Folders and filing rules

Organize envelopes and templates in folders, and use filing rules to move envelopes into folders automatically as their status changes.

Folders

Envelopes and templates have separate sets of folders. Folders are available on every plan.

Create a folder

Go to Envelopes or Templates.
Click New folder in the row of folders above the list.
Enter a Folder name and click Create.

To make a subfolder, open a folder first, then click New folder. Folders can be nested as deep as you need.

Move envelopes and templates

To move one item, open its ⋯ menu and choose Move to folder.
To move several envelopes, select them and click Move in the bar that appears.
To move several templates, select them and click Move to folder.

Pick a folder, or Home (No Folder) to take items out of folders.

On a template's page, you can also choose Move to folder from the ⋯ menu.

Edit, move or delete a folder

Open the menu on a folder to:

Edit its name. For envelope folders, you can also turn on Use for visitor check-in here. See Kiosk mode.
Move it inside another folder.
Delete it. Type the confirmation text shown to confirm.

Deleting a folder doesn't delete what's in it. Its envelopes or templates, and any subfolders, move up to the folder it was in.

Filing rules

A filing rule moves an envelope into a folder each time it reaches a status. For example, a rule can file completed contracts into Signed and voided ones into Voided.

Note

Filing rules are available on Starter, Pro and Platform.

A rule maps each status to an envelope folder:

Status	When it applies
Sent	The envelope is sent for signing
Completed	Everyone has finished
Voided	The sender voids the envelope
Declined	A recipient declines
Expired	The envelope expires before it's finished

Statuses set to Don't file leave the envelope where it is.

Create a filing rule

In the sidebar, click Filing rules.
Click New filing rule.
Enter a Name, such as "Signed contracts".
Under Destination folders, pick a folder for each status you want to file.
Click Save.

To create a folder without leaving the dialog, choose Add folder… in any status list. You can name it and pick a parent folder, and it's selected for that status.

Use the pencil and trash icons on the Filing rules page to edit or delete a rule.

Click the star next to a rule to make it the default. New envelopes and templates start with the default rule selected. Click the star again to clear it, so new envelopes start with Manual (no automatic filing).

A workspace has at most one default rule.

Choose a rule for an envelope or template

Templates: pick a Filing rule when you upload the template, or change it in the template's Details panel. Envelopes created from the template use the template's rule.
Envelopes: change the Filing rule in the envelope's Details panel at any time. Choose Manual (no auto-filing) to turn filing off for that envelope.

Manual moves

If you move an envelope into a folder yourself, automatic filing stops for that envelope, so a later status change won't move it again. Other envelopes on the same rule aren't affected.

To turn automatic filing back on, choose a filing rule for the envelope again in its Details panel.

Deleted folders

If you delete a folder that a rule files into, that status changes to Don't file. The rest of the rule stays the same.

From the API

Folders and filing rules are also available in the API and the MCP server. Folder IDs start with fdr_ and filing rule IDs with frl_.

Endpoint	Does
`GET /folders`	Lists folders. Filter with `filter[type]` (`envelope` or `template`) or `filter[parent]`.
`POST /folders`	Creates a folder: `name`, `type`, and an optional `parent`.
`PATCH /folders/{folder}`	Renames a folder, or moves it with `parent` (`null` for the top level).
`DELETE /folders/{folder}`	Deletes a folder. Its contents move up, as in the app.
`GET /filing_rules`	Lists filing rules.
`POST /filing_rules`	Creates a rule: `name`, `targets` and `is_default`.
`PATCH /filing_rules/{filingRule}`	Changes only what you send. `targets` replaces every destination.
`DELETE /filing_rules/{filingRule}`	Deletes a rule.
`POST /envelopes/{envelope}/move`	Moves an envelope to `folder`, or out of its folder with `null`.
`POST /templates/{template}/move`	Moves a template to `folder`, or out of its folder with `null`.
`POST /envelopes/{envelope}/filing_rule`	Assigns a rule with `filing_rule`, or clears it with `null`. The rule files the envelope again even after a manual move.
`POST /templates/{template}/filing_rule`	Assigns a rule to a template, or clears it with `null`.

Each target is a status and an envelope folder:

json

{
  "name": "Signed contracts",
  "targets": [
    { "status": "completed", "folder": "fdr_01J…" },
    { "status": "voided", "folder": "fdr_01K…" }
  ]
}

Envelopes and templates show their folder, and POST /envelopes and POST /templates/{template}/envelopes accept one. Moving an envelope through the API stops automatic filing for it, the same as a manual move in the app.

Reading needs the folders:read ability and changing folders or rules needs folders:write. Moving an envelope needs envelopes:write, and moving a template needs templates:write. Folders and filing rules are shared by test and live mode, so changing them needs a live key (403 live_key_required). The filing rule endpoints need a plan with filing rules (403 permission_denied).