2. Add & Manage Clients in freehand: Easy Setup & Better Partnerships

A skilled craftsman working on a skateboard design in a cluttered workshop.

2. Add & Manage Clients in freehand -Easy Setup & Better Partnerships

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Welcome to freehand!
Here’s a quick overview of how everything fits together, so you can get started smoothly. Get started with freehand today!

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Manage Clients in freehand – a How-to Guide

Everything in the app starts with a client. Once you’ve added a client, you can create commissions and projects for them, send quotes and invoices, and keep all their i get started with freehand. nformation neatly in one place.
Here’s how it works:

Something Something – Manage Clients in freehand

Everything in the app starts with a client. Once you’ve added a client, you can create commissions and projects for them, send quotes and invoices, and keep all their information neatly in one place.
Here’s how it works: get started with freehand.

A happy artist sitting at a laptop getting started with freehand business management system

Everything in the app starts with a client. Once you’ve get started with freehand added a client, you can create commissions and projects for them, send quotes and invoices, and keep all their information neatly in one place.
Here’s how it works:

✅ 1. Start by Adding a Client

Every commission or project begins with a client.

  • Simply add their name, email, and any other details.
  • Once a client is saved, you can create commissions or projects linked directly to them.
  • When you’re ready, you can invite them to sign up for their own client portal, where they’ll see only their own commissions, projects, quotes, invoices, and messages.

✅ 2. Create a Commission or Project

Once you have a client, you can create a commission (a one-off piece of work) or a project (something larger or ongoing).

When creating it, you’ll:

  • Set a deadline and add a timeline (how long you expect it will take).
  • The app will automatically calculate a recommended start date for you.
  • Assign a status (like Pending, Scheduled, In Progress) or even create a custom status if you prefer.
  • Add tasks—these can be standard tasks, custom tasks, or priority tasks that always stay at the top of your list.

✅ 3. Add Quotes, Deposits & Invoices

When you’re ready to quote:

  • Add a quote to the commission or project.
  • Include a Stripe payment link for the deposit, so your client can pay directly through their portal.
  • Once the deposit is paid, the app will automatically generate an invoice for the balance, ready for when the work is completed.

Control what the client sees:

This gives you full control over when the client can view and pay.

By default, quotes and invoices are hidden until you toggle them on.

✅ 4. Communicate with Your Client

Inside each commission or project, you’ll find a Message Centre.

Prefer to keep communication to email? No problem—you can simply hide the message centre with a toggle

Use it to chat with your client directly inside the portal.

✅ 5. What the Client Sees

When your client logs into their portal, they’ll be able to:

  • See the status of their commission or project (e.g., Pending, Scheduled, In Progress).
  • View quotes and invoices (when you’ve toggled them visible).
  • Pay deposits and invoices securely online.
  • Access the Message Centre (if enabled).

This keeps them fully informed without needing to email you for updates.

✅ 6. Organising Your Schedule

In the navigation bar, you’ll find Tasks, Deadlines, and Planner pages to keep your workflow smooth:

Tasks Page → Lists all your tasks, grouped by type, in order of start date. Priority tasks always stay at the top.

Deadlines Page → Shows all commissions and projects sorted by upcoming deadlines.

Planner Page → Helps you plan ahead with:

Day Planner → Next 5 commissions/projects + their tasks by start date, plus any priority tasks.

Week Planner → Shows what’s coming up this week (and beyond).

Month Planner → Gives an overview of your month so you can book new work without bottlenecks.

✅ 7. Next Steps

That’s it for the big picture! Now you’re ready to:

  1. Add your first client
  2. Create a commission or project for them
  3. Start exploring the built-in tools for quotes, invoices, tasks, and planning.

The app will take care of the admin side, so you can focus more on creating.

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