Client Experience

This article shows the Gather client view as seen on a desktop. Please see the Client Experience: Gather on Mobile article to see how the process looks on a mobile device.

Click on each section below to expand the steps and to see the client experience for accessing, signing, uploading, and completing a Gather request.

Initial Email

The initial email comes from [e-mail]. The sender name is applied from each user's My Settings menu. 

1. Click Let's Get Started to open the Gather request. 

Authentication

1. Click the Send Code button.
   • This sends a code to your email address or mobile device. 
2. Enter the 6 or 8-digit access code in the code field.
3. Click Confirm to proceed to the Welcome Page.

Welcome Page

This is the main dashboard for your Gather request.  

1. Click your name to update your profile or log out. 
2. View the steps required to complete the Gather request. 
3. Review the message from your tax preparer. 
4. Select Get Started to move to the first step.
5. Click Need Help? to see the contact information for someone at your tax firm.

Sign Engagement Letter

Complete Signing

Please note:

If signing is required by the firm, or fillable fields are included on the form, the Next button is not available until signing is completed or the fields are filled. 

1. Click the Start arrow to begin signing.   
   • Continue to click the arrow as you proceed to be guided to all fields. 
2. Click the Signature Box. 
3. Click Type or Draw to write your signature. 
4. Click Apply.
5. Click Next once all fields are completed. 

Skip or Decline Signing 

Signing can only be skipped or declined if the signature is not required by your tax firm. If there are fillable fields other than a signature block, those fields must be completed before you can continue. 

For married filing joint Gather requests, you can skip signing. 

1. Click Next. 
2. Enter or confirm your spouse's email address. 
3. Click Save & Continue. 

For individual Gather requests, you can decline signing. 

1. Click Decline. 
2. Click Confirm. 

Custom Questionnaire

After signing your documents, you are directed to the Questionnaire if one was included. This option may or may not be available based on your firm's settings. 

Please note:

The Custom Questionnaire must be completed before you can complete your Organizer. Click the Next button to finalize the questionnaire. 

1. Answer the questions provided by your tax preparer.
   • You may see the following question types:
     • Yes/No - These may have follow-up questions as well. 
     • Short Answer.
     • Multiple Choice. 
2. View your progress in the top right corner. 
3. Click Save & Close to continue later OR
4. Click Next to mark the questionnaire as completed. 
   • The questionnaire cannot be re-opened if this option is selected. 

Fill Organizer

After completing the questionnaire, you may be directed to fill out the Organizer if one was included. This option may or may not be available based on your firm's settings. 

Filling the Organizer

1. Click a bookmark name in the Bookmarks Panel to move to a specific page.

2. Navigation

   • Click the navigation arrows to move through the organizer pages OR

   • Scroll down. 
3. Type into the Notes to Preparer to provide additional information to your tax firm.
   • Click Save to apply the note to that page. 
4. Type into the green fillable fields of the organizer.
   • Text can be entered over the original text.
   • If your organizer is sent to you and your Spouse, edits are identified with color coding to distinguish who filled the field. 
5. Click Click Here to Upload to upload source documents. You can drag/drop files or click to open your file explorer. 
   • This option only appears on certain pages. 
   • A paper clip icon in the bookmarks panel indicates that the page may have source documents associated with it.
6. Click Save & Close to continue later OR
7. Click Next to mark the organizer as complete.

Finishing the Organizer

After you click the Next button, a pop-up notification appears to confirm the organizer is complete.

If a spouse was not included on the Organizer, the following options appear.

1. Click Review Missing Information if the organizer is not completed.
   • This option brings you back to the organizer to continue filling it. 
2. Click Finish if the organizer is completed.

If a spouse was included on the Organizer, the following options appear. 

1. Click Send for Review if you would like to send the organizer to your spouse for review. 
2. Click Complete Organizer if the Organizer is completed. 

Upload Documents

After completing the organizer, you my be directed to Upload documents.

A list of requested files is displayed to help you determine what documents are needed. After the documents are uploaded, our Gather AI software recognizes and categorizes many of the documents.

Please note:

• The following file types can be uploaded: .pdf, .doc, .xls, .txt, .png and .jpeg files.
  • Only PDF and image files go through document recognition with Gather AI.
• File names must be 200 characters or less. 
• Encrypted or password-protected documents should not be uploaded and cannot be previewed. 

Upload Documents

1. Drag/drop into the box OR click Choose File to upload.
   • Files will automatically be marked as Uncategorized. The recognition engine may take a moment to categorize the document. 
2. Once they become recognized, a green check mark will be added to the requested file. 
3. Click NA next to a file request to mark as Not Applicable.
   • Click Undo NA to reactivate the file request. 
4. Hover over an uncategorized document to preview, edit or delete it.
   • We recommend you use the Edit feature to categorize the documents before clicking Finish.
   • See the Uncategorize Documents section below for more information.
5. Review your upload progress. 
6. Click Save & Close to continue later OR
7. Click Finish to mark the upload process as complete. 
   • Once confirmed, you are not able to upload additional documents. 

Uncategorized Documents

Documents that are not automatically recognized by SafeSend will be put in the Uncategorized section. Here you can manually categorize the document(s) as needed. 

1. Hover over an uncategorized document and click the Edit icon. 
2. Select a pre-populated document type OR
3. Click Other to enter your own document type name. 
4. Click Update to categorize the document.
5. The document will appear under the category name in Other Recognized Files.