# Add a client

Track a client from lead to active, and import the ones you already have from a CSV.

6 min read. Updated 16 Oct 2026. Pro and Max only.

Walkthrough video (no sound): https://bucket.sociorolla.com/help/add-client/7ab81de315faadde.mp4

## Steps

1. Click **Clients** in the sidebar. The board shows every client by stage.

   ![Step 1: Clients sits in the sidebar, above your brands.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vy53y317/production/e1102f4093189e11969ddbed71f9bd7e2e75bef6-2880x1800.png?w=1600&sharp=25&q=90&auto=format)

2. Click **New client**.

   ![Step 2: Click New client to add someone you are talking to.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vy53y317/production/c98a6a5f91da4d093e1ea83f43535d6c4f6ee367-2880x1800.png?w=1600&sharp=25&q=90&auto=format)

3. Type the client's **Name** and, if you like, a short **Description**. A client doesn't need a brand yet.

   ![Step 3: Give the client a name and a line on what they do.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vy53y317/production/8e14ff2a559738d78dc617147cd7425f8b576c03-2880x1800.png?w=1600&sharp=25&q=90&auto=format)

4. Leave **Stage** on **Lead** for someone you are still talking to, or pick **Proposal sent** or **Onboarding**.

   ![Step 4: New clients start as a Lead. Pick Proposal sent or Onboarding if you are further along.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vy53y317/production/cc0529bb4529da9e6d0658e26d50d5a2b5e9caf4-2880x1800.png?w=1600&sharp=25&q=90&auto=format)

5. Under **Primary contact**, type the name of the person you deal with, then their **Contact email**. The onboarding link goes to this address later.

   ![Step 5: Add the person you deal with and their email.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vy53y317/production/180585501f323ceeade707eeb88120515e5e2665-2880x1800.png?w=1600&sharp=25&q=90&auto=format)

6. Pick a **Source**, such as **Referral** or **Instagram DM**, so you can see later where your clients come from.

   ![Step 6: Note where the lead came from.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vy53y317/production/af1618346a839f0756599749ae4f469a009788c0-2880x1800.png?w=1600&sharp=25&q=90&auto=format)

7. Under **Proposed a month**, enter the monthly fee you proposed, and set the **Currency**. **Manager** is you unless you pick a teammate.

   ![Step 7: Enter what you proposed each month, in the client's currency.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vy53y317/production/5142edf79dd6f5a8fb91a2346610ff8d96b24a27-2880x1800.png?w=1600&sharp=25&q=90&auto=format)

8. Click **Add client**. The client's record opens, and the client also appears in the **Lead** column of the board.

   ![Step 8: Click Add client, and the client's record opens.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vy53y317/production/7c29111d061263510116ed41a1cff794ffd9aba9-2880x1800.png?w=1600&sharp=25&q=90&auto=format)

9. When the deal moves on, click **Change stage**. The next stage is already picked.

   ![Step 9: When you send a proposal, click Change stage.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vy53y317/production/b2d8edf02569bd904699d0689c3fab5f68f93ad6-2880x1800.png?w=1600&sharp=25&q=90&auto=format)

10. Click **Move to Proposal sent**. The bar under the client's name shows where they are, from **Lead** to **Active**. You can also drag a card between columns on the board.

    ![Step 10: Confirm the move, and the bar along the top follows the client.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vy53y317/production/42f6a22e4695f7cc850f706e4b07ffa3486c1df7-2880x1800.png?w=1600&sharp=25&q=90&auto=format)

11. To bring in clients you already track elsewhere, go back to **Clients**.

    ![Step 11: Already have a list of clients? Import them from a CSV.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vy53y317/production/e820976bb388096c1ac8b82bd9f62365b3190253-2880x1800.png?w=1600&sharp=25&q=90&auto=format)

12. Click **Import CSV**. The file needs a header row and can hold up to 500 clients. **Download the template** gives you every column the import reads.

    ![Step 12: Click Import CSV. The dialog has a template with every column it reads.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vy53y317/production/719888eafa48430ee1cadb102b99be82cb18d80c-2880x1800.png?w=1600&sharp=25&q=90&auto=format)

13. Click **Choose a CSV** and pick your file.

    ![Step 13: Choose your CSV file.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vy53y317/production/02c2919473336e45510b605c013a25fdf1aabb27-2880x1800.png?w=1600&sharp=25&q=90&auto=format)

14. Each column in your file is matched to a client field. Columns named like the template match on their own. Change a match, choose **Ignore**, or pick **New field from this column** to keep a column as a custom field.

    ![Step 14: Each column is matched to a client field. Change any match that looks wrong.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vy53y317/production/4bcabc369eed68ede3bf0dc8158913870388788a-2880x1800.png?w=1600&sharp=25&q=90&auto=format)

15. Click **Check** to review the import before anything is saved. Each row shows whether it adds a new client or updates one you already have.

    ![Step 15: Click Check to see what the import will do. Nothing is saved yet.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vy53y317/production/ba96e11b85b936695d9e334056e19189eb4d7716-2880x1800.png?w=1600&sharp=25&q=90&auto=format)

16. Click **Import**. A row whose contact email matches a client updates that client instead of adding a copy.

    ![Step 16: Click Import to add the clients.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vy53y317/production/19ed3c3d764eaa75ce89443f42163ad2a5072cf7-2880x1800.png?w=1600&sharp=25&q=90&auto=format)

17. Click **Done**. The imported clients appear on the board, each in the stage from your file.

    ![Step 17: The imported clients join the board in the stage your file gave them.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vy53y317/production/37d6e8d74cde82935a686026004cb487876a239a-2880x1800.png?w=1600&sharp=25&q=90&auto=format)

### Stages

A client moves through **Lead**, **Proposal sent**, **Onboarding**, **Active**, **Paused** and **Ended**. The board shows the first five, and **Show ended** brings back the clients you have finished with. Moving a client to **Active** asks for the retainer, and moving one to **Onboarding** offers to start their onboarding hub.

### Importing

The file can hold up to 500 clients and 1 MB. A row whose contact email matches a client updates that client. A row with no contact email updates the client with exactly the same name, and any other row adds a new client.

## Related articles

- [Add your own client fields](https://sociorolla.com/help/client-onboarding/client-fields)
- [Start onboarding and send the hub link](https://sociorolla.com/help/client-onboarding/start-onboarding)

Source: https://sociorolla.com/help/client-onboarding/add-client