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Client Onboarding in Asana: template + copy-paste rules
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Published on
March 6, 2025

Use our project template (CSV) and 6 ready-to-use rules to launch client onboarding in Asana in under an hour. The flow is Intake → KYC/Compliance → Setup → Delivery → Handover, with forms that route requests, approvals for gated steps, and dashboards leaders review weekly.

1) Project structure (sections, fields, owners)

Sections

● Intake – capture the request and qualify scope

● KYC/Compliance – identity, legal, security

● Setup – environments, access, automations

● Delivery – execution + weekly status

● Handover – docs, billing, archiving

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Core custom fields

● Status: Not Started / In Progress / Blocked / In Review / Done

● Priority: P1 / P2 / P3 / P4

● SLA (days): numeric for due-date math

● Client Tier: A / B / C

● Risk: Low / Medium / High

● Approver: Person field for gated steps

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Ownership

● Exactly one Assignee per task

● Approver for gated tasks (Legal, Security, Finance)

● Template Owner and Portfolio Owner named

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Download the base project with sections, sample tasks, and custom-field columns:

CSV: ISSI_Asana_Client_Onboarding_Template.csv

(Import via Asana CSV Importer; map custom columns to new/existing fields.)

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2) Intake form → field mapping → routing

Form fields to include

● Company, Contact, Department, Request Type, Priority, Due-by, Data Sensitivity, Approver, Attachments

● Map fields to custom fields for reporting (Priority, SLA, Client Tier, Risk).

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Routing tips

● Use a single Onboarding Intake form → auto-create tasks in the Onboarding project.

● Route by Client Tier or Request Type to the right assignee/team.

● Capture SLA (days) to drive due-date rules.

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3) Six rules to automate handoffs & escalations

These examples are in the downloadable JSON for easy reference. You’ll configure them via Asana’s rule builder (names/actions vary slightly by plan).

1. Route new intake by Client Tier

  • Trigger: Form submission
  • Condition: Client Tier = Tier A
  • Actions: Assign Senior Onboarding Manager; set Priority = P1; add a comment “Routed as Tier A”

2. Escalate high-priority overdues

  • Trigger: Task overdue
  • Condition: Priority in {P1, P2}
  • Actions: Comment @Team Lead; set due date = Today + 1

3. Create approval on “In Review”

  • Trigger: Section/status changes to In Review
  • Action: Create Approval; set due date = +2 days; assign Approver

4. Reopen when approval is rejected

  • Trigger: Approval rejected
  • Actions: Set Status = Blocked; re-assign to Task Assignee

5. Auto-create go-live subtasks

  • Trigger: Section KYC/Compliance marked complete
  • Actions: Add subtasks: Go-live checklist, Runbook validation, Access de-scoping

6. Mirror form fields to custom fields

  • Trigger: Form submission
  • Action: Map Priority → Priority (custom field), Due-by → Due Date

Rules JSON (examples): ISSI_Asana_Client_Onboarding_Rules.json

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4) Dashboard widgets leaders actually check

Add a portfolio or project dashboard with:

● On-time completion (last 30 days)

● Overdue P1/P2 tasks

● Tasks by status (trend)

● Blockers count (tasks moved to Blocked this week)

● Workload by assignee (optional for capacity)

Run a weekly Ops Pulse (15 minutes): review the widgets, decide 3 actions, log decisions in a task with @mentions.

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5) Handover & QA + archiving

● Handover package: SOPs, FAQs, runbook, credentials handback

● CSM/AM intro: warm transition & cadence

● Billing: confirm terms, first invoice

● Archive: close the project/onboarding tasks >90 days old (unless regulated)

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6) Template download + next steps

● Download CSV template: ISSI_Asana_Client_Onboarding_Template.csv

● Download rules JSON: ISSI_Asana_Client_Onboarding_Rules.json

● Next step: Book an Automation Audit—we’ll wire your exact routing, approvals, and dashboards in a 90-minute session.

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FAQs

Can we clone this per client?

Yes—duplicate the onboarding project per client (or use project templates). Keep shared fields for cross-client reporting.

How do we handle rush jobs and exceptions?

Use Priority = P1 with a due-date rule and a dedicated Rush section. Add an exception field and escalate automatically.

What fields are required for reporting?

At minimum: Status, Priority, Client Tier, SLA (days), Risk, Approver—they power the dashboards and rules above.

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