New Client Checklist

What is a new client checklist?

A new client checklist is an internal setup workflow that ensures every new client is correctly configured in your systems — CRM card created, project board set up, team access granted, communication channels confirmed — within the first 24 hours of signing, before any work begins. It's the internal half of client onboarding: what your team does before the client experiences anything.

Melororium's New Client Checklist template is 10 tasks covering the complete internal setup: create CRM card → create project from template → assign team members → grant tool access → send welcome email → book kickoff call → confirm billing details → set retainer hours → create first invoice draft → schedule first check-in. Each task has a default owner and a 30-minute total completion target.

Why internal client setup is worth standardizing

The first week of a new client relationship involves 30–40 small actions spread across multiple team members. If the CRM card isn't created, the PM doesn't know who the billing contact is. If project access isn't granted, the designer can't start. If the retainer hours aren't set, the billing system doesn't have a baseline for month-end reporting.

Most agencies handle this through a mix of email instructions from the account lead, a Slack message to the ops team, and institutional memory about "what usually needs to happen." The result: new client setup takes 2–3 days instead of 30 minutes, and something is always missed that surfaces as a problem two weeks later.

How teams set up new clients in 30 minutes every time

10-task checklist duplicated in one click

Every time a new contract is signed, duplicate the New Client Checklist template. All 10 tasks appear with their default owners and relative deadlines. Adjust the client name and sign date. The checklist is ready to execute before the account lead finishes the celebration email.

Tasks routed to the right team member automatically

The PM creates the project board. The ops admin creates the CRM card and billing setup. The account manager sends the welcome email and books the kickoff call. Each team member gets their tasks in their own queue without the account lead having to delegate individually via Slack.

Nothing setup without verification

Each checklist task has a done state. The checklist only shows as complete when all 10 tasks are checked off. If tool access hasn't been granted by Day 2, that task is still red. The PM sees it and follows up — before the designer shows up on Day 3 without access.

Connection to the client onboarding template

The New Client Checklist covers internal setup. The Client Onboarding Template covers the client-facing experience. Both run simultaneously. The new client checklist ensures the internal systems are ready before the onboarding workflow presents deliverables to the client.

New client checklist vs. ad-hoc Slack coordination

The alternative to a checklist is Slack. An account manager sends a message: "Hey everyone, we just signed Client X, here's what needs to happen." Different team members respond with different timelines. The PM isn't sure if the CRM card was created because the ops admin hasn't responded yet. Two days later, someone asks if the kickoff call has been booked.

Melororium makes the setup tasks visible to everyone with clear ownership. No coordination overhead. Agency plan for 10 users is $59/mo.