Automated Document Requests That Chase Clients for You
Build a document checklist once, attach it to a reminder, and let timing and workflow status decide when it goes out.
Remindoo's Document Reminder is a reminder email that carries a checklist of the documents that still need to be submitted. It can be triggered by a task progress status such as Info Requested and timed a set number of days before or after a date, so chasing runs from the workflow rather than by hand.
Last updated: September 16, 2026 · Reviewed by Waqas Sagar, ACA FCCA, chartered accountant (UK) and founder of Remindoo.
Key facts
- Document Reminder is a reminder type: an email with a checklist of documents to submit.
- A plain Reminder type sends the same kind of email without a checklist.
- Reminders can be triggered by task progress status, for example Info Requested.
- Timing is set as before or after, with a number of days.
- Emails support a subject, rich-text body, adjustable tokens and attachments.
- A single reminder can contain several emails with different timing.
The problem
Documents arrive late and incomplete
Returns sit untouched because two forms are missing, and nobody notices until the schedule is already tight.
The same email, sent by hand, forever
Staff retype a variation of we are still missing dozens of times a week during the season.
No view of who is still waiting
Without a status on the job, the answer to which clients have not sent anything is a conversation, not a list.
How Remindoo handles it
| Problem | Workflow in Remindoo | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Requests are typed out each time | A Document Reminder email with a saved checklist and tokens | The same request goes out consistently to every client |
| Chasing depends on someone noticing | Reminders triggered by task progress status | The nudge fires while the job is in the waiting state |
| Timing is guesswork | Before or after timing with a number of days | Requests land early enough to be acted on |
How it works
Choose the Document Reminder type
When you add a reminder to a service, set its type to Document Reminder so the email carries a checklist of the documents the client needs to submit.
Build the checklist
List the documents this service needs. For an individual return that typically means W-2s, 1099-NEC, 1099-INT and 1099-DIV, Form 1098, the prior-year return and a record of estimated tax payments made.
Write the email
Set the subject and body, drop in adjustable tokens so the message is personalized, and attach anything the client needs alongside the request.
Trigger it from the workflow
Attach the reminder to a task progress status such as Info Requested, and set whether it sends before or after, and how many days.
Bring the document list you send at the start of a 1040 and we will build it into a reminder during the call.
Book a demoAn example checklist for an individual return
Firms usually keep one checklist per service rather than one for the whole practice. For a 1040 the common items are W-2s, 1099-NEC for contract income, 1099-INT and 1099-DIV, Form 1098 for mortgage interest, Form 1095-A where it applies, the prior-year return and a record of estimated tax payments made.
Treat that as an example, not a standard. What you request depends on the client's situation, and state requirements vary. Confirm current form requirements with the IRS and the relevant state agency.
Remindoo vs spreadsheets, calendar reminders and shared-drive checklists
| What you need | Spreadsheets, calendars and shared drives | Remindoo |
|---|---|---|
| One defined process per service | A checklist file that each preparer copies and edits | A service template with task and subtask templates used by everyone |
| Recurring work | Rebuilt by hand each month, quarter or year | Frequency set on the service, from daily to yearly |
| Deadlines | Typed into a calendar and re-typed when the date changes | Internal and external deadlines calculated from a trigger date plus an offset in days |
| Reminders | Someone remembers to send the email | Reminder emails attached to the service, sent a set number of days before or after |
| Status-driven chasing | Reminders fire on fixed dates whatever the job is doing | Reminders can be triggered by task progress status |
| Onboarding a new hire | They learn the process by asking colleagues | The process is visible in the template, including subtask steps |
| Estimated time and billing | Tracked separately, if at all | Estimated time on the service and subtasks; template tasks can be flagged billable |
| Documents | Folders created manually, named differently every time | Optional automatic folder creation when the service is assigned to a client |
Frequently asked questions
How do accountants automate document requests?
They save the list of documents a service needs, attach it to a reminder email, and let the system send it on a schedule or when the job reaches a particular status. The request is then identical every time and does not depend on a staff member writing it out.
What is a document reminder in Remindoo?
It is one of the reminder types on a service. A Document Reminder sends an email containing a checklist of documents the client still needs to submit, while the plain Reminder type sends an email without a checklist.
Can I customize the checklist per service?
Yes. Reminders are configured on the service, so a 1040 service and a monthly bookkeeping service each carry their own reminder emails and their own document checklists.
When should document reminders start before tax season?
Most firms begin requesting documents once the prior year closes and before the January rush, then follow up at intervals. Remindoo's timing is set as a number of days before or after a date, so you can build that cadence into the service rather than diarizing it.
Can the partner be copied?
Yes. Reminder emails include BCC presets for assignees, the partner and service managers, which is how firms keep escalation visible without forwarding threads.
Can reminders stop automatically when documents arrive?
Reminders can be triggered by task progress status, so moving the task out of a waiting status changes what applies to the job. The precise stop behavior for your configuration is worth confirming with the team on a walkthrough rather than assumed.
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