Lesson 3.3: Building Your First Worksheet

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

• Navigate the CoachSheets Builder interface and choose between starting modes
• Add, configure, and reorder worksheet questions using appropriate element types
• Preview a worksheet in mobile and desktop views
• Save and organize worksheets for client use
• Understand how to duplicate and iterate on existing worksheets

Guided Project: Build an Intake Worksheet

In this lesson, you will build a complete intake worksheet using the CoachSheets Builder. This is a hands-on tutorial. Follow each step. By the end, you will have a publishable intake worksheet ready to send to your first client.

Estimated time: 25 minutes

Note: A video walkthrough of this process will be added to the course resources. Check the course discussion for the video link once published.

Step 1: Access the Worksheet Builder

From your CoachSheets dashboard, navigate to Worksheets in the left sidebar. Click the "New Worksheet" button in the top-right corner.

You will see three options:

• Start from Template -- Choose from 73 professionally designed templates organized by category (Discovery & Vision, Awareness & Energy, Mindset & Reframing, Planning & Action, Session & Progress Tracking, Money & Finance, ADHD & Neurodivergence).
• Start with Quick Tweak Builder -- A simple drag-and-drop interface best for adding a few questions to a blank canvas.
• Start with Canvas Builder -- A full WYSIWYG editor with undo/redo, copy/paste, and advanced layout control.

For this tutorial, choose Start with Quick Tweak Builder. It is the fastest path to a polished worksheet.

Step 2: Name Your Worksheet and Set the Context

In the worksheet settings panel (top of the page):

• Title: "New Client Intake -- Life Overview"
• Category: Select "Discovery & Vision" (or create a custom category called "Intake")
• Description: "Welcome! This intake worksheet helps me understand your current life situation so our coaching can be focused and effective from session one. It takes about 15 minutes."

The description is your chance to set the frame. Clients who read a warm, clear introduction complete worksheets at significantly higher rates. Take time to write a good one.

Step 3: Add Your First Question -- Wheel of Life

Click "Add Question" and select the Wheel of Life element type.

Configure the following:

• Label: "How satisfied are you in each area of your life?"
• Help text: "Rate each area from 1 (lowest satisfaction) to 10 (highest). Be honest -- this is your starting baseline, not your final destination."
• Segments: Add 8 segments: Career, Finances, Health, Family & Friends, Romance, Personal Growth, Fun & Recreation, Physical Environment.
• Required: Toggle ON.

The Wheel of Life is an excellent opening question because it is visual, low-friction, and instantly reveals the client's overall landscape. It takes less than 2 minutes but provides enormous coaching value.

Step 4: Add a Goal Reflection Question

Click "Add Question" and select the Textarea element type.

• Label: "What is the most important goal you want to achieve through coaching?"
• Help text: "Describe your goal in one or two paragraphs. What would success look like? How would you know you had achieved it? If you have multiple goals, pick the one that feels most important right now."
• Required: Toggle ON.

This is the second question because it asks for more cognitive effort than the Wheel but still feels approachable. The progressive disclosure principle at work.

Step 5: Add a Values Card Sort

Click "Add Question" and select the Cards element type (this enables card sorting behavior).

• Label: "What are your top 5 core values?"
• Help text: "Drag values from the available list into your top 5, ranked from most important to least. If you don't see a value that resonates, you can add your own."
• Cards options: Include at least 20 values such as: Achievement, Adventure, Authenticity, Balance, Community, Creativity, Empathy, Family, Freedom, Growth, Health, Honesty, Independence, Justice, Leadership, Learning, Love, Security, Service, Spirituality.

Card sorting forces the client to make trade-offs. It reveals not just what they value, but what they prioritize when they must choose. This is far more revealing than a simple list.

Step 6: Add a Readiness Scale

Click "Add Question" and select the Scale element type.

• Label: "How ready are you to make changes in your life right now?"
• Help text: "1 = Not ready at all, 10 = Fully ready and committed."
• Min value: 1, Max value: 10
• Show labels at ends: "Not ready" -- "Fully ready"
• Required: Toggle ON.

The readiness scale is strategically placed as the fourth question. By now, the client has invested 8-10 minutes and built momentum. This question captures their current change readiness, which helps you calibrate your coaching approach.

Step 7: Add a Closing Reflection

Click "Add Question" and select the Textarea element type.

• Label: "Is there anything else you want your coach to know before we begin?"
• Help text: "This is your space to share anything that did not come up in the questions above. No right or wrong answers. Write as much or as little as you like."
• Required: Toggle OFF.

The final question should always be open and optional. It gives the client agency and ensures nothing important is missed.

Step 8: Preview on Mobile

Before saving, click the "Preview" button in the top toolbar. Toggle between Desktop and Mobile views using the device icon.

On mobile view, check:

• Can you tap each Wheel of Life segment easily?
• Are the card sort elements large enough to drag?
• Does the textarea fill the screen width?
• Is the scrolling smooth?

Adjust any element sizes or spacing if the mobile experience feels cramped. Remember: over 70% of clients will complete this on their phone.

Step 9: Save and Organize

Click "Save" and give your worksheet a final review.

From the Worksheets index page, you can:

• Duplicate the worksheet to create variations (e.g., "Intake -- Relationship Coaching" or "Intake -- Career Coaching")
• Categorize it for easy filtering later
• Star/Favorite it for quick access
• Share it directly with a client or add it to a program sequence

Step 10: Send to a Client

To send the worksheet, navigate to Assignments, click "New Assignment", select your intake worksheet, choose a client, and set a send date. The worksheet will be delivered automatically.

Beyond the Basics

Once you are comfortable with the Quick Tweak Builder, explore the Canvas Builder. It offers:

• Undo/redo (Ctrl+Z / Ctrl+Y)
• Copy/paste questions (Ctrl+C / Ctrl+V)
• Duplicate entire sections (Ctrl+D)
• Keyboard shortcuts for faster editing
• Local storage auto-save (never lose work)
• More precise layout control

Your template library also includes 73 pre-built worksheets spanning 7 categories. Many coaches build their first worksheet by duplicating a template and customizing it rather than starting from blank. This is a perfectly valid approach and often faster.

Assignment

1. Complete the tutorial above and build your intake worksheet with a minimum of 5 questions using at least 3 different element types.

2. Take a screenshot of your worksheet in mobile preview mode and share it in the course discussion.

3. Write a brief reflection (200 words): What surprised you about the builder experience? Which element type was most intuitive? Which was hardest to configure?

4. Send your intake worksheet to a friend or colleague acting as a test client. Ask them to complete it and give feedback on: clarity of instructions, ease of use on mobile, and overall experience.

Knowledge Check

• What are the three starting options when creating a new worksheet in CoachSheets?
• Why is a Wheel of Life a good opening question for an intake worksheet?
• What is the recommended number of values to include in a card sort element?
• When should a textarea question be marked as Required versus Optional?
• What keyboard shortcuts are available in the Canvas Builder (list at least three)?
• How can you reuse an existing worksheet to create a variation without starting from scratch?
• Why is it important to preview a worksheet on mobile before sending it to clients?