onboarding

ONBOARDING SKILL.md - Complete Implementation

Author: Vyayasan Version: 1.0.0 Status: Production Ready - Final Locked Version

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SKILL OVERVIEW

This SKILL defines the complete KYC onboarding workflow with mandatory Step 0 independent verification, case folder auto-creation, and locked template enforcement.

Trigger: /kyc-analyst:onboard [Customer Name] [Country]

Stagegate Enforcement: This skill enforces 17 mandatory stagegates with explicit analyst consent at each gate. See commands/onboard.md for the full stagegate specification.

MCP Integration: Uses ~~browser (Claude in Chrome) for web research, ~~excel (openpyxl) for dashboards, ~~pdf (fpdf2) for reports. See CONNECTORS.md for full connector reference.

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STEP 0: MANDATORY INDEPENDENT VERIFICATION

Why Step 0 is Mandatory

Regulatory Requirement: AMLD5 Article 10(a) and UK MLR 2017 Regulation 19 require independent verification using "reliable, independent source documents, data or information."

Analyst Compliance Duty: Analyst must verify customer declarations independently. Cannot rely solely on what customer claims - must verify through independent sources.

This Skill Enforces: No proceeding to traditional onboarding until Step 0 is complete and clear.

Step 0 Process Flow

COMMAND INVOKED
    ↓
CREATE CASE FOLDER (KYC-[DATE]-[TYPE]-[NAME]-[SEQ])
    ↓
BEGIN STEP 0 - INDEPENDENT VERIFICATION
    ↓
SEARCH 1: Adverse Media ─→ DOCUMENT FINDINGS
SEARCH 2: Directorships ─→ DOCUMENT FINDINGS
SEARCH 3: PEP Status ────→ DOCUMENT FINDINGS
SEARCH 4: Professional Background → DOCUMENT FINDINGS
SEARCH 5: Sanctions/Crime ──→ DOCUMENT FINDINGS
    ↓
ANALYSIS & DECISION
    ↓
All Clear? → YES → Proceed to Step 1
    ↓ NO (DISCREPANCIES FOUND)
ESCALATE → Manager Review Required

Five Mandatory Searches - Detailed

SEARCH 1: ADVERSE MEDIA & NEWS

Objective: Identify any negative news, criminal records, regulatory violations, financial crime

Search Strategy:

Sources:
- Google News: "[Customer Name]" crime/fraud/scandal
- BBC News: "[Customer Name]" conviction
- Reuters: "[Customer Name]" regulatory action
- Companies House: Search for insolvency notices
- FCA Register: Check for regulatory action
- UK Media Index: General news scan

What to Document:

• Criminal records (yes/no)
• Regulatory violations (yes/no)
• Financial crime (yes/no)
• Bankruptcy/insolvency (yes/no)
• Adverse media (yes/no)

Decision Rule:

• All CLEAR → Continue to next search
• Any FINDINGS → Document, assess severity

SEARCH 2: COMPANY DIRECTORSHIPS

Objective: Identify ALL company involvement, directorships, beneficial ownership

Search Strategy:

Sources:
- Companies House: Direct officer search for [Customer Name]
- Companies House: Company search for any businesses
- Business registries: Director and shareholder registrations
- Corporate databases: Cross-verification

What to Document:

• Company name
• Position (director, shareholder, officer)
• Status (active/dormant)
• Appointment date
• Any conflicts or patterns
• Shell company assessment

Critical Findings - Escalate If:

• Multiple undisclosed directorships
• Director at company customer also works for
• Shell company patterns
• Beneficial ownership unclear

SEARCH 3: PEP STATUS (Politically Exposed Person)

Objective: Identify political exposure requiring Enhanced Due Diligence

Search Strategy:

Sources:
- UK Government PEP Database
- Electoral Commission (candidacy/office)
- International PEP Lists
- Government employee records

What to Document:

• Current political positions (yes/no)
• Previous political positions (yes/no)
• Family member PEP status (yes/no)
• Close associates with political exposure (yes/no)

Decision Rule:

• PEP identified → Triggers EDD
• Family PEP identified → Document relationship
• Clear → Continue

SEARCH 4: PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

Objective: Verify occupation claims independently

Search Strategy:

Sources:
- LinkedIn: Employment history, current roles
- Company websites: Staff directory, team pages
- Business registry: Company ownership, director roles
- News: Business announcements, funding rounds

What to Document:

• Current employment (company, position, title)
• Employment status (employed/self-employed/director)
• Business activities claimed vs. verified
• Professional credentials
• Income sources identified

Critical Discrepancies - Escalate If:

• Declared self-employed but employed elsewhere
• Undisclosed business roles or directorships
• Business claims cannot be verified
• Source of funds misrepresented
• Pattern of non-disclosure evident

SEARCH 5: SANCTIONS & FINANCIAL CRIME

Objective: Confirm no sanctions matches or financial crime involvement

Search Strategy:

Sources:
- OFAC Specially Designated Nationals List
- EU Consolidated Sanctions List
- UK Sanctions Regime
- UN Security Council Consolidated List
- Interpol Database

What to Document:

• OFAC match (yes/no)
• EU sanctions (yes/no)
• UK sanctions (yes/no)
• UN sanctions (yes/no)
• Criminal convictions (yes/no)
• Interpol notices (yes/no)

Decision Rule:

• Any match → IMMEDIATE ESCALATION
• All clear → Continue

Step 0 Report Template

File Created: STEP_0_VERIFICATION_REPORT.md (LOCKED TEMPLATE)

Required Sections:

# STEP 0 VERIFICATION REPORT

## Search 1: Adverse Media
[Findings documented]

## Search 2: Directorships
[All companies listed with details]

## Search 3: PEP Status
[PEP assessment]

## Search 4: Professional Background
[Occupation and business verification]

## Search 5: Sanctions & Crime
[Sanctions screening results]

## DECISION GATE ANALYSIS
[Summary of findings]

## Material Misrepresentation Assessment
[If discrepancies found]

## Step 0 Decision: [PROCEED / ESCALATE]
[Decision logic]

## Certification
[Analyst sign-off]

Step 0 Decision Gate

PROCEED Criteria (All Required):

• ✓ All five searches completed
• ✓ No material discrepancies found
• ✓ Declarations verified or clarified
• ✓ No escalation triggers
• ✓ Step 0 Report signed off

ESCALATE Criteria (Any Found):

• ✗ Material misrepresentation identified
• ✗ Multiple undisclosed directorships
• ✗ Sanctions match found
• ✗ Financial crime indication
• ✗ PEP status requiring EDD
• ✗ Source of funds misrepresented
• ✗ Pattern of intentional non-disclosure

Step 0 Escalation Routing

Material Findings Escalate To:

1. Primary: Compliance Manager (case assessment)
2. Secondary: MLRO (if money laundering concern)

Information to Include:

• Customer name and ID
• Critical findings summary
• Regulatory basis for escalation
• Recommended actions
• Supporting evidence

Manager Decision Options:

1. Proceed with EDD (Enhanced Due Diligence)
2. Contact customer for clarification
3. Decline relationship
4. Refer for SAR consideration

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STEP 1: TRADITIONAL ONBOARDING (Post-Step 0)

Proceeds Only If: Step 0 is complete and clear (or escalation resolved)

Collection Phase

Gather required information:

• Full personal identification (passport, ID)
• Current address verification
• Employment/business details
• Source of funds documentation
• Beneficial ownership (if applicable)
• PEP disclosure
• Sanctions screening confirmation

Documentation Phase

Create case documents:

• Customer profile
• Risk assessment
• Due diligence summary
• Evidence file

Approval Phase

• Compliance manager review
• MLRO sign-off (if required)
• Final approval decision

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CASE FOLDER AUTO-CREATION

Naming Convention

KYC-[YYYYMMDD]-[TYPE_CODE]-[CUSTOMER_NAME]-[SEQUENCE]

Components:

• YYYYMMDD: Application date
• TYPE_CODE: ONB (onboarding), SCR (screening), REF (refresh), RAS (risk), AML (monitoring)
• CUSTOMER_NAME: Last name (max 20 chars)
• SEQUENCE: 001, 002, 003, etc. (handles multiple applications same date)

Example: KYC-20260202-ONB-SMITH-001

Automatic Folder Structure

Plugin creates (automatically):

001_CASE_METADATA/
├── CASE_METADATA.md (LOCKED TEMPLATE)

002_STEP_0_VERIFICATION/
├── STEP_0_VERIFICATION_REPORT.md (LOCKED TEMPLATE)
├── 001_Adverse_Media/
│   └── Search_1_Findings.md
├── 002_Directorships/
│   └── Search_2_Findings.md
├── 003_PEP_Status/
│   └── Search_3_Findings.md
├── 004_Professional_Background/
│   └── Search_4_Findings.md
└── 005_Sanctions_Crime/
    └── Search_5_Findings.md

003_EVIDENCE/
├── Identification documents
├── Address verification
├── Employment confirmation
└── Source of funds documentation

004_AUDIT_TRAIL/
├── AUDIT_TRAIL.md (LOCKED TEMPLATE)

005_ESCALATIONS/
├── ESCALATION_BRIEF.md (if applicable)
└── Manager Decision.md (if applicable)

006_COMMUNICATIONS/
├── Customer correspondence
└── Customer clarification requests

KYC_[CustomerName]_Findings_Report.xlsx
├── Executive Summary sheet
├── Step 0 Results sheet
├── Discrepancies sheet
└── Risk Assessment sheet

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LOCKED TEMPLATES - IMMUTABLE FORMAT

Template 1: CASE_METADATA.md

Purpose: Single source of truth for case identification

Structure (Locked):

# CASE METADATA - LOCKED TEMPLATE

## CASE IDENTIFICATION
Case ID, Type, Customer, Application Date, Analyst

## CUSTOMER DETAILS
Name, Email, Nationality, Residence, DOB, Passport

## DECLARED BUSINESS PROFILE
[Customer's declared information]

## CASE STATUS TIMELINE
[Chronological updates with dates]

## CASE STATUS
[Current status]

## RISK ASSESSMENT
[Geographic %, Customer %, Product %, Channel %]

## NEXT STEPS
[Ordered action items]

Modification Rule: Sections locked, content within sections editable

Template 2: STEP_0_VERIFICATION_REPORT.md

Purpose: Regulatory compliance evidence

Structure (Locked):

# STEP 0 VERIFICATION REPORT - LOCKED TEMPLATE

## SEARCH 1-5 SECTIONS
[Each with structured findings]

## STEP 0 DECISION GATE ANALYSIS
[Summary and decision logic]

## CERTIFICATION & SIGN-OFF
[Analyst certification]

Modification Rule: Format locked, findings editable

Template 3: AUDIT_TRAIL.md

Purpose: Immutable chronological log

Structure (Fully Locked):

# AUDIT TRAIL - IMMUTABLE LOG

## CHRONOLOGICAL ACTION LOG
[Timestamped table of all actions]

## FINDINGS SUMMARY
[Summary of findings]

## REGULATORY COMPLIANCE NOTES
[Compliance requirements met]

Modification Rule: Auto-generated, non-editable

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EXCEL REPORT AUTO-GENERATION

Plugin creates professional Excel report with:

Sheet 1: Executive Summary

• Case ID, Customer, Date, Status
• All five searches with results
• Key findings
• Decision: PROCEED or ESCALATE

Sheet 2: Step 0 Searches

• Search 1-5 results in detail
• Severity assessment
• Sources documented

Sheet 3: Discrepancies (if any)

• Declared vs. Actual comparison
• Discrepancy analysis
• Severity levels

Sheet 4: Risk Assessment

• Geographic risk %
• Customer risk %
• Product risk %
• Channel risk %
• Overall risk level

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QUALITY ASSURANCE CHECKPOINTS

Checkpoint 1: Step 0 Completeness

• All five searches documented
• All findings entered with sources
• Discrepancies identified
• Decision gate applied

Checkpoint 2: Documentation Accuracy

• Case folder properly named
• Locked templates enforced
• Excel report generated
• Audit trail created

Checkpoint 3: Regulatory Compliance

• AMLD5 Article 10 requirements met
• UK MLR Regulation 19 compliance
• FCA guidance followed
• Independent sources used

Checkpoint 4: Decision Logic

• PROCEED decision justified
• ESCALATE decision documented
• Manager escalation routed
• Next steps clear

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COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID

❌ Mistake 1: Accepting customer declarations without independent verification ✓ Correct: Complete all five searches regardless of what customer says

❌ Mistake 2: Skipping Step 0 for "low-risk" customers ✓ Correct: Step 0 is mandatory for ALL customers

❌ Mistake 3: Using single search instead of five ✓ Correct: All five searches required; each adds unique information

❌ Mistake 4: Modifying locked template format ✓ Correct: Locked templates maintain consistency; modify content, not format

❌ Mistake 5: Proceeding with onboarding despite critical findings ✓ Correct: Escalate when discrepancies found; don't override decision gate

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WORKFLOW DECISION TREE

START ONBOARDING
    ↓
CREATE CASE FOLDER
    ↓
BEGIN STEP 0
    ↓
    ┌─── SEARCH 1: ADVERSE MEDIA
    │         ↓
    │    Findings? → NO → Continue
    │         ↓ YES
    │    Document → Continue (to Search 2)
    │
    ├─── SEARCH 2: DIRECTORSHIPS
    │         ↓
    │    Findings? → NO → Continue
    │         ↓ YES
    │    Document → Continue (to Search 3)
    │
    ├─── SEARCH 3: PEP STATUS
    │         ↓
    │    PEP? → NO → Continue
    │       ↓ YES
    │    Document → Continue (to Search 4)
    │
    ├─── SEARCH 4: PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND
    │         ↓
    │    Discrepancies? → NO → Continue
    │         ↓ YES
    │    Document → Continue (to Search 5)
    │
    └─── SEARCH 5: SANCTIONS/CRIME
             ↓
        Matches? → NO → STEP 0 COMPLETE
             ↓ YES
        IMMEDIATE ESCALATION

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STEP 0 ENFORCEMENT IN PLUGIN

Built-In Gating:

Cannot proceed past Step 0 unless:
✓ All five searches completed
✓ Report generated and signed
✓ Decision documented
✓ Escalation (if needed) routed

This ensures:

• No onboarding without independent verification
• All findings captured and documented
• Regulatory compliance automatic
• Audit trail created
• Manager review triggered for escalations

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SUMMARY: YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES

As Analyst:

1. ✓ Execute each of five searches independently
2. ✓ Document findings with sources
3. ✓ Identify discrepancies
4. ✓ Review Step 0 report
5. ✓ Follow decision gate
6. ✓ Escalate when required

As Manager:

1. ✓ Review escalations
2. ✓ Assess critical findings
3. ✓ Make proceed/decline/EDD decision
4. ✓ Document decision in case file
5. ✓ Sign off completion

As Compliance:

1. ✓ Audit case folders
2. ✓ Verify locked templates maintained
3. ✓ Review audit trails
4. ✓ Spot-check findings accuracy
5. ✓ Ensure regulatory compliance

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Developed by: Vyayasan Version: 1.0.0 Date: 12 February 2026 Status: Production Ready - Final Locked Version

Stagegate Reference: See commands/onboard.md for full 17-stagegate workflow specification. Connector Reference: See CONNECTORS.md and MCP_INTEGRATION_GUIDE.md for MCP tool integration.