Client Onboarding

Core Concepts

Onboarding Workflow Architecture

Client onboarding is an orchestrated, multi-stage process that transforms a prospect into a funded, investable account. The canonical stages are:

1. Prospect intake — capture contact information, establish CRM record, assign advisor
2. Identity verification — CIP/KYC checks (name, DOB, address, SSN/TIN, government ID)
3. Suitability data collection — investment objectives, risk tolerance, time horizon, financial situation
4. Account type selection — individual, joint, trust, IRA, entity, or other structure
5. Document generation — assemble the required document package based on account type and features
6. E-signature — execute new account forms, agreements, and disclosures electronically
7. Custodian submission — transmit the completed application to the custodian for account creation
8. Funding — ACH, wire, ACAT transfer, or check deposit to fund the new account
9. Initial investment — assign the funded account to a model portfolio or execute the initial trade

The two primary flow models are advisor-assisted and self-service (digital-direct). In advisor-assisted onboarding, the advisor guides the client through each step, often in a meeting or screen-share, with the onboarding platform pre-populating data from the CRM. In self-service onboarding, the client completes a guided digital workflow independently, with the advisor reviewing and approving the completed application. Most firms support a hybrid model where self-service handles simple account types and advisor-assisted handles complex ones.