How do I organize my web agency’s client site logins for a handover?
Build one inventory listing every client site with its hosting, domain, content system, analytics and third-party accounts, and note who owns each. Fix accounts held in your own name, move the credentials into a business password manager, and test each login before you hand anything over.
Start by listing every client and every service tied to their site: domain registration, hosting, the content system, email, analytics, plug-ins and licences. Beside each, record who is the registered owner and who pays. You will probably find some accounts registered to you personally or to a former employee. Work out which of these should move to the client or to the agency.
Next, collect the credentials into a business password manager and remove them from old notes and emails. Test each login rather than trusting the list. Mark any that need a second step to sign in, and note who holds that device. Anything that fails should be fixed before a buyer sees the inventory.
Add what makes the inventory useful: the date each site was last updated, any known issues, renewal dates and the person at the client who deals with it. Check your client agreements to see what you may share, and ask your lawyer if unsure. A tidy inventory also supports the sale story, because it shows the agency is run in an orderly way. If clients manage some accounts themselves, record that clearly and list who to contact there. A buyer should see exactly which sites they control and which they only support.
Key takeaways
- Record the registered owner and the payer for every account.
- Test every login before sharing the inventory.
- Add renewal dates and the client contact for each site.
Related reading
15 pages on the same subject, grouped by topic.
Selling
- Expert answerHow do I organize my app’s source code and design files for a sale?
- Expert answerHow do I keep my interior design studio’s clients when my personal taste is the brand?
- Expert answerHow do I tell my graphic design clients that I am selling the studio?
- Expert answerWhat retainer clients should I highlight when I list my graphic design studio?
- Expert answerHow do I organize my salon’s supplier invoices so a buyer can follow them?
- Expert answerHow do I organize my content site’s articles and update history for a buyer?
Buying
- Expert answerWhat happens to a web design firm’s hosting clients after a sale?
- Expert answerHow do I see who owns the websites a design agency has built for clients?
- Expert answerHow do I introduce myself to an SEO agency’s clients after buying it?
- Expert answerHow do I review a digital marketing agency’s client retainers before buying?
Due diligence
- Expert answerHow do I tell if an SEO agency promises more than it delivers to clients?
- Expert answerHow do I verify an SEO agency's access to its clients' analytics accounts?
- Expert answerDo I need to see a design studio’s client sign-off emails before buying it?
- Expert answerHow do I check an online store’s site search and how shoppers navigate?
Sources
This answer is checked against primary sources. Links were last confirmed on the dates shown.
- 01Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernmentHow to conduct due diligence when buying a business
- 02Canadian Centre for Cyber SecurityGovernmentBaseline cyber security controls for small and medium organizations
- 03Business Development Bank of CanadaGovernment7 steps to increase your business’ value—before you sell it
Deavo is an advertising and listings platform, not a brokerage, law firm or valuation firm. This page is general information, not legal, tax, accounting or valuation advice, and rules differ by province. Confirm anything you rely on with a qualified professional before you act on it.