This guide shows you how to build a fully automated client onboarding pipeline using FitMetrics Stages (the Kanban board) and Automations. Instead of manually tracking where each client is in your onboarding process, the system moves them through stages automatically — sending welcome messages, forms, check-in templates, and programs at exactly the right time.

By the end, every new client will flow through your pipeline hands-free: Welcome → Forms Sent → Program Assigned → Fully Onboarded.

Your finished onboarding pipeline will:

What you need: FitMetrics Starter or Business package. This pipeline uses 3 automations (Essential plan supports only 1). Stages are available on all plans.

Here's the full system at a glance:

4 Onboarding Stages:

Automation 1 — "Welcome & Send Form"

Automation 2 — "Post-Form Setup"

Automation 3 — "Mark Fully Onboarded"

Let's build each piece.

Stages give you a visual Kanban board where you can see every client's onboarding status at a glance. Each column represents a step in your pipeline.

Click the + Add Stage button to create each stage. For each one, give it a name and pick a color:

Tip: You can drag stages left and right to reorder them. You can also drag client cards between stages manually if you ever need to override the automation.

If you already have stages, click the pencil icon on any stage column header to rename it and change its color. You can delete non-mandatory stages with the trash icon.

Before building the automations, create the form that new clients will fill out.

This form will be sent automatically to new clients via Automation 1.

This automation fires when a new client is added and does two things: sends a welcome message with the onboarding form, and moves them to the "Forms Sent" stage.

Welcome to the team {client_first_name}!

I'm excited to start working with you. To get your personalized plan set up, please complete this quick onboarding form:

{form_link}

Once you complete it, I'll have everything ready for you. If you have any questions, just message me here!

This moves the client's card on your Kanban board so you can see they've received their welcome message and form.

Automation 1 is done.

This automation fires when the client completes the onboarding form. It assigns their check-in templates and moves them to the next stage.

You can add multiple templates here — for example, a Monday feedback template and a Thursday mid-week check-in. Create the templates first in AI Check-Ins.

Now when the form is submitted, the client gets their check-in templates and moves to the next column on your board.

Automation 2 is done.

This automation uses the Client Enters Stage trigger — it fires when a client enters the "Program Assigned" stage and automatically sends a confirmation message and moves them to "Fully Onboarded."

This automation will trigger whenever a client enters the "Program Assigned" stage — whether moved there by Automation 2 or manually by you.

Hey {client_first_name}, you're all set!

Your program and check-ins are now active. You'll receive regular feedback and progress updates from me automatically. If you ever have questions, just message me here.

Let's get to work!

Automation 3 is done. This is the key automation that demonstrates stage-based triggers — any time a client enters a specific stage, you can fire an automation.

Here's exactly what happens from the client's perspective, end to end:

Day 1 — Client is added to Trainerize

Day 1-3 — Client completes the onboarding form

Immediately after — Stage trigger fires

At any point, open your Onboarding board to see every client's status. Clients stuck in "Forms Sent" for too long? Reach out manually. Everyone flowing to "Fully Onboarded"? Your system is working.

1. Add more actions to each automation

Each automation can have multiple actions. Consider adding these to Automation 2 (Post-Form Setup):

2. Use stage triggers for ongoing client management

Stages aren't just for onboarding. You can create stages for any workflow — e.g., "Needs Attention," "Program Renewal," or "Deloading." Then use Client Enters Stage triggers to fire automations whenever a client enters that stage, whether moved there manually or by another automation.

3. Combine with Smart Views

Create a Smart View for clients stuck in the "Forms Sent" stage for more than 3 days. You can then set up an automation with a Client Enters Smart View trigger to send a follow-up reminder message automatically.

4. Use colors to make your board scannable

Pick distinct colors for each stage so you can spot bottlenecks at a glance. A common scheme: Blue (start) → Orange (waiting) → Purple (in progress) → Green (done).

5. You can always move clients manually

Drag and drop any client card between stages on the Kanban board. If a client needs special handling, skip them ahead or move them back. Manual moves still trigger Client Enters Stage automations, so the system stays in sync.

6. Add notes to client cards

Click a client's name on the Kanban board to add notes. This is useful for tracking onboarding-specific details — like dietary restrictions or schedule preferences — directly on their stage card.

Here's every action you can add to your onboarding automations:

These are the most commonly used actions for onboarding. Additional actions like Send Email, Send Webhook Response, Enable Agentic Mode, and Create Task are also available (some require the Business package).

What you built:

The result: Every new client flows through a consistent, automated onboarding pipeline. You can see exactly where each client is on your Kanban board, and the entire process runs without manual work. Just monitor the board and step in only when a client gets stuck.