Document management

Chaindoc stores your documents with blockchain verification, version control, and a full audit trail. This page covers uploading, organizing, permissions, retention, and how documents flow through their lifecycle.

If you're coming from a shared drive or basic file storage, the biggest difference is that every action gets logged and every published document gets a blockchain hash. You can't accidentally lose track of who changed what, or when.

Document lifecycle

Documents move through states as they're created, sent for signatures, and completed. You don't need to manage transitions manually; they happen automatically based on what signers do.

Document states

• Draft — still being prepared, not sent yet
• Pending — sent for signatures, waiting for the first one
• In progress — at least one signature collected, more to go
• Completed — all signatures in, document finalized
• Declined — a signer rejected the document
• Voided — you cancelled it before completion
• Expired — deadline passed without all signatures
• Archived — moved to long-term storage

How transitions work

Transitions are automatic. When you send a draft, it becomes "pending". When the first signer signs, it moves to "in progress". When the last one signs, it's "completed". You can void a document at any point, and signers can decline at any point. If the deadline passes, it expires.

Uploading documents

Supported formats

Chaindoc accepts most common file types. Non-PDF files get converted to PDF automatically on upload (the original stays available for download).

• PDF (recommended)
• Microsoft Office: Word (.doc, .docx), Excel (.xls, .xlsx), PowerPoint (.ppt, .pptx)
• Images: JPG, PNG, GIF, TIFF — converted to PDF with OCR text recognition
• Text files: .txt, .rtf
• OpenDocument: .odt, .ods, .odp

Upload methods

Drag and drop into the browser is the fastest way. You can also use the file picker, import from Google Drive / Dropbox / OneDrive, or upload programmatically through the API. For bulk uploads, the API supports sending multiple files in a single request.

Max file size is 50MB. If you're hitting that limit regularly, compress your PDFs before uploading.

Organizing your documents

Folders

You can create unlimited folders and subfolders. Most teams organize by department, client, or project. Folders can be shared with your team or kept personal.

Drag-and-drop works for moving documents between folders. Worth setting up a clear structure before doing any bulk uploads, since reorganizing later is tedious.

Filters and search

Filters let you narrow down by status, date range, signer, document type, or custom tags. You can save filter combinations as views so you don't have to rebuild them each time.

Search works across document titles, descriptions, metadata, signer names, emails, and even blockchain transaction IDs. It supports full-text search within document content too, though that's slower on large libraries.

Tags and metadata

Every document gets standard metadata automatically: title, creator, dates, file size, page count, status, and blockchain transaction IDs. You can also add custom fields (text, number, date, dropdown) for things like contract value, client name, or project code.

Tags are hashtag-based. Add as many as you want, and they'll autocomplete from your existing tags. Bulk tagging works if you need to label a batch of documents at once.

Storage and security

Documents are encrypted with AES-256 at rest and TLS 1.3 in transit. Storage is distributed across multiple regions with automatic backups every 6 hours. For more on encryption and access controls, see the security guide.

Blockchain anchoring

When you publish a document, its hash gets written to the blockchain. Additional hashes are recorded at each state change (signed, voided, etc.). This creates an independent proof of the document's existence and integrity that survives even if Chaindoc itself went away.

Version control

Upload a new version of the same document and Chaindoc tracks the history automatically. You can view, compare, and restore previous versions. Each version gets its own blockchain hash, and the audit trail shows who uploaded what and when.

Access control

Permissions control what each person can do with a document. You set these at the document or folder level.

Permission levels

• Owner — full control, can delete and manage who else has access
• Editor — can edit, send for signature, and manage the document
• Viewer — read-only, can view and download
• Signer — can view and sign assigned documents
• Commenter — can view and comment, but can't edit
• No access — explicitly blocked

Sharing with external parties

You can share documents with people outside your team by email. For temporary access, use time-limited or password-protected links. You'll see every access event in the audit trail, including failed attempts.

Retention and archival

Set up retention policies to automate what happens to documents after a certain period. This matters for compliance: tax documents might need 7 years, employment records might need longer.

• Set retention periods by document type
• Automatic archival when the period ends
• Legal hold to prevent deletion during litigation
• Compliant with GDPR, HIPAA, and SOX retention requirements
• Optional automatic deletion after the archival period
• Override policies for specific documents when needed

Archived documents move to cold storage (lower cost, same retrieval speed). Blockchain verification stays intact.

Export and download

Download individual documents as PDF, or bulk download as a ZIP. You can include the audit trail and completion certificate in the export. Metadata exports to CSV or JSON if you need to pull it into another system.

For automated exports, use the API. You can also set up webhooks to trigger exports when a document reaches a specific state.

Download controls

For sensitive documents, you can disable downloads entirely, add watermarks with the viewer's name, or limit the number of downloads per person. All download events show up in the audit trail.

Analytics and reporting

The dashboard shows document volume by status, average time to completion, most active users, storage usage, and trends over time. For compliance, you can generate reports on pending signatures, expired documents, access logs, and retention policy adherence.

If you need custom reports, the API gives you access to all the underlying data.

Integrations

Chaindoc connects with cloud storage providers (Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, SharePoint, Box) for two-way sync. It also integrates with CRM and ERP systems like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Microsoft Dynamics. For anything else, use the API or Zapier to connect to 5000+ apps.

Best practices

A few things that save time as your document library grows:

• Set up your folder structure before bulk uploads. Reorganizing hundreds of documents later isn't fun.
• Use consistent naming: "Q4 2025 Consulting Agreement" beats "Contract_v3_FINAL.pdf".
• Apply tags at upload time, not later. It's easy to fall behind.
• Review access permissions monthly and revoke access for people who've left the team.
• Archive completed documents regularly to keep your active view clean.
• Set up retention policies early so you don't have to retroactively classify everything.

Troubleshooting

Upload fails

Check the file size (max 50MB) and your internet connection. If it's a Word or PowerPoint file, the PDF conversion can fail on heavily formatted documents. Try converting to PDF yourself first and uploading that.

Can't find a document

Use search instead of browsing. Check that your filters aren't hiding it (a common one: the status filter is set to "active" but the document is archived). Also check that you have permission to view it.

Permission denied

Contact the document owner or your team admin. They can grant access from the document's sharing settings. If you're the admin, check the team management docs for how permissions cascade from folders to documents.

What to do next

• Signatures — learn about signature types and signing workflows
• Team management — set up roles, permissions, and team workspaces
• API documentation — programmatic document management
• Webhooks — get notified when documents change state
• Security — encryption, access controls, and compliance settings