Example build · Accounting

Client onboarding on rails

A firm's first impression depends on who happens to handle the new client and how busy the week is. Here is the build that gives every new client the same tidy start, with a person signing off the steps that matter.

3.5 hrs → 30 min
Onboarding per client
~7×
Faster than by hand
~135 hrs
Back per year

Illustrative example build. The figures are typical for a practice of this size, not measured results from a specific client.

The problem

The start a new client gets depends on who is free and how busy the week is

Onboarding a new client meant a scramble of forms to send, details to collect, an engagement letter to prepare, and a Xero file to set up. Each step was done by hand, and which steps happened well depended on the week.

When things were busy, something usually slipped: a form chased late, a detail missed, a welcome that never quite landed. The firm's tidy reputation was riding on its least tidy moment.

What we built

The same tidy start, every time

The sequence runs itself, but you sign off the engagement letter and any compliance step before it reaches the client. The routine runs on rails; the judgement stays with a person.

One flow, in order

A new client triggers the intake forms, engagement letter, checklist and welcome sequence in the right order, and the returned files are sorted into place without anyone chasing them by hand.

Filled from the details you have

The documents are drafted from the intake details rather than retyped, and you review and approve the engagement letter and anything compliance-related before it goes out.

The stack

Everyday tools, joined up and watched

n8n Typeform Outlook Claude Xero
What changed
  • Every new client gets the same tidy, consistent start, busy week or not.
  • Nothing gets skipped, so the first impression stops depending on who was free.
  • A person still signs off the engagement letter and compliance steps, so control stays where it should.
Build sheet
Client
A small accounting firm onboarding new clients regularly (illustrative)
Engagement
Workflow Audit + Standard build
Timeline
3 weeks, kickoff to live
Stack
n8n, Typeform, Outlook, Claude, Xero
Aftercare
Care retainer: monitored, human-reviewed and reported monthly
Over to you

Similar problem?

Onboarding turning into a scramble every busy week? Tell us what a new client means for your week and we will show you the setup steps worth handing over. No pressure and no jargon, just a look at what is possible.