What you will accomplish

You will set up clear document categories, turn on customer access where needed, and help customers upload files themselves from My Documents in the customer portal—so your front desk receives fewer email attachments.

This guide is for staff who configure uploads and coach customers. Customers do not use the staff dashboard.

When to use this guide

• You want customers to upload insurance cards or registration without emailing photos.
• Onboarding should collect paperwork, but customers may also need to upload files later.
• Your team already saves files with Upload a document for a customer and you want the same categories available in the portal.

Before you start

• Document types exist in Settings > Contracts & Documents. If not, complete Configure document requirements first.
• Each customer-facing type has Customer Access turned on.
• The customer has a portal account (see Invite a customer to the portal).
• My Documents is enabled for your facility in Settings > Website & customer app if your team uses that toggle.

Step 1: Confirm document types customers may upload

1. Open Contracts & Documents

   Go to Settings > Contracts & Documents.

2. Review Document types for uploads

   Scroll to Document types for uploads. Each row is a label customers and staff see when saving a file.

   Expected result: Types such as Insurance and Vehicle Registration appear with Customer Access enabled for types customers should upload themselves.

3. Turn on Customer Access when needed

   Edit a type (or create one) and turn Customer Access on when customers should see or upload that category in the portal.

   Why this matters: If Customer Access is off, the type is for staff-only uploads—even if you turned on the onboarding upload step.

Step 2: Tell the customer where to go

After the customer signs in to the portal, they open My Documents.

1. Share the portal link

   Send your facility's customer sign-in link (see Share customer login links) or resend a portal invite from Contacts.

2. Direct them to My Documents

   In the customer portal, they can open My Documents from the main menu or from Customer settings when your facility shows that link.

   The page title reads My Documents with the subtitle View and upload your documents.

Expected result: The customer sees one card per allowed document type, each with an Upload button (or Upload your first document when nothing is on file yet).

Step 3: Walk the customer through an upload

Use plain language on the phone or in email:

1. Choose the document type

   Ask the customer to tap the card that matches their file—for example Insurance for an insurance card photo.

2. Open Upload

   They tap Upload (or Upload your first document).

3. Pick a file from their phone or computer

   In the Upload Document window, they choose a PDF or photo from their device. Many customers photograph a card with their phone camera.

   Expected result: They see the file name before saving.

4. Save

   They confirm the upload. The file appears under that document type on My Documents.

Expected result: Your team sees the same file on the customer record under Documents & Contracts (see Step 4).

Step 4: Confirm on the customer record (staff view)

1. Open Contacts

   Go to Contacts and open the customer.

2. Scroll to Documents & Contracts

   Find the Documents & Contracts section. Uploaded files appear as document cards with the type label you configured.

   Why this matters: Staff and customers share one file list—no need to hunt through email.

Optional: Require uploads during first-time onboarding

If every new customer must upload during their first portal visit:

1. Enable customer app onboarding

   In Settings > Customer onboarding, expand Customer app onboarding and turn the main switch on.

2. Enable the Document Upload step

   In the Onboarding steps list, turn on Document Upload and click Configure to choose required types.

   See Attach contracts to customer workflows for the full onboarding setup order (cars before contracts when vehicle fields are used).

What success looks like

• Customers can open My Documents after signing in.
• Each required file type appears with a clear name (Insurance, Registration, and so on).
• Uploaded files show on the customer record under Documents & Contracts.
• Your team spends less time saving email attachments manually.

Troubleshooting

What to do next

• Review signed contracts and document history to confirm everything is on file.
• Send a contract for signature when the customer still needs a signed agreement.
• Invite a customer to the portal if they have not signed in yet.