Handle a Client Handover

When an account manager leaves or a client moves to a different team member, a clean handover keeps reporting uninterrupted and prevents data gaps. This guide covers every step, from access changes to updating report recipients.

What you'll learn

• How to add and remove account manager access to a client workspace
• How to update report schedules and digest settings for the new manager
• How to document the handover so nothing is missed

Before you start

You need Owner access on the parent org to change workspace team members. If you are the outgoing account manager, make sure an Owner has been notified before you remove yourself from the workspace. Removing yourself first can lock you out before the transfer is complete.

Have the following ready before starting:

• The incoming account manager's Outercite email address
• A list of active reports and digests in the workspace
• Any client-specific notes or context the incoming manager needs

Step 1: Add the incoming account manager

1. Go to /agency and open the client workspace.
2. Click the Settings tab (or Team depending on your plan).
3. Click Invite member.
4. Enter the incoming account manager's email address.
5. Set their role to Account manager (they can manage keywords, competitors, and reports within their assigned workspaces). See Client Permissions Model for a full breakdown of what each role can do.
6. Click Send invite. The new manager receives an email invitation.

Step 2: Brief the incoming manager

Before removing the outgoing manager's access, run a handover session. Cover:

• Active campaigns: Which keywords are being tracked and why. Are there any prompts that were added for a specific campaign that should be reviewed soon?
• Competitor context: Which competitors are most threatening? Has the client flagged any manually?
• Report schedule: When does the monthly report send? Is the weekly digest active? What does the client expect to receive and when?
• Client communication style: Does the client prefer to receive the digest only, or do they expect a call after each monthly report?
• Open issues: Any surge alerts firing, citation drops under investigation, or competitor threats flagged?

A short handover document is better than a verbal briefing. Outercite does not have a built-in notes field at the workspace level, so use your agency's project management tool or a shared document.

Step 3: Update report recipients and sender details

Reports and digests send to whoever is listed in the recipients and CC fields. Update these now so the new manager receives copies.

1. Go to /reports in the client workspace.
2. For each active report or digest:
   • Click the report name.
   • Remove the outgoing manager from the CC field.
   • Add the incoming manager to the CC field.
   • Check the Reply-to address. If it was the outgoing manager's personal email, update it to the incoming manager's address or a shared team inbox.
   • Click Save changes.

Step 4: Transfer alert notifications

Surge alerts and citation drop alerts send to specific email addresses. These are separate from report recipients.

1. Go to /settings/notifications in the client workspace.
2. For each active alert, click the alert name.
3. Replace the outgoing manager's email with the incoming manager's address.
4. Click Save alert.

Check every alert, not just the most recent ones. Inactive or paused alerts may have the old manager's address embedded and could cause confusion if they are re-enabled later.

Step 5: Remove the outgoing manager's access

Only do this after the incoming manager has accepted their invite and confirmed they can access the workspace.

1. Go to Settings > Team in the client workspace.
2. Find the outgoing manager in the member list.
3. Click Remove next to their name.
4. Confirm the removal.

The outgoing manager loses access immediately. They cannot recover data or export anything after this point, so make sure all handover documentation is complete before this step.

Step 6: Notify the client

If the client has login access to their own workspace, they will see the team change reflected immediately. It is good practice to send a brief email from your agency introducing the new account manager and confirming that reporting will continue uninterrupted.

If the client receives reports by email only (no dashboard access), they will not notice the internal change unless you tell them. A short heads-up is still courteous.

Handover checklist

Portfolio health after handover

After the handover, the new account manager should spend 15 minutes reviewing the workspace in the portfolio view at /agency. The portfolio health indicator shows whether the workspace is in Needs Attention, Monitoring, or On Track based on the last two weeks of citation activity. If it shows Needs Attention, the incoming manager should investigate before the next client touchpoint.

Try this in Outercite

Go to /agency, open the relevant client workspace, and navigate to Settings > Team to start the handover process.

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