Project intake form video
What are the benefits of using a project intake form?
To streamline the intake process and make sure their team has all the information they need to be successful, many project managers create project intake forms. Using a project intake form can benefit you by:
What is a project intake form?
A potential client fills out a questionnaire and sends it to the business they want to hire to handle their project as part of a project intake form. Project intake forms are used to record information about the kind of work a client wants done, the deadline for completion, and the client’s budget. To make it simpler for clients to request a quote from their team, project managers frequently design physical or digital project intake forms.
Elements of a project intake form
In order to give your team all the information they require for success, you can include the following significant elements on your project intake form:
Client contact information
Your potential clients’ contact information is one of the most crucial things to request on your project intake form. You might request information such as the client’s full name, the company they work for, their phone number, email address, and preferred method of contact. To find out more about the client, you could also request the address of their website. You can learn more about a potential client’s overall mission, goals, and brand style by reviewing their website. Additionally, it can assist you in deciding if they are a good fit to work with on your team.
Type of project
Next, inquire about the kind of project that prospective clients are seeking. This can assist you in determining which service best meets the needs of your clients and which team members are available and have the necessary skills to complete the project. To make it simple for potential customers to choose one of your company’s specific services or packages, you can include them in a drop-down menu or list. By doing this, you can make sure that the project requests you get are in line with the services your team offers.
Objective
Ask your client about their project goals in the following section of the project intake form. You can ask clients for more details regarding the key performance indicators (KPIs) they intend to track, particular features the project must have, or what they want to achieve. Give clients a text box or enough space to write a brief paragraph outlining their main goals. This can assist you in making sure your team is aware of the tasks they must complete to satisfy your clients and achieve success.
Target audience or end-user
Next, ask your client for some crucial details regarding their intended audience or the project’s final user. This can assist your team in tailoring each project to offer the most benefit. You could ask your client to provide information on their target market, such as:
To make sure you have all the information you require, you can also include a space for your client to include additional notes about their intended audience.
Budget
You can decide what resources you can devote to the project and create an accurate quote for your proposal by asking your clients about their budget. Instead of a fixed price, ask your client to provide a price range they feel comfortable with. This can assist you in determining whether you can complete the project your client is requesting while staying within their financial restrictions. It can also provide you with an opportunity to negotiate.
Deadline
Last but not least, be sure to ask your client what their ideal project deadline is. This can assist you in determining whether you have the staff, resources, and time necessary to complete the project. It can also assist you in prioritizing the tasks your team is completing right now so that every client receives their completed project on schedule. Keep in mind that after your client submits their project intake form, you can always negotiate the deadline.
How to create a project intake form
You can follow these steps to make a polished project intake form for your business:
1. Determine the format
Begin by determining the format of your project intake form. Because a digital form is simple to share with clients via email, embed on a company website, and track important information, many project managers create one. Using this method rather than having your clients send you a physical project intake form can also help you collect information from them more quickly. To create digital forms, a variety of software tools are available. To find your options and choose the one that best meets your needs, use a search engine.
2. Make a list of important questions
Think about the essential information your team needs to start working on a new project. Depending on the sector you work in, the services you offer, and the types of clients you deal with, the information you need may change. When you have a preliminary list of inquiries created, share it with another project manager or team leader and solicit their input. You can come up with fresh ideas and make sure your project intake form is comprehensive by developing your questions with your coworkers.
3. Create the layout
You can design the layout once you’ve decided which inquiries to include on your project intake form. Try to begin with the simpler inquiries first, like your client’s name and contact details. To assist clients in completing the project intake form, you can also use drop-down menus or provide a list of options for them to choose from. This may speed up the project intake process for clients and increase the volume of requests you receive.
Leave space for clients to add any additional information relevant to the project at the end of the project intake form. This can help you make sure you have all the knowledge you require in order to proceed.
4. Determine your project threshold
Determining how many projects your team can successfully complete in a given amount of time requires collaboration with other project managers and leaders. This can assist you in figuring out your project threshold and negotiating deadlines with prospective clients. You might also think about the projects that benefit your business the most. For instance, to improve your profit margins, you might establish a specific budget cap for each project. This can facilitate more efficient project prioritization and resource allocation.
5. Select a request submission location
Identify where you intend to store submissions and decide what happens after a potential client fills out your project intake form. You could keep submissions in your content management system or another program that your business employs. In addition, you can automate this procedure by putting in place a notification system. For instance, each time a client submits the project intake form, you may get an email or a text message. To ensure the project intake procedure is effective, ensure the submission location you choose is simple to monitor and access.
6. Assign key roles
Finally, assign important roles to members of your team to help with project intake. Determine who will send the project intake form to prospective clients for completion and who will keep an eye on incoming project requests. Establish guidelines for how frequently the submission location must be checked so that your team is aware whenever a completed project intake form is received.
Based on the details in the project intake form and how quickly your team needs to respond to each project request, you can also determine who is responsible for developing proposals. This will enable you to better communicate with potential clients and make sure your team has enough time to complete each project.
Project intake form template
Here is an illustration of a project intake form template that you can customize for your business as necessary:
Instructions: Please fill out the form below with more information about the project you would like to collaborate on with us. This data will be used by our team to create a quote and a proposal that is unique to you. We hope to work together soon.
Name:
Job title:
Company:
Email address:
Phone number:
Website URL:
Type of project:
Other:
FAQ
How do you create a project intake process?
Companies occasionally use IT project intake forms for internal IT project requests to gather information about new projects or project updates. The intake form, which provides information on the project’s costs, advantages, scope, and impact, is the first step in determining whether it should be implemented.
What is a work intake form?
- Develop a project request form. Determine the details required when submitting a project request to your intake system by working with your team.
- Designate a request submission location. …
- Designate who’s in charge of intake. …
- Formalize the process.
