Missing W-9s in January? The Late-Filer Survival Guide (With Copy-Paste Email Templates)

If you’re chasing W-9s in January, you’re not “bad at ops.” You’re just living the classic contractor problem: vendors get paid… forms get ignored… and suddenly you’re staring at a messy list and a deadline.

This guide gives you a simple rescue plan you can run in a day, plus email templates that actually get responses.

What you’ll walk away with:

• A 7-step checklist to get control fast
• A follow-up schedule that works without sounding desperate
• Copy-paste W-9 request emails (initial + two follow-ups)
• A clean way to store completed W-9 PDFs with a submission history so you’re not repeating this next year

First: what “late” actually means (and what matters now)

You don’t need perfection today. You need control.

When you’re late on W-9 collection, these are the real risks:

• You don’t know who is missing a W-9 (so you can’t close the gap)
• You have inconsistent vendor names / tax classifications (so forms don’t match records)
• You can’t quickly find PDFs when needed (so you waste hours)
• You don’t have proof you requested the form (so your process looks sloppy)

The goal is simple: reduce uncertainty and create a repeatable system.

The 5 most common reasons teams end up missing W-9s

1) “We’ll get it later” turns into never

Vendors respond when they need something. If you don’t create urgency, the W-9 sits.

2) You don’t have a real “missing list”

If your list is spread across inboxes, spreadsheets, Slack messages, and accounting tools, nobody owns it.

3) You don’t follow up with a schedule

One email isn’t a process. A schedule is.

4) You can’t prove what happened

No submission history, no timestamps, no record of follow-ups = chaos.

5) Vendor data is inconsistent

Name/TIN mismatches and wrong classifications cause avoidable issues later.

The 7-Step Late-Filer Rescue Plan (Do this today)

Below is the fastest path to go from “chasing forms” to “I know exactly where we stand.”

Quick table: the rescue plan at a glance

Step 1: Build the “missing W-9” list (one source of truth)

Stop guessing. Create a single list with:

• Vendor name (as shown in your accounting system)
• Email
• Last payment date / total paid (rough is fine)
• Status: Missing / Requested / Submitted

If you use multiple tools, pick one as the owner (even a spreadsheet for today). The key is: one list, one owner, one status column.

Step 2: Prioritize vendors (don’t treat everyone the same)

Split vendors into two tiers:

Tier 1 (do first):

• High-paid vendors
• Vendors you’ll pay again soon
• Vendors who take longer to respond (you already know who they are)

Tier 2 (do next):

• Low-paid vendors
• One-time vendors
• “Maybe we won’t use them again” vendors

This prevents you from spending 3 hours chasing someone you paid once for $80.

Step 3: Send a W-9 request that removes friction

The best request:

• Tells them why you need it (simple)
• Tells them how long it takes (short)
• Gives them one link (not attachments, not back-and-forth)

If you want a clean way to send one secure W-9 link, track submissions, and save completed W-9 PDFs with a submission history, use GetW9.

Step 4: Use a follow-up cadence (this is where forms get completed)

Here’s the simple cadence that works without annoying people:

• Day 0: Initial request
• Day 2: Friendly reminder + “takes 2 minutes”
• Day 5: “We can’t process the next payment without it” (if true)
• Day 10: Final reminder + clear deadline

Most teams fail because they follow up randomly. Vendors respond to predictable pressure.

Step 5: Standardize vendor naming to prevent mismatches

This sounds boring, but it saves real time.

Rule: Use the vendor’s legal name as it appears on the W-9 as your primary vendor name.

If you’re paying individuals:

• You can store them as “First Last” in your vendor list.
• If a form asks for “Business name / disregarded entity,” that line may be blank for many individuals—don’t invent a company name.

Step 6: Centralize PDFs and keep a submission history

If your PDFs are scattered:

• email threads
• drive folders
• downloaded files named “W9(3).pdf”
  …you don’t have a system. You have future pain.

You want:

• Completed W-9 PDFs stored in one place
• A simple record of who submitted, and when
• Easy retrieval when needed

This is where automation actually helps—not because it’s “cool,” but because it eliminates dumb manual work.

Step 7: Prevent the January mess next year (one rule)

No W-9 = no first payment.
Or if your business can’t do that, then:

No W-9 = payment goes out, but the vendor is auto-flagged for follow-up until complete.

Pick one. Don’t leave it ambiguous.

Copy-Paste W-9 Request Emails (3 Templates)

Template 1: Initial W-9 Request (simple + direct)

Subject: W-9 request for your vendor profile

Hi {{FirstName}},
Quick request — can you complete your W-9 for our records?

It takes about 2 minutes. Please use this link:
{{W9Link}}

Thanks,
{{YourName}}
{{Company}}

Template 2: Follow-up #1 (Day 2)

Subject: Friendly reminder — W-9 needed

Hi {{FirstName}},
Just a quick reminder to complete your W-9 when you get a moment:
{{W9Link}}

Thank you!
{{YourName}}

Template 3: Follow-up #2 (Day 5–10)

Subject: Action needed — W-9 required for our records

Hi {{FirstName}},
We still don’t have your W-9 on file. Please complete it here:
{{W9Link}}

If you’ve already submitted it, reply and I’ll confirm.
Thanks,
{{YourName}}

A simple checklist you can copy into your task manager

• Create the missing W-9 list (one owner, one status column)
• Split Tier 1 vs Tier 2 vendors
• Send requests to Tier 1 today
• Schedule Day 2 / Day 5 / Day 10 follow-ups
• Standardize vendor names to match W-9 legal names
• Centralize PDFs and track submission history
• Set a “no W-9 = no first payment” rule for future vendors

FAQ

What if a vendor won’t respond?

Keep your follow-up schedule, document the attempts, and avoid paying again until they complete it (if your process allows). Vendors respond when it affects payments.

Do I need a different W-9 for individuals vs companies?

The W-9 is the same form. What changes is how they fill it out (legal name, tax classification, etc.). Many individuals won’t have a separate business name line filled in.

What about backup withholding?

If a vendor fails to provide correct taxpayer information, there are rules around backup withholding. If this applies to you, consult your tax professional for the correct handling based on your situation.

Should I store W-9s as PDFs or just the data?

Store both. You want the completed W-9 PDF and a clear submission record so you can retrieve it quickly later.

If you want this handled automatically (without spreadsheets)

If you’re tired of chasing forms every January, GetW9 is built for exactly this workflow:

• Send one secure W-9 link
• Track who submitted and who hasn’t
• Save completed W-9 PDFs with a submission history
• Keep your vendor records cleaner all year

Get started here