Use Request paperwork to ask someone for missing receipts and invoices for bank transactions that don't have a matching document. Business admins can ask team members, and accountants and bookkeepers can ask users in a client account.
You send the request from the Dext web app. The recipient gets a notification in the Dext mobile app and uploads the document there.
Before you start
Before you request paperwork, check who can send a request and who can receive one. Sending is available to:
Admin users in Business accounts
Accountants or bookkeepers who access a client account
Important: Only users who have signed in to the Dext mobile app appear in the recipient list. If no users are available to choose, you can only export the paperwork request report.
How requesting paperwork works
You can request paperwork for any bank transaction that doesn't have a matching document yet. When you send a request:
The recipient gets a notification in the Dext mobile app.
They can upload the missing receipt or invoice in the app, or dismiss the request if they don't have it.
Once they submit paperwork, the request is marked as answered and Dext tries to match the document to the transaction.
For the recipient's steps, go to How to respond to a paperwork request in the Dext mobile app
Request paperwork from the Transactions page
To send a paperwork request from the Dext web app, use the Transactions page:
Go to Bank > Transactions.
Select the Filter icon.
Choose Without requested paperwork to show the transactions that have no document and no request yet.
Select the transactions you want to include.
Select Request paperwork at the top of the page.
Choose a recipient from the list.
(Optional) Add notes for context.
(Optional) Select Export to download the request as a PDF or CSV report.
Select Send.
After you send the request, its history appears in the Paperwork requests column on the Transactions page.
Request paperwork from the Clients list
To send paperwork requests for client accounts, use the Clients list in a practice account. This view isn't available in Business accounts.
Go to the Clients list.
Scroll to the Requested paperwork column.
Select the number next to a client.
On the next page, select the number again in the Requested paperwork column. This opens the Transactions page with the relevant items.
Follow the steps in Request paperwork from the Transactions page to send the request.
What happens after you send a request
After you send a request, the recipient responds in the Dext mobile app, and the transaction updates in the Dext web app:
If they submit paperwork, the request is marked as answered. Dext then tries to match the document to the bank transaction.
If they dismiss the request, or no paperwork is available, the transaction shows Unavailable paperwork.
To check the status of each request, use the Paperwork requests column on the Transactions page. To see whether Dext has found a document for a transaction, check the Match column. For how matching works, go to How does Bank Match work in Dext?
When to request paperwork
Request paperwork when:
A bank transaction has no matching receipt or invoice.
You need supporting documents before you reconcile.
You want to prompt a client or team member to upload missing documents.
If you can't get a document for a transaction, you can create a cost from the bank transaction instead. For steps, go to How to use Cash coding in Dext
If the document is already in Dext and you have a question about it, accountants and bookkeepers can send a message from the item instead. For steps, go to How to use item messaging in Dext
Other ways to ask for missing paperwork
This article covers requests for bank transactions. There are two other ways to request paperwork in Dext:
Dextension: you can ask for paperwork from the bank page in Xero or QuickBooks Online. For steps, go to Using Dextension with Xero or Using Dextension with QuickBooks Online
Supplier statements: you can request missing invoices from a supplier. This is a different feature. For steps, go to How to request paperwork or report a supplier statement mistake
Common questions about requesting paperwork
These are the questions people ask most about requesting paperwork.
Why can't I see someone in the recipient list?
Only users who have signed in to the Dext mobile app appear in the recipient list. Ask the person to sign in to the app, then send the request again. If they aren't a user yet, add them first. For steps, go to How to add users to your business account or How to add a user to a client account
Does the recipient need the Dext mobile app to respond?
Yes. Recipients respond to a paperwork request in the Dext mobile app. If someone doesn't use the app, select Export when you send the request to download a PDF or CSV report, and send it to them yourself.
Does the recipient get an email?
No. Dext sends a paperwork request from the Transactions page as a notification to the Dext mobile app. It doesn't send an email. To share a request another way, select Export to download a PDF or CSV report.
Why is a request still open after the recipient sent the document?
A request is marked as answered when the recipient submits paperwork from the request in the Dext mobile app.
If they send the document another way, such as by email or web upload, the request can stay open until Dext matches the document to the transaction. A request can also reopen after they submit paperwork if Dext can't match the document to the transaction with certainty.
Is Request paperwork on a supplier statement the same feature?
No. Request paperwork on a supplier statement asks a supplier for missing invoices. Request paperwork on the Transactions page asks a client or team member for documents for bank transactions. For supplier statements, go to How to request paperwork or report a supplier statement mistake
Where do I see whether someone has replied?
Go to Bank > Transactions and check the Paperwork requests column. The transaction shows Unavailable paperwork when the recipient dismisses the request. To see whether Dext has found a document for the transaction, check the Match column.