To collect client documents, tell your client which files you need, which formats you can use and when you need them. Agree on one place to send them. A shared folder helps you gather the files, but you still need to check that each item meets the brief.
For example, an agency building a website needs a logo, page copy and photographs. Asking for “the website materials” leaves the client to guess whether a screenshot or an original file will do.
Describe each item you need
List the file, its intended use and the preferred format. For a website project, you might request an SVG or PNG logo, one text document per page and the selected original photographs. Ask the client to confirm that they have permission to use the images.
Set an agreed deadline and explain which stage depends on these materials. Request the information you need for the project; avoid collecting unrelated documents.
Agree on one place to send files
An email reply can be enough for one expected document. For a project with several uploads and rounds of feedback, a shared folder gives the client a consistent destination.
DocBunker lets clients open a private folder link, upload documents and leave comments without creating an account. Check the current plan limits against the files you expect before choosing the service.
Send the folder link with your request and explain where the client should ask questions. If you agree to use the folder, ask them to place later files there too.
Check received files before marking them complete
A client may send an old logo, an incomplete text or a format you cannot use. Keep a record of what you requested, what arrived and what still needs a correction. You can maintain that record in your project management tool.
Open the files you need to review, confirm their purpose and identify the version to use. Receiving a document does not mean you have accepted its content.
A tracking example: received does not mean ready to use
This case is fictional. A web project manager is preparing a five-page website. The client says “everything is uploaded”, but the developer cannot build the About page yet: a photograph is missing and two versions of the copy are available.
Keep the tracking table in your project tool or a working document. The statuses below are a suggested method, not an automatic DocBunker checklist feature.
| Requested item | Useful acceptance check | Situation in this example | Next action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Company logo | Client’s chosen SVG or PNG that opens correctly | Received and checked | Designer uses logo-selected.svg |
| About page copy | One version identified by the content owner | Two files received; choice needed | Ask which replaces the other |
| Team photograph | Selected image and confirmation the client can supply it for the website | Missing | Client contact confirms delivery or a replacement |
| Public contact details | Information to display and a person who confirms it | Received; check pending | Project manager requests confirmation |
The person maintaining the list updates a row after examining the file. “Needs correction” means something arrived but still requires a specific action. “Missing” means the requested item has not arrived. Keeping those separate helps avoid asking again for a document the client just sent.
Before the next follow-up, record who needs to respond and which stage depends on that response. The designer can start with the chosen logo; the About page waits for the copy decision and photograph. You can discuss timing without describing the entire project as blocked.
Follow up on the missing items
Name the outstanding files and explain the next step. For example:
Thanks for the logo and page copy. We still need the three team photographs for the About page. Please upload them to the project folder by Thursday. If that timing is difficult, let us know so we can adjust the page preparation.
This gives the client a specific action. You do not need to resend the full original request when one item is missing.
Close the collection stage
Confirm when you have received and checked the required files. Tell your team where to find the versions you will use. Decide when to close the sharing link and follow your agreed document-retention process.
Anyone who has an active DocBunker folder link can use it. Share it with the intended participants. Closing the link does not remove copies they have already downloaded.
For the next stage, read our guides to sharing confidential client documents and choosing where clients should leave feedback.
One expected file or a collection that needs tracking?
For a single contact-information sheet from one person, an email and filing it in your project folder may be enough. Suggest a common upload location when several people send materials at different times. Name the person who consolidates decisions on the client’s side: the folder will not choose between two text versions for you.
Explore the DocBunker collection folder to put the method into practice. The client portal for agencies covers later proposals and deliverables. Keep the tracking table in your usual tool: DocBunker gathers files and comments but does not automatically send your follow-ups or check the content for you.
