Bookkeeping is a monthly cycle, which means the document chase is a monthly cycle too. The same request goes out to the same clients about the same documents, and the same three clients are late every time. Because the work repeats, the fix has to be a template rather than a better-written email — build the request once, send it on a schedule, and let the system handle the follow-up so month-end close isn't gated on your persistence.
Use this as a starting template — in ClientBrief you save it once and send it to every client, rather than retyping it into a new email each time.
Create one monthly close checklist and one onboarding checklist. Send the close checklist at the same point each month to every client on that cycle — the request doesn't change, so it shouldn't be rewritten. Clients upload against each item with no account to create, which matters most for the small-business owners who only touch this once a month. Automatic reminders replace the follow-up emails you'd otherwise write by hand, and the dashboard shows which clients are blocking close before the deadline arrives rather than after.
What documents should I request from a new bookkeeping client?
Prior-year financial statements (P&L and balance sheet), the EIN confirmation letter, bank and credit card access or statements, the existing chart of accounts if one exists, and outstanding AR and AP lists. Ask for all of it in one structured request rather than discovering gaps over the first three weeks.
How do I stop chasing clients every month?
Automate the follow-up rather than doing it better. A reusable checklist sent on a schedule, with automatic reminders to clients who haven't completed it, removes the manual step entirely — you only intervene for the clients who ignore reminders, which is a much smaller list than the one you currently chase.
Do clients need to log in to upload documents?
Not with ClientBrief — clients open a link and upload. That matters for bookkeeping specifically because your clients are often small-business owners who interact with the system once a month and won't remember a password from four weeks ago.
Can I use this alongside Financial Cents or Karbon?
Yes, and many firms do. Practice management tools handle your internal workflow and deadlines well; the document intake piece is where the client-side friction lives. Running a dedicated no-login collection tool for intake and keeping your workflow platform for everything else is a common setup.
How much does it cost per client?
Nothing per client. ClientBrief is $7.99/month flat with unlimited clients and unlimited checklists, so a bookkeeper with 15 clients and one with 150 pay the same. Tools that price per user or per client scale very differently as your book grows.
Last updated August 2026 · See all industries