Requesting Documents from your client via the Secure Client Portal in MM
MM provides a range of ways to request documents from your client using the Secure Client Portal. You can utilise the progress item MM templates available, add a one-off (Detailed or Quick) document/activity, or create your progress item template/s to adapt the documents and activities list to your process flow.
By requesting the documents through the Secure Client Portal, you will be able to reduce your reliance on your email. Clients may send multiple emails with several attachments, varying in file size which can be impractical, inefficient and time consuming. Client documents could be undelivered due to file size, missed or accidentally deleted, which could lead to further or significant delays in the assessment or preparation process.
The benefit of having the documents and activities listed in the Progress Items tab enables you to do the following
- to monitor the progress of the application with documents recorded when they are received
- collect the information from your client in a safe and secure environment
- be alerted when a questionnaire, message, or document is sent through your Secure Client Portal through the MM Snapshot feature
- you will be prompted though the MM Snapshot feature to follow up with your clients if a document hasn't be provided by the due date
- have the documents automatically downloaded to the client file in the Documents Received folder
- have the attachment meet the IMMI requirements of being less than 5 MB
This will make it easier for you and/or your team to track what documentation has or has not been provided for the application by looking at the Progress tab for quick reference and hopefully reduce the number of emails that you are receiving.
How request documents via the Secure Client Portal
There are 3 ways that you can request a document or documents from your client using the Secure Client Portal.
- Request documents From Template list in MM on the Progress tab.
- Create a One-Off (Detailed) or (Quick) in MM on the Progress tab
- Create a bespoke template list in MM
I will demonstrate an example of how to use each of these strategies below. Please create a test client and follow along with this article, as it you will gain more by ‘doing’ it than just reading about it.
1. Request documents From Template list in MM on the Progress tab.
On the Progress tab, right-click on the white space and select Add Progress Items > From Template.
In the pop-up window, select the relevant visa from the drop-down list.
If you would like to modify the activities and documents for the file, you can either go down the left-hand side to unselect the documents or activities that you do not want to appear on the file or ‘unselect all’ items (an option on the button in the bottom left-hand corner) and select the activities and documents that you want on the file.
Once you have happy with the list, press the ‘insert’ button on the bottom right-hand corner.
You can then press the Portal button and highlight the Progress Item/Task (in the left-hand column) and press the Add to Portal button, which will then appear in the right-hand column.
2. Create a One-Off (Detailed) or (Quick) in MM on the Progress tab
If there is a document that you need from your client that does not appear on the list, you can create a one-off item with additional comments that will appear Documents Required list on the Secure Client Portal.
On the Progress tab, you can right-click on the white space and select Add Progress Item(s) > One-off (Detailed) or One-Off (Quick) to record the new item in the Progress tab.
In the pop-up Progress Item window, you can enter the information about the document or information that you require.
In the Portal tab, you can add additional commentary that your client will see when they look at the item in the Secure Client Portal. On this screen, you can slide the button to Show Document Requested on the Portal.
Once you have updated the item, it will appear in the Progress tab.
I have provided a screenshot to demonstrate what your client will see when they log in to the Secure Client Portal.
3. Create a bespoke template list in MM
You can create your progress list for a range of different applications or situations to streamline your administrative process and save you time.
There are two ways you can approach this
- Create a detailed all-inclusive (activities and documents required) list for each visa type - You can either create a completely new list or export the MM Progress Item template
- Create a series of simplified or generic checklists for specific stages of an application that can be used across multiple visa applications the progress tab
1. Create a detailed all-inclusive (activities and documents required) list for each visa type
You can either create a completely new document & activity list that matches your process or modify the MM Progress Item list for each visa type.
How to export the MM Progress Item list for a visa type
To export a progress item list from MM, press Schedules (on the top menu ribbon), and select Progress Lists (from the drop-down list), and Configure Progress Lists. You can see that 3 columns include Progress Category, Progress List, and Progress Items. Click the Visa application in the first column, the visa subclass in the Progress List that you would like to modify, press the More button at the bottom of the column and select Export to Excel.
You will then be able to open the downloaded excel file.
You can modify the progress list in the excel spreadsheet, adding default comments and Portal instructions to each item, before importing the new list back into MM to use for future applications. Below I have created a modified version of an 820 Partner application for example purposes. As you can see here, I have added a lot of comments and Portal instructions.
Save the Excel spreadsheet with the modifications.
How to export your new Progress Item List template
The next step is to import the new progress item list into MM. On the top ribbon in MM, press Schedules, select Progress Lists from the drop-down list and Configure Progress Lists.
Create a new Progress Category and Progress List by pressing the + Add button at the bottom of each column and create a folder name for your new collection of Progress Items.
Highlight the Progress List that you would like to import the revised activities and documents by clicking on the More button and Import from the pop-up list.
Click on Import from Excel and select the revised progress list and press import.
This should then prompt you to see all the items listed in the spreadsheet. Select all and press import.
2. Create a series of simplified or generic checklists that can be used across multiple visa applications the progress tab
You may wish to consider grouping of progress items based on what stage your client is at or when certain events occur, such as when a Request for further information is received, or recording out-of-scope work.
I have seen users who have created a template for the following and only add the particular template once the Migration Professional deems appropriate for the file-
- Prospects / Eligibility Assessment (to request assessment documents and record the meeting or date information provided)
- Relationship Evidence - Spouse (Simple) - for dependents
- Relationship Evidence - Spouse/De Facto (Detailed) - For partner visa applications
- Character Evidence - Simple
- Out-of-scope: Character - When a character issue identified, to request additional documents, request additional fee approval, record response and prepare a submission
- Out-of-scope: Health - When a health issue identified, to request additional documents, request additional fee approval, record response and prepare a submission
- Request for further Information (RFI) - to record, report on deadlines, request documents and response to DoHA.
Example – Request for further information
Below I have given you an example of other circumstances that you could create a Progress List to capture and record certain activities and documents
Example – Out-of-scope Submissions: Character / Health / Dependent’s over the age of 18 years
I have created a Progress item list that records Character, Health, or Dependent Children over 18 years which may require additional documents and tasks for a visa application. By grouping this as a separate category, you could import these Progress items into any visa applications when necessary.
The MM User Manual has very detailed instructions on how to create or edit a progress list template. For more information about how to Create or Edit a Progress List template, please review the MM user manual.
Please share any tips and tricks that you use in your MM using the Progress Items.