--- title: "Manage Document Definitions" slug: "manage-document-definitions-1" description: "This page provides instructions to help administrators create and manage document definitions." updated: 2026-06-08T07:48:16Z published: 2026-06-08T07:48:16Z canonical: "kb.lasernetgroup.com/manage-document-definitions-1" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://kb.lasernetgroup.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Manage Document Definitions Document definitions classify the documents that are uploaded to Keep’s archive. A Keep administrator typically creates a set of appropriate document definitions (such as Letter, Invoice, or Statement), which can be applied to documents when they are uploaded to Keep. To enable Keep to store metadata (such as Customer ID, Document Date, or Invoice Total) for each uploaded document, you can “bind” [key definitions](/v1/docs/manage-key-definitions-1) to a document definition. For each document definition, key bindings specify the metadata that documents of that type can have. For example, you might bind a Customer ID key to Letter, Invoice, and Statement document definitions. After you do that, [upload configurations can be set up](/v1/docs/add-an-upload-configuration) to enable users to supply those metadata values (when uploading documents), and [search configurations can be set up](/v1/docs/add-a-search-configuration) to enable users to search for documents based on that metadata. ## Navigate to the Document Definitions Page To access the **Document Definitions** page, click **Archive Structure** in the admin menu, then select **Document Definitions**. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/menu%20document%20definitions.png) ## Find Your Way Around the Document Definitions Page ![Annotated screenshot of the document definitions page](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/find your way around document definitions.png) | Number | Item | More information | | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | Document definitions | The main area of the page contains a tile for each document definition. | | 2 | Document definition tile | Click a document definition’s tile to [edit that document definition](/v1/docs/manage-document-definitions-1#edit-a-document-definition). | | 3 | Menu button | Click the menu button (three vertical dots) to access the menu for a document definition. You can [delete the document definition](/v1/docs/manage-document-definitions-1#delete-a-document-definition) or [create an upload configuration or a search configuration from it](/v1/docs/manage-document-definitions-1#create-an-upload-configuration-or-a-search-configuration-from-a-document-definition). | | 4 | **New Definition** button | Click **New Definition** to begin [creating a new document definition.](/v1/docs/manage-document-definitions-1#add-a-document-definition) | | 5 | **Extended Properties** button | Click **Extended Properties** to define [extended properties for document definitions](/v1/docs/manage-extended-properties). You can [provide values for extended properties](/v1/docs/manage-document-definitions-1#3-provide-values-for-extended-properties) when you add or edit a document definition. | ## Add a Document Definition To add a documentation definition to Keep, follow this process:

  1. Create a new document definition. This involves setting basic properties (such as Name) for the new document definition.

  2. Bind key definitions to the new document definition. This specifies which metadata can be provided for documents that are assigned that document definition.

  3. If applicable, provide values for extended properties.

  4. Save the new document definition.

 For step-by-step instructions, see the following sections. ### 1. Create a Document Definition To begin the process of adding a document definition to Keep, follow these steps: 1. On the **Document Definitions** page, click **New Definition** (see 1 in the image below). ![A number annotated screenshot of the Document Definitions page with the New Document Definition window open.](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/new document definitions.png) 2. In the **New Document Definition** window (see 2 in the image above), enter a **Label**. The **Label** is the document definition’s “display name” and must be unique. Keep uses this label to identify the new document definition in various parts of the application, such as on the document definition’s tile on the **Document Definitions** page. - **Label** must be in UTF-8 character encoding. - You can enter a label in any language. 3. Enter a **Name**. Primarily, Keep uses **Name** internally when processing actions. It is displayed in only some areas in the Keep user interface (such as in the audit log). **Name** must be unique. - **Name** must contain only lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens. Spaces are not allowed. - When you enter a **Label**, Keep automatically generates a **Name**. However, you can modify the generated name. - **Name** must be in UTF-8 character encoding. - It is recommended to enter English names. 4. **Optional****:** Specify a **Filename** format. This format determines the filename that Keep applies to archive files that are retrieved for external distribution. If you do not specify a format, Keep uses a default filename format. - You can construct the format from text and the following tokens: - `${id}` — the document id - `${doc-def-label}` — the label of the document definition - `${<bound key>}` — the name of any key that is bound to the document definition. For example: `${invoice-name}` - You do not need to include the file extension in the format. Keep automatically adds it to the filename. - The default format is `${id}_${doc-def-label}` 5. Click **Confirm**. Keep creates the document definition and adds it to the **Document Definitions** page. The next stage of the process is to bind keys to the document definition. ### 2. Bind Keys to the Document Definition > [!NOTE] > Note > > Before you bind keys to this document definition, you must create them. For instructions, see [Manage Key Definitions](/v1/docs/manage-key-definitions-1). To bind keys to the new document definition, follow these steps: 1. On the **Document Definitions** page, click the document definition that you want to bind keys to. 2. Click **Document Keys** (see 1 in the image below) and then select the document keys that you want to bind to the document definition. Click **List** or **Grid** (2) to choose a binding method: ![A number-annotated screenshot that indicates the position of various elements of the properties page for a document definition.](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/document definition controls(1).png) - **Grid** - Select the checkbox on the keys that you want to bind. - Clear the checkbox on the keys that you do not want to bind. - The keys are organized by data type. ![Grid view for binding and unbinding document keys.](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/grid view of document keys(2).png) - **List** - Move the keys that you want to bind to the **Bound** list. - Move the keys that you do not want to bind to the **Unbound** list. - To move a key from one list to the other, click it in its current list. - If the lists contain many keys, use the **Filter key definitions** boxes to find the keys that you want to move. - Colors indicate your changes until you save the document definition. If you move a key to the **Bound** list (or create a key to bind as described in the next step), the key is colored green. If you move a key to the **Unbound** list, it is colored red. ![List view for binding and unbinding document keys.](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/list view document keys.png) 3. If necessary, you can add a key definition to Keep and bind it to this document definition in one action. To do this, click **New Key Definition** (see 3 in the image under step 2). Follow the instructions in [Manage Key Definitions (Document Keys and Line Item Keys)](/v1/docs/manage-key-definitions-1#add-a-key-definition) to use the **New Key Definition** window to create a new document key. Keep creates the new key and selects it to bind to this document definition. After creating the key, continue following the instructions below. 4. Click **Line Item Keys** and then select the line item keys that you want to bind to the document definition. To add a line item key and bind it to this document definition, follow the **New Key Definition** instructions above. 5. If applicable, [provide values for extended properties](/v1/docs/manage-document-definitions-1#3-provide-values-for-extended-properties). 6. Click **Save Changes** (see 4 in the image under step 2) to save your changes. - To discard your changes so that you can start again, click **Reset**. - To discard your changes and return to the **Document Definitions** page, click **Cancel**. ### 3. Provide Values for Extended Properties By default, a document definition has only **Label** and **Name** properties. If you want to add additional properties to document definitions to describe them (for example, to specify a security level for each document definition), you can create [appropriate “extended properties”](/v1/docs/manage-extended-properties) and then provide values for those properties when you create or edit document definitions. You can view this additional metadata in Keep. External properties also support integrations of external applications with Keep. > [!NOTE] > Note > > Before you provide values for extended properties, you must define those extended properties. For instructions, see [Manage Extended Properties](/v1/docs/manage-extended-properties). To provide values for extended properties, follow these steps: 1. On the **Document Definitions** page, click the document definition that you want to provide extended property values for. 2. Go to the **Extended Properties** page and then enter property values. 3. Click **Save Changes** to save your changes. - To discard your changes so that you can start again, click **Reset**. - To discard your changes and return to the **Document Definitions** page, click **Cancel**. ### 4. Save the Document Definition To save any currently unsaved changes to the document definition, click **Save Changes**. To discard your changes so that you can start again, click **Reset**. To discard your changes and return to the **Document Definitions** page, click **Cancel**. ## Edit a Document Definition You can make changes to existing document definitions. To edit a document definition, navigate to the **Document Definitions** page, and then click the tile of the document definition that you want to edit. ![Statement document definition tile selected.](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/document definition tile selected.png) ### Edit Label, Name, or Filename To edit the document definition’s **Label**, **Name**, or **Filename**, follow these steps: 1. Click **Edit** beside the document definition name (see 1 in the image below). ![A number annotated image that supports instructions on how to edit a document definition.](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/editing document definition(1).png) 2. In the **Edit basic details** window, modify **Label**, **Name**, or **Filename**. > [!NOTE] > Note > > For more information about the **Label**, **Name**, and **Filename** properties, see [Create a Document Definition](/v1/docs/manage-document-definitions-1#1-create-a-document-definition). 3. Click **Confirm**. 4. [Save your changes](/v1/docs/manage-document-definitions-1#save-your-changes-after-editing-a-document-definition). ### Edit Key Bindings (Bind and Unbind) To edit key bindings, follow these steps: 1. Click **Document Keys** (see 2 in the image above). 2. Use the grid or list view to bind and unbind document key definitions (3). For instructions, see [Bind Keys to the Document Definition](/v1/docs/manage-document-definitions-1#2-bind-keys-to-the-document-definition). 3. On the **Line Item Keys** tab, do the same for line item keys. 4. [Save your changes](/v1/docs/manage-document-definitions-1#save-your-changes-after-editing-a-document-definition). > [!WARNING] > Important > > If you are unbinding a key, an **Acknowledgement Required** window will warn you that data loss might occur if you proceed. You must confirm that you want to unbind the key. Confirmation is required, because if any documents that have this document definition hold data in this key, that data will be removed from those documents. The window also advises you to take a database backup before proceeding. > > > > To proceed, type the phrase displayed in the window into the provided box, then click **Confirm**. > > > > However, in the following scenario (where the key is used by a configuration), you will be unable to proceed. > [!WARNING] > Important > > You cannot unbind a key that is currently used by an existing upload configuration or search configuration. > > > > To remove a key from existing upload configurations or search configurations, you must: > > - **For search configurations:** When editing a search configuration that uses the key: > - Click **Query** and delete the key from the list of query keys. > - Click **Results** and delete the key from the list of results keys. > - Click **Editable** and delete the key from the list of editable keys. > - **For upload configurations:** When editing the upload configuration that uses the key: > - Click **Key Configuration** and delete the key from the list. > > After you do this, you can unbind the key from the document definition. ### Edit Extended Properties Click **Extended Properties** (see 4 in the image above) and then enter property values. Then, [save your changes](/v1/docs/manage-document-definitions-1#save-your-changes-after-editing-a-document-definition). > [!NOTE] > Note > > For more information about extended properties, see [Provide Values for Extended Properties](/v1/docs/manage-document-definitions-1#3-provide-values-for-extended-properties). ### Save Your Changes After Editing a Document Definition To save your changes to the document definition, click **Save Changes** (5). However, to discard your changes so that you can start again, click **Reset**. To discard your changes and return to the **Document Definitions** page, click **Cancel**. ## Delete a Document Definition You can delete a document definition from Keep. After you delete a document definition, it is no longer available to add to search configurations or upload configurations. > [!WARNING] > Warning > > When you delete a document definition, Keep deletes all documents in the archive that have that document definition applied to them. This deletion action includes the latest revision of each document and all historical revisions. Before deleting a document definition, Keep displays a confirmation window that warns you that data will be deleted as a result of your action; you must explicitly approve the action. > > > > Before approving the action, consider taking a backup of the Keep database. > [!WARNING] > Important > > You cannot delete a document definition if a search configuration or upload configuration currently uses it. Before deleting the document definition, you must remove it from search configurations and upload configurations. > > > > If you try to delete a document definition in this scenario, Keep will list the searches and uploads that use the document definition. [Modify the search configurations or upload configurations](/v1/docs/edit-or-delete-a-lasernet-keep-configuration) to remove the document definition from them, then try again to delete the document definition. To delete an existing document definition, perform the following actions: 1. On the **Document Definitions** page, [click the menu button (three vertical dots) on the document definition that you want to delete, and then click **Delete**.](/v1/docs/manage-document-definitions-1#find-your-way-around-the-document-definitions-page) 2. The **Delete Document Definition** window requires you to confirm that you want to delete the document definition and remove all associated data from the archive. This window advises you to take a database backup, and advises you that the action might take some time to complete. To proceed, type the label of the document definition (as shown in the **Delete Document Definition** window) into the **To delete** box, then click **Confirm**. Keep deletes the document definition from the list on the **Document Definitions** page. However, in some scenarios (as described above), Keep cannot delete a document definition. Take appropriate steps to resolve the problem and then try again. ## The Document Usage Report To access the document usage report, click **Reports & Info** in the admin menu, then select **Document Usage**. ![Document Usage menu](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/menu document usage(1).png) For each document definition, the report lists: - The number of documents that have that document definition applied to them. - The amount of file storage that those documents occupy. - The compression rate for that data. ![The Document Usage report table.](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/document usage report table.png) ## Create an Upload Configuration or a Search Configuration from a Document Definition After you create a document definition, Keep can create and automatically configure a new upload configuration or search configuration that uses that document definition. To do this, follow these steps: 1. On the **Document Definitions** page, click the menu button (three vertical dots) on the document definition that you want to use. 2. In the menu, select **Create Search** or **Create Upload**. 3. In the confirmation window, click **Confirm**. Keep starts the editing process for the new search or upload, so that you can modify it. ![The Create Search and Create Upload menu items for a document definition.](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/create menu items for doc def(1).png) ### Upload Configurations An automatically created upload configuration: - Is bound to this document definition only. - Allows all file types. - Is bound to the same key definitions as the document definition. - Grants explicit access to the user that you are logged in as. ### Search Configurations An automatically created search configuration: - Is bound to this document definition only. - Has query keys that match the key definitions bound to the document definition. - Has results keys that match the key definitions bound to the document definition. - Has editable keys that match the key definitions bound to the document definition. - Has Customer Unique Key as an editable key. - Grants explicit access to the user that you are logged in as.