Client Offboarding Checklist

Account director records the legal entity, primary client contact, contract end date, and MSA / SOW references. Pull the original engagement docs from the client folder so retention windows and IP-assignment language are in front of the team before any handover.

Reason drives downstream paths — a churn / non-renewal needs a save attempt and a candid retro, while a planned end-of-engagement skips the save. Tag the CRM opportunity stage so renewal forecasts reflect reality.

Account director hosts a 45-minute call to surface the underlying driver — pricing, performance, fit, internal restructuring. Bring the last two QBR decks and ROAS / pipeline contribution data so the conversation is anchored in outcomes, not vibes.

List every active engagement in Asana / Monday and decide per project: complete, hand off mid-flight, or cancel. Document status, remaining hours against the SOW, and any deliverables the client has already paid for but not received.

Export source files from Bynder / Frontify / Figma — layered design files, brand guidelines, copy decks, and approved final assets. Confirm IP-assignment language in the MSA covers what's being handed over; flag any third-party stock licenses that don't transfer.

If the agency owns the GA4 property or Search Console verification, transfer ownership to a client-controlled account before removing agency users. Same drill for Google Tag Manager containers, Looker Studio dashboards, and any first-party pixel containers — losing historical data because the property is tied to a departing agency seat is the classic gotcha.

Move Google Ads, Meta Business Manager, LinkedIn Campaign Manager, and TikTok Ads from agency MCC / Business Manager ownership to the client's own structures. Pause any active campaigns that should not continue serving and confirm billing methods are pointed at the client, not the agency card.

Walk the system inventory — CMS, MAP, CRM, ad platforms, GA4, GTM, social publishers, DAM, Slack Connect, shared drives. Remove every agency user and any agency service accounts. SSO-managed access doesn't auto-revoke when a contract ends.

Move the client's contact records out of any agency newsletter or nurture sequence. CAN-SPAM and CASL obligations sit with the agency for any sends from agency-owned domains; suppress, don't just unassign.

Match retention against the MSA and applicable privacy law — GDPR data-minimization, CCPA / CPRA deletion-on-request obligations, any DPAs with sub-processors. Decide what the agency archives for its own legal record vs. what is deleted per client request.

Pull final timesheets from Harvest / Toggl, reconcile against the SOW, and gather pass-through receipts (paid-media spend, stock licenses, third-party tools). Flag any overage that requires a change order before the final invoice goes out.

Finance generates the final invoice with line-item detail tied to the SOW, payment terms, and any retainer credits being refunded. Send to the client AP contact captured at kickoff, not just the marketing primary.

Short survey (5-7 questions) covering NPS, what worked, what didn't, and whether the client is open to a case study or testimonial. Send from the agency principal, not the account director — response rates are materially higher.

60-minute session with everyone who staffed the account: account, strategy, creative, media, analytics. Capture what to repeat, what to change in the next pitch, and any process gaps to fix in the agency playbook.