Client sent the wrong, partial or unreadable documents: how to ask again without friction

Getting something back from a client is not the same as getting what you asked for. Files arrive for the wrong year, with odd pages missing, locked with a password or photographed in poor light. If you only find out at reconciliation time, the chase starts again from zero. The fix is to check on receipt and reply the same day, with one specific correction rather than a general complaint.

Check every file on the day it arrives

Open it: does it load, and is it the right entity, account and period?
Check page count against the statement's own 'page 1 of N' line
Check the first and last dates and the opening and closing balances line up with the previous period
Mark the checklist item as received only after this check; otherwise the item looks done when it is not

Wrong period or wrong account

Name the exact difference: 'This is the January statement for account ending 4821; I need February.' Naming the account's last four digits and the month removes the guessing. Offer the location: which menu in the bank's site holds the statement list.

Stop chasing clients for documents by hand.

DocNag sends the secure upload link and the reminders for you. Free plan: 3 active requests, no card, no client accounts.

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Missing pages

Say how many you have and how many you expect: 'I have pages 1 to 3 of 5.' Ask for the whole file again rather than only the missing pages, which are easy to misfile. If the client scanned them one by one, point them to a phone scanner that makes a single PDF (see /guides/how-to-ask-clients-to-scan-and-name-documents).

Password-protected files

Many bank PDFs open with a password such as a date of birth or account digits. Ask the client to open the file, then save or print it to a new PDF without the password, or to tell you the password in a separate message. Never ask for banking passwords, only the file's open password.

Blurry, cropped or sideways photos

Ask for a rescan in daylight on a flat surface, all four corners visible. Keep the reply light: 'Slightly hard to read the amounts on this one, could you retake it?' For receipts, accept a clear photo of the card statement line as a fallback.

Template: reply to a client who sent the wrong thing

'Thanks for sending this, I appreciate it. I looked it over and it is [the January statement; I need February / pages 1 to 3 of 5 / locked with a password]. Could you send [exact item] here by [date]: [link]? Everything else you sent is fine and already ticked off.' Finish by saying what is fine, so the client does not feel they failed and stop replying.

Keep the checklist honest

Record a reason against any item that is received but not usable, so you do not chase it as 'missing' with the wrong message. DocNag shows each request as a checklist with the client's private upload link, so you can mark a file as needing a resend and the reminders point at that one item.

Looking for the full close process? See the month-end close checklist with a free Excel template.

Frequently asked questions

What should I do when a client sends the wrong documents?

Reply the same day with the exact difference (period, account, page count) and a link to upload the right one, and confirm what you received correctly.

How do I handle a password-protected PDF from a client?

Ask for the file's open password separately or for a re-saved copy without one. Never ask for online banking passwords.

Should I mark a document received if it is unreadable?

No. Mark it received only after checking the period, page count and legibility, otherwise the checklist hides a gap until reconciliation.

Skip the copy-paste

Turn this into a request in two minutes. DocNag sends your client one private upload link, tracks what's missing and sends the reminders for you.

Use the "Month-end close" checklist in DocNag

Free plan, no card needed. Or see a live demo first.

Comparing tools? See the Financial Cents alternative and Content Snare alternative comparisons, or all comparisons.