How to Get Bank Statements From Clients Every Month (2026)

The short answer to how to get bank statements from clients without chasing: choose one of three methods per client and run it the same way every month. Either the client uploads a PDF of every page of each statement through one link on a fixed date, or the client adds you as a view-only user in their business online banking so you download statements yourself, or the client sets up statements to be forwarded to you. Keep a written list of every account each client has, and ask each month whether anything new was opened.

Statements hold up the close more than anything else. The bank makes one every month, yet clients send app screenshots, page one of four, or nothing at all, and an account you never knew about turns up months later. Without the statement, the reconciliation does not start.

This guide is for independent bookkeepers and small firms in the US and Canada. You get a comparison of the three methods, what Chase and Bank of America offer for accountant access, download steps to paste into a client email, the "all accounts" problem that reopens closed months, email templates and a step-by-step setup. It covers statements only; for receipts, see how to get clients to send receipts, and for the full monthly list, the monthly bookkeeping checklist.

Three ways to get bank statements from clients, compared

There are three options, plus the bank feed you probably already have. Most bookkeepers mix them: view-only access where the bank supports it, monthly uploads for everyone else.

Method	Client effort each month	Setup	Covers every account	Works for personal and closed accounts	Best for
Client uploads a PDF to one link	Low, a few minutes	None	Only if you ask about each one	Yes	Most clients, all banks
View-only or accountant access to online banking	None after setup	Client adds you as a user once	Only the accounts they give you	Rarely	Business accounts at banks that support it
Statement forwarding	Low, but easy to forget	Client sets up a rule or habit	No	Yes	Clients who live in their inbox
Bank feed into QuickBooks Online or Xero	None	Connect once	Only connected accounts	No	Daily transactions, never a substitute for the statement

Option 1: The client uploads a PDF every month

This works with every bank and account type. Its weakness is that the client must act every month, so make the ask small, specific and identical each time, and remind on a schedule.

Option 2: Read-only bank access for the bookkeeper

Many banks let the owner of a business account add users with limited permissions. For a bookkeeper, the right setup is view-only access to the accounts you need, including statements, with no ability to move money. After a one-time setup you download statements yourself on day 1.

The catch: it is usually business accounts only, the client has to set it up, and permission to see statements can be separate from permission to see activity. Confirm you can open a statement PDF before you stop asking the client for it.

Chase: view-only access for a bookkeeper

Chase's business account management page says the owner can add an accountant or bookkeeper as an authorized user through Access & Security Manager and "restrict a user to view-only access to some or all of your accounts."

Bank of America: accountant access

Bank of America calls this Account Management in Business Advantage 360. Its Account Management page says the business can "establish individual account access levels," including "allowing your accountant to view details of all accounts," with no fee. It requires a Business Advantage deposit account and Business Advantage 360 enrollment. Ask the client to add you with view access, and to include statements if the screen offers that choice.

Canadian banks

Multi-user access at Canadian banks varies by bank and by business banking package, and we could not confirm one standard setup. Have the client ask their business banking advisor for "a view-only user for my bookkeeper who can download statements." If their package does not offer it, use monthly uploads.

Option 3: Statement forwarding

If the bank emails the PDF, a client who lives in their inbox can forward it. Many banks only email a notice that a statement is ready, though, so the client still has to sign in and download it. Forwarding also leaves account details in email threads; our post on secure ways to receive sensitive documents covers the trade-offs.

Bank feed vs bank statement: why you still need the PDF

If you have feeds in QuickBooks Online or Xero, why ask for statements at all? The feed gives you transactions. The statement is the bank's record of the period, and you reconcile against it.

	Bank feed	Bank statement PDF
What it is	A stream of transactions sent to your software	The bank's record of the period, with opening and closing balances
Ending balance to reconcile to	No, or only a current balance	Yes
Can drop or duplicate transactions	Yes, especially after a broken connection	No
Covers accounts that are not connected	No	Yes, if you ask for them
Useful for lenders, auditors and tax notices	Rarely	Yes

The IRS page on what kind of records to keep lists account statements among documents that show proof of payment, and notes that a combination of documents may be needed to support an expense. Either way, a reconciliation is only as good as the balance you reconcile to, and that balance comes from the statement.

What a usable bank statement looks like

Half of the chasing is getting the wrong thing and asking again. Put these rules in every request.

Requirement	Why it matters	What clients send instead
PDF from the bank's website or app	Shows the bank's layout, the period and both balances	A screenshot of the app, a photo of the screen
Every page	The summary and fees are often on the last page	Page 1 only
The full statement period	You need the closing balance for that period	A custom date range or "last 30 days" activity
The statement, not the export	An export has no opening or closing balance	A CSV or spreadsheet download
Business accounts at minimum	Personal accounts used for business need to be on your list too	Only the main checking account

How to ask a client for credit card statements

Card statements cause more trouble than bank statements, for four reasons. Handle each in the request.

1. The closing date is not month-end. A card that closes on the 14th means a September close needs the statements ending September 14 and October 14. Name the statement dates, not the month.
2. There are often several cards. Ask for the full account statement, which usually lists every cardholder, not one employee's view.
3. Personal cards are used for business. If so, you need that statement too, or at least its business lines. Agree which in writing.
4. Charge cards and store cards are forgotten. Ask about them by name: "Any Amex, Costco, Home Depot or fuel cards?"

How to download a bank statement PDF: instructions for clients

Give clients the path. The pattern is similar at almost every bank:

1. Sign in to online banking, ideally on a computer.
2. Look for Statements, Statements & documents or eStatements in the main menu or on the account page.
3. Choose the account and the statement period.
4. Open the statement and use Download or Save to keep the PDF.
5. Upload that PDF, not a screenshot of it.

Here is where some major banks put statements, per their own help pages. Menu names change, so if a client cannot find it, have them search the bank's help center for "statements."

Bank	Where to find statements	How far back online	Source
Chase	Main menu, then Statements & documents; in the app, Profile & Settings, then Statements & documents under Document manager	Up to 7 years, depending on the account type	Chase paperless FAQ
Bank of America	Accounts tab, then Statements & Documents	18 months to view and download; older copies up to 7 years by request	Bank of America digital banking FAQ
TD (Canada)	EasyWeb, Statements & Documents, then pick the account and year	Up to 7 years	TD help
RBC	Statements/Documents from the Accounts Summary page; in the app, More, then Statements under Services	Check with RBC	RBC tutorial

At Bank of America, older statements are requested from the same menu with Request statements; the bank says electronic copies arrive 24 to 36 hours later. These are mostly consumer help pages, and business banking screens can differ.

The accounts list: what to do when a client has an account you didn't know about

In March the client opens a savings account for taxes. Nobody tells you. In August you see transfers to an account ending 7781, and March through July have to be reopened. The fix is a short accounts list per client, plus one question every month.

Keep an accounts list for every client

At onboarding, write down every account the business uses, and confirm it with the client in writing:

Account	Bank	Last 4	Type	Statement closes	How you get it
Operating	Chase	4410	Checking	Month-end	View-only access
Tax savings	Chase	7781	Savings	Month-end	View-only access
Ink card	Chase	1002	Credit card	14th	Monthly upload
Line of credit	Local credit union	5533	LOC	Month-end	Monthly upload
Owner's Visa (used for business)	TD	9087	Credit card	22nd	Monthly upload

Store the last four digits only.

Ask one question every month

Add a yes or no question to your monthly request: "Did you open or close any bank accounts, credit cards or loans this month?" If yes, ask for the account name and its first statement. It takes the client three seconds.

Watch for the signals

Transfers to an account number not on your list, payments to a card issuer you have no statement for, loan deposits with no loan account, or a Form 1099-INT or T5 at year-end from a bank you have never seen.

When you find one, ask for statements back to the opening date, add it to the list and adjust the months it touched. Reopening months is catch-up work; our bookkeeping late document policy has wording for charging for it.

Email to a client asking for bank statements

Keep the subject line the same every month so clients recognize it. More variations are in our document request email templates.

Monthly request

Subject: [Month] bookkeeping: statements by [day, date]

Hi [First name],

It's time to close [Month] for [Business name]. Please upload a PDF of
each of these statements, every page:

- [Bank] checking ending [last 4]: statement ending [date]
- [Bank] credit card ending [last 4]: statement ending [date]
- [Lender] line of credit ending [last 4]: statement ending [date]

How to find them at [Bank]: [two-line path, e.g. "Accounts tab >
Statements & Documents"]. Please send the PDF, not a screenshot.

Upload here, no account needed:
[link]

One more question: did you open or close any bank accounts, cards or
loans in [Month]?

With these by [day, date], your reports will be ready by [date].

Thanks,
[Your name]

Account you didn't know about

Subject: Quick question about an account ending [last 4]

Hi [First name],

In [Month] we see transfers to an account ending [last 4] that isn't on
our list. Is this a business account? If so, please upload statements
from when it was opened, every page, here:

[link]

We'll add it to your accounts list so it's included every month.

Thanks,
[Your name]

Getting bank statements in Tangentflow, step by step

You set up a checklist once, each client gets a private link, and an AI collection agent sends the invitation, answers questions and reminds clients about only what is missing. More on our bookkeepers page.

1. Start from the "Monthly bookkeeping" template

Open "Checklists," choose "Browse templates" and pick "Monthly bookkeeping." It already includes:

• "Bank statements for the month", with the hint "One PDF per business account." It accepts PDF only, is checked for every page and must be dated in the last 2 months.
• "Credit card statements", optional, with the hint "If you have a business card," also checked for every page.

It also has "Receipts and bills you paid," "Sales or invoices you issued," "Payroll report" and "Anything unusual this month?" Remove what you do not need.

2. Tune the statement items

In the checklist editor, keep "What should it be?" specific, such as "business bank statement PDF from the bank's website, covering last month, every page." Add an "Example" and a tip with the download path for your clients' most common bank.

Then add a yes/no "Form field": "Did you open or close any bank accounts, cards or loans this month?" Add a file item, "Statement for the new account," with "Only ask if…" so it appears only on a yes. That is your accounts-list check, built in.

3. Send to every client at once with Batches

Open "Batches," choose "Send to many customers," pick your checklist and upload an Excel file or CSV, or paste rows from Google Sheets, with name, email, reference, needed-by date and notes. Extra columns, such as each client's accounts, become context the agent can use. Schedule the send up to 30 days ahead, and turn on "Repeat every month" so the same clients get a new request on the same day each month, with the same gap to the needed-by date, until you stop it from the batch page. Batches are Pro, up to 100 clients per sheet. See bulk requests. For one client, use "New request" instead.

4. Statements are checked the moment they arrive

Clients open a branded invitation on a phone or computer, with no account and no app. Each upload is checked in seconds by document checks: right kind of document, readable, recent enough and every page. A client who uploads page one of four or an old statement sees a friendly note on what to fix while still signed in to their bank. Because the item accepts PDF only, an app screenshot cannot be uploaded there at all.

5. The agent chases what's missing

In the "AI autopilot" settings, turn on "Chase until it's all in" and choose "Paced to each request's deadline." Reminders get closer as the date nears, at most one automatic email a day, never right after the client was active, each listing only what is missing. "Follow up on anything missing" asks a client who submits without the card statement for exactly that.

Clients can ask "Do you need the savings account too?" by email or in the upload page chat; the agent answers from your checklist and notes, or hands off to you when a question is outside the checklist, a client is upset or the date passes. On Pro, clients can reply with statements attached, and each is checked and filed under the right item.

6. Review, deliver and close

The request page shows every file with its check result and what is missing. Use "Ask for changes" on a single file, download a ZIP or on Pro deliver to Google Drive or a webhook, then mark the request complete. Files are deleted 24 hours later.

For extra protection, turn on "Require an email code" on the checklist: the client enters a 6-digit code emailed to them before the link opens. If a link goes to the wrong person, reset the customer's link and the old one stops working. After the client sends everything, the link no longer shows the files.

Setups by type of client

Client type	Statements that matter	Best method	Settings worth turning on
Single-member business, one bank	One checking, one card	View-only access, upload as backup	Card statement optional
Trades and contractors	Checking, employee cards, equipment loans	Monthly upload	Accounts list in private notes, a loan statements item
Online sellers	Checking, card, extra accounts for payouts	Monthly upload plus bank feed	The new-account yes/no question
Catch-up clients	Every account for every missing month	One request, longer needed-by date	A longer date rule on the item; see our late document policy

When something goes wrong

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
Client tries to send an app screenshot	Does not know where the PDF is	Paste the bank's download path into the item tip; the statement item accepts PDF only
Page 1 of 4 only	Printed or saved one page	"Every page" on the item; the check flags pages that look missing
Card statement for the wrong period	Card closes mid-month	Name the statement closing dates you need in the request
View-only access shows activity but no statements	Statement permission not granted, or admin-only at that bank	Ask the client to add statement access, or keep the monthly upload
Transfers to an unknown account	Account opened without telling you	Ask for statements from its opening date, add it to the accounts list

Check "Alerts" daily during close week; handoffs and missed dates show up there. For timing, see our client reminder schedule.

Free and Pro, honestly

You can run a real request without paying anything.

	Free	Pro ($29/month)
Open requests	1 at a time	Unlimited
AI check on each file	Yes	Yes
AI autopilot (answers, reminders, follow-ups)	Your first request	Every request
Send to many clients at once (Batches), with monthly repeat	No	Yes
Clients reply by email with attachments	No	Yes
Branding	Tangentflow badge	Your logo
Delivery to Google Drive or a webhook	No	Yes
Works with AI assistants (MCP)	No	Yes
File retention	7 days	60 days

Both plans include unlimited checklists, QR codes and posters, ZIP export, AI summaries and email delivery. Pro is billed monthly with no contract, and you can cancel any time. Full details on the pricing page.

What Tangentflow does not do: SMS or text messages, a native mobile app, full legal e-signature certificates, identity verification, collecting payments, or permanent storage. If you need any of those, pair it with a tool that does. It also does not connect to banks or bank feeds, download statements for you, reconcile accounts or replace QuickBooks Online, Xero or your other bookkeeping software.

The statement routine as a checklist

1. Keep an accounts list for every client: bank, last four digits, type and closing date.
2. Choose a method per account: view-only access, monthly upload or forwarding.
3. Confirm view-only access includes statement PDFs, and never accept a client's banking password.
4. Send the request on the same day every month, with the same subject line.
5. Ask for a PDF from the bank, every page, one file per account, named by closing date.
6. Give each client the download path for their bank.
7. Ask every month whether any account, card or loan was opened or closed.
8. Check each statement on arrival and remind only about what is missing.
9. Reconcile each account to its statement, not the feed, as soon as it arrives.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get bank statements from clients every month?

Ask on the same day every month for a named list of statements, as PDFs of every page, through one link that works on a phone without an account, and remind about only what is missing. Where the bank supports it, have business clients add you as a view-only user so you download statements yourself.

Can a bookkeeper get read-only access to a client's bank account?

Often, for business accounts. Chase lets the account owner add authorized users with view-only access through Access & Security Manager, and Bank of America's Account Management lets a business give its accountant view access. Check that your permissions include statements, and never use the client's own login instead.

Why do I need bank statements if I have a bank feed?

The feed gives you transactions, not the bank's opening and closing balances for the period, and feeds can drop or duplicate transactions. You reconcile to the statement, and it is the document lenders and auditors ask for.

How do I ask a client for credit card statements?

Name the statement closing dates you need, since cards often close mid-month, and ask for the full account statement with every page so all cardholders are included. Ask by name about charge cards, store cards and any personal card used for business.

What should I do when a client has an account I didn't know about?

Ask for statements from its opening date, add it to the client's accounts list and adjust the months it touched. To prevent it, ask every month whether any account, card or loan was opened or closed.

Is a screenshot of the banking app good enough?

Usually not. A screenshot rarely shows the full period, both balances or every transaction. Ask for the PDF from the bank's website or app, with the download path for the client's bank in your request.

Can Tangentflow download statements from the client's bank for me?

No. Tangentflow does not connect to banks. It sends each client a private link and a checklist, checks every statement as it is uploaded and reminds clients about what is still missing. Try it free with one client's monthly request.