Offboarding is not just saying goodbye. It is the handover of files, access and decisions so the project can live without you.
Archive the final files
Store the approved files and the final notes in one named folder. Remove drafts or label them clearly so the archive is not a maze.
Review access
Remove or transfer shared accounts, repositories and editing permissions. Keep only what the client needs.
Close the money and the record
Confirm outstanding invoices, log the final approval and note any remaining support commitment.
Send a short summary
Tell the client what was delivered, where it lives and how to request future work. A clear ending prevents ambiguous follow-up.
Offboarding
| Item | Example |
|---|---|
| Item | Done |
| Final archive | Named folder |
| Access | Removed/transferred |
| Invoice | Confirmed |
| Summary | Sent |
What to watch for
- Leaving drafts mixed with final files.
- Keeping unnecessary access.
- Ending without a summary or support boundary.
A useful next step
Use the offboarding checklist on the next project. A clean ending is part of the deliverable, not an afterthought. If the client needs ongoing access, name the specific account and the end date instead of leaving all access open. A clean offboarding includes a deliberate decision about what remains. Send the archive link and the access-removal date in one message so the client knows what will change. If the project includes a handover call, put the date and the final files in the same summary. Leave the final invoice and archive link in that same summary. Confirm the archive opens before removing the working folder. Keep a read-only archive for thirty days before removing access. Remove the client from shared folders after the archive link is confirmed.