What is an Interfolio Letter Request?

A letter request is a system-generated document or email that is created by an Interfolio fileholder when a new placeholder for a specific letter is added.

How is an Interfolio Letter Request created?

Fileholders create letter requests by logging into their Interfolio account and adding a confidential letter placeholder to their account.  They indicate the document title (i.e. Letter from Professor Smith), the document author (Title, First Name and Last Name) and an email address for the writer.

How is a letter request delivered to a writer?

Most requests are sent by email although some fileholders still choose to print out the request form and hand it to their writers.

What do I do when I receive an Interfolio letter request email?

The first step is to make sure that you understand who the request is from and what the request is asking for.  Then you are ready to write your letter.  When your letter is complete, think about how you wish to submit your letter to Interfolio.  You can submit it via electronic upload or you can mail a hard copy of the letter to Interfolio.

I want to try electronic upload.  What do I do now?

First you will need to create an Interfolio account.  You can do this by clicking the link in your letter request email or you can sign up here: https://www.interfolio.com/index.cfm?event=signup.freeaccount.  If you are on the site already, click the orange "Sign Up" tab.

Once your account is created, you are ready to upload your letter.  You will need to enter the document ID that was provided to you in your letter request or, if you see your pending letter request in your Interfolio account, just follow the prompts to upload your letter.

What are the important elements of the email request? 

1.    Link to create an account :  If you are new to Interfolio and you do not have an Interfolio Writer account, there is a link in the email that will take you to the registration page. By clicking the link featured in the email, the system will know as soon as your account is created which Fileholders have asked you to write recommendations. Those requests will be viewable in your Writer account as soon as you register.

2.    Unique Document ID All letter-writing requests come with a unique document ID. This ID is a six character ID made up of numbers and letters. The ID matches a letter writer to the appropriate document and Fileholder. You will need to provide the ID when you upload a letter into the Interfolio system and when you mail a paper letter to the Interfolio Paper Processing Center.

As a Writer, you may respond to an emailed request by uploading your letter or mailing your letter.

How long will it take for Fileholders to access the letters after you submit them to Interfolio?

A letter submitted to Interfolio by electronic upload is available to the Fileholder as soon as it is uploaded. There is no additional processing time required for those letters.

A paper letter submitted to Interfolio by mail will be added to the Interfolio system within 1-3 days from the time the letter is received at our office. Following is a "best case" example of the time it takes for a mailed letter to be uploaded into a Fileholder account. 

• Monday, November 5th: Letter mailed by writer to Interfolio.
• Wednesday, November 7th: Letter received by Interfolio
• Thursday, November 8th: Letter processing complete and added to the Fileholder account.

Be sure to allow for ample time when submitting letter to Interfolio by mail. According to USPS guidelines, letters sent by First Class mail may take up to 14 days to arrive at their intended destination. If there is a deadline approaching, electronic upload is the most efficient way to submit letters to Interfolio.  If you are really in a crunch, call us at 877-77-FOLIO and we can help you get your letter into the system as quickly as possible.