A petition that is accurate but delivered badly still causes problems. Files that won't open, PDFs that are missing pages, or a data file the attorney's software can't import all waste the time you were hired to save. For a virtual bankruptcy assistant (VBA), a reliable bankruptcy petition software workflow is part of the service: draft in the petition software, run the checks, export the right files, deliver them securely, and make the attorney's review and e-filing easy. This guide lays out that workflow step by step.
The bankruptcy petition software workflow at a glance
Seven steps: agree on the format, draft and check, prepare the review package, convert to PDF, protect the Social Security number, deliver securely, and support review, signing, and filing.
Step 1: Agree on the format with the attorney
Before you draft the first petition, ask how the firm works:
- Which petition software does the firm use? Many firms use a standard bankruptcy software package and expect the case data in a file they can open and edit. Others only need PDFs. See Which Bankruptcy Software Product Should I Use?
- What deliverables do they want: the software data file, a full PDF, signature pages, a separate list of creditors?
- How do they want files named and delivered (secure portal, encrypted email link)?
- Who reviews and signs, and how fast?
Write the answers into your written agreement. And remember what the software can't do: see Bankruptcy Software Cannot Think for You and The Myth About Bankruptcy Software.
Step 2: Draft and run the software's checks
Enter the data from the intake and documents, then run every validation or error check the software offers. Resolve flagged items, but don't assume a clean report means a correct petition. The software checks that fields are filled in; it doesn't check that they are true. Do your own cross-check: values match across forms, income matches documents, and every secured creditor has a matching asset. See Bankruptcy Schedules A Through J Explained.
Step 3: Prepare the attorney's review package
A good delivery includes more than the petition:
- The complete draft (data file and/or PDF)
- An “issues for the attorney” note that lists flagged questions. See How VBAs Can Help Protect Their Attorneys.
- The valuation log and printouts supporting values. See How to Value Property on a Bankruptcy Petition.
- A list of outstanding documents still needed from the debtor
- Any public-records search results, such as a prior-filing check
Step 4: Convert to PDF correctly
Courts' electronic filing systems accept PDFs, and attorneys often need a PDF for the client to review and sign. A few habits prevent trouble:
- Export from the software instead of printing and scanning. A text-searchable PDF is smaller and cleaner and is generally what the court expects.
- Check page count and order. Open the finished PDF and scroll through every page. Missing or duplicated pages are surprisingly common.
- Watch file size. Courts set limits on the size of each filed document, and the limits vary, so ask the attorney or check the court's rules. Large files may need to be split.
- Name files consistently, for example Lastname_Chapter7_Draft_Date, so nothing gets mixed up.
- Keep the editable file and the PDF in sync. If the attorney requests changes, make them in the software and re-export. Don't edit the PDF.
Step 5: Protect the Social Security number
Filed documents shouldn't display a full Social Security number; the court's rules require redaction in most public filings, and the debtor's full number goes on a separate form that isn't public. Your software handles most of this, but check the exported PDF to make sure the full number doesn't appear where it shouldn't. And if you ever send a petition to someone outside the firm (for example for a review), replace real numbers with a fake one first. Our petition review service instructions explain how.
Step 6: Deliver securely
Bankruptcy files contain Social Security numbers, account numbers, and financial details. They deserve better protection than a regular email attachment.
- Use a secure file-sharing portal or an encrypted link with a password sent separately
- Use two-factor authentication on every account that holds client files
- Don't store files on shared or public computers, and lock your devices
- Agree on a retention policy with the attorney: how long you keep files, and how you securely delete them afterward
More on setting up safely in How to Set Up a Virtual Office, Top Technology Tools to Build Your Business and Business Set-Up Basics for a Bankruptcy Assistant.
Step 7: Support the review, signing, and filing
After you deliver, the attorney reviews the petition, the debtor reviews it and signs under penalty of perjury, and the attorney files it through the court's electronic system. You are not the one who files or signs. What you can do is:
- Answer the attorney's questions quickly and make requested changes
- Prepare corrected pages and re-export after the debtor's review
- Confirm the final set matches what was signed
- Calendar the post-filing dates the attorney gives you: the 341 meeting, plan deadlines in Chapter 13, and the deadline for remaining documents after an emergency filing. See What Happens at a 341 Meeting and the emergency filing checklist.
A delivery checklist you can copy
| Before you send | Done? |
|---|---|
| Software error check clean; manual cross-check complete | |
| Issues-for-attorney note written | |
| PDF exported from the software; every page checked | |
| No full SSN visible where it shouldn't be | |
| Files named per the firm's convention | |
| Sent through the secure channel; confirmation requested | |
| Outstanding documents and next deadlines listed |
Learn the software and the process together. The Chapter 7 & 13 training and certification system teaches you how to use bankruptcy petition software and prepare every form from start to finish, and includes bonus tools such as the Bankruptcy Petition Specialist Toolkit. Before delivery, a bankruptcy petition review can catch what the software misses.
Frequently asked questions
Which software should I use?
Use what your attorneys use, where possible, so files move between you without conversion. See the post linked above.
Should I e-file for the attorney?
Generally no. Filing is the attorney's responsibility, and a filer's login is personal to them. Your role is to prepare and deliver.
Can I send a draft by regular email?
It's better not to. Use a secure method, and agree with the attorney on one.
This article is general education for bankruptcy professionals, not legal or security advice. Court filing rules, file-size limits, and privacy requirements vary and change. Confirm them with the supervising attorney and the court. Questions about our courses? See the FAQ.