Managing Client Documents and Files

---
id: KB-DOC-001
module: document-management
sub_module: document-vault
title: Managing Client Documents and Files
category: how-to
applies_to:
- user_type: advisor
- role: all_advisor_roles
products:
- IFANOW Platform
platform_area: clients
related_workflows:
- client_onboarding
- document_collection
- compliance_reporting
depends_on:
- KB-CLI-001
- KB-FAM-001
access_level: advisor
source: code_extraction
source_files:
- repo: ifanow-futurewise
  files:
  - UserDocumentController.java
  - UserDocumentService.java
  - UserDocumentDao.java
last_extracted: '2026-02-17'
confidence: high
version: 1
tags:
- document storage
- file management
- client documents
- document vault
- file organization
- document sharing
- compliance documents
---

```

## Overview

The Document Management feature provides advisors with a secure digital vault to store, organize, and manage all client documents and files. This centralized system helps advisors maintain organized client records, track document activities, and ensure compliance requirements are met. The feature supports folder structures similar to computer file systems, making it intuitive for advisors to organize documents by client, document type, or any custom categorization.

• Store and organize documents in customizable folder structures for each client
• Upload, rename, move, copy, and delete files and folders with full activity tracking
• Mark important documents with stars for quick access and filtering
• Search across all documents and folders using keywords or file names
• Restore accidentally deleted items from trash or permanently remove them

## Prerequisites and Access

You need an active IFANOW advisor account with document management permissions. Access the feature by navigating to **Clients** → Select a client → **Documents** tab, or access the main document vault through **Dashboard** → **Document Vault**.

## How-To Steps

### How to View Client Documents

Access and browse through a client's document collection organized in folders.

1. Go to **Clients** and select the desired client
2. Click the **Documents** tab
3. Choose your view option:
   - **All Files** - Shows all documents and folders
   - **Recent** - Displays recently accessed or modified items
   - **Starred** - Shows only starred/favorited items
   - **Deleted** - Shows items in trash

The system displays folders and files with creation dates, file sizes, and status indicators.

### How to Create New Folders

Organize documents by creating custom folder structures for better categorization.

1. Navigate to the location where you want to create the folder
2. Click **New Folder** or the folder creation button
3. Enter a descriptive folder name
4. Click **Create**

The new folder appears immediately and you can begin adding documents to it. Folder names must be unique within the same parent location.

### How to Upload Documents

Add new documents to a client's document vault for secure storage and organization.

1. Navigate to the desired folder location
2. Click **Upload** or drag files directly to the upload area
3. Select files from your computer (multiple files can be selected)
4. Choose the appropriate document type from the dropdown
5. Click **Upload**

Files are processed and appear in the folder once upload completes. Large files may take additional time to process.

### How to Organize Documents

Move, copy, or rename documents and folders to maintain an organized filing system.

**To Move Items:**
1. Right-click on the file or folder
2. Select **Move**
3. Choose the destination folder
4. Click **Move Here**

**To Copy Items:**
1. Right-click on the file or folder
2. Select **Copy**
3. Navigate to the destination folder
4. The copied item appears with the same name

**To Rename Items:**
1. Right-click on the file or folder
2. Select **Rename**
3. Enter the new name
4. Press Enter or click **Save**

### How to Mark Important Documents

Use the star feature to flag important documents for quick access and filtering.

1. Hover over the document or folder
2. Click the star icon that appears
3. The item is now marked as starred

To view only starred items, select **Starred** from the view options. Click the star again to remove the marking.

### How to Search for Documents

Quickly locate specific documents across all folders using the search functionality.

1. Click in the search box at the top of the document area
2. Type your search term (file name, folder name, or keywords)
3. Press Enter or click the search icon
4. Results show matching files and folders with their locations

Search works across all document types and looks in file names, folder names, and available metadata.

### How to View Document Activity

Track all actions performed on documents and folders for audit and compliance purposes.

1. Right-click on any file or folder
2. Select **View Activity** or **Activity Log**
3. Review the chronological list of actions including:
   - Creation, modification, and access dates
   - User who performed each action
   - Type of action taken

This activity log helps maintain compliance records and track document handling.

### How to Delete and Restore Documents

Safely remove documents with the ability to restore them if needed.

**To Delete Items:**
1. Select the file or folder to delete
2. Right-click and choose **Delete** or click the delete button
3. Confirm the deletion

Items move to the trash and can be restored for a period of time.

**To Restore from Trash:**
1. Go to **Deleted** view
2. Select the items to restore
3. Click **Restore**
4. Items return to their original locations

**To Permanently Delete:**
1. Go to **Deleted** view
2. Select items for permanent removal
3. Click **Delete Permanently**
4. Confirm the permanent deletion

## Rules and Limits

• System-generated folders (like default client folders) cannot be renamed, moved, or deleted
• Folder names must be unique within the same parent directory
• Duplicate folder names in the same location are not allowed and will show an error
• Files maintain their original upload metadata including timestamps and file sizes
• Document activity logs are permanent and cannot be modified or deleted
• Starred status is maintained when files are moved between folders
• Search functionality covers file names, folder names, and basic metadata only
• Trash retention policies may automatically remove items after a specified period
• File size limits apply based on your subscription plan
• Certain system folders are created automatically for each client and family member
• Permission levels may restrict access to certain documents based on client privacy settings

## Common Questions

**Can I organize documents differently for each client?**
Yes, each client has their own document vault where you can create custom folder structures that make sense for their specific needs and document types.

**What happens if I accidentally delete an important document?**
Deleted items go to the trash first, allowing you to restore them. Check the Deleted view and use the restore function to recover accidentally removed files or folders.

**Can I see who accessed or modified a document?**
Yes, use the View Activity feature on any file or folder to see a complete log of all actions including who performed them and when.

**How do I quickly find a specific document among many files?**
Use the search function to look for files by name or folder name. You can also use the starred feature to mark important documents for quick filtering.

**Can I upload multiple files at once?**
Yes, you can select multiple files during upload or drag multiple files to the upload area to process them all at once.

## Troubleshooting

**Problem:** Cannot create a folder with desired name
**Cause:** A folder with that name already exists in the same location
**Fix:** Choose a different name or check if the folder already exists. Folder names must be unique within each directory.

**Problem:** File upload fails or gets stuck
**Cause:** File may be too large or connection interrupted
**Fix:** Check your internet connection and ensure the file size is within limits. Try uploading smaller files or contact your system administrator about file size restrictions.

**Problem:** Cannot rename or delete a folder
**Cause:** The folder is system-generated (automatically created by the platform)
**Fix:** System folders cannot be modified. Create a new custom folder if you need different organization.

**Problem:** Search returns no results for a file I know exists
**Cause:** Search term may not match the exact file name or the file might be in trash
**Fix:** Try different keywords, check the file name spelling, or search in the Deleted view if the file was recently removed.

**Problem:** Document activity log is empty or incomplete
**Cause:** Document may be newly created or system logging issue
**Fix:** Activity logs populate over time as actions are performed. Newly uploaded documents will have minimal initial activity.

**Problem:** Starred documents not appearing in starred view
**Cause:** Items may have been moved or the star status removed
**Fix:** Check if the documents still exist and re-star them if needed. Stars are maintained when moving files but may need to be reapplied after certain operations.

## Related Features

This feature integrates with Client Management for accessing individual client document vaults and Family Member Management for organizing documents by family members. The Document Vault connects with Compliance Reporting features for maintaining required documentation and audit trails. File upload and storage capabilities support the broader client onboarding workflows where documents are collected and verified. The search and organization tools also integrate with the platform's overall client data management system.