Most firms rewrite the same document request every month, and it shows: the wording drifts, the deadline gets buried, and clients reply with questions. A small set of fixed templates solves that. Below are four you can copy, adapt to your tone and reuse every period.
What every request should contain
- The period - “documents for September 2026”, not “last month”.
- A short list of exactly what you need, one line per item.
- The due date, written as a date, near the top.
- One place to send things - a link, a folder or a single address.
- A way to say “nothing this month” for items that may not exist.
Template 1: the monthly request
Subject: Documents for September 2026 - due 10 October
Hi Anna,
it's time to collect September's documents. Please upload them by 10 October:
- Bank statements for all business accounts (PDF, the whole month)
- Sales invoices issued in September
- Supplier invoices received in September
- Receipts, if you have any
Upload here: [link]. If you have nothing for an item, just tell me - that's an answer too.
Thank you!
Template 2: the friendly reminder (only what is missing)
Subject: Two items left for September
Hi Anna,
thanks for what you've sent so far. We're only missing:
- Bank statement for the savings account
- Supplier invoices
The due date is 10 October. Upload here: [link].
A reminder that lists only the missing items is shorter, feels less like nagging and is much easier to act on.
Template 3: the last call
Subject: September documents - due tomorrow
Hi Anna,
a quick heads-up: September's documents are due tomorrow, 10 October. Still missing: supplier invoices. If something is holding you up, reply and we'll find a solution together.
Offering help instead of pressure tends to get a faster reply - often the client is simply stuck on one document.
Template 4: asking for a correction
Subject: Bank statement - page 2 missing
Hi Anna,
thanks for the bank statement. Page 2 (11-20 September) is missing. Could you upload the full PDF here: [link]? Everything else is fine.
Name the exact problem and confirm what is already accepted, so the client fixes one thing instead of resending everything.
Tips that make templates work
- Keep the subject line consistent month to month - clients learn to recognise it.
- Write the client's name and the period, nothing generic like “Dear client”.
- Send the request on the same day each month.
- Do not send reminders to clients who are already complete.
If you collect documents for many clients, these templates are easiest to run with a tool that sends them automatically and lists only the missing items - that is exactly what MonthDocs does.
