A colleague can save agreed files without taking over accounting decisions. Define the scope: which inbox or folder to check, where to save PDFs, and where to note a question. They should use their own approved account, rather than a shared password.
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Preserve the original document. If a corrected version arrives, identify its relationship to the original instead of silently overwriting it. Record missing attachments or files that will not open. A PDF extension does not make a file a usable document.
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Check access before the break. Using their own account, the colleague saves one agreed test file in the shared folder; your accountant opens it and confirms that it is readable. Add the absence dates, the name of the person collecting documents and the agreed cover contact to the handover. If access fails, resolve permissions with the administrator before the holiday; do not exchange passwords to get around the problem.
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A fictional handover list might say:
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This records the state of the documents. It does not confirm accounting correctness or payment. Distinguish a file you have received from one you are still expecting.
Example message: “During your time off, a colleague is saving new documents in our agreed folder. The list includes receipt dates and questions. We requested supplier B's missing PDF on Thursday. A's new version is saved beside the original for your review after you return.”
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For work that cannot wait, agree the actual procedure before the break: whom to contact, for which task, and what to provide. Do not treat every new email as urgent.
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