Managing Your Documents: Linking, Ownership, Expiration, and Access Control – Tropic help center

Overview

Tropic keeps your documents organized, accurate, and easy to manage. Instead of dealing with duplicate files, you can link documents across contracts, requests, and supplier profiles, ensuring a single source of truth.

With built-in tools, you can:

Assign owners to keep documents up to date.
Set expiration dates with automated reminders.
Control access to protect sensitive information.
Adjust connections without re-uploading files.

💡 Want a quick walkthrough? See these in action with our interactive demo below: 🎥

Click Start Demo or Play (top right corner) to begin the demo.

Step-by-Step Demo

Tip: You can navigate back and forth between steps by positioning your mouse at the bottom of the demo screen. A progress bar will appear, allowing you to jump to different steps as needed.

Note: For an enhanced viewing experience, click the expand icon in the top-right corner of the demo to enlarge the screen.

Managing Documents in One Workflow

Managing documents in Tropic is flexible, you can complete everything in one session or update details like ownership, expiration dates, and access controls later as needed. Follow these steps to ensure your records stay accurate and up to date.

Step 1: Get your documents into Tropic

You can add documents by uploading them in Tropic, importing them from Google Drive, or forwarding them from your inbox.

Google Drive import lets you browse your Google Drive from within Tropic and select files to bring in. Google Docs are converted to PDF, and Google Sheets are converted to XLS when they are imported. Imports are one time; updates to the original file in Google Drive do not sync back to Tropic.

Forwarding is useful when you receive documents during contract negotiations or vendor conversations and want to save them quickly.

In Contracts --> Documents, click Add Documents
In the modal, click the link under Forward emails to copy your organization's email address
Open your inbox, paste the address, and attach one or more documents and send the email
Each attachment will appear in Contracts --> Documents tab
You can see the Email Forwarding status for those files in the Import Source column

You can manage and link these files the same way you would any uploaded document.

Step 2: Upload and Link Documents

Navigate to the Documents tab within a request, contract, or supplier profile.
Click Upload Document and either select a file from your computer or choose Import from Google Drive.
Once uploaded, the document is automatically linked to the request, contract, or supplier profile where it was added.
If needed, manually link the document to additional contracts, requests, or supplier profiles to maintain a single source of truth.
Once imported, you can preview the file the same way you preview any document in Tropic.

Step 3: Assign Document Ownership

Each document has an assigned owner responsible for keeping it up to date. By default, ownership is assigned as follows:

Contracts: Ownership is assigned to the contract owner.
Requests: The user who uploads the document is automatically assigned as the owner.
Documents uploaded from Contracts → Documents tab: Ownership is not automatically assigned. You must manually assign an owner after the document is added.

You can manually change document ownership at any time if needed.

Step 4: Set Expiration Dates and Notes

Expiration dates help ensure documents are reviewed and updated on time.

Assign an expiration date to track when a document needs review.
Select No Expiration for documents that don’t require renewals.
Add a note (e.g., “Request updated pricing agreement before renewal”) to provide context for future actions.
Owners automatically receive a notification 30 days before expiration, prompting them to take action.

How expiration notifications are sent

When a document has an expiration date, Tropic sends reminders 30 days before expiration as follows:

If the document has an assigned owner, the notification is sent to that document owner.
If no document owner is assigned, the notification is sent to all active Organization Owners.

Step 5: Apply Access Controls

Control who can view and manage documents to protect sensitive information.

Restrict document visibility to document owners and organization administrators.
Use the Limit Document Access setting to ensure only authorized users can view confidential files.
Documents with restricted access will display a lock icon, indicating that visibility is limited.

Step 6: Manage and Adjust Document Connections

Ensuring documents are correctly linked across contracts, requests, and suppliers keeps records accurate and accessible.

Maintain a single source of truth by linking a document to multiple contracts, requests, or supplier profiles.
Update document connections if a contract or supplier changes, avoiding duplicate uploads.
Remove outdated links if a document is no longer relevant to a contract or supplier.
Reposition documents by moving them from one contract to another when necessary.

For a detailed walkthrough, refer to our Streamline Document Management Across Contracts and Suppliers.

Best Practices for Document Lifecycle Management

Keep your procurement records organized, accurate, and secure with these best practices:

Link documents to relevant contracts, requests, and supplier profiles to prevent duplication and ensure consistency.
Designate document owners to ensure records stay updated and nothing falls through the cracks.
Set renewal reminders and use notes to provide clear follow-up instructions.
Restrict access so only authorized users can view sensitive files.
Ensure documents are correctly linked and remove outdated associations as needed.

FAQ

Q:Is an expiration date mandatory for every document?
A: Yes, each document must have an expiration date set, unless marked as “No Expiration” for documents that don’t require periodic reviews.

Q: How do I limit document access to specific users?
A: Use the Limit Document Access option within the document settings to restrict visibility, allowing only designated users, like document owners or administrators, to view sensitive information.

Q: What if there is no assigned document owner for a legacy document?
A: Legacy documents uploaded before implementing ownership requirements can remain without an owner, but assigning ownership is recommended for proactive management.

Q: Are there any types of documents that don’t need to be updated regularly?
A: Yes, documents that don’t require regular updates can be marked with “No Expiration.” However, it’s a good practice to review all non-expiring documents periodically to ensure accuracy.

Q: What happens if a document owner doesn’t take action before expiration?
A: Document owners receive automated notifications 30 days before a document expires, prompting them to review or update the document. However, any other authorized user with access can also take action if needed.

Q: Can expiration dates be edited after uploading a document?
A: Yes, expiration dates are fully editable, allowing flexibility in setting review schedules or adjusting as needed.

Q: Why did I receive an expiration notification for a document I do not own?
A: If a document has an expiration date but no assigned document owner, Tropic sends the notification to all active Organization Owners by default.

Q: Who can be assigned as a document owner?
A: Only active users in your organization can be assigned as document owners, ensuring that documents are maintained by those with the appropriate access.

Additional Resources

For more training and documentation, please visit our Help Center.