> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.msportal.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Onboarding Templates
> Build reusable onboarding blueprints with phases, tasks, documents, surveys, and automation hooks
Templates are reusable blueprints that define your onboarding process. Each template contains phases (workflow stages) and tasks (individual action items) that get copied into a portal when you launch onboarding for a client.
## Creating a Template
Go to **Settings > Onboarding > Templates** and click **New Template**.
Enter a **name**, optional **description**, and **tags** for organization. Set the **estimated duration** to help plan timelines.
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.
Click **Add Item** within a phase to create tasks. Configure each task's type, ownership, and evidence requirements.
Click **Save** to save your template. It's now available when launching portals.
## 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
Keep phases high-level (3–6 per template works well). Use tasks within phases for the detailed steps.
## 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 tasks
### Meeting
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 walkthroughs
### Document 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 documentation
### Digital 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 forms
### Credential 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
Submitted credentials are encrypted and auto-hide after 5 minutes when revealed by MSP staff.
**Use for:** Admin passwords, VPN credentials, vendor logins, API keys
### 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 certificates
### Training
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
**Use for:** Security awareness training, platform walkthroughs, tool-specific training
### 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](/user-guides/client-onboarding/forms) 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 requests
### Checklist
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 checks
## Task 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.
When editing a task, click **Add Dependency**.
Choose one or more tasks from any phase that must complete before this task unblocks.
The task will show as blocked in the portal until all dependencies are met.
### 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
These appear in dedicated sections of the client portal alongside tasks.
## 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](/user-guides/client-onboarding/pages) 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](/user-guides/client-onboarding/custom-dates) 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.
In the template builder, click the **AI** button to open the AI design sidebar.
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."
AI generates proposed changes shown in a diff preview. Review each change — added phases, tasks, and configuration.
Click **Apply** to accept the changes, or continue the conversation to refine. You can undo the last AI application if needed.
The AI designer works best when you provide context about the client type, size, and specific requirements. You can also ask it to modify an existing template — for example, "Add a compliance documentation phase after the migration phase."
## 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 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.
CSV gives you a flat task table that's easy to edit in a spreadsheet.
* **Export CSV** downloads the tasks as a spreadsheet.
* **Select CSV File** then **Import as New Template** **creates a brand-new template** (named after the original with "(imported)" appended) rather than overwriting the current one.
## Checklist Templates
Checklist templates are reusable sets of sub-items that can be attached to any task.
Go to **Settings > Onboarding > Checklists**.
Click **New Checklist**, give it a name and description, then add individual items with labels and ordering.
When configuring a task in the template builder, select a checklist template. The checklist items will appear as checkable sub-items within the task.
## 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
Create separate templates for different client types (e.g., "SMB Onboarding", "Enterprise Migration", "M365 Setup Only") rather than one massive template with optional phases.
Only add dependencies where order truly matters. Over-blocking tasks creates unnecessary bottlenecks for clients.
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.
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."
Start with AI to generate a baseline template, then customize it to match your exact process. This is much faster than building from scratch.