A checklist tells you what to do. A working template tells you who will do it, when, and what is blocking the next step. Copy the table below into a spreadsheet or project tool, then replace the sample entries with your own project details.
This page is the companion to our client onboarding checklist. The checklist explains the process; this template gives your team a record to run it.
Set up the project record
Create one record per client engagement, not one generic row per company. The same client may have a website project and a reporting project with different owners and dates.
| Project field | Example entry | What to enter |
|---|---|---|
| Project ID | ACME-WEB-01 |
Stable internal identifier |
| Client | Acme Bakery (fictional example) | Business name |
| Service | Five-page website | Signed scope, in short form |
| Agreement date | 2026-11-03 | Actual signing date |
| Agency owner | Jordan | One person accountable for follow-through |
| Client contact | Sam | Person providing information |
| Final approver | Taylor | Person authorized to approve work |
| Kickoff target | 2026-11-10 | Proposed date, subject to inputs |
| First deliverable | Homepage wireframe | Specific reviewable output |
| First review target | 2026-11-17 | Confirm after dependencies are understood |
Keep the signed agreement in the appropriate private system. This table is a coordination record, not a replacement for the contract.
Copy the task tracker
The following example is deliberately small. Copy the headers and rows, then edit the owners and dates. In a spreadsheet, keep the Task ID stable even if you sort the rows.
| Task ID | Stage | Task | Owner | Due date | Status | Blocked by | Completion evidence | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ON-01 |
Handoff | Confirm signed scope | Jordan | Nov 3 | Done | — | Agreement confirmed | Nov 3 |
ON-02 |
Welcome | Send next steps and secure upload link | Jordan | Nov 4 | Done | ON-01 |
Welcome email sent | Nov 4 |
ON-03 |
Intake | Answer required business questions | Sam | Nov 6 | Waiting on client | ON-02 |
— | Nov 4 |
ON-04 |
Assets | Supply logo and approved photos | Sam | Nov 6 | Waiting on client | ON-02 |
— | Nov 4 |
ON-05 |
Access | Invite agency to site analytics | Sam | Nov 7 | Not started | ON-02 |
— | Nov 4 |
ON-06 |
Verify | Confirm files open and access works | Jordan | Nov 9 | Blocked | ON-04, ON-05 |
— | Nov 4 |
ON-07 |
Kickoff | Confirm scope, approver, and next date | Jordan | Nov 10 | Not started | ON-03, ON-06 |
Decision note | Nov 4 |
ON-08 |
Delivery | Share first wireframe for review | Designer | Nov 17 | Not started | ON-07 |
Review link and version | Nov 4 |
Example only: Acme Bakery, the people, dates, and statuses above are fictional. They illustrate how dependencies work; they are not a client result.
Define statuses before the first project
Use a short list everyone understands: Not started, In progress, Waiting on client, Blocked, and Done. A task is Done only when its evidence column contains a link, decision, or other checkable result. A reminder sent is not the same as the requested asset received.
Waiting on client means the next action belongs to the client. Blocked means someone must resolve a dependency or make a decision. Name that person in Owner; a blocked task without an owner can sit untouched for days.
If you want a calculated lateness flag in Google Sheets, add a column named Attention after Updated. In row 2, use:
=IF(OR(E2="",F2="Done"),"",IF(E2<TODAY(),"Overdue","On track"))
This formula assumes Due date is column E and Status is column F. Use real spreadsheet date values, not text such as “next Friday.” If you add columns or rearrange the tracker, update the references. A date due today displays On track; change < to <= if your team wants it flagged at the start of the due date. Formulas and list separators can vary by locale.
How to run a five-minute daily check
Filter the tracker to tasks that are not Done. Look at overdue tasks, then at items blocking the kickoff or first delivery. For each one, decide the next action, who will take it, and when. Update the record while you are looking at it.
At the weekly client check-in, share a short summary rather than your entire internal tracker:
Completed: scope confirmed and welcome sent. Needed from you: logo and photos by Friday. Next: we will confirm the first wireframe review date when the files and analytics access work.
If inputs change the schedule, agree a revised date and record the reason. Do not quietly overwrite the original target; keep a short change note.
Separate intake from discovery
Use the task tracker to monitor whether answers arrived. Use our agency onboarding questionnaire to collect the strategic answers themselves. If a question has no bearing on the first deliverable, save it for a later conversation.
When should you automate this template?
Automate the repeatable parts first: create a project folder, assign standard tasks, and notify the owner that a form has arrived. Keep final approval of scope, dates, and sensitive access with a person. Document and test each handoff before relying on an automation.
Use the template once, then improve it. After your next client, identify the task that caused the longest delay and rewrite that row with a clearer owner, deadline, or completion rule.