied on. You may find AgencyPro handles them differently—often more simply.
Ready to Migrate?
Leaving Dubsado's dated interface and limited agency features behind is an investment in a better daily experience for your team and clients. With clear planning and methodical execution, the migration is straightforward.
Book a demo to see AgencyPro and get migration support. We'll help you transition smoothly to a modern, agency-built platform.
Key takeaway: Moving from Dubsado to AgencyPro means trading a dated interface and solopreneur model for a fast, team-ready platform. Your clients get a modern portal, your team gets real project management, and you get integrated billing and reporting—all in one place.