The client has approved the final round. The temptation is to send the files, say thanks and move on to the next thing. A proper close-out takes about an hour. It decides whether the last invoice gets paid on time and whether the client thinks of you when the next piece of work comes up.
This is the last stage in running a freelance project. Use the checklist, then the two emails.
Make sure it is actually finished
Before anything else, get a written sign-off. "Looks good" on a call is not one. A reply to an email that says "this is the final version, please confirm it is approved" is. If you used revision rounds, note which round this was; it saves an argument if the client comes back next month asking for "one last round". Handling revisions has the sign-off wording.
The offboarding checklist
Close-out, in this order
0 of 12 done
Some items do not apply to every job. A one-off logo has no logins to return. A website build has all of them.
What goes in the handover pack
The pack should let someone who joined the client's team yesterday pick up the work. For most freelance work that means the finished files, the editable versions and a note. What that looks like depends on the craft:
Work | Files | The note covers |
|---|---|---|
Design | Exports (PNG, SVG, PDF), source files, fonts and licences | Colour codes, which file to use where, font licence terms |
Writing | Final docs, published links, the brief and style notes | Tone rules, keywords used, what to update and when |
Development | Repository access, deploy steps, environment list | How to run it, hosting and domain accounts, known bugs |
Video | Final renders in each format, project files, music licences | Where the raw footage is, licence limits on music |
Record the walkthrough with Loom or any screen recorder. A client who will never read a two-page note will watch a four-minute video. The Notion and Loom setup has a handover page format.
The final invoice
Send it with the handover email, or the day of sign-off. It should match what the agreement says to the rupee: same amount, same GST treatment, same due date logic. If anything was added through change requests, list each one on its own line with the date it was approved.
If your client deducts TDS, the payment will be short by the TDS amount. That is expected. Note the amount and ask for the TDS certificate when it is issued, since you will need it to claim the credit. TDS for freelancers explains how it works, and GST-ready invoicing covers the invoice itself.
The handover email
Subject: Website handover: files, how-to, and final invoice Hi Sana, The site is live and approved, so here is everything in one place. Files: all final files are in the "Handover" folder here: [link]. The README at the top explains what is where. Walkthrough: a five-minute video showing how to add products and edit the homepage banner: [link]. Logins: I have moved the hosting, domain and admin passwords into your 1Password vault and removed my own access today. Known issues: the Instagram feed refreshes every few hours, not instantly. That is a limit of the plugin, not a bug. Support: for the next 14 days, until 30 May, I will fix anything that is not working as delivered, at no charge. After that, I am happy to quote for changes. Invoice: the final invoice for ₹70,800 (₹60,000 + 18% GST) is attached, due on 30 May. Thank you for a good project. I liked how quickly your team turned round feedback, and the new checkout is much cleaner than the old one. Riya
Two details in that email do most of the work. The support window has an end date, so "small fixes" do not run for a year. And the thank-you mentions something specific, which is the part the client remembers.
Asking for a testimonial
Wait three to five days after handover so the email does not feel like a toll gate, but not so long that the project has gone cold. Make it easy: give them questions, offer to draft it, say where it will go.
Hi Sana, hope the first week with the new site has gone well. Would you be willing to write two or three lines about working together? I would use it on my website and LinkedIn. If it helps, you could answer these: - What was the problem before we started? - What changed after the new site went live? - Would you recommend working with me, and to whom? If you would rather I draft something from your emails for you to edit, just say so. And if a LinkedIn recommendation is easier, here is the link: [link].
If the client agrees but never sends it, one reminder a week later is fine. After that, let it go.
Asking for a referral
Ask separately, or as a short line in a follow-up. Name the kind of client you want, because "anyone who needs help" gives them nobody to think of.
One more thing: most of my work comes through people I have worked with. If you know another D2C brand that is outgrowing its Shopify theme, I would be glad of an introduction. A forwarded email is enough; I will take it from there.
A referral fee or a discount for the person referred is optional. Many clients refer because the project went well, not for the money. Repeat clients covers referral fees and partners in more detail.
When the project ended badly
Close it out properly anyway. Send the files you owe, the invoice and the access hand-back, without commentary. Skip the testimonial ask. If payment is the problem, follow the escalation path in dealing with a difficult client. A cold, correct handover protects you far better than a frustrated one.
After the handover
Archive the project in your own records: the agreement, sign-off, invoice and final files. Then set a calendar reminder for six to eight weeks out to ask how the work is doing. That message is where the next project usually comes from; turning one-time clients into repeat clients has the templates.
If you only do one thing from this page, put an end date on your support window in the handover email.
Common questions
When should I send the final invoice to a client?
With the final files, or the day the client signs off, not weeks later. If your terms say the last payment is due before handover, send the invoice with a preview or a watermarked version and release the source files once it clears. Either way, the amount should match the agreement exactly; offboarding is the wrong moment for a surprise line item.
What should a project handover document include?
What you delivered and where each file lives, the key decisions made along the way, how to use or update the work, anything known to be unfinished or fragile, and who to contact for which accounts. Passwords should go through the client's password manager or a one-time link, not in the document itself. A short screen recording walking through it helps clients who will not read.
How do I ask a client for a testimonial without being awkward?
Ask in the week after handover, in writing, and give them two or three short questions to answer so they are not facing a blank page. Offer to draft it from what they have already said in emails, for them to edit and approve. Say where it will appear: your site, LinkedIn or a Google review. Most clients agree when it takes them five minutes.
What if the client asks for small changes after the project is closed?
If it is within the support window you offered, fix it. After that, reply warmly and treat it as a new small job with a quote. A simple line works: "Happy to help. The project closed on the 15th, so I will send a small quote for this; it should take about two hours."
