Client Onboarding and Invoicing Setup: A Step-by-Step Process

The first invoice sets the tone for every future payment. If onboarding is sloppy (a missing tax ID, the wrong billing contact, unknown PO rules) you spend the next year chasing fixes. A short, repeatable onboarding checklist pays for itself in fewer rejected invoices.

Step 1: Collect legal and billing details

Collect:

• Legal entity name, billing address, and VAT/GST number or EIN where relevant
• The accounts payable email and any supplier portal login
• Purchase order requirements, and the PO number for the first job if there is one
• Any supplier forms the client needs from you, such as a Form W-9 for US clients

Store the documents in the client folder referenced by your audit trail.

Step 2: Agree payment terms before work starts

Agree due dates, accepted payment methods, the currency for cross-border work (currency), and any discounts or late fee and interest policies. Put them in the contract; our client contract templates and invoice payment terms guide show the wording. If you take a deposit, agree the amount and when the balance is due; the deposit invoicing guide covers how to bill it.

Step 3: Map project structure

For multi-project accounts, agree project codes and budget owners now. For retainers, set the billing date each cycle and the rate for extra hours.

Step 4: Set up the client and the invoice format

Create the client record once so every invoice uses the same details, and decide what each invoice will look like: line item wording, the PO number, the tax rate and the notes or terms you include every time. If the work repeats on a fixed cycle, plan a recurring schedule.

Step 5: Set up reminders

Decide when you will follow up before and after the due date, and write the messages in advance. Automatic payment reminders explains the options, and the payment reminder tool gives you three ready-to-copy templates (gentle, firm and final) to adapt.

Step 6: Dry-run the first invoice

Before any real money is involved, build the first invoice as a draft, check it against how to write an invoice, and send the PDF to the client's AP contact asking them to confirm the format, PO number and billing entity.

Step 7: Hand off from sales to delivery

Make sure the delivery team knows exactly what is in scope, to reduce scope creep surprises on billing day.

Setting up a new client in InvoiceQuickly

Here is how the steps above map to InvoiceQuickly. The client management page has the full detail.

There is no deposit field. Bill a deposit as its own invoice, or record it as a partial payment against the full invoice, as the deposit guide explains.

A worked example

A web designer signs a $9,600 website project with a new client: a 25% deposit on signing, the balance on launch, Net 14 terms, billed in USD.

• Deposit invoice: $9,600 × 25% = $2,400, due 14 days after the invoice date. Line: "Website project, deposit (25% of $9,600), PO 4471".
• Balance invoice at launch: $9,600 − $2,400 = $7,200. Line: "Website project, balance ($9,600 less deposit paid on INV-0101 of $2,400), PO 4471".
• Before sending the deposit invoice, the designer saves it as a draft and emails the PDF to the client's AP contact, who replies that the PO number must appear in the notes as well as the line. Fixed in the draft, then sent.

The 25% here is this contract's figure, not a standard; set yours in the contract.

Handoffs that prevent rework

Hold a short finance kickoff alongside the sales-to-delivery handoff; expectations set wrongly there cause problems for years. Keep rate cards, tax exemption certificates and supplier forms where whoever bills the client can find them. Agree internally how soon after kickoff the first invoice goes out. When a client changes AP systems or bank details, re-verify them by phone before relying on them.

Beyond billing: the first weeks with a new client

Send a welcome email and onboarding documents soon after signing

Don't go quiet after the contract is signed. Send a welcome message, what to expect in the first weeks, a checklist of assets and access you need, the tools you will use, and the kickoff meeting time.

Schedule a kickoff call

Even for solo work, a 30 to 60 minute kickoff aligns expectations: scope, timeline, communication preferences, one point of contact and how to escalate.

Invoice the deposit straight after signing

If your contract includes a deposit, send that invoice as soon as the contract is signed and agree whether work starts on signature or once the deposit is paid.

Set up tools and access in week one

Agree where files, messages and project updates will live, and use the same setup for every client where you can.

Deliver the first milestone on schedule

The first deliverable sets the pattern for the relationship; on-time delivery makes the first invoice easy to approve.

Common scenarios

Solo freelancer, fixed-price project: contract, deposit invoice, kickoff call, file sharing, first milestone. Don't skip steps to save time; the working pattern is set in this period.

Agency, new retainer client: a kickoff with the full team, a monthly billing calendar, a named account manager and regular status updates.

International client: confirm the currency, payment method and time zone, and ask which communication tools they prefer rather than assuming.

Returning former client: do a short re-onboarding: refresh the scope, check what has changed (billing contact, PO rules, entity name) and confirm communication preferences.

Final takeaway

Great onboarding is boring and repeatable. Resist the urge to improvise for each client; exceptions belong in documented fields, not in someone's memory. Treat the first invoice as your quality bar, and update the checklist whenever a client rejects an invoice.

Frequently asked questions

When should I send the contract versus start the work?

Contract first, work second. Starting on a promise that the contract is coming creates risk if the client never signs. E-signature tools make it quick for both sides.

Should I take a deposit on retainer engagements?

Many freelancers ask new retainer clients to pay the first month in advance before work starts, and bill established clients monthly in arrears. Whatever you choose, write it into the contract.

What is the right communication cadence?

Weekly check-ins suit most small projects; larger engagements often use fortnightly status updates and a monthly review. Agree it at kickoff and adjust to the client's preference.

How do I handle a client who is hard to reach during onboarding?

Follow up once after a few business days, then send a final note with a date ("If we don't hear from you by [date], we'll need to reschedule the kickoff"). Long silence before work starts is a warning sign worth taking seriously.

Can I import my existing clients into InvoiceQuickly?

No. Clients are added one at a time, and there is no CSV import. Free holds up to 5 clients; Pro is unlimited.

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