Document Management
Organize and manage your documents efficiently.
Keep all your documents in one secure place. Upload, organize, and share documents with your team using granular permissions, blockchain-verified storage, and comprehensive audit trails.
Document Lifecycle
Chaindoc manages documents through their entire lifecycle, from creation to archival:
Document States
- Draft - Document being prepared, not yet sent
- Pending - Sent for signatures, awaiting completion
- In Progress - Partially signed, some signatures remaining
- Completed - All signatures collected, document finalized
- Declined - Signer rejected the document
- Voided - Sender cancelled before completion
- Expired - Deadline passed without completion
- Archived - Completed document moved to long-term storage
Automatic State Transitions
Documents automatically move through states based on actions:
- Draft → Pending (when sent to signers)
- Pending → In Progress (first signature received)
- In Progress → Completed (all signatures collected)
- Any → Voided (sender cancels)
- Any → Declined (signer rejects)
- Pending/In Progress → Expired (deadline reached)
Document Organization
Folder Structure
Organize documents with flexible folder hierarchies:
- Create unlimited folders and subfolders
- Organize by department, project, client, or custom criteria
- Move documents between folders with drag-and-drop
- Shared folders for team collaboration
- Personal folders for individual users
- Template folders for reusable documents
- Archive folders for completed documents
Smart Filters & Views
Find documents quickly with powerful filtering:
- Filter by status (pending, completed, expired)
- Filter by date range (created, modified, signed)
- Filter by signer or sender
- Filter by document type or template
- Filter by tags and custom metadata
- Save custom filter combinations as views
- Quick access to recently viewed documents
Search Capabilities
Advanced search across all documents:
- Full-text search within document content
- Search by document title, description, or metadata
- Search by signer name or email
- Search by custom fields and tags
- Blockchain transaction ID search
- Boolean operators for complex queries
- Search results with highlighting and previews
Document Upload & Import
Supported File Formats
- PDF (.pdf) - Recommended format
- Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx)
- Microsoft Excel (.xls, .xlsx)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (.ppt, .pptx)
- Images (.jpg, .png, .gif, .tiff)
- Text files (.txt, .rtf)
- OpenDocument formats (.odt, .ods, .odp)
Upload Methods
- Drag and drop files into browser
- Select files from computer
- Import from cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive)
- Mobile camera capture for on-the-go scanning
- API upload for programmatic integration
- Bulk upload of multiple documents
- Email-to-Chaindoc for email attachments
Automatic Conversion
Documents automatically converted to PDF for consistency:
- Word, Excel, PowerPoint converted to PDF
- Images converted to PDF with OCR (text recognition)
- Preserve formatting, fonts, and layout
- Original file available for download
- Conversion happens instantly on upload
Document Storage & Security
Secure Storage
- AES-256 encryption at rest
- TLS 1.3 encryption in transit
- Geographically distributed storage (multi-region)
- Automatic backups every 6 hours
- 99.99% uptime SLA
- GDPR, HIPAA, and SOC 2 compliant storage
- Data residency options (EU, US, Asia)
Blockchain Anchoring
Every document anchored to blockchain for tamper-proof verification:
- Document hash recorded on blockchain at upload
- Additional hashes at each state change
- Immutable proof of document existence and integrity
- Independent verification available to all parties
- Survives even if Chaindoc service discontinues
Version Control
Track document changes with automatic versioning:
- Automatic version creation on upload of same document
- View version history with timestamps
- Compare versions side-by-side
- Restore previous versions if needed
- Each version has unique blockchain hash
- Audit trail shows who uploaded each version
Access Control & Permissions
Permission Levels
Granular permissions for documents and folders:
- Owner - Full control, can delete and manage permissions
- Editor - Can edit, send for signature, and manage document
- Viewer - Read-only access, can view and download
- Signer - Can view and sign assigned documents
- Commenter - Can view and add comments (no editing)
- No Access - Explicitly blocked from viewing
Sharing Options
- Share with specific users by email
- Share with entire team or department
- Share with external parties (clients, vendors)
- Time-limited access (expires after set period)
- Password-protected sharing links
- View-only links for public sharing
- Expiring links for temporary access
Access Audit Trail
Complete visibility into document access:
- Who accessed the document and when
- What actions were taken (view, download, edit)
- IP address and device information
- Geolocation data (if enabled)
- Permission changes history
- Failed access attempts
- Export audit logs for compliance
Document Metadata & Tags
Standard Metadata
Automatically captured metadata:
- Document title and description
- Created date and creator
- Modified date and last modifier
- File size and page count
- Document status and state
- Signers and recipients
- Completion date (if applicable)
- Blockchain transaction IDs
Custom Metadata
Add custom fields for your business needs:
- Create custom field types (text, number, date, dropdown)
- Required or optional fields
- Department, project, or client identifiers
- Contract value, expiration dates
- Custom categories and classifications
- Integration with external systems (CRM, ERP)
- Bulk edit metadata across multiple documents
Tags & Labels
- Add unlimited tags to documents
- Color-coded labels for visual organization
- Autocomplete from existing tags
- Filter and search by tags
- Bulk tagging for multiple documents
- Tag suggestions based on document content
- Team-wide tag libraries
Document Retention & Archival
Retention Policies
Automate document lifecycle with retention rules:
- Set retention periods by document type (e.g., 7 years for tax documents)
- Automatic archival after retention period
- Legal hold to prevent deletion during litigation
- Compliance with industry regulations (GDPR, HIPAA, SOX)
- Automatic deletion after archival period (optional)
- Retention policy templates for common scenarios
- Override policies for specific documents
Archival Storage
- Long-term storage for completed documents
- Reduced access frequency (cold storage)
- Lower cost than active storage
- Instant retrieval when needed
- Maintained blockchain verification
- Export archives for external backup
- Compliance reporting from archived documents
Document Export & Download
Export Options
- Download individual documents as PDF
- Bulk download as ZIP archive
- Export with audit trail and certificate
- Export metadata to CSV or JSON
- Export to cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox)
- Scheduled exports for backup
- API export for system integration
Download Controls
Control who can download documents:
- Disable downloads for sensitive documents
- Watermark downloads with user information
- Track all download events in audit trail
- Limit number of downloads per user
- Expire download links after use
- Require additional authentication for downloads
Document Analytics
Usage Statistics
Track document and system usage:
- Total documents by status
- Average time to completion
- Most active users and teams
- Document volume trends over time
- Popular document types and templates
- Storage usage and growth
- API usage statistics
Compliance Reports
- Documents awaiting signature
- Expired or declined documents
- Access audit reports
- User activity reports
- Retention policy compliance
- Blockchain verification reports
- Custom report builder
Integration & Automation
Cloud Storage Integration
- Two-way sync with Google Drive
- Dropbox integration for file access
- OneDrive and SharePoint connection
- Box enterprise storage
- Automatic upload to cloud after signing
- Folder mapping between systems
Business System Integration
- Salesforce - Attach to opportunities and accounts
- HubSpot - Link to deals and contacts
- Microsoft Dynamics - CRM integration
- SAP - ERP document management
- NetSuite - Financial document workflow
- Zapier - Connect to 5000+ apps
- Custom API integrations
Best Practices
Document Organization
- Establish clear folder structure before bulk uploads
- Use consistent naming conventions
- Apply tags and metadata immediately
- Create templates for recurring document types
- Archive old documents regularly
- Set up retention policies early
- Review and clean up folders quarterly
Security & Compliance
- Review access permissions monthly
- Revoke access for departed employees immediately
- Use time-limited sharing for external parties
- Enable download watermarking for sensitive documents
- Monitor audit trails for unusual activity
- Regular backup of critical documents
- Verify blockchain hashes for important documents
Performance Optimization
- Compress large files before upload
- Use bulk operations for multiple documents
- Archive completed documents to reduce clutter
- Use saved filters instead of repeated searches
- Schedule exports during off-peak hours
- Clean up drafts and cancelled documents
Troubleshooting
Common Issues
- Upload fails: Check file size (max 100MB), verify internet connection, try different browser
- Cannot find document: Use search instead of browsing, check filters and folder access
- Permission denied: Contact document owner or administrator for access
- Slow performance: Clear browser cache, reduce number of documents in view, archive old files
- Download not working: Check popup blockers, verify download permissions, try different browser
- Version conflict: Multiple users editing simultaneously - coordinate with team