---
{
  "title": "Coaches: client onboarding and applications",
  "seo": {
    "description": "Available on Pro and Studio, for Owners and Admins."
  },
  "sidebar": {
    "label": "Client onboarding and applications"
  }
}
---

**Client Onboarding** is how new clients join a coach: they answer your
questions, pay for a package, then get the app. It is the only way to add a
client.

Available on Pro and Studio, for Owners and Admins.

## Before you start

You need three things:

1. **Stripe connected**, under **Integrations**. See
   [Packages, payments and earnings](/coaches/packages-payments-earnings).
2. **A coaching package** to sell, under **Products**.
3. **An onboarding form**, under **Forms**. Straton provides a ready-made "Client
   onboarding" form you can copy.

## Creating an onboarding

1. Go to **Client Onboarding** and click **New onboarding**.
2. Fill in:

   | Field | Notes |
   | --- | --- |
   | Internal name | Only you see this |
   | Link slug | The end of your link. 2 to 80 characters |
   | Headline clients see | Default: "Apply for coaching" |
   | Intro clients see | Up to 2,000 characters |
   | Application form | One of your onboarding forms |
   | Eligible coaching packages | 1 to 20 packages the applicant can choose from |
   | Payment timing | **Review first** or **Instant checkout** |
   | Reminders | Emails applicants who stop part-way |
   | Completion message | Shown after payment |

3. Click **Create onboarding**.
4. Open the row menu and choose **Publish**.
5. Use **Copy link** to share it, or invite people by email from **Clients >
   Invite client**.

### Payment timing

| Option | What happens |
| --- | --- |
| Review first | The application waits in your Inbox. The applicant pays only after you accept |
| Instant checkout | A finished application goes straight to payment |

Applicants aged 16 or 17 always go through **Review first**, whatever the
setting.

### Reminders

If switched on, an applicant who stops before submitting gets at most two
emails: one about 4 hours after they stop, and a final one about 2 days after
they last saved. Nothing is sent once they submit.

### Things to know

- An onboarding can be Draft, Published or Archived. Only published onboardings
  accept applications.
- Once a package is part of a published onboarding, it can no longer be bought
  directly from its package page. Buyers are sent through the onboarding
  instead.
- "Complete the form and package setup before publishing" means the onboarding
  is missing a form or a package.

## Onboarding forms

An onboarding form is a special intake form. It must include these required
questions, which fill in the client's profile automatically:

- Sex
- Date of birth
- Height
- Daily activity
- Goal

Body weight is always collected. You can add more profile questions (for example
diet, allergies, sleep, equipment, limitations, goal weight) and your own
questions. See [Forms, check-ins and intakes](/coaches/forms-check-ins-intakes).

## What the applicant sees

1. **Landing page** with your headline and intro. They enter their name, confirm
   their age and agree to their information being used to assess the
   application.
2. **Package choice**, if you offer more than one.
3. **Your questions**, a few per page, including their current weight.
4. **Contact email**, then **Submit application**.
5. One of the following:

   | Screen | Meaning |
   | --- | --- |
   | Your application is in | Waiting for you to review it |
   | {Workspace} accepted your application | They can now pay, and enter a coupon code |
   | Payment is still in progress | Checkout was started but not finished |
   | You're all set | Paid. Shows your completion message and their invitation code |
   | This application is closed | You declined it |
   | This application has expired | No activity for too long. They can apply again |

Age rules on the landing page:

- "I'm 18 or older", or
- "I'm 16 or 17, and a parent or guardian has agreed to this coaching".
- Straton is not available to anyone under 16.

Applicants can use **Download my data** or **Cancel & delete application** at
the bottom of the page any time before they pay.

### Emails the applicant gets

| Email | When | Link valid for |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Confirm your email to finish applying | To verify their email address | 24 hours |
| Pick up where you left off | To resume a draft | 72 hours |
| Your application is still saved | Reminder, if reminders are on | 72 hours |
| {Workspace} accepted your application | You accepted. Contains the booking link | 7 days |
| An update on your application | You declined | |

## Reviewing applications

New applications appear in **Inboxes** as "Coaching application". You also get
an email, "New coaching application from {name}". Click **Review**.

The application page shows the answers, a timeline and badges such as
"Unverified email" or "Aged 16 or 17".

While the status is **Awaiting review**:

1. Choose the package to accept them for.
2. For an applicant aged 16 or 17, tick the box confirming that a parent or
   guardian agrees to the coaching. This is required.
3. Click **Accept and send booking link**, or **Decline application**.

After accepting you can **Resend booking link**. The booking link is valid for
seven days.

Application statuses: Draft, Awaiting review, Awaiting booking, Checkout started,
Paid, Invited, Active, Declined, Expired.

## After payment: getting the client into the app

Once the applicant pays:

- They become a client with the status **Onboarding**.
- They receive an email with a link to download the app and a six-character
  **invitation code**. The invitation is valid for 7 days.
- The same code is shown on the application page. You can copy it and send it to
  them yourself, or click **Resend invitation**.

If the person already has a Straton account under the same email, no code is
needed. They are connected automatically and get an email titled "Your
{workspace} coaching access is ready".

The client's side of this is covered in
[Joining your coach](/coach-clients/joining-your-coach).

### Package purchases without an onboarding

If someone buys a package directly from its package page, they appear in
**Inboxes** as "New client onboarding":

| Action | Result |
| --- | --- |
| Approve | Sends the client their app invitation |
| Resend | Sends the invitation again |
| Deny and refund | Removes them and asks Stripe to refund the payment |
| Deny | Removes them when there is no refundable payment |

A package with **Instant access** switched on sends the invitation as soon as
payment lands, without waiting for approval.

## Adding a client for free

Create a 100% coupon under **Products > Coupons**, then invite the client with
that coupon selected. They go through your onboarding and the checkout is free,
with no card needed.

## Common questions

**An applicant says their link expired.**
Open their application and click **Resend booking link**. If the application
itself has expired, they need to apply again.

**The invitation code doesn't work.**
Codes are single use and expire after 7 days. Click **Resend invitation** on the
application or in Inboxes to issue a new one.

**Can I skip the form and just add a client?**
No. Every client joins through an onboarding. Keep the form short if you want a
quick path.

**Can I change the package after accepting?**
The package is chosen when you accept. If it needs to change before payment,
contact support.

**Client Onboarding isn't in my sidebar.**
It needs Pro or Studio and an Owner or Admin role.