The Strangest Ways Clients Have Submitted Documents

As professionals, we’ve all encountered unique challenges when it comes to document submissions from clients. Sometimes, these interactions leave us shaking our heads in disbelief. Today, I’d like to invite you on a journey through the more peculiar experiences we’ve had in this realm.

One amusing instance I experienced involved a client who sent me a photograph of a PDF displayed on their iPad. Interestingly, this photo was captured using a Samsung phone. To top it all off, the image was emailed as is, leading to a rather tedious manual processing of the invoice that should have been straightforward.

Such scenarios make us feel less isolated and more connected through shared experiences of the bizarre. Have you encountered any unusual or frustrating document submissions? Perhaps you’ve seen:

• Handwritten notes requiring deciphering
• Scans taken at odd angles or even upside down
• Files named “Image(345).jpg” with no indication of their content

I’m gathering stories like these for a project aimed at streamlining document submissions and reducing the chaos we often face. I’m not trying to sell anything—I’m simply looking to connect with others who have experienced these moments and reassure myself that such struggles are not solitary.

Please feel free to share your anecdotes in the comments!