Collect the information you need to start client work
Client onboarding forms give new clients a clear way to provide the information you need before work begins. Use Riverton to bring that information into a shared client workflow instead of managing onboarding through scattered emails and documents.
What are client onboarding forms?
Client onboarding forms are forms or questionnaires used to collect the information a business needs from a new client at the beginning of a working relationship. They can cover basic contact details, business information, goals, requirements, preferences, and other information needed to prepare for the work ahead.
The form itself is only one part of onboarding. The information collected also needs to be reviewed, followed up on when something is missing, and connected to the next steps in the client relationship.
That is where a shared workspace becomes useful. Instead of treating onboarding as a standalone form submission, Riverton is designed to keep client information and the surrounding onboarding work in one organized place.
Onboarding gets difficult when information is scattered
A new client may provide the right information but still leave your team with a fragmented onboarding process.
Forms in email
A form is sent separately, and the resulting information becomes another item for the team to find and manage.
Information in different formats
Some answers arrive through a form, others through email, attachments, messages, or follow-up conversations.
Missing answers
An incomplete response can create another round of questions before the team has what it needs to begin.
Repeated questions
When information is difficult to find, clients may be asked for details they have already provided.
Manual follow-up
Your team has to keep track of missing information and decide what needs to happen next.
No clear starting point
New clients may not know where to provide information, what is required, or what happens after they submit it.
Build onboarding forms around the client and the work
There is no single client onboarding form that works for every business. The right questions depend on what you provide and what your team needs before work starts.
Basic client information
- Client or company name
- Primary contact information
- Relevant team or stakeholder details
- Preferred contact information
Business information
- Business or organization details
- Services or products involved
- Relevant background information
- Existing processes or materials
Goals and requirements
- Project goals
- Current challenges
- Required services
- Project requirements and priorities
Preferences and context
- Relevant preferences
- Communication considerations
- Important constraints
- Additional questions or context
Documents and supporting information
Some onboarding processes also require supporting documents or other materials. When document collection is part of the workflow, connect the information-gathering process with the appropriate client file portal or client file sharing workflow rather than treating documents as a separate process.
Turn collected information into an organized client workflow
An onboarding form is most useful when it fits into the wider process. The goal is not simply to collect answers. It is to help your team understand what the client needs and move the relationship forward.
Send the onboarding request
Give the new client a clear starting point and explain what information is needed before work begins.
Client provides information
The client answers the relevant questions and provides the information needed for the engagement.
Team reviews the information
Your team reviews what has been provided and identifies anything that still needs clarification or follow-up.
Follow up on outstanding requirements
Keep communication around missing information connected to the client relationship instead of losing it across separate conversations.
Continue onboarding
Move from information collection into the next stage of the client onboarding process and prepare for active work.
Keep onboarding information connected to the client workspace
Client intake
Use client intake as the information-gathering part of the onboarding process, focused on what your team needs from the new client.
Client onboarding
Connect information collection with the broader client onboarding workflow rather than treating the form as an isolated task.
Client files
When the onboarding process requires supporting materials, connect the information-gathering process with the appropriate client file workflow.
Client communication
Keep questions and follow-up connected to the client relationship so missing information can be addressed as part of the ongoing workflow.
Client tasks
Use client tasks where requirements need to be tracked as work moves from onboarding into active client work.
Client portal
Give the client a clear place to participate in the relationship through the broader client portal experience.
What different businesses may collect
The questions below are examples of information a business may collect during onboarding. They are not claims about prebuilt Riverton industry templates.
Agency
- Brand information
- Campaign goals
- Existing assets
- Target audience
Consultant
- Business background
- Goals
- Current challenges
- Project requirements
Accountant
- Business details
- Financial information
- Relevant client context
- Required documents
Designer
- Project brief
- Brand preferences
- Deliverables
- References
Make the first step clear for new clients
A good onboarding form should feel like part of the client relationship, not another administrative task sent from a different system.
Clients should understand what information they are being asked for, why it matters, and what happens next. Keeping onboarding connected to a shared client workspace helps create a more consistent starting point.
A clearer starting point
- Clear instructions
- Relevant questions
- One place to provide information
- Clear next steps
- Less unnecessary email back-and-forth
Start client work with better-organized information
More complete information
Collect the information your team needs at the beginning instead of discovering basic gaps later in the engagement.
Less manual follow-up
A structured onboarding process makes it easier to identify outstanding information and address it before work moves forward.
More consistent onboarding
Give new clients a clearer process for providing the information your business needs to begin.
Better preparation for project work
Start the next stage with useful client context already collected and organized.
Better-organized client records
Keep onboarding connected to the broader client relationship instead of creating another disconnected information source.
A clearer client experience
Give new clients a defined starting point and a clearer path from providing information to beginning the work.
Forms are one part of the client onboarding process
Collecting information is only useful when it leads somewhere. After a client provides their details, your team may still need to review information, request missing materials, organize files, clarify requirements, assign tasks, and confirm what happens next.
Riverton’s shared-workspace approach connects client participation with the wider workflow. That means onboarding can lead naturally into the rest of the client relationship rather than ending with a form submission.
For a practical companion to this process, see the client onboarding checklist.
Client onboarding forms FAQ
What should a client onboarding form include?
It should include the information your business needs to understand the client and prepare for the engagement. Depending on the service, this may include contact details, business information, goals, requirements, preferences, questionnaires, and supporting information or documents.
What information should you collect from a new client?
Start with information that directly affects the work you will provide. This may include who the client is, what they need, their goals, relevant background, requirements, preferences, and any supporting information your team needs before work begins.
What is the difference between a client onboarding form and a client intake form?
The terms are often used interchangeably, but they can describe different parts of the same process. Client intake generally focuses on gathering information from a client, while onboarding can cover the broader process of bringing that client into an active working relationship.
How do client onboarding forms improve the onboarding process?
A well-structured form gives clients a defined way to provide information and gives the team a more consistent starting point for reviewing what is needed. This can reduce repeated questions and make missing information easier to identify.
Can clients complete onboarding forms online?
Yes. Online onboarding forms let clients provide information remotely without relying on printed paperwork or collecting every answer through email. The important consideration is what happens to that information after it is submitted and how it fits into the rest of the onboarding process.
Can client onboarding forms be part of a client portal?
Yes. A client onboarding form can be part of a broader client portal experience when the client needs one clear place to participate in onboarding and continue into the wider working relationship.
Can Riverton collect client information during onboarding?
Riverton supports client intake as part of its broader client workspace approach. The specific information collected and the steps that follow should reflect your actual onboarding workflow and the capabilities available in your Riverton setup.
Collect client information and move onboarding forward
Give new clients a clear starting point and connect information collection with the broader work that follows.