Doculane
Before a website project starts, collect the business facts, brand references, page content and images needed for the first agreed milestone. Name an owner and a completion condition for each item. Separate files from account access and approval decisions, so a folder full of uploads is not mistaken for a project ready to begin.
Client content checklist
A useful client content checklist follows the project scope. A brochure website, an online store and a full rebrand do not need the same inputs. For this starting template, assume a small business website with an existing visual identity. Adjust the milestones with the client rather than presenting them as a universal agency process.
| Material | Ask the client for | Suggested point of need | Completion condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business facts | Business name, contact details, services and locations that belong on the site | Before information architecture | Client confirms the facts and identifies the decision-maker |
| Brand references | Available logo versions, brand guide and visual references | Before the first visual direction | Designer can identify the current identity and required source files |
| Page content | Copy for the agreed pages, or a written brief for copy the agency will create | Before that page’s design milestone | Each page has an owner and an agreed content status |
| Photography | Selected images with intended use identified | Before the relevant layout is finalized | Client confirms the selection and the team checks suitability |
| Project brief | Goals, audience, key actions and scope boundaries | Before kickoff | Client and agency have reviewed the brief |
| Platform access | Invitations to the relevant CMS, hosting or analytics services | Before the work requiring that access | Agency confirms the required permission works |
| Decisions | Sitemap, content direction or design decisions required by the agreement | At the agreed approval milestone | The named approver records a decision in the agreed channel |
“Suggested point of need” describes a planning choice. Some agencies begin discovery before content is complete; others require supplied copy before design. Make that dependency explicit in the agreement and request.
Prepare the handoff
Files, access and approvals
Classify each input before asking the client to send it. A logo is a file. CMS access is a permission. Approval of a sitemap is a decision. They require different completion checks.
Use a document collection tool for supported files, the platform’s own invitation system for account access, and an agreed decision record for approvals. For example, Google Analytics lets administrators grant users access at account or property level. Request the access needed for the task instead of asking for a screenshot of credentials.
Never ask clients to put passwords, recovery codes or private keys in a project asset upload. Receipt of a file also does not establish permission to use its contents. Confirm permitted use and any restrictions through the client’s normal approval process.
Website copy and revisions
Choose a working location for editable text and a delivery format for the version your team will use. Identify the page, owner and version; “final copy” without a page name or revision date is hard to distinguish from an earlier draft.
A collaborative document may be a better place for writing and comments than a file collection tool. Google Drive documents its viewer, commenter and editor roles. Agree on who may edit and who gives the final content decision.
If the client delivers a file, request a supported document format such as DOCX or PDF, with a clear name such as services-copy-2026-11-03.docx. That naming convention is an example, not a renaming rule imposed by Doculane. The content owner should still state whether it is a draft or the version approved for design.
Doculane receives files; it is not a collaborative copy editor and does not turn an uploaded document into approved website copy.
A kickoff request example
This fictional four-part request for Northstar Studio shows how to write useful completion conditions. It is an authored example, not a customer case study or a measured agency outcome.
| Request item | Instruction to the client | What the agency checks |
|---|---|---|
| Brand references | Upload a PNG logo and the available brand guide as PDF; identify any separate source-file location | Current identity can be identified; required production files are accessible through the agreed route |
| Homepage copy | Send a DOCX or PDF of the homepage text and identify its content owner and revision |
The agency handoff in Doculane
Create a client request for the files the current milestone needs. Add item instructions, a due date and scheduled reminders, then share the request link. Clients verify their email with a one-time code without creating a Doculane account; the workspace’s sender access rules still apply.
Clients can submit supported files in stages while the request remains active. The agency can follow what arrived and inspect the originals, which stay associated with the client’s contact record. Reuse the checklist template for another client, adjusting the scope instead of assuming the same list fits every project.
Doculane fits a team that wants a focused file-collection step. Keep project scheduling, collaborative copywriting, password management and formal approvals in the tools chosen for those jobs. Optional Google Drive copies are one-way; they do not imply two-way synchronization or an import of unsupported design files.
For email wording, use the client document request templates, naming the relevant project milestone rather than a bookkeeping period.
Frequently asked questions
Must every piece of content be ready before kickoff?
No. Identify which inputs block the next agreed milestone and which can follow later. The required sequence depends on the project scope and the agency’s process.
Should the client upload a password list with the brief?
No. Use platform invitations and an appropriate credential-management process where access cannot be delegated. A document collection request is not a password vault.
Does a received logo or copy file mean it is approved?
No. Receiving, reviewing and approving are separate steps. Record the client’s decision and permitted use through the agreed workflow.
Can the client deliver the remaining files later?
Yes, in Doculane while the request remains active and the sender is allowed. Agree on how missing materials affect the next milestone rather than assuming a completed upload automatically changes the project schedule.
Get started
Choose one upcoming milestone and create a short file-only checklist for it. Put permissions and approval decisions in separate tasks, then confirm that each requested file format can be received.