A client onboarding board you can copy in ClickUp

The first few weeks with a new client set the tone for the whole relationship. When onboarding lives in someone’s head or a scattered email thread, steps get missed: the welcome pack goes out late, access never gets requested, and the kickoff call starts with “so, what do you need from us?”

This guide walks you through a simple onboarding board in ClickUp that any agency, consultant or freelancer can copy. Each client becomes one task that moves across the board, carrying its own checklist and details. It works on ClickUp’s free plan, though some automation and guest features have usage limits, so check the current plans if you onboard a lot of clients.

Set up the list

ClickUp organises work as Spaces, which contain Folders, which contain Lists. Create a Space for client work if you don’t already have one, then add a List called “Client onboarding”. Keep onboarding separate from delivery work: once a client is fully onboarded, their project moves to its own list or folder.

The model is one task per client. The task name is the client’s name, its status shows where they are in onboarding, and its subtasks or checklist hold the individual steps. That keeps the board readable even with many clients in progress.

Statuses

ClickUp lets you set custom statuses per list. Open the list settings and replace the defaults with stages that match how onboarding actually flows:

1. Signed — contract and first invoice are done; onboarding can start.
2. Welcome sent — the welcome email and intake form have gone out.
3. Waiting on client — you need answers, files or access from them.
4. Setup — your team is creating accounts, folders and project space.
5. Kickoff booked — the kickoff call is in the calendar.
6. Onboarded — handed over to delivery. Set this as a closed status.

Give “Waiting on client” a colour that stands out. It’s the status that quietly stalls onboarding, and you want it to be obvious on the board.

Custom fields

Custom fields turn each client task into a mini record, so nobody has to dig through emails for basic details. Add these to the list:

• Main contact (text) and Contact email (email).
• Service (dropdown) — your packages or service lines.
• Account owner (people) — who on your team is responsible.
• Start date and Kickoff date (date).
• Shared folder (URL) — a link to the client’s files.
• Contract signed (checkbox).

Resist adding more. Every extra field is one more thing to fill in, and fields nobody updates make the board less trustworthy. You can always add one later when someone keeps asking for the same information.

Task templates

This is where the board saves real time. Create one task called “New client” and build out everything that happens for every client:

• A short description with links to your welcome email template and intake form.
• Subtasks for steps owned by different people, such as “Create invoice” for finance and “Set up project space” for the project lead.
• A checklist for small steps one person ticks off, such as “Request logins”, “Add client to shared folder”, “Send calendar link for kickoff”.
• Due dates on subtasks, spaced out the way onboarding usually runs. When you apply the template, look for the option to shift those dates to the new start date.

Then save that task as a template from the task’s menu. From now on, each new client starts from the template, and nothing gets forgotten because someone was busy. If you offer very different services, make one template per service rather than one giant template with steps people have to delete.

Automations

ClickUp’s built-in automations follow a “when this happens, do that” pattern. A few simple ones keep the board moving without anyone babysitting it:

• When a task is created in the list, apply the “New client” template and assign the account owner.
• When status changes to Waiting on client, set a due date a few days out so the follow-up doesn’t slip.
• When all subtasks are complete, move the status to Kickoff booked or Onboarded.
• When status changes to Onboarded, notify the delivery lead or move the task to the delivery list.

Automation options and monthly usage depend on your plan, so start with the one or two that save the most time. If you need to connect tools ClickUp can’t reach on its own, such as creating the client task when a proposal is signed elsewhere, Zapier can bridge the gap.

The client view

Clients like knowing what’s happening, but they don’t need to see your internal notes. You have a few options in ClickUp:

• Intake form. Create a form view on the list for your intake questionnaire. Each submission can create a task or feed the client’s answers into custom fields, which beats copying answers out of email.
• Guest access. Invite the client as a guest to a single task or folder so they can see progress and leave comments. Guests only see what you share with them.
• Shared doc. A ClickUp Doc with the onboarding timeline, contacts and next steps can be shared by link for clients who won’t log in to anything.

For your own team, the board view grouped by status is the daily home of this list. Add a list view sorted by kickoff date for planning, and filter by account owner so each person sees their clients.

Copy-ready checklist

Adapt this list for your “New client” template:

• Confirm contract is signed and first invoice is sent.
• Send welcome email with intake form link.
• Create shared folder and add the link to the task.
• Request logins and access the project needs.
• Review intake answers and flag gaps.
• Set up the project space and invite the team.
• Send a booking link for the kickoff call, for example with Calendly.
• Prepare the kickoff agenda.
• Hold kickoff and share notes with the client.
• Hand over to delivery and mark as onboarded.

Review the template every few months. If a step gets skipped every time, delete it. If something keeps going wrong, add a step for it. If ClickUp feels like too much for this, see our ClickUp alternatives or Notion vs ClickUp.

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