Requesting documents from clients
Request templates and slots, sending a request to the client portal, reminders, and checking what arrives.
For: Staff
A document request asks a person for a set of documents. Each item in the request is a slot, such as "passport, photo page" or "marriage certificate". The client sees the request as a task in the client portal and uploads into the slots.
Create a request
You need document-request permission.
- Choose New document request (from Document requests or ⌘K).
- Pick a published template to fill in the items and instructions, or start blank.
- Choose the matter and the person who must provide the documents. They must be a participant in the matter.
- Set the due date.
- Write the instructions in each language the client uses. Missing languages are flagged.
- Edit the items, and preview what the client will see.
- Create the request. Send to client now is on by default.
Intake answers and workflow steps can also create requests automatically.
The request board
Document requests shows every open request, grouped by status, with overdue and unresponsive requests highlighted. From a card you can Remind, Open or Cancel. Press n for a new request.
A request moves through requested, notified, partially received, received, validation pending, accepted or rejected, needs resubmission, and ends complete or cancelled. Each slot moves through pending, received, validating, accepted, rejected or waived.
Reminders
Reminders go out on the template's schedule through the portal, email or text. They are sent only once per cycle, inside the firm's business hours where configured, and never between 21:00 and 08:00 local time while quiet hours are on.
If the client cannot be reached through the portal after the grace period, the request is marked unreachable. When a request is overdue for longer than the firm's limit, a client-communication work item is opened for a person to follow up.
What arrives
Each upload goes through the processing pipeline and then waits for validation. Consistency checks compare names and dates of birth with the matter. A validator accepts or rejects each slot; a rejected slot asks the client to upload again with the reason, in their language.
Templates
Request templates are managed in Configuration → Documents on the Request templates tab: items, per-language instructions, versions and publishing. Publishing a template can require an attorney's sign-off.