Email template
Bank statement request email
A bank statement request is easy to send and easy to get wrong. The client may send one account, a screenshot or a transaction export instead of the full statement. This email names every account, asks for the full period and points to the secure upload link.
When to use it
Send this at the start of a monthly close, a cleanup or a tax engagement when the firm needs bank statements for the period.
Bank statements for {{period}}
Hi {{client_name}},
We need the bank statement for each business bank account for {{period}}, including any account with little or no activity.
Please upload the statements here: {{checklist_link}}
The statement should cover the full period and show the opening balance, the closing balance and every transaction. A PDF downloaded from the bank is best. A screenshot or a transaction export does not show the balances we reconcile against.
The accounts we have on file are: {{account_list}}
Please send them by {{due_date}}. If an account was closed during the period, send the final statement and tell us the closing date.
Thank you, {{firm_name}}
Replace the placeholders in braces with the client's details. Keep the client's tax ID or account number out of the email.
Notes before you send
- List the accounts by name and last four digits so the client knows exactly what is missing.
- Ask for the full statement, not a screenshot or a CSV export.
- If the client uses a bank feed, ask for the statement anyway. The feed does not replace the bank's record.
- Keep the account list in the request so a new account does not get missed.
- Do not ask the client to email account numbers. The upload link is the secure route.
Questions about this template
Can the client send a transaction export instead of a statement?
An export is useful for the detail, but it does not show the opening and closing balances. Ask for the statement as the primary record and the export only if the bookkeeper needs it.
What if the client has several accounts?
List every account in the request and mark the ones already received. A client with several accounts often sends the main one and forgets the savings or payroll account.
What if the account was opened or closed during the month?
Ask for the partial statement that covers the open period, and note the opening or closing date. A closed account still needs its final statement.