Client Data Model Handoff (Handoff)

Client Data Model Handoff (Handoff)

1. 01

   Freeze the schema and export a machine-readable data dictionary before the client touches the app

   List every table, field, type, and relationship, then store the dictionary in the client's shared drive. A client portal built in Noloco or a tracker built in Airtable is only as portable as its documented schema.

2. 02

   Record which fields are client-owned versus agency-owned

   Mark each field as client-editable, agency-managed, or system-generated. This prevents a client from renaming a status field that downstream automations depend on.

3. 03

   Document every integration with its auth owner and renewal date

   For each connected service, note who holds the API key, which account it bills to, and when the credential expires. An integration built in Appaca or Jet Admin that authenticates through an agency-owned account becomes a liability the day the retainer ends.

4. 04

   Run a restore test from a clean export and time the recovery

   Export the full dataset, import it into a staging copy, and confirm record counts and relationships survive. Record the elapsed time so the client knows the real recovery window.

5. 05

   Hand over admin credentials through a shared vault, not email

   Transfer ownership of the workspace, billing account, and domain in a single session with the client present. Revoke agency-only access at the same meeting.

6. 06

   Deliver a 30-minute walkthrough covering the three workflows the client will actually run

   Skip the full feature tour. Show the approval flow, the reporting view, and the one edit they will make weekly, then record the session for their team.

7. 07

   Attach a written exit clause naming the export format and support window

   State that the client can request a full CSV or JSON export at any time and that agency support continues for a defined period after handoff. This converts a platform dependency into a documented, bounded relationship.