Client Onboarding Automation

In your e-signature platform, navigate to the webhooks or integrations section. Create a new webhook pointing to your n8n webhook URL. Configure it to fire on the "envelope completed" event (DocuSign) or "document signed" event (PandaDoc) - the event that fires when all parties have completed signing. In n8n, create a new workflow with a Webhook trigger node. Copy the webhook URL and paste it into your e-signature platform configuration. Test by completing a test signing flow and verifying the data arrives in n8n. The webhook payload typically includes: signer names, signer email addresses, document name, completion timestamp, and any custom fields you've added to your contracts (client name, engagement type, assigned partner, billing rate). Add custom fields to your contract template now if they're not already there - these fields feed the downstream automation without requiring manual data entry.

The first step after the webhook trigger is always the client type check. Query your CRM using the signer's email address. If a contact record exists, this is an existing client with a new engagement - route to the existing-client path. If no record exists, this is a new client - route to the new-client path. The new-client path: create a new CRM contact and company record using data from the signed contract, create the opportunity record, assign the appropriate team members, set the initial stage, and continue to the onboarding sequence. The existing-client path: pull the existing CRM record, create a new deal or opportunity record linked to the existing client, and continue to a modified onboarding sequence that acknowledges the existing relationship. The welcome email for an existing client should explicitly reference the history: "It's great to be working together again on [new engagement]" - not the same generic welcome that a new client receives.

For new clients, the sequence runs in this order with these timings: **T+0 minutes**: Send welcome email from the assigned partner's email address. Include: personalized opening that references the specific engagement, what happens next (brief overview), direct booking link for kickoff, partner's direct contact information. **T+5 minutes**: Create project record in your project management system (Asana, Monday, ClickUp, etc.) using the appropriate template for this engagement type. Assign team members. Set initial milestones. Notify the team via Slack or Teams with deal summary. **T+10 minutes**: Create project folder in shared drive with standard folder structure applied. Share with appropriate team members. **T+30 minutes**: Send intake document request. Separate timing from the welcome email to avoid looking aggressive. **T+24 hours**: Automated check - has the client opened the welcome email and clicked the booking link? If not, flag for the assigned partner to follow up manually.

Example: PandaDoc webhook payload processing

The webhook will include signers array. Extract the client signer (not the firm's internal signers) by filtering on signer role. The client's email becomes the lookup key for the CRM check.

Custom contract fields to extract:
- {{client.company_name}} → CRM company name
- {{contract.engagement_type}} → Project template selector  
- {{contract.assigned_partner}} → CRM owner / email sender
- {{contract.billing_rate}} → CRM opportunity value
- {{contract.start_date}} → Project start date

Webhooks fail. Required fields come in blank. Systems go down. Without an exception queue, these failures are silent - and you find out about them when a client asks why they never heard from you. Route errors to a dedicated Slack or Teams channel with the following information: what step failed, the client's name and email address, and what manual action needs to happen to complete their onboarding. Build the exception handling into every step of the sequence, not just the trigger. If the CRM write fails, catch it and route to the queue. If the project management system returns an error, catch it. If the welcome email bounces, catch it. Test the full workflow with internal test accounts before going live. Run several complete test signings - one for a new client and one for an existing client - and verify that every step executes correctly: welcome email received and properly formatted, project record created in the right template, folder created with the right structure, team notified with correct information.