Most people view client onboarding as admin.
It is actually the first major deliverable.
This is the point where clients decide whether working with you feels organised or painful. A slow or messy kickoff often has nothing to do with the quality of the work and everything to do with how onboarding is handled.
In this guide, we walk through how to onboard clients using Asana, based entirely on the process shown in the video.
Why client onboarding matters
Client onboarding is the moment your client first experiences how you operate.
It sets expectations around:
- How work will be delivered
- What information is required from them
- How communication will happen
If onboarding drags on for weeks, it immediately creates friction. If it is clear and structured, kickoff can happen in minutes rather than days.
Start with a blank Asana project
The onboarding process begins with a blank Asana project.
This project is intentionally created from scratch so it can later be saved as a reusable template. Starting blank allows you to define the structure properly before copying it for future clients.
The project is designed to represent the entire lifecycle of a client engagement.
Structuring the project stages
Inside the project, sections are created to represent the major phases of work.
These stages include:
- Client onboarding
- Planning
- Build
- Launch
Each section helps make it clear where the project is up to and what needs to happen next. This structure applies to every client project, which creates consistency across your work.
Separating client tasks from internal tasks
A key part of the setup is deciding which tasks belong to the client and which remain internal.
Client tasks include things like:
- Providing brand assets
- Supplying login credentials
- Completing an onboarding survey
Internal tasks sit alongside these but are not necessarily visible to the client. This separation helps prevent confusion while still keeping everything in one place.
Using dependencies to control kickoff
Dependencies are used to make sure the project cannot move forward before required information is provided.
For example, a kickoff meeting task can be blocked until all onboarding tasks are completed. This removes ambiguity and makes expectations explicit.
Clients can clearly see what is holding things up, rather than relying on follow-up emails or reminders.
Collecting information with Asana Forms
To gather onboarding information, an Asana Form is used.
Instead of back-and-forth emails, the client completes a structured form that captures everything needed to get started. This form feeds directly into the onboarding section of the project.
Forms are a paid Asana feature, which is noted in the video.
Adding guidance inside the project
A dedicated section or tab is used to explain how to work together.
This includes guidance on:
- How tasks should be completed
- Where communication should happen
- What the client should expect next
By documenting this inside the project, fewer questions need to be answered manually and the client always knows where to look.
Saving the project as a template
Once the onboarding project is complete, it is saved as a template.
This allows the same structure to be reused for every new client, without rebuilding the process each time. Project roles can be assigned as part of the template to streamline ownership and responsibility.
Templates are also a paid Asana feature.
Inviting the client as a guest
Clients are invited into Asana as guests rather than full users.
This gives them access to only the relevant project, without exposing internal work or requiring a paid seat. It also keeps communication and task completion inside one system.
Final thoughts
Client onboarding is not admin. It is the first real delivery.
By using a structured Asana project, dependencies, forms, and templates, the kickoff process becomes faster, clearer, and far less frustrating for both sides.
If you are only using a fraction of what Asana can do, an introductory call can help identify gaps and opportunities to improve your setup.
👉 Book an introductory call to see how we can help you get more out of Asana.