# Collect onboarding documents from a new client

An accountant needs a passport, a proof of address and last year's statements from a new client. One request, one link, nothing by email.

**The situation.** A new client has signed up. Before you can start, you need their passport, a proof of address and last year's bank statements. Asking for them by email means sensitive scans sitting in two mailboxes forever.

**What you will use.** A [request](https://databeamer.eu/en/docs/requests/create-a-request) with named file slots, sent to the client as a guest.

## 1. Create the request

Choose **New Request** from the **New** menu. Give it a **Title** the client will recognise, such as "Onboarding documents for [client name]".

## 2. Say who sends and who may read

- Under **Ask**, type the client's email address. They do not need an account.
- Under **Answers to**, add the colleague who will process the file. You are always included. If you are working in a [group](https://databeamer.eu/en/docs/groups/groups), create the request there instead: every group member can then read the answers.

## 3. List what you need

Under **Files you need**, add one slot per document: "Passport", "Proof of address", "Bank statements 2025". Use **Add another** for each. Clear slot names mean fewer follow-up questions.

Add a **Message** explaining why you need these and by when.

![The New request window with Passport and Proof of address slots](https://databeamer.eu/docs-screenshots/en/new-request-form.png '1: title, 2: the files you need, 3: create.')

## 4. Decide how it ends

- **Fulfillment**: keep **Collaborative**. One complete submission is all you need.
- **Retention**: pick how long the files stay in the request. If you will export them to Drive, a short period is fine.
- **Deadline**: set the date you need the documents by. After it, the link stops accepting submissions.

Choose **Create**.

## 5. Send the link

The client receives an email from Databeamer with the link. If you prefer to send it yourself, copy the **Submission URL** from the request and paste it into your own message.

## What the client sees

A page with your name under **Requested by**, your message, and an upload field per document. The page says **Only the requester can read it**, which is literally true: the files are encrypted in their browser for your keys. They upload, choose **Submit**, and see **Submitted!**. They can **Retract submission** for a day if they picked the wrong file. The client's side is described in [Answer a request](https://databeamer.eu/en/docs/recipients/answer-a-request).

## 6. Process what came in

You receive a **New submission** notification. Open the request and the **Submissions** tab, view **Files**, and choose **Export to Databeamer Drive** to copy everything into the client's folder. From then on the documents live in Drive, independent of the request's retention period.

## Next time

If you onboard clients regularly, create the same slots each time; it takes a minute. For a self-service version you can link from your website, see [Publish an intake form](https://databeamer.eu/en/docs/requests/publish-an-intake-form).