Within one business day of signing

  • Send a welcome message thanking them and confirming what happens next.
  • Introduce the person who will look after them.
  • Confirm the agreed scope, price and start date in writing.
  • Send any forms or information requests you need.

Before work starts

  • Collect access details, site information or documents you need.
  • Confirm key dates and who on their side approves things.
  • Set up the job or project with milestones and owners.
  • Agree how and how often you’ll update them.

Kickoff

A short call or meeting to walk through the plan, confirm expectations and answer questions. Write down anything that changes and share it afterwards.

First delivery

Aim for an early, visible win: the first milestone, the first report, the first visit completed. It reassures the customer they chose well.

The 30-day check-in

Ask how it’s going, what’s working and what isn’t. Fix small issues before they become reasons to leave. Record what you learn on their account.

An onboarding checklist template

  1. Send a welcome message within one business day.
  2. Introduce the client’s main contact at your business.
  3. Confirm scope, price, start date and payment terms in writing.
  4. Collect information, access and documents needed.
  5. Set up the project or job with milestones and owners.
  6. Hold a kickoff call and share notes afterwards.
  7. Deliver the first milestone.
  8. Check in at 30 days.
  9. Ask for feedback and, if they are happy, a review or referral.

Signs onboarding is going wrong

  • The client is chasing you for updates.
  • Information you need is late and nobody is following up.
  • The first milestone slips without explanation.
  • The client’s main contact changes.

Act early: a short call to reset expectations is far easier than winning back an unhappy client later.

Setting expectations early

Most onboarding problems come from mismatched expectations. In the kickoff, confirm what you will deliver, when, how you will communicate and what you need from the client. Write it down and share it. If something changes later, refer back to it and agree the change in writing.

A worked example: an accounting practice

A new small business client signs up for monthly bookkeeping. Within a day they receive a welcome email naming their bookkeeper and listing the access and documents needed. A project is created with milestones for setup, first reconciliation and first monthly report. The kickoff call confirms deadlines and how questions will be handled. The first report arrives on time, and at 30 days the bookkeeper calls to ask how it’s going and spots a payroll question worth a separate conversation.

Quick checklist

  • Welcome the client within one business day.
  • Name their main contact at your business.
  • Confirm scope, price, dates and payment terms in writing.
  • Collect information and access before work starts.
  • Hold a kickoff and share notes afterwards.
  • Deliver an early, visible win.
  • Check in at 30 days and record what you learn.

Make it repeatable

Turn this checklist into a project template so every new client gets the same experience. NovaSoft One projects support templates, milestones and owners, and customer success tracks onboarding progress for each account on Professional plans and above.

Common questions

How long should onboarding take?

It depends on the service, but aim for the client to see a first result within the first two weeks.

Who should own onboarding?

One named person at your business, so the client always knows who to contact.

What should we ask at the 30-day check-in?

What is working, what isn’t and whether anything has changed in their business.

This guide is general information for Australian businesses, not legal, tax or financial advice. Check anything specific to your situation with a qualified adviser or the relevant government agency.