After 22 years, I still use a one‑page checklist before accepting a new agency — I keep it in Notion and review it every quarter. I’m happy to share mine; what templates, scripts, or tools do you recommend for vetting clients so newer colleagues can grow without compromising ethics?
I ask every new agency for their standard PO and payment terms before I accept anything — including tests — and I don’t schedule work until I see both in writing; “no PO, no work.” If they push back, I treat it as a soft no and quickly check their record on The Blue Board: A database of translation agencies, companies and outsourcers (with feedback). Do you also verify who approves invoices on their side?
I use a 10‑minute preflight in Notion: confirm their legal entity, skim the ProZ Blue Board (The Blue Board: A database of translation agencies, companies and outsourcers (with feedback)), and Google ‘Agency Name + nonpayment’ — takes less time than making coffee. My template has two hard stops: ‘no unpaid tests over 250 words’ and ‘no AI-rights grab’; if they’re new or unrated, I ask for a prepaid micro‑pilot instead. Happy to share the field list if that helps.