Your Client Onboarding Automation Readiness Checklist 

When discussing goals and improvements with accountancy practices, client onboarding frequently arises as a common concern. Each firm handles it differently, but most agree it needs improvement. Firms often have different drivers for wanting to make changes to this process, common ones cover security concerns, client experience, automating/digitising manual processes and being able to report from a compliance perspective. There is a general consensus that making this process better can provide a lot of upside and opportunity.  

But the firms that unlock value fastest are the ones who prepare well. Before you introduce new technology, it’s worth taking the time to review your processes, data, and responsibilities, so you have a clear understanding of what problems are being solved and what the main drivers for change are. 

To help you get ready, we’ve put together this practical checklist. 

1. Map your current onboarding process 

Capture the current steps involved.  

• Who is managing this now – one or many? 

• How is it currently being done – Map it out at a high level 

• What tools are being used – list them out 

• Where is the information stored and shared – Emails, SharePoint client folders? 

• Can it be managed and reported on with ease? 

Are all teams doing the same process or does each team have their own way of managing it? 

This helps you understand where automation can add the most value, defines what you currently have in place and highlights steps that could be simplified or standardised before implementation. 

2. Identify bottlenecks and manual tasks 

Where do delays happen today? 
Ask the teams for some examples.  Commons ones include chasing documents, manual AML checks, email back-and-forth, inconsistent data entry, or waiting for partner/MLRO approval. Knowing these pressure points helps you prioritise automation opportunities and future improvements. 

3. Define why you want to improve this process? 

Give the project a “north star” that will help when it comes to finding the right tools and give a clearer path to making the right decision.  
 

Ready to take the next step? 

A well-prepared firm sees faster adoption, a smoother rollout, and most importantly, happier clients and stronger compliance from day one. 

If you are reviewing your onboarding processes and thinking about how you can make this work better for your firm, Let's talk. We collaborate with many firms to create a secure, compliant, and significantly improved user experience.