Free tool
Client onboarding checklist generator
Answer three questions and get an onboarding checklist tailored to your work — your prep, the client's to-do list, and the wrap-up most checklists forget. Copy it anywhere. No signup.
Your checklist
Your setup (before you send anything)
Do this once, template it, and reuse it for every client after this one.
- Prepare the service agreement so it can go out the same day a client says yes
- Set up the deposit request so it triggers right after the signature, not days later
- Write the intake questionnaire — cut any question whose answer wouldn't change what you do
- List every file and asset the last three projects eventually needed — that's your real request list
- List every account you'll need access to, and prefer delegated invites over shared passwords
- Put your scheduling link inside the onboarding flow so the kickoff gets booked without a separate email
- Combine everything into one link or one document — clients finish one sequence, not five emails
- Set up automatic reminders for client inactivity (48h and 96h work well)
The client's to-do list
Send this as one link with visible progress. Every item here is something only they can do.
- Sign the service agreement
- Pay the deposit
- Complete the intake questionnaire (tell them how long it takes — honesty raises completion)
- Upload files and brand assets
- Grant account access
- Book the kickoff call
- Upload logo files in vector format (.ai or .svg), plus brand guidelines and fonts
- Provide website copy and photography, or flag that copy help is needed
- Share domain registrar and hosting details, and arrange admin access
Your wrap-up (after they finish)
The part most checklists forget — closing the loop.
- Review every answer before the kickoff so the call is about substance, not reading the form aloud
- Verify the files actually open and are the right formats before you need them
- Store credentials securely and plan to have them rotated after the project
- Run the kickoff, then send a same-day written summary — it becomes the reference when memories diverge
- Note where the client stalled or asked questions, and fix that step in your template
Make it self-executing: the client half of this checklist is exactly what an Onvoy onboarding flow does — one branded link with the forms, uploads, signature, and payment inside. See the web design / development template or start free.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the checklist generator really free?
- Yes — no signup, no email gate. Pick your industry and what you collect, then copy the checklist as Markdown into Notion, Google Docs, or wherever you work.
- What should a client onboarding checklist include?
- Three parts: your setup (contract, deposit request, intake questions, and file/access lists prepared in advance), the client's to-do list (sign, pay, answer, upload, grant access, book the kickoff), and your wrap-up (review answers, verify files, secure credentials, send a written kickoff summary).
- How do I get clients to actually complete the checklist?
- Send their half as one link with visible progress instead of scattering requests across emails, and use automatic reminders when they stall. That's the core of what Onvoy does — the generator's client section maps one-to-one onto an Onvoy onboarding flow.
Want the thinking behind the items? Read the full guide: the client onboarding checklist freelancers and small agencies actually use.