Deposit-to-Signed-Commitment Sequence (Onboarding)

Deposit-to-Signed-Commitment Sequence (Onboarding)

1. 01

   Convert the verbal scope agreement into a dated booking link before any calendar hold is placed

   Hardbook-style flows combine a calendar hold, contract signature, and deposit collection in one client-facing link, which removes the gap between a verbal yes and a signed commitment. Agencies that hold dates without a signed artifact absorb cancellation risk on work they have already staffed.

2. 02

   Set the deposit percentage against delivery risk, not against a flat house rule

   A 50 percent deposit is defensible for custom build work where materials or subcontractors are committed in week one; a 20 percent deposit is defensible for retainer extensions that reuse existing assets. Write the percentage into the contract template so the invoice line and the signature page never disagree.

3. 03

   Confirm the payment rail before the client sees the link

   Card rails settle in days but carry 2.9 percent plus a fixed fee; ACH and direct debit rails such as GoCardless settle slower at lower cost. On a 12,000 dollar engagement the rail choice is a three-figure decision, so decide it at the proposal stage rather than at collection.

4. 04

   Issue the deposit invoice in the same system that will hold the project ledger

   Splitting the deposit across one tool and the milestone invoices across another creates reconciliation work at month end. Keep the deposit, the milestones, and the final balance in a single ledger so the client sees one continuous statement.

5. 05

   Trigger the kickoff only after the deposit clears, not after it is sent

   State the clearance condition in the contract so the client understands the sequencing. This single rule prevents the most common agency dispute: work started, deposit unpaid, and no contractual lever to pause delivery.

6. 06

   Log the signed contract, deposit receipt, and kickoff date against the client record on day one

   Three fields, one timestamp. When a client later disputes scope or timing, the record answers the question without a search through email threads.