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Sharing Documents

Dockflow's document-sharing feature enables seamless collaboration by allowing you to upload and share shipment documents with partners through tradeflows. This eliminates the need for separate email attachments and provides a centralized repository for all shipment-related documentation.

Overview​

Document sharing in Dockflow provides:

  • Centralized storage - All documents attached to the relevant tradeflow
  • Automatic partner access - Documents visible to all tradeflow partners
  • Version control - Track document uploads and updates
  • Document types - Categorize documents for easy identification
  • Automation integration - Flag missing documents and send notifications
Use Cases
  • Share bills of lading with freight forwarders
  • Provide commercial invoices to customs brokers
  • Distribute packing lists to warehouse teams
  • Share certificates of origin with partners
  • Provide customs documentation to all stakeholders

How Document Sharing Works​

The Sharing Process​

1. Create Tradeflow
   ↓
2. Upload Documents to Tradeflow
   ↓
3. Share Tradeflow with Partners
   ↓
4. All Partners Can Access Documents

Key Principles​

All documents are shared:

  • There is no option for private or internal-only documents
  • All documents uploaded to a tradeflow are visible to all partners
  • Cannot selectively share some documents while hiding others

Sharing happens at tradeflow level:

  • Documents are attached to tradeflows, not individual containers
  • When you share a tradeflow with partners, all attached documents are included
  • Cannot share tradeflow without sharing documents

Partner access is automatic:

  • Partners with tradeflow access automatically see documents
  • No separate document-sharing action needed
  • New documents become visible to partners immediately upon upload
No Private Documents

All documents you upload to a tradeflow will be available to all partners involved in that specific trade. There is currently no option for private uploads visible only to your organization.

Setting Up Document Sharing​

Step 1: Create a Tradeflow​

Before uploading documents, create a tradeflow for the shipment.

Creating the Tradeflow​

  1. Navigate to Tradeflows in the main menu
  2. Click Create Tradeflow button
  3. Enter shipment details:
    • Reference numbers - B/L, booking, PO number
    • Origin and destination - Ports or locations
    • Dates - ETD, ETA
    • Containers - Container numbers (if known)
    • Partners - Entities involved in the shipment
  4. Click Save
Complete Reference Information

Provide as much reference information as possible when creating the tradeflow. This helps partners identify the shipment and understand context for shared documents.

Minimum required information:

  • At least one reference number (B/L, booking, or PO)
  • Origin location
  • Destination location

Recommended additional information:

  • Purchase order numbers
  • Container count and types
  • Product descriptions
  • Parties involved (shipper, consignee, forwarder)

Step 2: Upload Documents​

Add documents to your tradeflow for sharing with partners.

Accessing the Documents Tab​

  1. Open the tradeflow you created
  2. Click the Documents tab
  3. You'll see the document management interface

Adding Documents​

  1. Click the Add Documents button
  2. Select files from your computer:
    • Click to browse, or
    • Drag and drop files into the upload area
  3. For each document, specify:
    • Document name - Descriptive title
    • Document type - Category from dropdown
  4. Click Upload

Supported file formats:

  • PDF (.pdf)
  • Images (.jpg, .jpeg, .png, .gif)
  • Microsoft Office (.doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx)
  • Text files (.txt, .csv)
  • Archives (.zip)

File size limits:

  • Maximum 25 MB per file
  • No limit on number of files per tradeflow
Document Types

Selecting the appropriate document type helps partners quickly identify what each document contains. Common types include:

  • Bill of Lading
  • Commercial Invoice
  • Packing List
  • Certificate of Origin
  • Customs Declaration
  • Delivery Order
  • Insurance Certificate
  • Inspection Report

Document Naming Best Practices​

Use clear, descriptive document names:

Good names:

  • "Bill of Lading - MAEU123456789"
  • "Commercial Invoice - PO12345"
  • "Packing List - Container ABCD1234567"
  • "Certificate of Origin - China to USA"

Poor names:

  • "Document.pdf"
  • "Scan1.jpg"
  • "Final.pdf"
  • "Copy.pdf"

Naming conventions to consider:

  • Include document type
  • Reference key identifiers (B/L, PO, container)
  • Add dates if multiple versions exist
  • Use consistent naming across shipments

Uploading Multiple Documents​

To upload multiple documents at once:

  1. Click Add Documents
  2. Select multiple files (Ctrl+Click or Cmd+Click)
  3. Or drag and drop multiple files together
  4. Configure each document individually:
    • Name
    • Type
  5. Click Upload All

Documents upload in parallel for faster processing.

Step 3: Share Tradeflow with Partners​

Make the tradeflow (and all attached documents) accessible to partners.

Adding Partners to Tradeflow​

  1. Open the tradeflow
  2. Navigate to the Partners or Sharing section
  3. Click Add Partner
  4. Select partner organizations from your partner list
  5. Choose partner access level:
    • View - Can see tradeflow and documents
    • Edit - Can update information (optional)
  6. Click Add

Partner Types​

Consider which partners need access:

Freight Forwarders:

  • Bill of lading
  • Booking confirmation
  • Cargo details

Customs Brokers:

  • Commercial invoice
  • Packing list
  • Certificate of origin
  • Customs declarations

End Customers:

  • Bill of lading
  • Packing list
  • Delivery documentation

Warehouse/3PL:

  • Packing list
  • Delivery order
  • Special handling instructions

Automatic Document Access​

Once partners are added:

  • They immediately see all currently uploaded documents
  • Any future documents you upload become visible automatically
  • Partners can download documents for their records
  • Partners cannot edit or delete your documents (unless granted edit access)
Partner Notifications

Partners don't automatically receive email notifications when you share a tradeflow or upload documents. Use Dockflow's automation features to send notifications, or inform partners via separate communication.

Managing Shared Documents​

Viewing Uploaded Documents​

All documents appear in the Documents tab:

  • Document name - As specified during upload
  • Document type - Category
  • Uploaded by - User who added the document
  • Upload date - Timestamp
  • File size - Document size
  • Actions - Download, delete, update

Downloading Documents​

To download a document:

  1. Navigate to the Documents tab
  2. Find the document you want
  3. Click the Download button or document name
  4. File downloads to your computer

Partners can download documents the same way.

Updating Documents​

To replace a document with a newer version:

  1. Navigate to the Documents tab
  2. Find the document to update
  3. Click Replace or Update
  4. Upload the new file
  5. Old version is replaced with new one
Version History

Dockflow does not currently maintain version history. Replacing a document permanently removes the old version. Consider using date-based naming (e.g., "Invoice_v2_2026-01-28") if you need to preserve multiple versions.

Deleting Documents​

To remove a document:

  1. Navigate to the Documents tab
  2. Find the document to delete
  3. Click Delete button
  4. Confirm deletion
Deletion Impact

Deleted documents are immediately removed for all partners. Use caution when deleting shared documents, as partners may have been relying on access.

Document Permissions​

What partners can do:

  • View all uploaded documents
  • Download documents
  • See document names and types
  • See upload timestamps

What partners cannot do:

  • Edit or delete your documents
  • Upload documents to your tradeflow (unless granted permission)
  • Make documents private or change sharing settings

Automation Features​

Enhance document management with Dockflow's automation capabilities.

Flagging Missing Documents​

Create automation to flag tradeflows lacking required documents:

Example automation:

Trigger: Time-based (daily check)
Condition: Document Type "Bill of Lading" = Not Present
Action: Set Flag "Missing B/L"
Notification: Email to document coordinator

Setup steps:

  1. Create flag: "Missing Bill of Lading"
  2. Create automation:
    • Trigger: Daily at 9:00 AM
    • Condition: Tradeflow has no "Bill of Lading" document type
    • Action: Set flag
  3. Configure notification:
    • Method: Daily Report
    • Recipients: Documentation team

Notification When Documents Added​

Alert partners or team members when new documents are uploaded:

Example automation:

Trigger: Document Added
Action: Send Email Notification
Recipients: Partners + Internal Team
Email: "New document uploaded to [B/L Number]"

This automation is particularly useful for:

  • Customs brokers awaiting clearance documents
  • Customers expecting delivery confirmation
  • Internal compliance teams requiring documentation

Document Milestone Tracking​

Flag documents required at specific shipment phases:

Pre-departure:

Condition: ETD within 3 days AND Missing Export Documentation
Flag: "Export Docs Required - Urgent"

Pre-arrival:

Condition: ETA within 5 days AND Missing Import Documentation
Flag: "Import Docs Required"

Post-delivery:

Condition: Delivered = Yes AND Missing Proof of Delivery
Flag: "POD Required"

Best Practices​

Document Organization​

  1. Upload promptly - Add documents as soon as available
  2. Use consistent naming - Follow your organization's naming conventions
  3. Select correct document types - Helps partners find what they need
  4. Include all variants - If you have original and corrected versions, upload both with clear labels
  5. Remove obsolete documents - Delete superseded or incorrect documents

Partner Collaboration​

  1. Communicate expectations - Tell partners what documents to expect
  2. Define timelines - Set expectations for when documents will be uploaded
  3. Request confirmation - Ask partners to confirm document receipt
  4. Establish feedback loops - Partners should report missing or incorrect documents
  5. Document standards - Agree on file formats and naming with partners

Security Considerations​

  1. Review before uploading - Ensure documents are appropriate for sharing
  2. Redact sensitive information - Remove confidential data not relevant to partners
  3. Consider document sensitivity - Remember all partners see all documents
  4. Audit access - Periodically review which partners have access to tradeflows
  5. Remove partners when appropriate - Revoke access when partnership ends or shipment completes

Workflow Integration​

  1. Create tradeflows early - Set up tradeflows as soon as shipments are booked
  2. Upload documents progressively - Add documents as they become available
  3. Use automation for tracking - Flag missing required documents
  4. Notify stakeholders - Alert relevant parties when critical documents are uploaded
  5. Archive completed tradeflows - Maintain documents for historical reference

Limitations and Workarounds​

Limitation: No Private Documents​

Issue: All documents are visible to all partners.

Workarounds:

  1. Create separate tradeflows - Use different tradeflows for different partner groups if document visibility needs differ
  2. Use external sharing - Email sensitive documents separately rather than uploading
  3. Redact before upload - Remove sensitive information before adding to Dockflow
  4. Limit partner access - Only share tradeflows with partners who need document access

Limitation: No Version History​

Issue: Replacing documents removes old versions.

Workarounds:

  1. Date-based naming - Include dates in filenames (e.g., "Invoice_2026-01-28.pdf")
  2. Version numbering - Use "v1", "v2" suffixes
  3. Upload as separate documents - Don't replace; add new document with different name
  4. External version control - Maintain versioned copies outside Dockflow

Limitation: Limited Document Types​

Issue: Predefined document types may not cover all scenarios.

Workarounds:

  1. Use "Other" category - Most systems include a catch-all type
  2. Descriptive naming - Explain document purpose in the name
  3. Request new types - Contact support to add commonly-used document types
  4. Combine with notes - Add note to tradeflow explaining unusual documents

Troubleshooting​

Upload Failures​

If document uploads fail:

  1. Check file size - Ensure under 25 MB per file
  2. Verify file format - Confirm format is supported
  3. Check internet connection - Slow or unstable connections can cause failures
  4. Try different browser - Browser issues can affect uploads
  5. Disable browser extensions - Ad blockers or security tools may interfere
  6. Contact support - Persistent failures may indicate system issues

Partners Can't See Documents​

If partners report they can't access documents:

  1. Verify partner access - Confirm partner is added to the tradeflow
  2. Check sharing status - Ensure tradeflow is shared, not private
  3. Review permissions - Verify partner has view access (not just mentioned in tradeflow details)
  4. Confirm login - Partner must be logged in to their Dockflow account
  5. Test with different user - Determine if issue is user-specific or widespread
  6. Check browser cache - Ask partner to refresh page or clear cache

Documents Not Displaying​

If uploaded documents don't appear:

  1. Refresh the page - Force browser to reload document list
  2. Check upload confirmation - Verify upload completed successfully
  3. Review filters - Ensure no document type filters are hiding uploads
  4. Verify correct tradeflow - Confirm you're viewing the right tradeflow
  5. Wait for processing - Very large files may take time to process
  6. Try different browser - Browser rendering issues can affect display

Download Issues​

If documents won't download:

  1. Check browser settings - Ensure downloads are allowed
  2. Disable pop-up blockers - May be blocking download window
  3. Try right-click "Save As" - Alternative download method
  4. Verify file still exists - Document may have been deleted
  5. Check storage space - Insufficient disk space can prevent downloads
  6. Contact support - Persistent issues may indicate file corruption

Frequently Asked Questions​

Q: Can I share some documents but not others? A: No, all documents uploaded to a tradeflow are visible to all partners with access to that tradeflow. For selective sharing, create separate tradeflows.

Q: Can partners upload documents to my tradeflows? A: Partners cannot upload documents to tradeflows you created unless you explicitly grant them edit permissions. By default, partners have view-only access.

Q: Are documents encrypted? A: Yes, documents are encrypted in transit (HTTPS) and at rest. Only authorized users with tradeflow access can view or download documents.

Q: How long are documents stored? A: Documents are stored indefinitely as long as the tradeflow exists. Even deactivated tradeflows retain all uploaded documents.

Q: Can I bulk download all documents from a tradeflow? A: Currently, documents must be downloaded individually. Bulk download functionality may be added in future releases.

Q: Do documents count toward storage limits? A: Document storage limits vary by subscription plan. Contact your account manager for specific limits and upgrade options.

Q: Can I get notifications when partners view or download documents? A: Currently, download and view tracking is not available. This feature may be added in future releases.

Q: What happens to documents when a tradeflow is deleted? A: Documents are permanently deleted along with the tradeflow. Export or download important documents before deleting tradeflows.

Support​

Need help sharing documents?