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Free template · Sales & Clients

Client Intake Form Template

A client intake form collects the information you need before quoting or starting work: who the client is, what outcome they want, the constraints, budget range, timeline and who decides. Used consistently it shortens your sales cycle and stops you writing proposals against guesses.

Updated August 2026

What to include in your Client Intake Form

  • Business name, address, primary contact and preferred contact method
  • Billing contact and invoicing requirements
  • What outcome the client is trying to achieve, in their own words
  • What they have already tried and why it did not work
  • Scope indicators: sites, units, hours, headcount, square footage or whatever drives your pricing
  • Timeline and any fixed dates
  • Budget range and how the spend is approved
  • Decision maker and the approval process
  • Access, safety or site constraints
  • How they found you

Practical guidance

Ask about the decision, not just the job

Two questions change your close rate more than any other: who signs this off, and what has to be true for them to say yes. Both belong on the intake form so you know whether you are talking to the buyer before you invest hours in a proposal.

Make budget easy to answer

Offer ranges rather than an open field. Most buyers will select a band when they would refuse to type a number, and a band is enough to tell you whether to proceed, scale the scope, or decline politely.

Handle the data responsibly

  • Collect only what you need to quote and deliver.
  • Store completed forms somewhere access-controlled.
  • Delete or archive on a schedule you can actually follow.
  • Check your local data protection obligations before collecting sensitive details.

How to use this template

  1. 1Send the form before the first substantive call rather than after it.
  2. 2Keep it to one page; every extra field lowers completion.
  3. 3Use the answers to structure the discovery call instead of repeating the questions.
  4. 4Store completed forms in one place so you can see patterns in the work you win.
  5. 5Feed the answers directly into the proposal and scope of work.

Filled-in example

Example

Filled-in example: commercial cleaning enquiry

  • Business — Northgate Dental, two sites, primary contact practice manager.
  • Objective — consistent daily clean that passes infection-control spot checks.
  • Tried before — a single cleaner, quality dropped when they were away, no cover.
  • Scope drivers — 410 m2 across two floors, 11 rooms, six days per week, after 6pm.
  • Timeline — new provider in place by 1 May.
  • Budget — indicated $1,800 to $2,200 per month, approved by the practice principal.
  • Constraints — clinical waste handling, alarm code protocol, no access on Sundays.

Common mistakes

  • Asking for information you will not use when quoting.
  • Omitting budget entirely, then writing proposals with no price anchor.
  • Not asking who approves the decision, which stalls otherwise won work.
  • Using a form so long that prospects abandon it.
  • Collecting the form and then asking the same questions on the call anyway.

Frequently asked questions

Should the intake form be digital or PDF?
Use a digital form for volume and a PDF or DOCX where enquiries come by email or in person. The questions are identical; only the delivery changes.
How many questions is too many?
Beyond about twelve fields, completion drops sharply. Ask what you need to quote, and save depth for the discovery call.
Can I use this as an agreement?
No. An intake form gathers information. Anything contractual should be a separate document reviewed by a qualified professional.
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