Manage documents
Administer Smart Document templates in Settings, review generated PDFs on user profiles, understand permissions, and keep fillable workflows under control.
Managing smart documents spans two surfaces: template administration in Settings → Documents (what your institution can generate) and generated files on user profiles and student dashboards (what has already been produced). Administrators maintain the template catalog, defaults, and self-service rules in settings; user managers and end users interact with the resulting PDFs from OrgHub or Dashboard → Management → Documents.
Why it matters
Without ongoing template hygiene, staff face cluttered dropdowns, outdated enrollment PDFs, and blocked deletions when self-service links still reference retired designs. Without profile-level management, generated certificates pile up with no clear way to view, download, or remove uploaded attachments. This page ties configuration and output together so registrars and student services know where to look at each stage.
How it fits
Template work connects to Create, Edit, and Use a document template. Output lives on profiles opened through User Management and, for students, the Management tab. Study-contract and certificate sections align with Study programs and cohorts enrollment — see Study contracts and certificates. Health insurance documentation (GKV XML notices) is managed separately on the Krankenkasse tab — smart documents handle PDF paperwork on the Documents tab.
How to manage templates in settings
Go to Settings → Documents.
Review the templates table — each row shows the template name, object type, mapped field count, and actions.
Use Set as default, Rename, or Edit as needed (see Edit a document).
Delete templates you no longer need with the row Delete action. Remove self-service or study-contract links first if deletion is blocked.
Related sections on the same page manage self-service documents, study contract templates, and certificate templates when those features are enabled for your institution.
Templates table reference
| Column / action | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Template name | Identifier in lists and generation dialogs |
| Object type | User, Module, Curriculum, Room, or Certificate |
| Fields | Count of the fields you mapped on the template |
| Set as default | Pre-selects template in supported generation flows |
| Rename | Updates display name only |
| Edit | Opens document editor for mapping changes |
| Delete | Permanent removal when not referenced elsewhere |
How to view generated documents on a user
Open OrgHub → User Management → [User] → Documents.
Browse Smart documents, Assigned fillable documents, Uploaded files, and — when enabled — study contracts or certificates.
Use View to open the in-app document viewer or Download to save the PDF locally.
For uploaded files, administrators with permission to edit user documents can remove documents from the row actions menu.
Fillable assignments show a status column (pending, completed, signed) and support requesting completion from the user when signatures are required.
The Documents tab requires permission to view user documents, and the Smart Documents feature must be enabled for your institution. Other profile tabs on the same user — Study Program, Tuition, Health Insurance — draw from related CMS areas but are separate from smart-document PDF storage. See View a user for the full tab matrix.
End-user document list
Users with access see eligible self-service templates and their generated files under Dashboard → Management → Documents. Available items depend on role-based self-service rules configured in settings. This is the student-facing mirror of administrator generation — same mapped templates, different entry point.
Bulk document requests
When Smart Documents is enabled, bulk actions on the Users table can include Request document (alongside Insurance bulk request when health insurance is active). Use bulk request when many users need the same fillable or generated document during intake or compliance campaigns. Full chapter: Generate documents in bulk.
Permissions summary
| Action | Typical access needed |
|---|---|
| Open settings templates | Permission to read users (settings page access) |
| Open user Documents tab | Permission to view user documents |
| Delete uploaded user files | Permission to edit or delete user documents (role-specific delete rules apply) |
| Manage fillable assignments | Permission to view user documents, plus document workflow rights for your role |
Role profile settings in Settings → Roles & Permissions can hide the Documents tab even when permissions exist. See Permissions and features for how the Smart Documents feature package gates visibility.
Data protection and retention (guidance)
Generated PDFs are downloads of personal (and sometimes contractual) data:
- Restrict document permissions to staff who need them.
- Prefer deactivating users over deleting them when document history must remain.
- Delete uploaded or generated files from the profile only when your retention policy allows.
- Do not treat desktop downloads as the system of record — the profile Documents tab is.
Best practices
- Review the templates table each intake cycle. Retire superseded designs with Delete after unlinking self-service and study-contract references.
- Use defaults for high-volume templates. Set as default on the standard enrollment certificate reduces selection errors.
- Track fillable status before chasing students. Pending versus signed states on Assigned fillable documents show who still owes a signature.
- Keep GKV and PDF workflows distinct. Exmatriculation reporting to Krankenkassen runs through Export exmatriculations; confirmation letters to students may still be smart documents on the same profile.
- Prefer deactivate over delete for users. When someone leaves, deactivate preserves document history; deleting the user removes their record permanently.
- After template edits, regenerate deliberately. Old files stay; new wording needs a new generation — Edit a document.
Common pitfalls
| Pitfall | What to do |
|---|---|
| Delete blocked on a template | Remove self-service or study-contract configuration referencing that template |
| Cannot find generated PDF | Check Smart documents versus Uploaded files sections on the user Documents tab |
| Student sees no self-service items | Verify self-service rules, role eligibility, and Management tab visibility |
| Wrong template field count | Re-open Edit in the editor — Fields should match the fields you mapped on the template |
| Looking for insurance notices under Documents | Use the Krankenkasse tab for GKV XML history |
FAQ
Where do generated PDFs live?
On the user profile under Documents — Smart documents for generated output, Uploaded files for manual attachments. End users also see their self-service results under Dashboard → Management → Documents.
Can I recover a deleted template?
Deletion is permanent. Keep a copy of the source PDF offline or duplicate templates before major changes using Start from template when creating a replacement.
Do study contracts appear in the main templates table?
When tuition management is enabled, study-contract templates may appear in a dedicated section on Settings → Documents as well as on the user Documents tab. Management actions follow the same Edit and Delete patterns described in Edit a document. Details: Study contracts and certificates.
Who can delete files from a profile?
Administrators need permission to edit or delete user documents, and role-specific delete rules still apply. Generated smart documents and uploaded files may follow different row actions — check the menu on each section.