How to Complete Client Onboarding and Dispatch Contracts

Learn how to efficiently process a new client onboarding by transitioning details from Teams to Karbon, generating a contract, and sending it via DocuSign.

August 5, 2026 By Daniel Mladjen

This guide walks through the end-to-end process of formally onboarding a new client, from parsing intake details to dispatching their contract. Following these steps ensures accurate service agreements, standardized file management, and a seamless client experience.

This workflow is designed for account managers, onboarding specialists, and administrators handling new client intake. Use this guide after a client has agreed to a proposal and their initial onboarding details have been captured.

Create the Onboarding Task in Microsoft Teams

Step #1: Open Microsoft Teams and select Planner from the left-hand navigation. — Open Microsoft Teams and select **Planner** from the left-hand navigation.

Step #2: Locate and click the [TEMPLATE] Client Onboarding Information card. — Locate and click the **[TEMPLATE] Client Onboarding Information** card.

Step #3: Click the More options (...) icon in the top right corner of the task card. — Click the **More options** (...) icon in the top right corner of the task card.

Step #4: Select Copy task from the menu. — Select **Copy task** from the menu.

Rename the task to match the new client's company name.

Step #6: Click Copy to create the new task. — Click **Copy** to create the new task.

Step #7: Open the newly created client task and fill out the onboarding details (e.g., contact information, required workflows, and billing details). — Open the newly created client task and fill out the onboarding details (e.g., contact information, required workflows, and billing details).

Set Up the Work Item in Karbon

Step #8: In Karbon, navigate to the relevant contact or organization and click Add Work. — In Karbon, navigate to the relevant contact or organization and click **Add Work**.

Step #9: Select Use a Template. — Select **Use a Template**.

Step #10: Open the Work Template dropdown. — Open the **Work Template** dropdown.

Step #11: Choose Client Onboarding - [client name]. — Choose **Client Onboarding - [client name]**.

Replace the bracketed text with the actual client name.

Step #13: Set the Start date to today, leaving the end date open. — Set the **Start** date to today, leaving the end date open.

Step #14: Click Create to generate the work item. — Click **Create** to generate the work item.

Step #15: Navigate to the Tasks tab of the newly created work item to view your checklist. — Navigate to the **Tasks** tab of the newly created work item to view your checklist.

Prepare the Client Folder and Schedule A Contract

Step #16: In your file manager, navigate to the OneDrive Client Management directory and copy the client folder template. — In your file manager, navigate to the OneDrive Client Management directory and copy the client folder template.

Paste the folder and rename it to the new client's company name.

Step #18: Navigate to the Business Organization Legal folder and copy the Schedule A document template. — Navigate to the Business Organization Legal folder and copy the **Schedule A** document template.

Paste the Schedule A document into the new client's Contracts folder.

Edit and Export Schedule A

Step #20: Open the Schedule A document in Microsoft Word. — Open the **Schedule A** document in Microsoft Word.

Step #21: Fill in the bookkeeping fees, payroll frequency, and billing terms using the context provided in the Teams Planner task. — Fill in the bookkeeping fees, payroll frequency, and billing terms using the context provided in the Teams Planner task.

Step #22: Open the Print dialog and click the PDF dropdown. — Open the Print dialog and click the **PDF** dropdown.

Step #23: Save the document as a PDF directly into the client's Contracts folder. — Save the document as a PDF directly into the client's **Contracts** folder.

Mark Preparation Tasks Complete

Step #24: Return to Karbon and check off Create Client Folder in SharePoint. — Return to Karbon and check off **Create Client Folder in SharePoint**.

Step #25: Check off Draft Client Contract with Terms of Agreement. — Check off **Draft Client Contract with Terms of Agreement**.

Dispatch the Contract via DocuSign

Step #26: Log into DocuSign and navigate to the Templates tab. — Log into DocuSign and navigate to the **Templates** tab.

Step #27: Select the TIMO Bookkeeping Services Contract. — Select the **TIMO Bookkeeping Services Contract**.

Step #28: Click Use to start a new envelope. — Click **Use** to start a new envelope.

Step #29: Click Upload and attach the Schedule A.pdf you generated earlier. — Click **Upload** and attach the **Schedule A.pdf** you generated earlier.

DocuSign may attempt to auto-apply a template to your uploaded Schedule A document. Always cancel this and place your fields manually to ensure precise alignment.

Step #30: Click Cancel if prompted to select a matching template. — Click **Cancel** if prompted to select a matching template.

Step #31: Enter the client's name and email address as recipients, directly copying the information from your Teams Planner notes. — Enter the client's name and email address as recipients, directly copying the information from your Teams Planner notes.

Step #32: Customize the placeholder text in the email message field to greet the client by name. — Customize the placeholder text in the email message field to greet the client by name.

Step #33: Click Next to proceed to the document tagging view. — Click **Next** to proceed to the document tagging view.

Step #34: Select the Schedule A.pdf page thumbnail from the right sidebar. — Select the **Schedule A.pdf** page thumbnail from the right sidebar.

Step #35: Drag Initial and Signature fields onto the document where required, aligning them manually. — Drag **Initial** and **Signature** fields onto the document where required, aligning them manually.

Step #36: Send the envelope. — Send the envelope.

Finalize Onboarding Tasks

Step #37: In Karbon, check off Upload Schedule A & use Template to send Contract with DocuSign. — In Karbon, check off **Upload Schedule A & use Template to send Contract with DocuSign**.

Step #38: Check off Confirm main contact Email & Full Name. — Check off **Confirm main contact Email & Full Name**.

Q: Why do you cancel the matching template feature when uploading Schedule A to DocuSign?

A: The automatic template matching doesn't always align the signature and initial fields precisely on the document. Canceling the prompt allows you to align the fields manually for a cleaner presentation.

Q: What does "BAS and Xero already done" mean when it appears in the onboarding notes?

A: It indicates the client has already been set up in Xero as a BAS agent and the Xero access request has been completed prior to this stage of the onboarding workflow.

Q: Where do the details for the Schedule A contract come from?

A: The specific billing terms, payroll frequency, and bookkeeping fees are copied directly from the onboarding notes and checklist filled out in the Microsoft Teams Planner task.

Term	Definition
BAS	Business Activity Statement, a tax reporting requirement for businesses issued by the Australian Taxation Office.
Karbon	A collaborative work management platform tailored for accounting and professional services firms.
DocuSign	A cloud-based electronic signature service that allows users to securely send, sign, and manage legally binding documents.
Xero	A cloud-based accounting software platform used for tracking finances for small and medium-sized businesses.
Super Lodgment	The required process of reporting and paying superannuation contributions for employees in Australia.