Understanding Folders

Folders help you organize documents and control who can access them. SignNXT provides personal system folders that automatically organize your documents, plus shared folders for team collaboration.

Automatic Organization

Documents automatically move to the right folder based on their status. Drafts go to Drafts, sent documents go to Sent Items, and completed documents go to Completed!

What Are Folders?

Folders are containers that organize your documents and control access. Think of them like folders in your email inbox - they help you find documents quickly and keep things organized.

Two Types of Folders:

1. System Folders (Personal) - Automatically created for you
2. Shared Folders (Team) - Created by admins for collaboration

System Folders (Personal)

System folders are automatically created for each user. They organize your documents based on status and cannot be deleted or renamed.

The 7 System Folders

1. Drafts 📄
• Documents you're still preparing
• Not yet sent for signing
• You can edit and add fields
• Only you can see these

2. Sent Items ✈️
• Documents sent for signing
• Waiting for signatures
• You can track progress
• Cannot edit once sent

3. Completed ✅
• Fully signed documents
• All signers have completed
• Ready to download
• Permanent record

4. Declined ❌
• Documents declined by signers
• Signer chose not to sign
• Includes decline reason
• Cannot be re-sent (create new)

5. Voided 🚫
• Documents you cancelled
• You voided before completion
• Signers notified of cancellation
• Cannot be un-voided

6. Deleted 🗑️
• Documents you deleted
• Soft delete (can be recovered)
• Not visible in other folders
• Permanently deleted after 30 days

7. Scheduled 🕐
• Documents with pending reminders or expiry
• Active reminder schedules
• Expiry dates set
• Automatic follow-ups enabled

System folders list showing all 7 folders with icons

Your personal system folders

How System Folders Work

Automatic Movement:

Documents automatically move between system folders based on their status:

1. Create document → Goes to Drafts
2. Send for signing → Moves to Sent Items
3. All sign → Moves to Completed
4. Signer declines → Moves to Declined
5. You void → Moves to Voided
6. You delete → Moves to Deleted

Scheduled Folder:
• Documents appear here if they have reminders or expiry enabled
• Also appear in their status folder (Sent Items, etc.)
• Helps you track documents with active schedules

No Manual Organization Needed

You don't need to move documents between system folders - it happens automatically! Just focus on creating and sending documents.

System Folder Benefits

✅ Automatic organization - No manual sorting needed
✅ Clear status - Know document state at a glance
✅ Easy to find - Documents in predictable locations
✅ Personal - Only you see your system folders
✅ Always available - Cannot be deleted or renamed

Shared Folders (Team)

Shared folders enable team collaboration. Multiple team members can access documents in shared folders based on their permissions.

What Are Shared Folders?

• Created by admins - Owner or Admin role required
• Team collaboration - Multiple members can access
• Custom names - Name them anything you want
• Permission-based - Control who can view/edit
• Flexible - Can be renamed or deleted

Sared folders section showing custom folders like 'Q1 Contracts', 'HR Documents', 'Sales Proposals'

Shared folders for team collaboration

Default Shared Folder: "All Company"

Every workspace has an "All Company" folder:

• Automatically created - When workspace is created
• All members included - Everyone has access
• Cannot be deleted - Permanent workspace folder
• Company-wide documents - Visible to entire team

Use for:
• Company policies
• Team announcements
• Shared templates
• General collaboration

Custom Shared Folders

Admins can create custom shared folders for specific purposes:

Examples:
• "Q1 2025 Contracts" - Quarterly contracts
• "HR Documents" - Employee-related documents
• "Sales Proposals" - Client proposals
• "Legal Review" - Documents needing legal approval
• "Client - Acme Corp" - Specific client documents

Benefits:
• Organize by project, department, or client
• Control access to sensitive documents
• Enable team collaboration
• Keep related documents together

Admin Only

Only workspace Owners and Admins can create, rename, or delete shared folders. Regular members can only view and use them.

Folder Permissions

Shared folders have two access levels that control what members can do:

View Access

• Can see documents in the folder
• Can open and read documents
• Can download signed documents
• Cannot add new documents
• Cannot remove documents

Best for: Team members who need to see documents but not create them

Edit Access

• Everything in View access
• Can add new documents to folder
• Can create documents in folder
• Can remove documents from folder
• Cannot delete the folder itself

Best for: Team members who actively work with documents

Admin/Owner Privileges

Workspace Owners and Admins have special privileges:

• See all folders - Including those they're not members of
• Create folders - Make new shared folders
• Rename folders - Change folder names
• Delete folders - Remove shared folders
• Manage members - Add/remove folder members
• Change permissions - Adjust access levels

Folder Navigation

Folders appear in a sidebar on the left side of your screen.

Your personal system folders

Sidebar Sections

1. All Documents
• Shows all documents you can access
• No folder filter applied
• Includes personal and shared documents

2. My Folders
• Your 7 personal system folders
• Only you can see these
• Organized by document status

3. Shared Folders
• Team collaboration folders
• Folders you're a member of
• Admins see all shared folders

Folder Display

Each folder shows:

• Icon - Visual indicator of folder type
• Name - Folder name
• Count - Number of documents (if any)
• Highlight - Active folder is highlighted

Active Folder:
• Light purple background
• Purple text color
• Shows which folder you're viewing

When to Use Which Folder

Use System Folders When:

✅ Personal documents - Only you need access
✅ Status-based organization - Automatic sorting by status
✅ Quick access - Find documents by their state
✅ No sharing needed - Private documents

Use Shared Folders When:

✅ Team collaboration - Multiple people need access
✅ Project organization - Group related documents
✅ Department documents - HR, Sales, Legal, etc.
✅ Client documents - Organize by client
✅ Controlled access - Specific team members only

Folder Best Practices

Naming Shared Folders

✅ Be descriptive - "Q1 2025 Contracts" not "Folder 1"
✅ Use consistent format - Same naming pattern
✅ Include dates - "2025 HR Documents"
✅ Indicate purpose - "Legal Review", "Client Proposals"
✅ Keep it short - Easy to read in sidebar

Organizing Documents

✅ Choose folder on creation - Assign when creating document
✅ Use shared folders for teams - Enable collaboration
✅ Let system folders auto-organize - Don't fight the automation
✅ Review regularly - Clean up old folders
✅ Set appropriate permissions - View vs Edit access

Managing Permissions

✅ Start with View - Give minimum access needed
✅ Grant Edit carefully - Only to active contributors
✅ Review members regularly - Remove inactive users
✅ Use "All Company" sparingly - Not for sensitive documents
✅ Document folder purpose - Clear description

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I rename system folders?

No, system folders (Drafts, Sent Items, etc.) cannot be renamed. They have standard names for consistency.

Can I delete system folders?

No, system folders are permanent and cannot be deleted. They're essential for document organization.

Can I create my own personal folders?

Currently, only shared folders can be created. Personal organization is handled by the 7 system folders.

What happens to documents when I delete a shared folder?

You cannot delete a shared folder that contains documents. Move or delete documents first.

Can I move documents between folders manually?

Documents are assigned to a folder when created. System folders auto-organize based on status. Shared folder assignment happens at creation time.

Who can see my system folders?

Only you can see your personal system folders. They're completely private.

Can I be a member of multiple shared folders?

Yes! You can be added to as many shared folders as needed with different access levels for each.

What's the difference between View and Edit access?

View access lets you see documents. Edit access lets you add and remove documents from the folder.

Next Steps

Now that you understand folders:

1. Explore your system folders - See how documents auto-organize
2. Learn to work with folders - Navigate and filter documents
3. Use shared folders - Collaborate with your team
4. Understand permissions - Control access effectively

Simple & Powerful

Folders make document organization effortless. System folders handle personal documents automatically, while shared folders enable team collaboration!