client-flow

# Client Flow

New client? One message, full setup. From folder structure to welcome email to kickoff meeting — automated in 30 seconds instead of 30 minutes.

## Why This Exists

Client onboarding is one of the most-reported use cases in the OpenClaw community, yet has zero dedicated skills on ClawHub. Freelancers, agencies, and small businesses repeat the same 8-step process for every new client — creating folders, sending emails, scheduling calls, setting up tasks. This skill automates the entire flow.

## The Onboarding Flow

Triggered by something like: "New client: Acme Corp, contact Sarah at sarah@acme.com, project: website redesign, budget: $15k, deadline: March 30"

The skill extracts whatever information is provided, asks for anything critical that's missing, then executes the full onboarding sequence:

### Step 1: Create Project Structure

Create an organized folder hierarchy for the project:

```
[Client Name]/
├── 01-Brief/
│   └── project-brief.md (auto-generated from intake info)
├── 02-Contracts/
├── 03-Design/
├── 04-Development/
├── 05-Content/
├── 06-Deliverables/
└── 07-Communications/
    └── meeting-notes/
```

Where to create:
- **Google Drive**: if `gog` tool is available, create in a "Clients" folder
- **Dropbox**: if Dropbox skill is available
- **Local filesystem**: if running locally, create under a configurable base path (default: `~/Clients/`)
- **Notion**: if Notion skill is available, create a project page instead of folders

### Step 2: Generate Project Brief

Auto-generate a project brief document from the intake information:

```markdown
# Project Brief: [Project Name]
**Client**: [Company Name]
**Contact**: [Name] ([Email])
**Start Date**: [Today or specified]
**Deadline**: [Date]
**Budget**: [Amount]

## Project Description
[Generated from user's input — expand into 2-3 sentences]

## Objectives
- [Extracted or inferred from project type]
- [...]

## Deliverables
- [Inferred from project type — e.g., "website redesign" → wireframes, mockups, final site]
- [...]

## Timeline
- Week 1-2: Discovery & Planning
- Week 3-4: [Phase based on project type]
- [...]

## Notes
[Any additional context from the user's message]
```

Save this to the project folder.

### Step 3: Send Welcome Email

Compose and send (or draft) a welcome email to the client:

```
Subject: Welcome to [Your Name/Company] — [Project Name] Kickoff

Hi [Client First Name],

Thank you for choosing to work with us on [Project Name]. I'm excited to get started!

Here's what happens next:
1. I'll send a kickoff meeting invite for [suggested date/time]
2. Please review and sign the project agreement [if applicable]
3. We'll begin the discovery phase right away

If you have any questions before we kick off, don't hesitate to reach out.

Looking forward to working together!

[User's name/signature from memory]
```

Delivery:
- If email skill is configured: send directly (with user confirmation)
- If not: output the email for the user to copy and send manually

### Step 4: Schedule Kickoff Meeting

Create a calendar event for the kickoff meeting:

- **When**: suggest a time 2-3 business days from now (or use user-specified date)
- **Duration**: 30 minutes (default, customizable)
- **Attendees**: client contact + user
- **Title**: "[Client Name] — Project Kickoff"
- **Description**: include project brief summary and agenda:
  ```
  Agenda:
  1. Introductions & project overview (5 min)
  2. Requirements review (10 min)
  3. Timeline & milestones (10 min)
  4. Next steps & action items (5 min)
  ```

Use Google Calendar via `gog` tool, or Outlook if configured.

### Step 5: Create Task Board

Set up project tasks in the user's preferred task manager:

**For Todoist / ClickUp / Linear / Asana:**
Create a project with these default tasks:
- [ ] Send contract/agreement
- [ ] Kickoff meeting
- [ ] Discovery & requirements gathering
- [ ] First deliverable review
- [ ] Midpoint check-in
- [ ] Final delivery
- [ ] Client feedback
- [ ] Project closure

**For GitHub Issues:** (if the project is technical)
Create a milestone + issues for each phase

**For Notion:** (if used as task manager)
Create a task database within the project page

Each task gets a due date estimated from the project timeline.

### Step 6: Set Up Reminders

Configure follow-up reminders:
- **Day before kickoff**: reminder to prepare
- **Weekly check-in**: recurring reminder to update the client on progress
- **Milestone dates**: reminders for each deliverable deadline
- **1 week before deadline**: "final sprint" reminder

Use OpenClaw cron or the task manager's reminder system.

### Step 7: Update Client Registry

Maintain a master list of all clients and projects:

```markdown
# Client Registry

| Client | Project | Status | Contact | Start | Deadline | Value |
|--------|---------|--------|---------|-------|----------|-------|
| Acme Corp | Website Redesign | 🟢 Active | sarah@acme.com | Feb 15 | Mar 30 | $15k |
| Beta LLC | Brand Identity | 🟡 In Review | john@beta.io | Jan 20 | Feb 28 | $8k |
| Gamma Inc | Mobile App | ✅ Completed | lisa@gamma.co | Nov 1 | Jan 15 | $25k |
```

Store in workspace memory or as a Markdown file in a "Business" folder.

## Post-Onboarding: Project Lifecycle

### Status Check
**User**: "How are my projects doing?" or "Client status"
→ Pull from client registry + task managers and generate:

```
🤝 Active Projects

1. Acme Corp — Website Redesign
   Status: On track ✅
   Next milestone: First mockup review (Feb 22)
   Outstanding tasks: 3 of 8 completed
   Budget used: ~40%
   
2. Beta LLC — Brand Identity
   Status: Needs attention ⚠️
   Next milestone: Final delivery (Feb 28) — 5 days away
   Outstanding tasks: 2 remaining
   Blocker: Waiting for client feedback since Feb 10
```

### Client Communication
**User**: "Draft an update email for Acme Corp"
→ Generate a progress update email using project data:
- What's been completed since last update
- Current status and next steps
- Any blockers or needs from the client
- Timeline update

### Project Closure
**User**: "Close the Beta LLC project"
→ Execute closure workflow:
1. Mark project as completed in registry
2. Send thank-you email to client
3. Archive project folder
4. Create a project retrospective note
5. Set a 30-day follow-up reminder for testimonial request
6. Set a 90-day follow-up for potential repeat business

## Templates

Store customizable templates in workspace memory. Defaults are provided but users can override:

- **Welcome email template**: adjust tone, signature, included links
- **Folder structure**: add/remove folders based on project type
- **Task list**: customize default tasks per project type
- **Project types**: different presets for "website", "branding", "consulting", "development", etc.

**User**: "When I onboard a development client, also add GitHub repo setup and Slack channel creation"
→ Store as a "development" project type template

## Configuration

On first use:

1. **Business info**: company name, user's name, email signature, timezone
2. **Default tools**: which task manager, file storage, calendar, email to use
3. **Project types**: what kinds of projects do they typically do?
4. **Templates**: review and customize default templates
5. **Client folder location**: where to store project folders

Store everything in workspace memory. After first setup, onboarding is one command.

## Edge Cases

- **Minimal info**: if the user only says "new client: Acme", ask for contact email (required) and project name. Everything else can be defaults.
- **Repeat client**: if a client name matches an existing entry, ask if this is a new project for the same client. If yes, add to existing client folder rather than creating a new one.
- **No task manager**: if no external task manager is configured, create tasks as a checklist in the project brief
- **No email configured**: output the welcome email for manual sending. Don't skip the step.
- **International clients**: respect timezone differences in meeting scheduling. If client is in a different timezone, note it.
- **Team projects**: if multiple team members are involved, allow assigning tasks to different people
- **Budget tracking**: this skill doesn't do invoicing (that's a separate concern), but tracks estimated vs. actual budget at a high level