During onboarding, people often exist as draft clients on the onboarding invite before they appear in your Clients list or in connected apps. This article explains when an OnboardMe client is created, when identity verification starts, and when systems such as Xero, FYI, and GreatSoft are updated.
Draft first, then Clients list, then connected apps
Creating or sending an onboarding invite does not usually create a full Clients-list record or sync to practice-manager apps. Those steps happen later: mid-flow when billing or ID verification needs a real client, when a linked proposal is sent or accepted, or when staff complete the onboarding.
Key terms
Onboarding draft client
The person or organisation named on the onboarding invite. They live on the onboarding until promoted into your Clients list.
OnboardMe client
The client record in Clients. Connected systems attach to this record.
Standalone onboarding
An onboarding invite sent on its own, not as part of a proposal.
Proposal-linked onboarding
Onboarding that starts after (or with) a proposal, using onboard after acceptance. Client records may appear earlier because of proposal billing, payment details, or jobs.
Must verify / ID verification
Identity checks (ID Verifications) for individuals or sole traders flagged to verify. Verification can start on the draft client; some steps need a real OnboardMe client first.
Complete onboarding
Staff action that finalises the Clients-list record and syncs connected apps. This is the main moment most integrations update for onboarding.
Two kinds of onboarding
Standalone
Create invite and draft clients
Send email or SMS
Client fills forms (and ID Verifications if required)
Staff complete to create or update Clients and sync
With a proposal
Proposal may create clients earlier for billing or ID Verifications
Acceptance remaps draft clients into Clients
Client then finishes onboarding forms
Staff complete refreshes data and syncs apps
At a glance
Moment | OnboardMe client? | Connected apps? |
|---|---|---|
Create onboarding | Draft only (not yet in Clients) | No |
Send onboarding invite | Still draft, unless already linked | No |
Client collects payment details | Yes, created early if needed | With Pinch and Xero Ledger: Xero contact first, then Pinch customer. Stripe creates a payment customer. Not a full practice-manager sync |
Client starts ID Verifications | Yes, created early if needed | ID Verifications only at this step; not Xero or FYI yet |
Send or accept linked proposal | May create or remap Clients for billing, jobs, or proposal ID Verifications | Depends on proposal options (see proposals article) |
Staff complete onboarding | Yes, create or update Clients | Yes, sync to connected apps |
What happens when you create and send
Creating an onboarding adds draft clients and optional eForms. Sending delivers the invite (and may bill subscription or wallet usage). Neither step is the full Clients create or the full sync to Xero Practice Manager, FYI, GreatSoft, and similar apps.
If Must verify is on for an individual or sole trader, OnboardMe sets up identity verification records when the onboarding clients are created or updated. That can happen while the person is still only a draft client.
Identity verification during onboarding
ID verification is prepared early, but some steps need a real OnboardMe client.
1. Flag Must verify
When you add or update onboarding clients with Must verify, OnboardMe creates the verification records needed for that person (onboarding-scoped until they are promoted).
2. Send the invite
Sending stamps verification as sent so the client can complete checks in the onboarding flow.
3. Start ID Verifications
Starting ID Verifications creates an OnboardMe client if one does not already exist (so the check has a stable client to link to). Practice-manager apps are not synced at this moment.
4. Complete onboarding
Verification is linked to the final Clients record. If verification is already done, linked ID checks can be closed out as part of completion.
Onboarding vs proposal ID Verifications
Must verify on an onboarding client is separate from Must verify on a proposal signer. A proposal can also create an early client for proposal ID Verifications when the proposal is sent. Both can appear on the same engagement when you use onboard after acceptance.
When a client is created before Complete
An OnboardMe client can appear before staff click Complete. That does not mean onboarding is finished, and it does not always mean every connected app has the client.
Payment details
If the client enters card or bank details during onboarding, OnboardMe creates a Clients record when needed, then sets up the payment customer.
With Pinch and Xero Ledger connected, OnboardMe creates or updates the Xero Ledger contact first, then creates the Pinch customer (Pinch relies on that Xero link). With Stripe, a Stripe customer is created. This is billing setup, not the full sync to every connected app.
ID Verifications
Starting ID Verifications creates a Clients record if one is missing, then continues the identity check. Xero, FYI, and similar apps wait until Complete (or other later syncs).
Linked proposal send or accept
If onboarding is tied to a proposal, send or acceptance may create or remap Clients early for bills, payment details, jobs, or proposal ID Verifications. See When does a proposal create a client? for that timing.
What happens when staff complete onboarding
Complete is the main promotion step. For each onboarding client, OnboardMe creates a new Clients record or updates an existing linked client (including re-onboard of someone already in Clients).
After that, OnboardMe syncs connected apps in the background: for example Xero Practice Manager, Xero Ledger, GreatSoft, QuickBooks, FYI, Karbon, KloudConnect, FreeAgent, and BGL (when your practice has those connected and relevant settings on). Documents may also upload to FYI, Karbon, or KloudConnect where configured.
If the onboarding was linked to a proposal, Complete also refreshes proposal client links so jobs and billing point at the final Clients record.
Connected systems (onboarding)
System | During onboarding | On Complete |
|---|---|---|
OnboardMe Clients | Created early only if payment details, ID Verifications, or a linked proposal needs it | Create or update for every onboarding client |
Xero Ledger | Contact created or updated before Pinch when payment details are collected (if Xero Ledger is connected) | Synced with the Clients record |
Xero Practice Manager | Not from standalone create or send | Client created or updated |
GreatSoft (MYOB) | Not from standalone create or send | Client created or updated; tasks may run if configured |
QuickBooks | Not from standalone create or send | Customer created or updated |
FYI | Not from create or send alone | Client synced (rules depend on FYI plan and other connections); documents may upload |
Karbon | Not from create or send alone | Client synced; documents may upload |
KloudConnect | Not from create or send alone | Client synced; documents may upload |
FreeAgent | Not from create or send alone | Contact synced |
BGL | Not from create or send alone | May update if BGL client push is enabled |
Pinch / Stripe | Pinch: after Xero contact (when Xero Ledger is connected). Stripe: payment customer when collecting details | Uses the linked payment customer |
ID Verifications | Checks while the client verifies | Linked to the final Clients record |
Proposal-linked onboarding
With onboard after acceptance, timing overlaps the proposal lifecycle.
Sending the proposal can create early Clients for billing, payment details, or proposal identity checks. Accepting the proposal remaps onboarding draft clients into Clients so jobs and invoices have the right links, and marks onboarding as ready for the client to continue.
The client then completes onboarding forms. Staff Complete still finalises details and runs the full connected-app sync. First-send billing for the onboarding invite may already have been charged with the proposal send.
Common questions
Why did a Xero contact appear when the client only added payment details?
If you use Pinch with Xero Ledger, OnboardMe creates or updates the Xero contact before creating the Pinch customer, so payments can link to the right Xero contact. That can happen mid-onboarding, before staff Complete.
Why is there no client in Clients after I sent the invite?
That is normal. Send delivers the invite. The Clients record usually appears when the client hits payment details or ID Verifications, when a linked proposal needs it, or when you Complete the onboarding.
Why is the client in OnboardMe but not in Xero or FYI?
Early create supports billing or ID verification without running the full sync. Complete onboarding is when most practice-manager apps receive the client.
Can ID verification start before the client is in Clients?
Verification records can be prepared on the draft client. Starting ID Verifications creates the Clients record if it is still missing, then continues the check.
What about re-onboarding an existing client?
If the onboarding is linked to someone already in Clients, Complete updates that client instead of creating a duplicate. Verification stays on the existing client record.
Does submitting the form create the client in Xero?
No. Submit notifies the practice that the client finished. Staff Complete creates or updates Clients and syncs connected apps.
How is this different from a proposal creating a client?
Proposals often prepare ledger contacts and jobs around send and accept. Standalone onboarding keeps most sync until Complete, except payment details and ID Verifications early creates. When both are linked, use both articles together.
Related reading
When does a proposal create a client? Covers send, accept, bills, payment details, FYI jobs, and practice-manager timing for proposals.
Connected apps vary by practice.
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