---
title: "Manage Key Definitions (Document Keys and Line Item Keys)"
slug: "manage-key-definitions-1"
description: "This page provides instructions to help administrators create and manage key definitions."
tags: ["Administration", "Keep"]
updated: 2026-06-08T07:50:54Z
published: 2026-06-08T07:50:54Z
canonical: "kb.lasernetgroup.com/manage-key-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 Key Definitions (Document Keys and Line Item Keys)

Key definitions define the type of data that Keep can store, as metadata, about the documents in its archive. You create document keys, line item keys, and document definitions, and then you “bind” those key definitions to the document definitions.

You can bind one or more key definitions to a document definition, to form a set of metadata fields that all the documents given that document definition can store values for. You can also search for documents based on their document key values (if an appropriately configured search configuration is available).

You can bind a key definition to more than one document definition.

## Document Keys

When a document key is bound to a document definition, each document given that document definition can have only one value for that document key.

For example, an invoice might have an Invoice Number document key.

## Line Item Keys

When a line item key is bound to a document definition, each document given that document definition can have multiple values for that line item key.

For example, an invoice might have several Quantity line item key values, each one containing data for a different order line in the invoice.

## Example (Document Keys)

You could create the following document keys:

- CustomerID
- Document Date
- Invoice Total

And you could create the following document definitions:

- Statement
- Invoice

Then, you could add the following key bindings:

- Bind the following document keys to the Statement document definition:
  - CustomerID
  - Document Date
- Bind the following document keys to the Invoice document definition:
  - CustomerID
  - Document Date
  - Invoice Total

As a result of this setup, when you upload a statement to Keep, you would be able to supply CustomerID and Document Date metadata values to accompany the document (if an appropriately configured upload configuration was available). When uploading an invoice, you would be able to provide metadata values for CustomerID, Document Date, and Invoice Total.

The key bindings would also enable you to search for documents based on their document key values (if an appropriately configured search configuration was available).

## Navigate to the Key Definitions Page

To access the **Key Definitions** page, click **Archive Structure** in the admin menu, then select **Key Definitions**.

![The Key Definitions admin menu item.](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/menu key definitions.png)

## Find Your Way Around the Key Definitions Page

![A number annotated screenshot of the Key Definitions page of Keep.](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/find your way around key definitions(1).png)

| Number | Item | More information |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Document keys | Click **Document Keys** to edit and delete existing document keys. The keys are organised by data type (String, number, and date). |
| 2 | Line Item Keys | Click **Line Item Keys** to edit and delete existing line item keys. The keys are organised by data type (String, number, and date). |
| 3 | New Definition | Click **New Definition** to [create a new document key or line item key](/v1/docs/manage-key-definitions-1#add-a-key-definition). |

## Add a Key Definition

To add a key definition, follow these steps:

1. On the **Key Definitions** page, click **New Definition** (see 1 in the image below). The **New Key Definition** window opens.

![A number-annotated screenshot that supports instructions on how to add a key definition to Keep.](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/new key definition(1).png)
2. In the **Data Type** area (2), click **String**, **Number**, or **Date**.
3. In the **Cardinality** area (3), click [**Document Key**](/v1/docs/manage-key-definitions-1#document-keys) or [**Line Item Key**](/v1/docs/manage-key-definitions-1#line-item-keys).
4. Enter a **Label** (4) for the new key definition. The **Label** is the key definition’s “display name” and must be unique. Keep uses this label to identify the new key definition in various parts of the application, such as on its tile on the **Key Definitions** page.
  - **Label** must be in UTF-8 character encoding.
  - You can enter a label in any language.
5. Enter a **Name** (5) for the new key definition. 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.
6. Click **Confirm** (6) to create the key definition.
  - Click **Cancel** to close the window without creating the key definition.

### Next Steps

To use the key definition, you must bind it to a document definition. You can bind a key definition to a document definition when you:

- Edit a document definition
- Edit a key definition

To bind several different keys to one particular document definition, [edit that document definition](/v1/docs/manage-document-definitions-1#edit-a-document-definition). It is the quickest method for this scenario because you can select all those keys and bind them to that document definition in one action. In the same way, you can bind multiple keys to a new documentation definition [when you create it](/v1/docs/manage-document-definitions-1).

To bind one particular key (such as the key that you created) to one or more different document definitions, [edit the key](/v1/docs/manage-key-definitions-1#edit-a-key-definition). You can bind the key to multiple document definitions in one action.

## Edit a Key Definition

When you edit a key definition, you can change its **Label** and **Name**, and update its document definition bindings.

To begin editing a key, click its tile on the **Key Definitions** page (see 1 in the image below). The key definition editing panel opens.

After you have completed your edits, click **Update** (6) to save your changes.

The following sections describe how to edit particular aspects of a key definition.

### Edit the Key Definition’s Label and Name

In the key definition editing panel, click **Basic Details** (see 2 in the image below), then update **Label**, **Name**, or both.

> [!NOTE]
> Note
> 
> You cannot change the **Data Type** or **Cardinality** of an existing key definition.

> [!WARNING]
> Warning
> 
> Modifying **Name** will break any third-party software integrations that reference this key by name.

### Bind Document Definitions to the Key That You Are Editing

In the key definition editing panel, click **Bindings** (see 3 in the image below), then select the checkbox (4) for each document definition that you want to bind the key definition to.

> [!TIP]
> Tip
> 
> If the list of document definitions is long, type in the search box (5) above the list of document definitions to filter the list.

![A number-annotated screenshot that supports instructions on how to edit a key definition.](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/editing key definition(1).png)

### Unbind Document Definitions

To unbind the key definition from a document definition, click **Bindings** and then clear the document definition’s checkbox.

After you click **Update**, 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 from the document definition. Confirmation is required because if any documents that have the involved 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, Keep will display an error message.

#### The Key Definition Is Referenced By One or More Search and Upload Configurations for That Document Definition

In this scenario, Keep displays a message that begins with:

`Error updating key definition`

`The following document definitions can't be unbound because the listed applications reference this key and unbinding them would break these references.`

The error message lists the search or upload configurations that currently use this key and this document definition.

Unbind the key from those search or upload configurations, and then try again to unbind the key definition from the document definition.

## Delete a Key Definition

To delete a key definition, follow these steps:

1. On the **Key Definitions** page, click the menu button (three vertical dots) on the key definition that you want to delete.

![Menu used to delete a document definition.](https://cdn.document360.io/c831ef63-c6b3-48ee-b443-3e33644e4e2e/Images/Documentation/deleting key definition(1).png)
2. Select **Delete** from the menu.
3. In the **Delete Key Definition** window, follow the instructions, then click **Confirm**.

However, in some scenarios, Keep will display a warning or an error message. These scenarios are the same as those described for [unbinding a document definition](/v1/docs/manage-key-definitions-1#unbind-document-definitions), so refer to the information provided there.