Every sub's COI, W-9 and license before they start work
Send each subcontractor one private link for their certificate of insurance, workers' comp, W-9, license and signed agreement. They upload from their phone with no account, expired certificates are flagged on arrival, and an AI agent follows up until the paperwork is complete.
Free to try with one client, no credit card. Pro is $29 a month for unlimited requests.
Sub paperwork, on autopilot
One batch per job. Paperwork in before anyone's on site.
01 · When you award the job
Send every sub their checklist at once
Start from the Subcontractor paperwork checklist and upload a sheet of your subs. Each one gets a private link with your name on it.
02 · Same week
Subs upload from their phone
No account and no app. A photo or a PDF from their insurance agent both work. Blank W-9 and agreement forms are attached for them to fill in.
03 · On every upload
Problems are flagged on the spot
An expired certificate, an unsigned agreement or the wrong document is flagged while the sub is still on the page.
04 · Until the start date
The agent chases what's missing
Reminders are paced to the start date you set, listing only what each sub still owes.
05 · When it's all in
File it with the job
Download a ZIP per sub or send each finished request to Google Drive. Copies are deleted afterwards.
Maple St. remodel
8 subs · start Nov 3
5
complete
2
collecting
1
need a fix
- Complete
Delgado Electric
All 6 items in
- Collecting
Summit Roofing
W-9 missing · reminder Wed
- Needs a fix
Clearline Plumbing
COI expired Sep 30
- Not started
Pro Drywall Co.
Opened the link yesterday
- Complete
Hart HVAC
All 5 items in
Checked on arrival
Certificates checked before the sub shows up
Start from the Subcontractor paperwork checklist and change anything. Each item tells the AI what a good upload looks like, so an expired COI is caught on day one, not after an incident.
Certificate of insurance
- Not expired
- Shows limits and certificate holder
- Name matches the company
Workers' comp
- Not expired
- Or a note if there are no employees
W-9
- Completed and signed
- Blank form attached to fill in
Trade license
- Currently valid
- Optional when the trade doesn't need one
Signed agreement
- Signed
- Every page included
Company and site contact
- Name, phone and email
- Answered in the sub's own words
The agent chases paperwork so you can run the job
It emails each sub their checklist, answers "what limits do you need?" from your notes and "can my agent send it?", and paces reminders to your start date, listing only what's still missing. Subs can reply to the email with attachments and the files land under the right item. Anything that needs your call is handed to you.
How it compares
Most contractors collect by email and a spreadsheet, or pay for a compliance platform built for large general contractors. Tangentflow does one job: getting the paperwork in.
| Tangentflow | Email and spreadsheets | Compliance platforms | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sub needs an account | No, one private link | No | Usually a portal sign-up |
| Checks each upload | Expiry, signatures, type | No, you check by eye | Yes |
| Reminders | Agent, paced to your date | You write them | Scheduled emails |
| Send to every sub at once | Yes (Pro, from a sheet) | Copy and paste | Yes |
| Setup time | Minutes, from a template | None | Weeks |
| Pricing | Free to try, then $29/month | Free | Usually priced per project or vendor |
Need ongoing certificate tracking across hundreds of vendors? A compliance platform is the better fit. Tangentflow covers getting the documents in for each job. More on how it works for contractors.
Your numbers
What chasing costs you
Count the emails, the "just checking in" follow-ups and the second requests for the page that was missing. Move the sliders to your business.
Time spent chasing
7.5 h
Worth of your time
$450
Pro is $29 a month. If the agent takes even a quarter of that off your plate, that's $113 of your time back.
What you get
- A ready-made Subcontractor paperwork checklist you can change
- Batches: one sheet, every sub on a job (Pro)
- Expiry checks on certificates and licenses
- Blank W-9 and agreement forms attached for subs to fill in
- An agent that answers subs and sends the reminders
- Subs reply by email with attachments (Pro)
- ZIP export, or delivery to Google Drive (Pro)
What it doesn't do
- It doesn't verify coverage with the insurer
- It doesn't track certificate renewals after the request is complete
- No text-message reminders, only email
- It isn't a permanent archive: files are deleted after 7 days on Free, up to 60 on Pro
- Uploads are PDFs and photos; Excel and CSV only on items you set to take spreadsheets
Guides for contractors
Guides
How to Collect Certificates of Insurance From Subcontractors (2026)
How to collect certificates of insurance from subs and vendors: what to require, what to check on every ACORD 25, endorsements, renewals and a request email.
Guides
How to Collect W-9 Forms From Vendors and Contractors (2026)
How to collect W-9 forms from vendors before the first payment, check them and stay ready for 1099s. 2026 thresholds, email templates and a Canada note.
Guides
How to Collect Contractor Info for T4A and T5018 Slips (2026)
Canada has no W-9. How to collect a contractor's legal name, SIN or business number before the first payment for T4A and T5018 slips, without emailing SINs.
Guides
How to Collect Signed Forms From Customers Online (2026)
How to collect signed forms online, compared. Fillable PDFs, simple e-signatures, full e-sign platforms and Word forms, plus US and Canada e-signature basics.
Checklists
1099 Season Checklist for Bookkeepers (2026)
A 1099 season checklist for bookkeepers: an October to January plan for every client, the client request, the $2,000 threshold, IRIS and the 2027 deadline.
Guides
How to Ask Customers for Photos (and Get Usable Ones) (2026)
How to ask customers for photos you can quote from. Shot lists by trade, message and reminder templates, video tips, QR codes and how to check every photo.
Questions contractors ask
- Do my clients need an account or an app?
- No. Each person gets a private link that opens on their phone or computer. There is nothing to install and no password to forget. For sensitive requests you can require a 6-digit code sent to their email before the link opens.
- Can I send the paperwork request to every sub on a job at once?
- Yes, on Pro. Upload a sheet of up to 100 subs and each one gets their own request with their own link, sent now or scheduled up to 30 days ahead.
- Does it check that a COI is current?
- Yes. The certificate item checks that the expiry date is in the future and that the document is a certificate of insurance. It doesn't confirm coverage with the insurer, so check limits and endorsements your contract requires.
- How do subs sign the agreement or W-9?
- Attach the blank PDF to the item as a form to fill in. The sub downloads it, fills it in and signs, and uploads it back; the check looks for a signature.
- Can their insurance agent send the certificate?
- Yes, through the sub. They can pass their private link to the agent to upload the certificate, or on Pro forward the agent's email from their own address as a reply to the request. Replies from other addresses aren't accepted.
- How long are files kept?
- They're deleted automatically after the request is complete or its retention period ends: 7 days on Free and up to 60 days on Pro. Download a ZIP or send finished requests to Google Drive and keep what you need in your own system.
- What does it cost?
- Free covers one open request at a time, with the AI agent on your first one, so you can try it with a real client. Pro is $29 a month for unlimited requests, batches, email replies with attachments, Google Drive delivery and your branding.