Implementation

Bitrix24 Onboarding Questionnaire: 50+ Questions to Ask First

Published: 11 Mar 2026·Updated: 29 Aug 2026·11 min read

Before configuring any pipeline or automation in Bitrix24, a well-structured discovery session is what separates a successful project from months of rework. This questionnaire brings together 50+ questions organised by topic - use it in your first meeting with your implementation partner or as an internal self-assessment.

Why Discovery Is the Most Critical Phase of Any Implementation

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Discovery is the most critical phase of any Bitrix24 (Alaio) implementation: projects fail primarily because of poorly gathered requirements, not because of technical limitations - and the mandatory output of this phase is a technical specification document covering funnels, integrations, permissions, and an hour estimate.

Bitrix24 implementation projects fail most often not because of platform limitations, but because requirements were not gathered properly. Based on our experience across implementation projects, roughly half of the analysis phase is spent in discovery meetings - and the other half in writing the technical document that guides all configuration work.

A well-executed discovery produces a technical specification document that contains:

Usage scenario for the Bitrix24 portal, describing which entities will be used (leads, deals, contacts, smart processes)
Prioritized task list, each item with the proposed technical solution within Bitrix24
CRM funnel structure - stages, transition rules, and automation logic
Required integrations - telephony, website, email, ERP, marketplaces
Access and permissions model - who sees what in the system
Estimated hours for the described implementation

Without this document, every post-implementation adjustment meeting costs time and money on both sides.

Block 1 - Business Context and Objectives

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This block maps the company's real starting point using 8 essential questions covering current systems, number of users, departments involved, critical deadlines, previous implementation history, and approved budget - including the decision between Cloud and On-Premise.

These questions help the consultant - and the client - understand the actual starting point: not what the company thinks it needs, but what the process truly requires.

What is the main problem you want to solve with Bitrix24?
Is there a current system being used for sales or customer management? (spreadsheets, another CRM, ERP, proprietary system)
How many users will use Bitrix24 on a daily basis?
Which departments are involved? (sales, customer service, marketing, operations, HR, finance)
Are there any critical deadlines for the go-live? (client contract, seasonal peak, internal restructuring)
Have there been previous CRM implementation attempts? What worked? What did not?
Who is the internal project owner within the company?
Is there an approved budget for implementation and licensing? Has a plan already been chosen (Cloud or On-Premise)?

Practical tip: If the company is still deciding between Cloud and On-Premise, this is the right moment to discuss data sovereignty requirements, available IT team capacity, and total cost of ownership over 3 years. See our comparative Cloud vs. On-Premise analysis.

Block 2 - Sales Processes and CRM Funnels

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This is the longest and most critical block in the discovery: it covers 14 questions on lead generation and qualification, sales funnel stages, average cycle length, internal approvals, documents generated, follow-up SLAs, and recurrence management - every poorly designed funnel here translates directly into hours of reconfiguration later.

This is typically the most extensive block - and the most critical. Every funnel designed incorrectly here becomes hours of reconfiguration down the line.

Lead generation and qualification

Where do leads come from today? (website, WhatsApp, Instagram, email, referrals, cold outreach, marketplace)
Do all leads come through the same channel, or are there separate flows by source?
Is there a qualification process before a lead becomes a sales opportunity?
Who is responsible for distributing leads to the sales team?
Are there any automatic distribution rules? (by region, product, shift, workload)

Sales funnel

What are the stages of your sales process, from first contact to close?
Is there more than one type of sale? (e.g., individual vs. corporate, product A vs. product B, new vs. recurring)
What is the average length of each sales cycle?
Are any internal approvals required during the process? (discount, technical proposal, legal review)
What documents are generated during the sale? (proposal, contract, invoice, payment slip)
How is follow-up handled today? Is there any formal or informal SLA for responding to clients?

Post-sale and recurrence

Is there a client onboarding process after the deal is closed?
Are there recurring sales or contract renewals? How are they managed today?
How does the process for reactivating inactive clients work?

Block 3 - Communication Channels and Integrations

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This block covers 8 questions on all lead entry channels (WhatsApp, VoIP telephony, website, email, social media) and required integrations with ERP, marketplaces, and BI - the typical flow goes from the entry channel to an Open Channel or webhook, automatically creating the record in the CRM.

The typical channel integration flow in Bitrix24 - from lead entry to record creation in the CRM.

The flow starts at the entry channels (website, WhatsApp, phone, email), passes through an Open Channel or webhook, automatically creates the lead or deal in the CRM, and routes it to the responsible user. Integrations with ERP and document generation systems take place at the closing and post-sale stages.

flowchart LR
    A[Site / Landing Page] -->|Webhook / Formulário| C[Bitrix24 CRM]
    B[WhatsApp / Instagram] -->|Open Channel| C
    D[Telefonia / VoIP] -->|Integração de chamadas| C
    E[E-mail corporativo] -->|Caixa de entrada compartilhada| C
    C --> F[Lead criado e distribuído]
    F --> G[Funil de Vendas]
    G --> H[Negócio fechado]
    H --> I[ERP / Sistema de faturamento]
    H --> J[Módulo de pós-venda / Smart Process]

What communication channels with clients exist today? (WhatsApp Business, landline/mobile, email, website chat, social media)
Is there VoIP telephony or a PBX system? Which provider or system?
How many phone numbers need to be integrated? Which extensions belong to which agents?
Does the website have contact forms or calculators? Who developed it, and is there access to the code?
Which UTMs and tracking parameters need to be captured along with the lead?
Is there a required integration with any management system? (ERP, inventory system, invoicing system)
Are there marketplaces (e.g., e-commerce) that need to synchronize orders or inventory with Bitrix24?
Is there an external BI system that CRM data needs to flow into?

For projects migrating from another CRM, mapping existing integrations is doubly important. See how migrating from HubSpot to Bitrix24 works.

Block 4 - Data, Fields, and Customer Database

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This block covers 8 questions about the existing customer database - format, approximate record volume, data quality, required custom fields, value lists, and visibility rules between contacts and companies - all essential information for planning migration and correct CRM configuration.

Is there an existing customer database? In what format? (Excel spreadsheet, another CRM, proprietary system)
How many records exist approximately? (contacts, companies, historical deals)
What is the data quality level? Are there duplicates, empty fields, or inconsistent formatting?
What custom fields are needed on the customer record? (segment, region, contract type, etc.)
Which fields are mandatory for creating a lead or deal?
Are there value lists (dropdowns) that need to be configured? (product types, loss reasons, lead sources)
Is there a need to link multiple contacts to the same company?
How should contact visibility work: should a salesperson who can see a company automatically see all linked contacts?

Block 5 - Automations and Robots

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This block identifies, across 6 questions, which repetitive tasks can be automated - message sending, SLA monitoring, approval workflows, automatic document generation, and management dashboards with priority metrics such as stage conversion and response speed.

What repetitive tasks do salespeople perform today that could be automated? (send email, create task, reassign owner, notify manager)
Are there formal or informal SLAs that need to be monitored? (e.g., respond to a lead within X minutes)
Is there a need to send automatic messages to clients at specific stages? (WhatsApp, email, SMS)
Is there any approval process that requires a workflow? (proposal, discount, contract sign-off)
Is automatic document generation from deal data required?
Are there management reports or dashboards that need to be configured? What metrics are the priority? (stage conversion, response speed, workload per salesperson)

Block 6 - Organizational Structure and Access

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This block maps, across 7 questions, the company's hierarchy and access rules within Bitrix24 - visibility by salesperson and manager, hiding sensitive fields, external participants such as partners and representatives, the internal administrator profile, and the need for two-factor authentication.

What is the company's hierarchical structure? (departments, teams, branches, regional offices)
Are there users who should only see their own clients and deals?
Should managers have full visibility across their team?
Is there a need to hide sensitive fields from certain profiles? (e.g., deal values, client banking details, actual phone numbers)
Will there be external participants in the portal? (partners, suppliers, sales representatives)
Who will be the Bitrix24 administrator within the company? Does this person have a technical background?
Will two-factor authentication (2FA) need to be configured?

Block 7 - Additional Modules and Expansion Outlook

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This block explores, across 6 questions, the use of Bitrix24 beyond CRM - project management, internal communication, HR processes, non-sales-specific operations, expected user growth over 12 months, and planned future integrations.

Is there a need for internal project management beyond the CRM? (tasks, kanban, Gantt)
Is there interest in using Bitrix24 for internal communication? (chat, video conferencing, corporate feed)
Is there an HR process that could be digitalized? (recruitment, employee onboarding, leave management)
Is there a specific operational process that is not "sales" but still requires tracking? (e.g., legal contract follow-up, equipment rental, construction project execution)
What is the expected growth horizon? How many additional users are anticipated in 12 months?
Is there a plan to integrate additional systems in the future?

Projects involving operational modules beyond the CRM - such as production or logistics management - have specific discovery requirements. See how we structure this for manufacturing companies and IT companies.

What Happens With the Answers: From Discovery to the Work Plan

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Once the answers are collected, the consultant produces a technical specification document approved by both parties before any configuration begins - for a mid-sized CRM project, this phase typically takes between 2 and 3 weeks, split equally between discovery meetings and document writing.

Once the answers are collected, the implementation consultant produces a technical specification document (work plan). In typical projects, this phase involves:

Activity	Share of analysis time
Discovery meetings with the client	~50%
Writing and structuring the technical document	~50%

The resulting document includes:

Funnel architecture - stages, fields per stage, automation rules
Prioritized task list with the proposed technical solution for each item
Bitrix24 entities to be used (leads, deals, smart processes, tasks)
List of materials the client must provide - data spreadsheets, system access credentials, logos, template copy
Hour estimate for the complete implementation

Configuration work only begins after mutual approval of this document. Any changes outside the agreed scope are handled as additional work orders.

Based on our experience, the discovery and technical specification phase for a mid-sized CRM project takes between 2 and 3 weeks, accounting for the client's availability for interview sessions and document validation.

To understand the impact of this phase on the total cost and timeline of a project, see our analysis with real implementation data.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a Bitrix24 discovery session take?

For mid-size projects, the full discovery phase - including requirement workshops and technical document drafting - typically takes between 2 and 3 weeks. Meeting time and documentation time are usually split roughly equally.

Is the discovery questionnaire paid separately or included in the implementation project?

It depends on the complexity of the project. For straightforward implementations, the discovery is completed in one or two meetings included in the overall project scope. For more complex processes, the analysis and technical specification phase may be contracted separately, with a detailed technical document delivered before configuration begins.

What happens if a new requirement arises after the discovery is approved?

Any requirement not included in the approved technical specification document is treated as additional scope and must be estimated and priced separately. This is why it is essential to review the document carefully before signing off.

Which integrations need to be identified during discovery?

Every integration - VoIP telephony, corporate email, website, ERP or management system, e-commerce platforms, external BI tools - must be mapped before implementation begins. Integrations that are not captured during discovery are among the most common causes of project delays.

Do I need to have my customer database organised before the discovery session?

Not necessarily. The discovery process includes questions about the current state of your data. If the database requires cleaning or standardisation before import, that work is identified at this stage and can be included in the project scope or quoted separately.

Does the technical specification document replace the project plan?

The technical document describes what will be configured and how. The project plan - covering the timeline, milestones, and responsibilities - is a complementary document. In well-managed projects, both exist alongside each other and are approved before configuration work begins.

Based on real practice

This article is based on 15 internal documents from ACP Group's practice - work plans, specifications and Bitrix24 implementation cases.

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