This article explains how to manage documents in Neostella. You will learn how to upload files from your device, link external documents, edit metadata, download, share, tag, and organize documents within the system. It also covers collaboration tools such as document messages, version history, and SharePoint integration, along with actions like replacing files, deleting documents, and restoring previous versions.
By using these features, teams can keep documents centralized, organized, and easily accessible while maintaining version control and secure collaboration.
How to Upload a Document from your Device
Uploading documents to Neostella is quick and simple. Keeping your files inside the system ensures they stay organized, linked to the right records, and accessible to your team when needed keeping your information centralized, secure, and easy to manage, no more searching through emails or local folders.
To add a new document, follow these steps:
- In the ALL DOCUMENTS page click the +DOCUMENT button.
- Select the file(s) from your device.
OR
Locate the file(s) from your device, drag and drop it in the ALL DOCUMENTS page.
- The document was created successfully message is displayed.
- The document(s) are uploaded and listed in the dashboard, where the user can open the Document Details Side Panel by clicking its name or the Document Management page by clicking the View icon
.
- There is no maximum file size limit.
- The user can upload multiple documents at the same time.
Here's an interactive tutorial
How to Add an External Document
If the document is stored outside Neostella (for example, in another system or website), users can easily add it as an External Document by linking its URL.
To add a new external document, follow these steps:
- In the ALL DOCUMENTS page click the chevron icon ▼ next to the +DOCUMENT button.
- Select + External.
- Enter the Document Name.
- Add a valid External URL that links to the document.
If the entered URL is not valid, the Invalid URL format message is displayed.
- Click SAVE. The document is listed in the dashboard, and the user can open the Document Details Side Panel by clicking its name or the Document Management page by clicking the View icon
.
Here's an interactive tutorial
How to Navigate Between Documents in the Details Side Panel
- In the ALL DOCUMENTS, FOLDERS or TRASH tab, locate the document in the list and click on its name to open the Details Side Panel.
- At the top of the panel, click the right arrow → to view the next document details in the Side Panel.
- Click the left arrow ← to view the previous document details in the Side Panel.
The panel updates automatically and displays the information for the document currently selected, following the same order shown in the table.
Here's an interactive tutorial
How to Edit a Document Metadata
Editing document metadata allows users to keep documents organized, searchable, and properly linked within Neostella. Metadata, such as the document name, type, description, and associated projects, helps your team quickly understand what the document is about and where it belongs.
Keeping metadata accurate improves filtering, reporting, and overall document management. Instead of renaming files outside Neostella or losing context, users can update everything directly from the Details Side Panel.
To edit the document metadata, follow these steps:
- In the ALL DOCUMENTS, FOLDERS or TRASH tab, locate in the list the document and
- Click on the document name to open the Details Side Panel.
OR
- Click the View
icon to open the Document Management Page.
- In the OVERVIEW, modify the document metadata: Tags, Name, Document Type, Description, and Projects associated with the document.
- Then click SAVE. The document was edited successfully message is displayed.
The selected projects are associated with the document, making it visible and available within those project management interfaces.
Here's an interactive tutorial
How to Download a Document
Downloading a document allows users to save a local copy to their device for offline access, external sharing, or recordkeeping. The original file remains securely stored in Neostella, ensuring version integrity while giving you access when needed.
To download one or more documents directly in the dashboard, follow these steps:
- In the ALL DOCUMENTS, FOLDERS or TRASH tab, locate the document(s) in the list and mark its checkbox.
- At the top of the list, click the Download icon
. All selected documents are downloaded to your device.
To download a document from the Details Side Panel follow these steps:
- In the ALL DOCUMENTS, FOLDERS or TRASH tab, locate in the list the document and
- Click the document name to open the Details Side Panel.
Here's an interactive tutorial
OR
- Click the View
icon to open the Document Management Page.
- In the Details Side Panel click the Download icon
. The file is downloaded to your device.
Here's an interactive tutorial
How to Share a Document With Neostella Users
Sharing a document in Neostella allows users to collaborate securely without sending attachments by email or duplicating files. Instead of downloading and re-uploading documents, users can grant access directly, ensuring that everyone is working on the same file, reducing version confusion, and keeping all activity centralized.
When a user shares a document, the selected users gain access based on their existing role in Neostella. Their permissions remain aligned with their assigned role, which helps maintain governance and security.
By sharing documents directly in Neostella, users keep collaboration structured, secure, and centralized, ensuring the right people have access at the right time.
To share a document, follow these steps:
- In the ALL DOCUMENTS, FOLDERS or TRASH tab, locate in the list the document and
- Click on the document name to open the Details Side Panel.
OR
- Click the View
icon to open the Document Management Page.
- In the Details Side Panel click the Share icon
. The Share Document window is displayed.
- In the Search to share with… field, start typing the name or email of a Neostella user.
- Matching users will appear in the dropdown list.
- Then click on the user name to select them. The selected user is added to the Shared With section, where their email and associated role are indicated.
- To add more users, repeat steps 3-4.
- The displayed role is the associated role the selected user has.
- When no coincidences are found, the No users match your search message is displayed.
- To remove a user before confirming, click the X icon next to their name in the Shared With section.
- Click Share Document to confirm the action. The Document shared successfully with N (number of) user(s) message is displayed.
Here's an interactive tutorial
How to Share a Document via SharePoint
The SharePoint integration allows users to open and collaborate on Microsoft Office files (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) directly in Microsoft’s native interface without downloading the file or using local Office applications.
When a document is opened in SharePoint:
- Users can collaborate in real time.
- Multiple team members can co-author the same file.
- Formatting and Microsoft features are preserved.
- Changes remain synced with Neostella, which continues to store the document record, metadata, and version history.
This ensures a smooth editing experience while maintaining compliance, traceability, and document control within Neostella.
- This option is available only for Microsoft Office documents (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and requires that the SharePoint integration has already been configured by your administrator.
- Each tenant in Neostella must have a dedicated SharePoint integrated account, to securely use pre-authorized credentials. This setup ensures isolated activity and full control over the document environment.
- PDF, image, and other non-Office formats remain view-only in Neostella.
- For more information about the SharePoint integration, please visit:
To open an Office document stored in Neostella, through the SharePoint integration, follow these steps:
- In the ALL DOCUMENTS, FOLDERS or TRASH tab, locate in the list the document and
- Click the document name to open the Details Side Panel.
OR
- Click the View
icon to open the Document Management Page.
- In the Details Side Panel click the Open in SharePoint icon
. A browser tab opens in SharePoint, where a temporary copy of the document is generated in the tenant’s SharePoint space.
- Edit the document using Microsoft’s SharePoint native interface. The Autosave feature ensures changes are preserved continuously within SharePoint.
- The copy of the document remains linked to its record in Neostella during the editing session, ensuring all changes are synced.
- No files are retained by SharePoint after the editing session ends.
- All edits remain in the SharePoint copy and Neostella is constantly retrieving the changes in the document.
-
After 2 hours of inactivity (no further changes or autosave events), Neostella automatically:
- Downloads the final file from SharePoint.
- Creates a new document version within Neostella.
- Removes the temporary file from SharePoint.
- Upload to SharePoint: Neostella uploads the selected file from S3 to the tenant’s SharePoint space.
Here's an interactive tutorial
How to Assign/Remove Tags in a Document
Tags help you organize and categorize documents for easier filtering and retrieval. By assigning tags, you make documents easier to find across folders, projects, and search results. Tags improve visibility, reporting, and overall document organization without changing the document itself.
To assign a tag, follow these steps:
- In the ALL DOCUMENTS, FOLDERS or TRASH tab, locate the document in the list and click on its name to open the Details Side Panel.
- In the displayed panel, click the + icon next to Assign Tags. A dropdown list displays the existing tags that were previously created.
- Click the desired tag. The selected tag is automatically added to the document.
Here's an interactive tutorial
To remove a tag, follow these steps:
- In the ALL DOCUMENTS, FOLDERS or TRASH tab, locate in the list the document and
- Click on the document name to open the Details Side Panel.
OR
- Click the View
icon to open the Document Management Page.
- In the Details Side Panel locate the assigned tag label and click the X icon next to the tag. The tag is immediately removed from the document.
Here's an interactive tutorial
How to Replace a File/Add a New Version
Replacing a file allows users to upload a new version of a document while keeping the same document record. The document retains its metadata, tags, linked projects, and version history, while only the file content is updated, ensuring proper version control, prevents duplicate records, and keeps document tracking clean and organized.
Users can replace a file from:
-
Details Side Panel (Quick Management Mode)
- From the OVERVIEW tab (Replace File option)
- From the VERSION HISTORY tab (Add New Version button)
-
Document Management Page (Full View Mode)
- From the VERSION HISTORY tab (Add New Version button)
Option 1: Replace File from the Details Side Panel – OVERVIEW Tab
- In the ALL DOCUMENTS, FOLDERS or TRASH tab, locate in the list the document and click on the document name to open the Details Side Panel.
- In the OVERVIEW tab, click Replace File.
- Select the new file from your device and click Open. The upload progress is displayed (For example: Uploading… x%). Once completed, the file is replaced while keeping the same document record.
Here's an interactive tutorial
Option 2: Add a New Version from the VERSION HISTORY Tab (Side Panel or Full View)
This option is available in:
- The Details Side Panel (Quick Management Mode)
- The Document Management Page (Full View Mode)
To add a new version follow these steps:
- Open the document:
- Click the document name to open the Details Side Panel, or
- Click the View to open the Document Management Page.
- Navigate to the VERSION HISTORY tab.
- Click ADD NEW VERSION.
- Select the new file from your device and click Open. The upload progress is displayed (for example: Uploading… x%). Once completed, the file is replaced while keeping the same document record.
After replacing a file or adding a new version, the document record remains the same. If applicable, the file name and format are updated automatically. The system also updates the Updated By user and the Last Updated date and time. All metadata, tags, linked projects, and version history are preserved to ensure full traceability.
Here's an interactive tutorial
How to Display the Quick View
Quick View allows users to preview a document directly in the document viewer without opening the full management page. This helps users to quickly review content while staying in context.
View is enabled only when the document has a thumbnail available.
To display the View, follow these steps:
- In the ALL DOCUMENTS, FOLDERS or TRASH tab, locate in the list the document and click on its name to open the Details Side Panel.
- In the document preview section of the displayed panel, click Quick View. The document viewer opens and displays the file preview.
From the viewer, the user can zoom in or out, adjust the page fit, navigate between pages, and access the documents gallery (when available).
Here's an interactive tutorial
How to Delete a Document
You can easily delete documents stored in your workspace directly from the ALL DOCUMENTS or FOLDERS tab in the dashboard. Whether you're cleaning up outdated files or organizing your content, deleting one or multiple documents only takes a few clicks.
When deleted, documents are removed from the main tables, where your most important and active files are located, but they remain accessible in the TRASH tab. This allows you to track older versions and retain documents that may still be needed for audit purposes or historical reference. This approach ensures that documents can be recovered if they were deleted by mistake.
Deleting a document performs a soft delete, which means:
- The document is removed from active views.
- The document is unlinked from all projects and leads it was previously associated with and is no longer visible in the project or lead management view.
- The actual file is not removed from Neostella platform.
- The document is moved to the TRASH, where it can be easily restored if needed.
To delete one or more documents, directly in the dashboard, follow these steps:
- In the ALL DOCUMENTS or FOLDERS tab, locate in the list the document(s) and mark its checkbox.
- At the top of the list, click the Delete icon
. A confirmation window is displayed.
- Click the YES, DELETE DOCUMENTS button to confirm the deletion. The documents were deleted successfully message is displayed and the documents are moved to the TRASH tab.
Here's an interactive tutorial
OR
To delete a document, via Details Side Panel, follow these steps:
- In the ALL DOCUMENTS, or FOLDERS tab, locate in the list the document and click on its name to open the Details Side Panel.
- In the document preview section of the displayed panel, click the DELETE button. A confirmation window is displayed.
- Click the YES, DELETE DOCUMENT button to confirm the deletion. The document was deleted successfully message is displayed and the document is moved to the TRASH tab.
- Deleting a document may affect linked records, projects, or references.
- Only users with the appropriate permissions can delete documents.
Here's an interactive tutorial
MESSAGES Tab
The MESSAGES tab allows users to collaborate directly within a document. All communication stays attached to the document, keeping discussions centralized, contextual, and easy to track.
In this tab, users can:
- View the full message history
- See sender names and timestamps
- Mention other users using @username
- Format text (bold, italic, strikethrough, links, lists, quotes)
- Reply directly to a specific message using threads
- Post new messages in real time
This keeps conversations organized and tied to the exact document they relate to, eliminating the need for emails or external chat tools.
For more information about messages, please read:
- How to Send a Message.
- How to Mention (Tag) a User.
- How to Reply to a Specific Message (Thread).
- How to View a Thread.
VERSION HISTORY Tab
The VERSION HISTORY tab allows users to review and manage previous versions of a document while keeping a complete audit trail.
In this tab, users can:
- View the Current Version of the document.
- See a list of previous versions, including:
- The user who uploaded the version.
- The version number (V1, V2, V3, etc.).
- The date and time it was created.
- Restore a previous version if needed.
- Refresh the list to check for updates.
Versions are grouped by working session. A session ends after 2 hours of inactivity.
How to Refresh the Version List
If the latest changes are not displayed:
- In the ALL DOCUMENTS, FOLDERS or TRASH tab, locate in the list the document and
- Click the document name to open the Details Side Panel.
OR
- Click the View
icon to open the Document Management Page.
- Navigate to the VERSION HISTORY tab.
- Click the Refresh icon
next to the Current Version label.
- The list is automatically updated and displays the most recent version information.
Here's an interactive tutorial
How to Restore a Document Previous Version
Restoring a version makes the selected version the new, current version of the document.
- In the ALL DOCUMENTS, FOLDERS or TRASH tab, locate in the list the document and
- Click the document name to open the Details Side Panel.
OR
- Click the View
icon to open the Document Management Page.
- Navigate to the VERSION HISTORY tab.
- Locate the version you want to restore.
- Click the Restore icon
next to that version.
- In the confirmation window, click YES, RESTORE.
The current version was created successfully message is displayed.
The selected version becomes the current version.
The restoration action is tracked in the version history to maintain a clear audit trail.
For more information about uploading a new version, please read How to Replace a File/Add a New Version.
Here's an interactive tutorial
Document Viewer
The Document Viewer enables users to open and read files directly within Neostella. Additionally, it has a tool bar for managing the displayed document and a navigation bar.
These elements are described below:
Here's an interactive tutorial
| Element | Description |
|
|
Click this menu to access the following options:
|
|
|
Open a side panel to view thumbnails of the document page. |
|
|
This option expands the controls for page Transition, Orientation, and Layout. |
|
|
These options allow users to fit the document to width or page, adjust the zoom percentage, marquee zoom, and zoom in or out. |
|
|
Find specific text or phrases in the document. Use Case Sensitive to match exact casing and Whole Word to match complete words only. |
|
|
Select to display the Document Viewer in full screen
mode.
Press Esc or click the Exit Full Screen
icon
|
|
|
The navigation controls allow users to move between pages or specify a page number. |