# PROJECT HANDOFF CHECKLIST

> **Disclaimer — not legal advice.** This template is provided free of charge, as is and with no warranty of any kind, and using it creates no attorney-client relationship. It is jurisdiction-neutral: you are responsible for adapting it, for your own legal and tax compliance, and for having a qualified professional in your jurisdiction review it before you rely on it. Full terms: https://trycolo.co/terms-of-use

**Project:** [PROJECT NAME] | **Client:** [CLIENT COMPANY NAME] | **Handoff date:** [DATE]
**Handing over:** [YOUR NAME / STUDIO] | **Receiving:** [CLIENT OWNER NAME, ROLE] [and / or NEW CONTRACTOR NAME]

The handoff is complete when the receiving owner confirms in writing that they have everything below, can log in to every system, and accept the known-issues list.

**Stranger test:** could a competent person with no history on this project run it using only what is handed over? If not, keep going.

---

## 1. Inventory

| # | Item | Format | Location | Delivered |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [e.g. Final logo suite] | [SVG, PDF, PNG] | [FOLDER / LINK] | [ ] |
| 2 | [e.g. Website codebase] | [REPOSITORY] | [URL] | [ ] |
| 3 | [e.g. Brand guidelines] | [PDF] | [LINK] | [ ] |
| 4 | [e.g. Email templates] | [IN TOOL / HTML] | [LOCATION] | [ ] |
| 5 | [ITEM] | [FORMAT] | [LOCATION] | [ ] |

## 2. Source and working files

- [ ] Editable masters delivered: [AI / FIGMA / PSD / INDD / PROJECT FILES]
- [ ] Code repository transferred or client added as owner: [REPO URL]
- [ ] Build or deployment instructions included in the repository README
- [ ] Fonts and assets packaged with license information
- [ ] Final exports in every agreed format and size
- [ ] Old drafts and unused concepts excluded or clearly labeled

## 3. Accounts and ownership

| Service | Purpose | Owner before | Owner after | Renewal date | Done |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [DOMAIN REGISTRAR] | Domain [DOMAIN] | [YOU / CLIENT] | [CLIENT] | [DATE] | [ ] |
| [HOSTING] | Site hosting | [ ] | [CLIENT] | [DATE] | [ ] |
| [CMS / PLATFORM] | Site admin | [ ] | [CLIENT] | [DATE] | [ ] |
| [PLUGIN / THEME / FONT LICENSE] | [PURPOSE] | [ ] | [CLIENT] | [DATE] | [ ] |
| [ANALYTICS / AD ACCOUNT] | [PURPOSE] | [ ] | [CLIENT] | — | [ ] |
| [EMAIL / MARKETING TOOL] | [PURPOSE] | [ ] | [CLIENT] | [DATE] | [ ] |

- [ ] Billing for each service moved to the client's payment method
- [ ] Client is primary owner or admin on every account; you are a removable user or removed

## 4. Credentials

- [ ] Credentials shared through [PASSWORD MANAGER / SECURE VAULT], never plain email or chat
- [ ] Client has changed passwords on accounts where you knew the password
- [ ] Two-factor authentication moved to the client's devices or numbers
- [ ] Recovery emails and phone numbers updated to the client's
- [ ] Your access removed after the client confirms they can log in: [DATE]

## 5. Documentation

- [ ] **Overview:** what was delivered, what it does, where it lives (one page)
- [ ] **How-to guides** for common tasks: [e.g. add a blog post, update prices, export a report, use the logo correctly]
- [ ] **Third-party contacts:** support URLs or contacts for every service in section 3
- [ ] **Decision log:** key decisions and why ([e.g. "Chose platform X for built-in multilingual support"])
- [ ] **System notes** (technical projects): architecture, environments, integrations, scheduled jobs, backups
- [ ] **Maintenance notes:** what needs regular attention and how often

## 6. Training

| Session | Audience | Date | Recorded | Link |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [e.g. Content editing walkthrough] | [NAMES / ROLES] | [DATE] | [ ] Yes [ ] No | [LINK] |
| [e.g. Admin and settings] | [NAMES] | [DATE] | [ ] Yes [ ] No | [LINK] |

- [ ] Questions from training answered in writing and added to the documentation

## 7. Known issues and recommendations

| # | Issue or limitation | Impact | Recommended action | Priority |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [e.g. Old blog images not yet compressed] | [Slower page loads on archive pages] | [Compress in batch] | [LOW / MED / HIGH] |
| 2 | [ISSUE] | [IMPACT] | [ACTION] | [PRIORITY] |

Recommended next steps: [e.g. phase two features, maintenance plan, content plan].

## 8. Post-handoff support

- [ ] Support window agreed: [e.g. 30 days for bug fixes] / none
- [ ] How to request support after handoff: [EMAIL / PORTAL / MAINTENANCE PLAN]
- [ ] Out-of-scope requests after handoff billed at [RATE] or under a separate agreement

---

## Sign-off

The receiving owner confirms they have received the items above, can log in to every listed system, and accept the known-issues list.

Received by: ____________________ Name: [NAME] Role: [ROLE] Date: [DATE]
Handed over by: ____________________ Name: [YOUR NAME] Date: [DATE]

---

### How to use this template

1. Build the inventory first; every other section refers back to it.
2. Transfer ownership, not just logins, for domains, hosting, repositories and ad accounts.
3. Run the stranger test on your documentation before training.
4. Be honest in the known-issues table; it protects you later.
5. Get written sign-off and keep it with the project records.

*Template provided by Colo (trycolo.co). Not legal advice — review with a qualified professional in your jurisdiction.*