Client Onboarding for Consultants

Start engagements in days, not email threads

You sold the engagement. Now you need the signed SOW, project brief, stakeholder contacts, deposit payment, and system access — before you can start the work. Portico collects it all in one branded link your clients actually complete.

GDPR compliant
Encrypted
Audit trail
One-click data export

Common consulting onboarding problems

Two weeks before you can start

The contract is verbal, but the SOW is not signed, the deposit is not paid, and you're still waiting for the project brief. Two weeks of back-and-forth before billable work begins.

Your intake does not match your rate

You charge premium rates, then send clients a Google Form and a Stripe payment link. The intake experience undermines the expertise you just sold.

Every engagement starts from scratch

New client, same 8 questions. But you're drafting a fresh welcome email, attaching the SOW manually, and tracking what's outstanding in your head or a spreadsheet.

No single view of client readiness

Has the SOW been signed? Did they pay the deposit? Did they fill out the project brief? You're checking three tools and your inbox to answer questions a dashboard should answer.

What changes with Portico

One branded link replaces the welcome emails, separate signature tools, and manual tracking your practice relies on today.
  • One link to kick off the engagement

    Project brief, stakeholder details, SOW signature, and deposit payment — clients complete everything in a single branded flow. No app downloads, no account creation.

  • A first impression that matches your expertise

    Your logo, your colors, your domain. Clients see a polished, professional intake — not a patchwork of free tools.

  • Conditional logic per engagement type

    Strategy projects need different briefs than implementation engagements. Retainer clients skip the project scope section. One template adapts to all.

  • Automated reminders until everything is in

    Item-specific follow-up: "We still need your signed statement of work and project brief." No manual chasing, no awkward reminder emails.

  • Dashboard shows who's ready to start

    See every client's onboarding status at a glance. SOW signed, deposit paid, brief submitted — or what's still outstanding.

How it works

Up and running in minutes

1

Pick the Consultant template

Pre-built with project brief, stakeholder contacts, SOW signature, and deposit collection. Customize for your practice in 5 minutes.

2

Send one branded link

Your client gets a professional welcome email with a magic link. No account needed — they click and begin.

3

Clients complete everything at their pace

Auto-save means they can close the browser and come back. Reminders handle incomplete items automatically.

4

You're ready to start the engagement

Dashboard shows real-time progress. When everything is submitted, signed, and paid — you begin.

Features

Built for consultants

Smart project brief forms

Conditional logic adapts questions per engagement type. Strategy, implementation, retainer, advisory — one template handles all variations.

SOW and contract signatures

Statement of work signed inline. Legally binding, timestamped, stored with the client record. No separate DocuSign subscription.

Deposit and retainer collection

Collect project deposits or first retainer payments as part of onboarding. Clients sign and pay in the same session.

Branded client experience

Your logo, colors, and custom domain. Emails come from your brand. The intake matches the quality of your consulting.

Client portal

After onboarding, clients access a branded portal with their submitted information, signed documents, and shared resources.

Engagement dashboard

Track every client's onboarding status. See who's ready to start, who's stalled, and send targeted reminders.

Start with the Consultant Onboarding Template

Pre-built with project brief, stakeholder contacts, SOW signature, and deposit collection. Customize it in 5 minutes.

Use the Consultant Template

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to start engagements faster?

Start free. Send your first branded onboarding in under 10 minutes.

Start Free