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When your clients complete forms quickly, everything else moves faster—onboarding, reviews, renewals, and compliance. We recently analyzed thousands of SideDrawer info requests to understand what consistently drives higher completion. The result is a practical playbook you can use today—no new software, just better setup and sequencing.
Below you’ll find the benefits of applying the study’s findings and a step‑by‑step guide to get more of your requests finished, sooner.
What you’ll gain by applying these practices
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Faster turnaround: Short, focused requests are completed sooner; clients finish what feels clear and achievable.
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Higher completion at the item level: Breaking “big asks” into bite‑sized steps increases the odds that each step gets done.
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Fewer back‑and‑forths: Better instructions and acceptance criteria reduce clarification emails and rework.
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Better client experience: Clients can make visible progress, even if they don’t have everything on hand.
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Stronger compliance posture: Keeping required questions to the essentials and explaining the “why” improves accuracy and trust.
Practical note: Many completions happen the same day (over 50%), and most of the rest occur within a few weeks—so your setup should encourage quick wins now and sensible reminders later.
The five patterns that make the biggest difference
1) Chunk big requests into micro‑requests (1–3 items each)
Large, all‑at‑once document lists feel overwhelming and are easy to postpone. Instead of one “kitchen‑sink” info request, send a short sequence:
Step 1: ID & address
Step 2: Income docs
Step 3: Insurance or investment statements
Each micro‑request can be completed independently and acknowledged immediately.How in SideDrawer: Create a short template per micro‑topic and queue them in a sequence (or use separate, clearly named info requests over a few days). Keep each to ≤3 items where possible.
2) Make only the essentials required
Requiredness matters more than raw length. Keep required fields to what’s genuinely necessary and make the rest optional with a short “why we ask” note.
How in SideDrawer:
Mark only the truly mandatory items as required.
Use the item description to add a one‑line rationale (e.g., “We use this to verify ownership; photos are acceptable.”).
3) Give clients a safe way to say “I’ll provide this later”
Clients often have most—but not all—of what you’re asking for. Let them submit what they have now and come back for the rest.
How in SideDrawer:
Allow submission when the required items are satisfied.
Encourage partial completion in the request description (e.g., “Submit what you have today; we’ll remind you about the rest.”).
Use SideDrawer’s reminders to follow up only on what’s outstanding.
4) Be specific about what “good” looks like
Ambiguity causes stalls. For every document item, add clear acceptance criteria and examples.
How in SideDrawer:
Add item‑level guidance: “Color photo or PDF is fine. Make sure all four corners are visible.”
If alternatives are acceptable (e.g., driver’s license or passport), say so explicitly.
For recurring needs (e.g., annual tax docs), include the relevant tax year in the title.
5) Sequence for momentum
Start with the easy wins (contacts, accounts, single documents) to build momentum. Place heavier uploads or longer questionnaires later in the journey.
How in SideDrawer:
Send a quick “Contacts & Accounts” update first.
Follow with short document micro‑requests over a few days.
Reserve longer questionnaires for after you’ve captured initial documents—and keep those questionnaires focused and skippable where appropriate.
A 30‑minute setup that pays off all quarter
Clone your biggest request and split it into 2–4 micro‑requests (≤3 items each).
Tighten required fields—if it isn’t essential, make it optional with a one‑line “why”.
Add acceptance notes to each item (1–2 sentences + any allowed substitutes).
Rename templates with client‑friendly titles: “Step 1 — Verify ID (2 items)”.
Schedule reminders: send a polite nudge after 1 day, then after 7 days for any remaining items.
Measure weekly: export SideDrawer request data (starts, completes) and check which templates in your sequence finish fastest; double down on those patterns.
Templates you can copy (structure & copy)
A) Quick ID Verification (2 items)
Government photo ID — “Photo or PDF is fine; corners visible. Driver’s license or passport accepted.” (Required)
Proof of address — “Utility bill or bank statement dated within 60 days.” (Required)
Request description: “This takes ~2 minutes. Submit now—even if you’ll upload other docs later.”B) Accounts & Memberships Check (3 items)
Primary bank (Optional): “Name only—no account number needed.”
Primary investment platform (Optional): “Name only.”
Insurance provider (Optional): “Carrier name and policy type.”
Request description: “This helps us route the right checklist to you. You can skip any item and return later.”C) Annual Tax Docs (3 items)
Most recent NOA / assessment (Required)
T4/T5 package (if applicable) (Optional)
Receipts summary (if applicable) (Optional)
Request description: “Upload what you have today; we’ll follow up on anything outstanding.”
Helpful reminders and messaging (feel free to reuse)
Subject: Two quick items to keep your plan on track
Body intro: “We’ve broken this into bite‑sized steps so you can make progress in minutes. You can submit what you have today and return for the rest.”
Nudge (D+1): “Just a reminder: two items left. If you don’t have them handy, submit what you do have and we’ll schedule the rest.”
Nudge (D+7): “We’re almost there. Reply if you need help—we can accept alternatives for most documents.”
Quality checklist for every template
Title states what and how many items (“Step 2 — Income Docs (3 items)”)
Required items are only what’s essential
Each item has acceptance notes and allowed substitutes
Description invites partial submit and sets expectation for reminders
If seasonal (e.g., tax), the year is in the title
You’ve planned a short sequence, not a single mega‑request
Measuring success without extra tools
Starts → Completes per template (weekly)
Average items completed per request (if you break up large packs)
Time to first submit (are clients acting the same day?)
Reminders needed (if many require D+7 nudges, adjust sequencing or copy)
A simple monthly export from SideDrawer gives you enough to spot the winners.
The bottom line
Clients complete what feels clear, short, and doable now. By chunking big requests, tightening requiredness, showing what “good” looks like, and sequencing for momentum, you’ll see faster responses, fewer follow‑ups, and smoother reviews—all with the tools you already have in SideDrawer.
If you’d like, our team can review one of your high‑volume info requests and suggest a “micro‑sequence” you can deploy this week.
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