A good onboarding template does three things: it tells your team what needs to happen, it tells your client what they need to do, and it makes the success criteria clear to everyone before any tasks begin. This template is structured around those three goals and is free to copy, adapt, and use.
Stage 0: Pre-kickoff (Days -5 to 0)
Owned by: CS Team
- Sales handoff completed — goals, stakeholders, promises documented. See mutual action plan framework.
- Kickoff agenda sent to client 48h in advance
- IT contact identified and technical prerequisites sent directly to them — prevents IT delays
- Success criteria template sent to buyer with request to complete before kickoff
- Client portal / onboarding workspace created and tested
Stage 1: Foundation (Days 1–7)
Goal: Both sides aligned on success, technical setup underway, communication established.
CS Team tasks:
- Run kickoff call — confirm success criteria verbatim, assign Stage 1 tasks with named owners
- Set first check-in date (Day 14) on kickoff call
- Send meeting summary within 24h with agreed tasks and owners
- Confirm IT contact has received and understood their task list
Client tasks:
- IT: Complete SSO setup, domain authentication, compliance requirements
- Admin: Invite end users to the workspace
- Buyer: Confirm success criteria and first milestone
Stage 1 most common failure: IT tasks not completed, blocking all end user access. Solution: assign IT tasks with a specific deadline (Day 5) and flag as at-risk on Day 3 if not started. Read the full IT delay prevention guide.
Stage 2: First value (Days 8–21)
Goal: At least one end user completes a meaningful workflow using the product. The "aha moment" delivered.
CS Team tasks:
- Run first training session focused on the client's primary use case (not a generic product tour)
- Send Day 14 check-in email — use the Week 2 template
- Document first value moment in the win log
- Identify any users who haven't logged in and proactively reach out
Client tasks:
- End users: Complete first real workflow in the product
- Admin: Confirm all users have been invited and activated
Stage 3: Adoption (Days 22–60)
Goal: Primary use case fully adopted by the team. Secondary use cases identified.
- Monthly progress pulse sent — use the Month 1 template
- Usage data reviewed — flag any low-engagement users
- Win log updated with documented outcomes
- Expansion opportunities noted for future conversation
- Any remaining blockers escalated and resolved — see blocked onboarding playbook
Stage 4: Renewal preparation (Days 61–90)
Goal: Buyer re-engaged, proof of value documented, renewal conversation prepared.
- Day 60 check-in sent to buyer — use the Day 60 template
- Win log compiled into proof-of-value summary
- Success criteria reviewed against Day 1 definition
- Renewal date confirmed and conversation planned
Using this template: This works best when it lives in a shared workspace that both your team and your clients can see — not in a spreadsheet only you can access. Tools like Lyniro are built to turn exactly this kind of template into a live, collaborative, tracked experience. See our feature overview to understand how it works.