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FREE CLIENT ONBOARDING TEMPLATE Better questions.
A clearer start.

An editable questionnaire and kickoff checklist for agency and consulting engagements. Download it without an email gate.

Download Word (.docx)Preview the templateMarkdown (.md)

Word, Google Docs and PDF. No email required.

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QUESTIONNAIRETemplate preview · Example
01

Goals & scope

What should this engagement achieve? Which deliverables are agreed, and what is explicitly outside scope?

02

People & decisions

Who is the day-to-day contact? Who gives final approval? What is the expected review window?

03

Inputs & access

Which current files and references can you share? Which services need a named-user invitation?

04

Ready for kickoff

Confirm owners, review the inputs and record any unresolved blocker before work starts.

The client onboarding process, step by step

Client onboarding is everything between a signed agreement and the first piece of real work: confirming scope, people, inputs, access and how you’ll communicate. A consistent process stops each new engagement starting with a week of scattered emails.

  1. Confirm the signed scope. Start from the proposal or statement of work, not memory. List the deliverables, exclusions and the client responsibilities it names.
  2. Name the people. Agree the day-to-day contact, the final approver and the review window for feedback.
  3. Request inputs with a purpose. For every file or answer, record why you need it, who owns it, the format you can use and the date.
  4. Set up access safely. Ask clients to invite your team in each service. Never collect passwords, API keys or recovery codes in a form.
  5. Agree how updates will work. Decide where updates are shared, how often, and how urgent blockers are raised.
  6. Hold the kickoff. Use a kickoff meeting agenda to confirm goals, owners and the first milestone.
  7. Review readiness. Check what arrived is usable, record anything still blocking work and confirm the go-ahead with the delivery owner.

Client onboarding checklist

The download includes this checklist alongside the questionnaire. Work through it before you tell the delivery team they can start. For a fuller step-by-step version, with items for accounting and bookkeeping clients, use the client onboarding checklist template.

CheckWhy it matters
Signed scope and success criteria confirmedEveryone works from the same definition of done.
Client contact and final approver namedReviews don’t stall waiting for the wrong person.
An owner and date for every required inputMissing inputs become visible early, not at the deadline.
Received files reviewed for relevance and versionReceived is a step; usable is another.
Access verified in the original servicesNo surprises on day one, and no shared passwords.
Missing inputs recorded with the work they blockThe team can plan around gaps instead of discovering them.
Update cadence and feedback process agreedThe client knows when to expect news and how to respond.
Kickoff decision confirmed with the delivery ownerWork starts when it’s ready, not when the calendar says so.

Questionnaire, intake form or kickoff meeting?

They do different jobs at different times:

  • [Client intake form](/templates/client-intake-form-template): before signing. Qualifies the client and prepares the first conversation.
  • Onboarding questionnaire: after signing. Collects the detailed inputs, access and approvals the work needs.
  • [Kickoff meeting](/templates/kickoff-meeting-agenda-template): once the answers are in. Confirms the plan together and resolves open questions.

Once the routine is clear, Angelwood can use the proposal or statement of work to prepare an onboarding plan for your team to review, then collect the client’s answers, files and approvals in one portal.

Use it in Word, Google Docs or PDF

Microsoft Word

  1. Download the Word (.docx) file and open it. If Word opens it in Protected View, select Enable Editing.
  2. Use Find (Ctrl+F or Cmd+F) and search for “[” to jump between the placeholders you need to replace.
  3. Save a clean copy as a Word template (File → Save As → Word Template) so every new document starts from it.

Google Docs

  1. Upload the .docx file to Google Drive.
  2. Right-click it and choose Open with → Google Docs, then File → Save as Google Docs to keep an editable copy.
  3. Use File → Make a copy for each new client so your master stays clean.

PDF

Fill it in Word or Google Docs, then export it: File → Save As → PDF in Word, or File → Download → PDF document in Google Docs.

MAKE IT WORK FOR YOU

Useful structure.
Your way of working.

01

Tailor it to the signed scope.

Remove questions that do not support the engagement. For a website project, ask for brand assets, content ownership and the publishing approver. For a consulting project, ask for source documents, stakeholders and the decision the work should support.

02

Make it easy to answer.

Explain why each item matters, identify one owner and agree a response date. Separate required inputs from optional references. Give clients a way to say an answer is not yet known instead of encouraging guesses.

03

Use the checklist to close the loop.

The download includes a kickoff checklist alongside the questionnaire. Review the answers, confirm access in the original services and record outstanding blockers. Once the routine is clear, explore how Angelwood can organize the requests in a client portal.

GOOD QUESTIONS

Before you download.

Talk to us
Do I need an Angelwood account?

No. Download and adapt the questionnaire and checklist without signing up or entering an email address.

Is this a contract template?

No. It helps collect information after scope has been agreed. It is not an agreement, legal document or replacement for your signed scope.

Can I edit this template in Word or Google Docs?

Yes. Download the Word (.docx) file and open it in Microsoft Word, or upload it to Google Drive and choose Open with → Google Docs. There’s also a Markdown version for any text editor. No account or email address is needed.

How do I save it as a PDF?

Fill it in, then export it: File → Save As → PDF in Word, or File → Download → PDF document in Google Docs. On this page you can also print just the template or save it as a PDF from your browser’s print dialog.

KEEP THE WORK MOVING

The next useful step.

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THE CLIENT EXPERIENCE, IN ORDER

Good habits. A shared home.

Bring the work you share with clients into one place.

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