Creating a Template
Set Template Details
Enter a name, optional description, and tags for organization. Set the estimated duration to help plan timelines.
Add Phases
Click Add Phase to create workflow stages. Each phase represents a logical grouping of tasks (e.g., “Discovery”, “Setup”, “Training”, “Go Live”). Drag phases to reorder them.
Add Tasks to Phases
Click Add Item within a phase to create tasks. Configure each task’s type, ownership, and evidence requirements.
Phases
Phases are the major stages of your onboarding workflow. They execute sequentially and provide visual progress tracking for both your team and the client. Each phase has:- Name — A descriptive label (e.g., “Network Discovery”, “Migration”, “Training”)
- Description — Optional details about the phase’s purpose
- Order — Drag to reorder phases within the template
- Estimated Duration — Expected time to complete
Task Types
Each task can collect a specific type of evidence or require a particular action. Set the evidence type when creating a task.Standard Task
A basic task with optional text evidence. The assignee marks it complete, optionally providing notes. Use for: General action items, internal setup steps, verification tasksMeeting
Schedule a meeting directly from the task. Generates calendar invitations with ICS attachments and sends email invitations to selected attendees. Use for: Kickoff calls, discovery sessions, training walkthroughsDocument Upload
Request specific documents from the client. Documents go through an upload → review → approve/reject workflow. Use for: Insurance certificates, network diagrams, vendor contracts, existing IT documentationDigital Signature
Collect a digital signature from the client using a built-in signature pad. Optionally attach a PDF document for the client to review before signing. Use for: Service agreements, acceptable use policies, authorization formsCredential Handoff
Securely collect credentials from the client. Supports two modes:- Single mode — Username, password, API key, and notes fields
- Bulk mode — Text paste or file upload for multiple credentials at once
Secure File Drop
Allows clients to upload files that expire after download. Includes time-based expiration tracking and secure download links. Use for: Sensitive configuration files, license keys, security certificatesTraining
Embed training content directly in the task. Supports two modes:- Video mode — Embed videos from YouTube, Vimeo, or Loom with auto-parsed embed URLs
- In-person mode — Instructions for scheduled training sessions
Form
Attach a reusable onboarding form so clients submit structured, typed answers inline within the portal. Build forms once in Settings > Onboarding > Forms with fields like short text, select, date, email, and number, and optionally map answers into Hudu or IT Glue. You can override whether a specific task allows multiple form entries. If no form is attached, the task falls back to linking a survey from your Surveys module. Use for: IT environment questionnaires, user inventories, site/location inventories, needs assessments See the Onboarding Forms guide for building and mapping forms.Approval
Request a formal approve/reject decision from the client. Optionally attach a supporting document for context. Use for: Budget approvals, scope sign-offs, design approvals, change requestsChecklist
Attach a checklist template with granular sub-items. Both MSP staff and clients can check off individual items. Use for: Server setup verification, workstation deployment steps, migration readiness checksTask Configuration
Beyond the evidence type, each task has several configuration options:| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Title | The task name displayed to both MSP and client |
| Description | Detailed instructions or context |
| Owner | Who is responsible: MSP (your team) or Client |
| Priority | Low, Normal, High, or Critical |
| Due Date Logic | Offset from phase start, portal start, or dependency completion |
| Dependencies | Block this task until another task is completed |
| Category | Optional tag for organizing tasks |
| Milestone | Flag important tasks as milestones |
Task Dependencies
Tasks can depend on other tasks. A dependent task appears as “blocked” until its prerequisite is completed. This ensures tasks execute in the correct order.Select Prerequisites
Choose one or more tasks from any phase that must complete before this task unblocks.
Task Ownership
Each task is owned by either the MSP or the Client:- MSP tasks appear under “Our Progress” in the client portal and are managed by your team
- Client tasks appear under “Your Tasks” in the client portal and require client action
Documents, Surveys, and Approvals
In addition to tasks, phases can contain:- Documents — Specific files to request from clients (with allowed file type restrictions)
- Surveys — Linked survey templates from the Surveys module
- Approvals — Formal approve/reject items with optional supporting documents
Client Pages
Templates can also reference Client Pages — reusable, read-only reference pages (welcome notes, support instructions, security FAQs) that clients read inside their portal. In the template builder, open the Client Pages section and use Select custom page to link pages from your library. Each linked page has a Visible to client portal toggle so you can keep a page attached but hidden. Pages are referenced, not copied — update a page once in the library and every template that links it stays current. See the Client Pages guide for details.Template Dates
Define standard milestones on the template using day offsets from the portal start date. For example, “Kickoff = day 0, Hardware = day 14, Go-Live = day 45”. When you launch a portal, the offsets resolve to real dates automatically, and you can mark one as the portal countdown. Open the Template dates section in the builder to add dates with a label, optional description, and Offset from portal start (days). Leave the offset blank to require the admin to set that date manually on each portal. See Custom Dates and Countdowns for how dates appear on a live portal.AI Template Designer
Generate complete onboarding templates using AI. Describe your onboarding process in plain language and AI creates the phases, tasks, and structure for you.Describe Your Process
Type a description like “Create an onboarding template for a 50-person law firm migrating from on-prem Exchange to Microsoft 365” or “Add a security hardening phase with MFA enrollment and endpoint protection tasks.”
Review the Diff
AI generates proposed changes shown in a diff preview. Review each change — added phases, tasks, and configuration.
Import & Export
Share templates across tenants, back them up, or build them in a spreadsheet using the Import / Export button in the template builder. The dialog has two formats:- JSON
- CSV
JSON preserves the complete template structure — phases, tasks, documents, approvals, and client pages.
- Export JSON downloads the full template.
- Select JSON File then Import Template validates the file and updates the current template in place. A preview shows the phase, task, document, and page counts before you import.
Checklist Templates
Checklist templates are reusable sets of sub-items that can be attached to any task.Create a Checklist
Click New Checklist, give it a name and description, then add individual items with labels and ordering.
Template Management
Archiving Templates
Archive templates you no longer need. Archived templates are hidden from the template list but can be restored at any time. Existing portals using archived templates are not affected.Duplicating Templates
Duplicate a template to create a variant. Click the ⋯ menu on any template and select Duplicate to create an identical copy you can modify independently.Change History
The template builder records an audit trail of every change. Open the Change History panel to see what changed, who changed it, and when — phase and task additions, edits, and reorders; document, approval, survey, and checklist links; automation changes; and duplication, archive, or restore actions. Hover any entry for the exact timestamp, and use Load More to page through older history.Best Practices
Keep templates focused
Keep templates focused
Create separate templates for different client types (e.g., “SMB Onboarding”, “Enterprise Migration”, “M365 Setup Only”) rather than one massive template with optional phases.
Use dependencies strategically
Use dependencies strategically
Only add dependencies where order truly matters. Over-blocking tasks creates unnecessary bottlenecks for clients.
Balance MSP and client tasks
Balance MSP and client tasks
Don’t put all the work on the client. Include MSP-owned tasks so clients can see your team’s progress too — it builds trust and transparency.
Add clear descriptions
Add clear descriptions
Write task descriptions from the client’s perspective. Instead of “Provide AD credentials,” write “Please provide your Active Directory administrator username and password so we can begin the migration.”
Use the AI designer for first drafts
Use the AI designer for first drafts
Start with AI to generate a baseline template, then customize it to match your exact process. This is much faster than building from scratch.