Client Intake Form Template for Agencies (Free Template)

What is a client intake form?

Without a structured intake, agencies rely on whatever the client volunteers during a kickoff call. That information is incomplete, unstructured, and rarely validated against what a complete brief actually requires. Clients describe outcomes without specifying constraints. They say 'we need a new site' without defining how many pages, what integrations are required, or who has final sign-off.

An intake form closes that gap before the kickoff call, so the meeting is a confirmation, not a discovery session. When you walk in with a completed intake, you already know the budget range, the approval chain, and the content delivery timeline. You can spend the call on nuance rather than basics.

What to include on a client intake form

A complete intake form covers seven areas:

1. Project goals: What does success look like in measurable terms? Not 'we need a new website' but 'we need to increase sign-ups by 25% before Q3.' Forces specificity early.
2. Budget range: A defined range, not 'flexible.' If the client will not commit to a range at this stage, that is a risk flag to resolve before proceeding.
3. Timeline: When does the project need to launch? Are there external deadlines, such as product launches, campaigns, or events, that constrain the schedule?
4. Key stakeholders: Who is involved? Who reviews? Who approves? Who has final say? Name specific people, not roles.
5. Technical constraints: Existing platforms, required integrations, hosting environment, accessibility requirements, and performance targets.
6. Content readiness: Who provides copy, images, and other assets? When will they be ready? This is the most common source of timeline slippage.
7. Approval chain: How many rounds of revisions are expected? Who can approve a revision? Is legal or compliance involved at any stage?

Download the free client intake form

The template below gives you a starting structure. Adapt it to your agency's project types. A web development intake will need different fields than a brand identity intake. The categories above remain consistent, but the specific questions should reflect the work.

# Client Intake Form

**Project name:** [Project name]
**Client company:** [Company name]
**Primary contact:** [Name, role, email]
**Date submitted:** [Date]

## Project Goals
What does a successful project look like at the 90-day mark?
[Client response]

## Budget
What is your budget range for this project?
[Client response, e.g. €30,000–€45,000]

## Timeline
When do you need this project to launch?
[Client response]

Are there external deadlines (product launches, events, campaigns) that affect the timeline?
[Client response]

## Stakeholders
Who reviews deliverables?
[Name, role]

Who has final approval?
[Name, role]

Is legal or compliance involved at any stage?
[Yes / No, if yes describe]

## Technical Constraints
What platforms or tools must the project work with?
[Client response]

Are there hosting, accessibility, or performance requirements?
[Client response]

## Content
Who provides copy, images, and other assets?
[Client response]

When will content be ready for delivery to the agency?
[Date or milestone]

## Additional context
Is there anything we have not asked that we should know before committing?
[Client response]

How Clariva publishes your intake form in minutes

Describe your project in one to three sentences and Clariva produces a structured, section-organized questionnaire adapted to your project type. A web development project triggers different questions than a brand identity engagement. The questionnaire is tailored, not generic.

Once published, you get a shareable link. Your client fills it out question-by-question on any device. Every answer is stored. When they finish, Clariva analyzes their responses across all relevant dimensions, flags any gaps, and generates a brief pack your team can commit to.

What to do with intake responses

Once your client submits, review their answers against a completeness standard before moving forward. Every question that is incomplete, vague, or unanswered is a risk flag. Resolve it before commitment, not after.

In Clariva: responses are scored automatically against coverage dimensions. Any gap that could create scope risk is flagged with the specific evidence, the risk it creates, and the suggested follow-up question. You see exactly what is missing and what to ask next before the project starts.