Your accountant is away for a week, but suppliers keep sending invoices. Before the break, resolve one practical question: who will find new documents and where will they save them so the files do not end up scattered across inboxes? Agree the plan with your accountant. Ask what they need before leaving, what can wait, and whether an authorised person will cover specific work. They must confirm any accounting or tax deadlines relevant to you; this guide does not establish them.
Separate collection from processing
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.
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.
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.
Three useful entries
A fictional handover list might say:
- Ready: Supplier A's PDF is in the agreed folder. Received Tuesday.
- Missing: Supplier B sent a message without the document. A colleague requested it Thursday.
- Awaiting review: A new version from A has arrived. Both versions remain; the accountant will assess them.
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.
Write a short handover
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.”
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.
Confirm receipt after the break
Send one link to the agreed location and a short list of outstanding items. Ask your accountant to confirm that they can open the files and tell you what is missing. Sending a link alone does not complete the handover.