New to portals? Start with How client portals work: start here.
All four options store the client's files in their portal. They differ in whether the client must sign in and how many clients you are asking.
Option | Client must sign in? | Best for |
1. Secure upload link | No | Clients who haven't been invited yet, or one-off uploads. Share it however you like. |
2. "Request documents" message | No, to upload | Asking an invited client for specific documents, with a record in Messages |
3. Form with a file upload ("Request information") | Yes | Structured requests: several named documents plus questions (KYC, year-end) |
4. Broadcast | Depends on type | The same request to many portals at once |
All options need a portal for the client. See Invite clients to portals. You can create the portal without inviting anyone if you only need option 1.
Option 1: Secure upload link
Open the client's portal. On the Dashboard, find Secure link for document uploading.
Click Generate and copy the link.
Send it by email, text or your own systems.
Each link works for one portal only, and files land in that portal's documents.
Whoever has the link can upload, but can't see anything in the portal.
You can invalidate the link at any time, for example once you have what you need.
Don't see it? Add Secure upload link to the Shown column in the group's Settings > Home page.
Option 2: "Request documents" message
Open the portal and click Messages, then Send a message.
Change the type from Simple message to Request documents.
Choose who to notify, write what you need and click Send.
The client gets an email with an upload button that works without signing in. If they choose to open the portal instead, they will need to sign in.
Option 3: A form with a file upload
Open the portal group and click Form templates. Add a form with one file upload widget per document, and any questions you need.
In the client's portal, go to Messages > Send a message and choose Request information, then pick the form.
The client signs in to fill the form, and can save and come back later. Forms also appear on the portal's Forms tab. See Forms in portals.
Option 4: Broadcast to many portals
Open the portal group and click Broadcast Message > +. Choose Request documents (an upload link for each portal) or Request information (a form), select the portals or leave the filter empty to send to all, and send. Each portal's files stay in that portal. See Broadcast a message or request to many portals at once.
Getting told when files arrive
Turn on portal notifications in your personal settings (email and in-app), and subscribe to the portals you look after. See Email alerts for portal uploads.
Asking for ID documents? Consider the ID verification widget in a workflow, which also runs the identity checks.