📁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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