Client Onboarding Checklist
Every step from the signed contract to the first delivered milestone: welcome and access, discovery, project setup, communication, documentation and the first deliverable. Variants below cover project kickoff and onboarding workflows.
Example: the first two weeks with a new retainer client
A hypothetical sequence for a monthly SEO retainer signed on a Monday. Your service will change the details, not the order.
- Day 0Contract signed and deposit invoice sent. Welcome email with key contacts, what happens next and the kickoff booking link.
- Days 1-2Brief the internal team. Invite the client to the portal and set up the project, folders and communication channel.
- Days 3-5Send the onboarding intake form and the access list. The client invites your team to analytics, Search Console and the CMS.
- Days 5-7Kickoff call: goals, KPIs, approvals and cadence. Send the summary with owners and dates within 24 hours.
- Days 8-14Audit and first findings. Agree the working rhythm (weekly update, monthly report) and book the 30-day review.
How to use it, and its limits
- Use the 30-day workflow for a new client relationship, and the kickoff checklist whenever a project starts, including new projects for existing clients.
- Ask clients to invite your team to their accounts or share through a password manager. Do not collect passwords by email or form.
- Progress is saved in this browser. Use Print to keep a copy or hand it to a colleague.
- In AgencyPro, the client portal and onboarding are on every plan; intake forms are on Pro and up.
Choose the version for your work
Use only the sections that match your engagement. Each version below contains its own complete working text or checklist.
Client Onboarding Workflow Template
A step-by-step workflow template to onboard new clients smoothly, set expectations, and start projects on the right foot.
Project Kickoff Checklist for Agencies
Launch agency projects successfully with this kickoff checklist. Cover pre-kickoff prep, meeting agenda, team assignments, and timeline planning.
The 30/60/90-Day Onboarding Framework
Use this as your master timeline. Adapt details to your service, but keep the phase structure.
| Phase | Days | Focus | Key Outputs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1: Foundation | 1-14 | Setup, kickoff, access | Welcome email, kickoff meeting, credentials, portal |
| Phase 2: Activation | 15-45 | Information gathering, first deliverable | Brand questionnaire complete, quick win delivered |
| Phase 3: Rhythm | 46-90 | Establish cadence, 30-day review | Recurring meetings set, 30-day review complete |
Phase 2: Activation (days 15-45)
The goal of this phase is to deliver something tangible that proves competence and builds confidence.
Days 15-30: Information synthesis and first work
- Complete brand and audience research synthesis
- Document success metrics and KPIs
- Build content/asset/campaign plan based on questionnaire
- Begin first deliverable (audit, strategy doc, first creative, or quick fix)
- Internal QA before client review
Days 25-35: Deliver the first quick win
This is the single most important onboarding milestone. Deliver something concrete and visible within 30 to 35 days.
| Service Type | Quick Win Examples |
|---|---|
| SEO | Technical audit + top 3 fixes implemented |
| PPC | Account audit + first campaign optimization |
| Content | Editorial calendar + first piece published |
| Design | Brand audit + first creative deliverable |
| Web Dev | Site audit + first sprint of fixes deployed |
| Social Media | Strategy doc + first month of content |
The quick win does three things: it demonstrates capability, builds confidence in the team, and creates a tangible artifact the client can point to internally. Without it, the client's CFO starts asking "what are we paying for?" by month two.
Days 30-45: Onboarding check-in
Schedule a 30-minute informal check-in between days 30 and 45 focused on the onboarding experience.
Ask:
- How is the process working so far?
- Any concerns or questions?
- Is communication meeting your needs?
- Are expectations aligned?
Adjust immediately if anything is off. Onboarding issues compound, so fix them in week 5, not month 5.
Phase 3: Rhythm (days 46-90)
The work has begun. Now build the operating rhythm that sustains the engagement.
Days 46-60: Establish recurring cadence
- Weekly status update (written, in portal)
- Bi-weekly check-in meeting (30 minutes)
- Monthly performance report
- Quarterly QBR scheduled on the calendar
Days 60-75: Mid-project / mid-quarter check
For project work: review progress against milestones. For retainers: review first 60 days of execution against goals.
Day 90: Formal onboarding wrap-up
The 30-day review is famous; the 90-day review is more important. By day 90, you have enough data to know what's actually working.
90-day review agenda:
| Topic | Time |
|---|---|
| Progress against initial goals | 15 min |
| What's working / what isn't | 15 min |
| Process adjustments | 10 min |
| Confirm alignment for next 90 days | 10 min |
| Open feedback (any topic) | 10 min |
Treat this as your transition meeting from "onboarding" to "ongoing engagement." If something's broken, surface it now while there's still time and budget to fix it.
The master onboarding checklist (print-ready)
| Phase | Task | Day | Done |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre | Discovery call completed | -14 | ☐ |
| Pre | Proposal approved | -7 | ☐ |
| Pre | Contract drafted | -3 | ☐ |
| 1 | Contract signed | 0 | ☐ |
| 1 | Deposit invoice paid | 1 | ☐ |
| 1 | Welcome email sent | 1 | ☐ |
| 1 | Internal team briefed | 1-2 | ☐ |
| 1 | Client portal access created | 2-3 | ☐ |
| 1 | Communication channel set up | 3 | ☐ |
| 1 | Kickoff meeting scheduled | 3-5 | ☐ |
| 1 | Kickoff meeting completed | 5-7 | ☐ |
| 1 | Meeting notes + action items sent | 7 | ☐ |
| 1 | Brand/business questionnaire sent | 7 | ☐ |
| 1 | Credentials collected securely | 10-14 | ☐ |
| 1 | Working agreement documented | 14 | ☐ |
| 2 | Information synthesis complete | 20 | ☐ |
| 2 | First deliverable in progress | 21 | ☐ |
| 2 | Quick win delivered | 30-35 | ☐ |
| 2 | Onboarding check-in completed | 30-45 | ☐ |
| 3 | Recurring meetings set | 50 | ☐ |
| 3 | First monthly report delivered | 60 | ☐ |
| 3 | Mid-cycle review | 60-75 | ☐ |
| 3 | 90-day review completed | 90 | ☐ |
Customizing by client type
Onboarding should adapt to client size and engagement type. The phases stay the same; the depth varies.
| Client Type | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| Large corporate (1000+ employees) | More formal docs, multi-stakeholder alignment meetings, longer legal review |
| Small business / startup | More education on process, flexible communication, hands-on guidance |
| Retainer | Monthly cadence built in, recurring billing setup, scope-adjustment protocol |
| Project-based | Defined start/end, milestone-based billing, post-project transition plan |
Frequently asked questions
How long should the client onboarding process take?
It depends on the engagement. A simple retainer can be onboarded in days; projects with audits, migrations or many stakeholders take longer. Set the timeline in the welcome email and get to a first deliverable quickly, because clients want to see progress.
What if the client is slow to provide access or assets?
Set clear deadlines in your welcome email. Follow up promptly. If delays persist, schedule a call to troubleshoot. Document how delays affect the timeline.
Should we charge for the onboarding process?
Many agencies include onboarding in the project fee or first month's retainer. For setups that need audits or migration work, a separate onboarding fee is reasonable.
How do we handle onboarding multiple stakeholders?
Identify a primary point of contact early. Include key stakeholders in the discovery call. Assign portal access with appropriate permission levels for each person.
What tools work best for client onboarding?
A client portal for requests, files and approvals, project management for tasks and timelines, and a CRM to track the relationship. AgencyPro includes the portal and project management on every plan; intake forms and the leads pipeline are on Pro.
How do we standardize onboarding across different service types?
Create a master onboarding template and customize it per service. The core steps (welcome, discovery, setup, communication) stay the same; only the specifics change.
Run the checklist where the client work happens
AgencyPro keeps projects, client requests, files, messages and invoices in one branded client portal, so each step is done and recorded in the same place.