Reviewing a stack of returned documents meant approving and downloading them one at a time. Bulk actions were a familiar part of the Client Centre and Doc Centre, and many brokers asked for them back. 

What's changed 

Review Returned Docs now supports bulk actions across every tab of the request: 

• Bulk approve: select several documents and approve them in one action. 

• Bulk download: download all the documents you've selected at once. 

• Download from the viewer: save the document you're previewing without leaving it. 

Documents still need to be rejected individually. 

Why it matters 

Fewer clicks between a client returning their documents and you having them approved and saved, so you can get to the application sooner. 

Where to find it 

Opportunity > Client Portal request > Review Returned Docs 

A request's expiry date used to be capped at three months from the day it was created. Older requests had little or no room to extend, and once a request expired a client who needed more time was stuck. 

What's changed 

The expiry limit is now based on today's date, not the date the request was created: 

• Up to 90 days from today: set or change a request's expiry date to any date within the next 90 days. 

• Works on expired requests: extend a request that has already expired so your client can pick up where they left off. 

Why it matters 

When a client needs more time, you can give it to them on the same request, with no need to rebuild and resend it. 

Where to find it 

Opportunity > Client Portal request > Expiry date 

These updates make visibility of joint requests clearer, cut down on duplicate data entry, and can accelerate progress. 

Completion status you can trust 

Completion tracking for joint applications has been improved, so progress reflects what's actually outstanding.  

Previously, a shared questionnaire could appear complete when only one applicant had finished their sections. Now, a module is only marked complete once every required section for every applicant has been completed. The updated status is displayed consistently across: 

• Request Overview 
• Requests list 
• In-tab progress summary 
• Client progress view  

The Request Overview now displays a separate row per applicant, making it easy to identify exactly who still has actions to complete. Existing requests correct themselves the next time they’re opened. 

One applicant can complete another applicant's details (link to guide below) 

Joint applications often stall when one applicant is slower to provide information. To help keep things moving, you can now allow one applicant to complete key details on behalf of the other, covering Personal Details, Address and Employment only. It can be enabled per request and offered only once the applicant has completed their own and the shared financial sections. Please note: this functionality does not extend to DigiSign or Questionnaire sections. 

Enter information you've already collected 

If you've already gathered client information via meeting or phone conversation, you can now record it directly within the relevant module from the Questionnaire tab without navigating previous modules or being blocked by mandatory questions.  

Any information you enter will:  

• Save directly to the request 
• Appear pre-filled when the client opens their portal 
• Remain editable by the client 

Clients still complete the full guided, mandatory experience, and broker-entered information does not submit the request on their behalf. 

Why it matters 

These updates enhance the application process by:  

• Giving brokers more accurate visibility 
• Keeping joint applications progressing, 
• Preventing clients from having to enter information you've already collected 

Less chasing. Less duplication. A smoother experience for everyone involved. 

Self-employed income and business financials 

A number of improvements have been made to the way self-employed income and business financial information is managed. Several scenarios where information was omitted or duplicated during ApplyOnline submissions have been addressed. 

• Prior-year wages for self-employed directors are now retained when no wages have been recorded for the current year. 
• For two-year lenders (CBA, ING), previous-year income figures are now included correctly even when the current year's field is left blank, and the prior-year figure is no longer lost. 
• Re-submitting self-employed applications now updates existing income records rather than creating duplicate entries. 
• If a specific financial year is selected as the "Most Recent Financial Year", that selected year will now be used in the submission. Previously, the submission would include the latest on file. 
• On the Business Financials tab, switching between financial years no longer copies figures into empty years or overwrites unsaved changes. Empty years remain blank and your edits are kept. 
• Ownership percentages now refresh immediately after a business is re-linked. The summary card no longer displays “–” . 
• Salary/Director Fees and Ownership Percentage values are restored correctly when Business Financials are deleted and re-added, no longer returned to $0 / 0%. 
• Updating or removing a linked ABN now triggers the unlinking process and confirmation only once. 
  
  

Sending the same document with an email, i.e. a fact sheet, a checklist, a privacy form, meant attaching it manually each time. And it could be easy to forget on a busy day. 

What’s changed 

You can now attach documents directly to an email template, so are automatically included with every email using that template: 

• Attach one or more documents from your document library, in the order you choose, up to 20 MB total per template. 

• The documents are attached to every email using that template, including manual sends, mail merges and auto-actions. 

• The template will always send the latest version. Update the document in your library and the newest version will be included. If the document is removed from the library, it’s simply skipped. 

Why it matters 

The right documents are sent every time, consistently, without you having to remember to attach them. One setup step saves a small task on every send. 

Where to find it 

The Attachments tab is available on an open email template: 

Admin > Settings > Email Templates > Attachments 

Choose Attach, select your documents from the library, set the order with the up/down arrows, and save. Most standard templates support attachments; invitation templates (Client Centre, questionnaire, DocCentre) and DocuSign/DigiSign templates don’t. 

Read the full guide: https://wiki.connective.com.au/en/articles/474-creating-and-editing-email-templates

Reduce admin, minimise follow-ups, and deliver a better client experience with our latest 10-minute training course on the Client Portal.

This course will help you: 

• Understand the Client Portal workflow  
• Create and manage Client Portal requests  
• Build tailored requests with Request Builder  
• Track progress and review returned documents  

With the Client Centre being removed soon, now's the time to switch to the new Client Portal, where you’ll benefit from higher completion rates, fewer follow-ups, and a better experience for both you and your clients.

Start Course

If you're an administrator and would like access to the Training Hub, please contact helpdesk@connective.com.au for assistance.