Client access request email
A ready-to-send email asking a client (or a previous developer) for every login and account you need before you start, with safer ways to share each one.
Free template for designers
Website handoff document and training checklist
A handoff document skeleton covering every account a client needs to own their site, plus a training session checklist.
Domain, DNS and delivery
- Registrar: [company]. Account owner: [client]. Renews: [date]. Auto-renew and lock: [on].
- DNS host: [company]. Can edit: [names]. Zone export saved at: [location].
- CDN or proxy (e.g. Cloudflare): [account owner]. Key settings: [SSL mode, cache rules].
- SSL: [issuer]. Renews: [automatically, by whom]. Expiry monitored by: [who].
- Mailboxes: [provider]. Site mail sent via: [SMTP or transactional service]. SPF/DKIM/DMARC: [set].
Hosting and backups
- Hosting: [company, plan]. Account owner: [client]. Support: [ticket or email]. PHP: [version].
- Backups: [where, how often, retention]. Restore steps: [link]. Last test restore: [date].
WordPress and services
- Admins: [one account per person, 2FA on]. Your access after handoff: [removed / support role].
- Paid plugins and theme: [name, license holder, renewal date, cost].
- Analytics and Search Console: owned by [client account], with you added as a user only.
- Support terms: [what is covered, response times, rate for extra work, how to request].
Training session
- Log in, reset a password and set up 2FA.
- Edit, preview and publish a page. Restore an earlier revision.
- Add a post with a featured image, category and alt text.
- Upload images at a sensible size and replace one without breaking the layout.
- Find and export form entries, and see where notifications go.
- What not to touch: theme files, builder global settings, updates without a backup.
Sign off
- Client confirms every login works and has changed any password you set.
- Ownership of registrar, hosting, analytics and licenses sits with the client.
- Client gets an owner’s manual: /design-field-kit/owner-manual/ on webdesignsurvivalist.com.
More templates
The rest of the kit
Client leaving: website offboarding checklist
When a client moves on, a calm reply and a checklist for a clean, professional exit: accounts in their name, a tested backup, licenses sorted, your access removed and everything confirmed in writing.
Maintenance agreement outline
The sections a solid website maintenance agreement covers, with numbers where they belong. An outline, not legal advice.
Care plan tier sheet
Turn your care plan prices into tiers a client can compare: what each tier includes, task credits, add-ons and who may buy them, backups and response times.
Website content collection checklist
Everything a client needs to supply for a new website, with ground rules and a deadline: copy, images with usage rights, brand files, legal pages, form settings and old site details.
“Your site is down” client emails
Three calm emails for a client outage: the first notice, the update and the all clear with a short incident summary.