📁Important

Working with Folders

Navigate folders and organize documents

5 min read
Beginner

Working with Folders

Learn how to navigate folders, view documents, and organize your work effectively. This guide covers everything you need to know about using folders in your daily workflow.

Navigating Folders

The folder sidebar appears on the left side of the Documents and Templates pages.

System folders list showing all 7 folders with icons

Your personal system folders

Opening the Folder Sidebar

The folder sidebar is always visible on:
Documents page - View all your documents
Templates page - View all your templates


Selecting a Folder

Click on any folder to view its contents:

1. Click folder name - Folder becomes active
2. Background changes - Light purple highlight
3. Document list updates - Shows only documents in that folder
4. Count updates - See total documents in folder

Active folder highlighted with purple background

Selected folder is highlighted

Viewing All Documents

Click "All Documents" at the top to see everything:
Shows all documents you can access
Includes personal and shared documents
No folder filter applied
Useful for searching across all folders

Viewing Documents in Folders

When you select a folder, the document list shows only documents in that folder.

Document list filtered by selected folder

Documents in the selected folder

What You See

Document List Shows:
Document name - Title of document
Status - Draft, Pending, Completed, etc.
Signers - Who needs to sign
Date - Created or modified date
Actions - View, edit, download options

Empty Folder:
Shows "No documents in this folder" message
Suggests creating a new document
Provides link to create document


Document Count Badge

Each folder shows a count badge:
Number - How many documents in folder
Gray badge - Inactive folders
No badge - Empty folders
Updates automatically - Real-time count

Creating Documents in Folders

When creating a document, you choose which folder it goes to.

Start Creating Document

Click "New Document" button from any page.

New Document button highlighted

Start creating a document

Upload PDF and Enter Details

Upload your PDF file and enter document name.

Document upload form with PDF uploaded

Upload PDF and enter details

Select Folder (Optional)

Choose which folder to save the document in.

Folder selection dropdown showing available folders

Choose a folder for your document

Folder Dropdown Shows: My Templates (Private) - Default for templates
Shared folders - Folders you have Edit access to
Folder names - Clear list of options

Default Behavior: If you don't select a folder, document goes to Drafts
Templates default to My Templates (Private)
You can change this selection anytime before creating

Choose Wisely

Select a shared folder if your team needs access. Otherwise, leave it in your personal folders.

Create Document

Click "Create Document" to save.

Document is created in the selected folder and you're taken to the document editor.

Folder selection dropdown showing available folders

Document created in Shared Folder


Folder Selection Rules

You can select:
Shared folders where you have Edit access
Your personal My Templates (for templates only)

You cannot select:
System folders (Drafts, Sent, etc.) - Auto-assigned
Shared folders where you only have View access
Other users' personal folders

System Folder Auto-Movement

System folders automatically organize documents based on their status.

How Auto-Movement Works

Document Lifecycle:

1. Create → Document goes to Drafts
2. Send → Moves to Sent Items
3. Complete → Moves to Completed
4. Decline → Moves to Declined
5. Void → Moves to Voided
6. Delete → Moves to Deleted


Status-Based Organization

Drafts Folder:
New documents start here
Documents you're still editing
Not yet sent for signing
Leaves when you click "Send"

Sent Items Folder:
Documents move here when sent
Waiting for signatures
Track signing progress
Leaves when all sign or document is declined/voided

Completed Folder:
Documents move here when all signers complete
Fully signed and finalized
Download signed PDF
Permanent record

Declined Folder:
Documents move here if signer declines
Includes decline reason
Cannot be re-sent
Create new document if needed

Voided Folder:
Documents move here when you void them
You cancelled before completion
Signers notified
Cannot be un-voided

Deleted Folder:
Documents move here when deleted
Soft delete (recoverable)
Not visible in other views
Permanently deleted after 30 days

Scheduled Folder:
Documents with active reminders or expiry
Also appear in their status folder
Helps track scheduled follow-ups
Automatic reminder management

Hands-Free Organization

You don't need to manually move documents between system folders. SignNXT does it automatically based on document status!

Working with Shared Folders

Shared folders enable team collaboration.

Accessing Shared Folders

In Sidebar:
Appear under "Shared Folders" section
Only see folders you're a member of
Admins see all shared folders
Click to view contents


Creating Documents in Shared Folders

1. Select shared folder from dropdown when creating document
2. Must have Edit access to add documents
3. Document visible to all folder members
4. Collaboration enabled - Team can see and work with document


Viewing Shared Documents

View access: Can see and open documents
Edit access: Can see, open, and add documents
All members: See same documents in folder
Real-time: Updates appear immediately

Finding Documents

Several ways to find documents quickly:


By Folder

1. Click folder in sidebar
2. View documents in that folder
3. Use search within folder
4. Filter by status if needed


By Status

Drafts - Documents being prepared
Sent Items - Waiting for signatures
Completed - Fully signed
Declined/Voided - Cancelled documents


By Search

Use search bar at top of document list
Searches within current folder
Or search "All Documents" for global search
Finds by document name

Best Practices

Organizing Your Work

Use system folders - Let them auto-organize by status
Check Drafts regularly - Complete or delete old drafts
Monitor Sent Items - Track pending signatures
Archive Completed - Download important signed documents
Clean Deleted - Permanently remove if needed


Using Shared Folders

Choose appropriate folder - Match document to purpose
Use Edit access wisely - Only for active contributors
Communicate with team - Let them know about new documents
Keep organized - Don't mix unrelated documents
Review regularly - Clean up old documents


Finding Documents Quickly

Use descriptive names - Easy to search
Check recent first - Start with Sent Items or Drafts
Use folder filter - Narrow down search
Bookmark important - Note document IDs
Download completed - Keep local copies

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I move a document from one folder to another?

Documents are assigned to a folder when created. System folders auto-organize based on status. For shared folders, the assignment is made at creation time.


What happens to documents when I send them?

They automatically move from Drafts to Sent Items. This happens instantly when you click "Send for Signature".


Can I see documents in multiple folders?

Documents appear in one primary folder. The Scheduled folder is special - documents there also appear in their status folder (Sent Items, etc.).


Why can't I select a folder when creating a document?

You can only select shared folders where you have Edit access. System folders are auto-assigned based on document status.


How do I know which folder a document is in?

The folder sidebar shows which folder is active. You can also see the folder name in the document details.


Can I create subfolders?

Currently, subfolders are not available. Use clear folder names to organize documents.


What if I accidentally delete a document?

Check the Deleted folder. Documents stay there for 30 days before permanent deletion. You can recover them during this time.


Do shared folder documents appear in my system folders?

Yes! Documents in shared folders also appear in your system folders based on their status (Drafts, Sent, Completed, etc.).

Next Steps

Now that you know how to work with folders:

1. Practice navigating - Click through different folders
2. Create a document - Try selecting a shared folder
3. Watch auto-movement - Send a document and see it move
4. Learn about shared folders - Set up team collaboration

Efficient Organization

Folders make it easy to stay organized. System folders handle the work automatically, while shared folders enable seamless team collaboration!

Related Guides



Need help?
If you have questions about working with folders, contact our support team at support@signnxt.com

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