> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.storehouses.app/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Secure Storage

> Account-level document vault for storing important files like wills, insurance policies, and appraisals

<Badge icon="star" color="orange" size="md" shape="pill">Pro</Badge>

## Overview

Secure Storage is a document vault for Pro users to store important files separately from item-level attachments. Use it for wills, insurance policies, appraisals, certificates of authenticity, and other critical documents that apply to your overall collection or estate planning.

<Warning>
  **Pro Subscription Required**: Secure Storage is available exclusively to Pro and Lifetime subscribers.
</Warning>

## Why Secure Storage?

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Centralized Documents" icon="folder-tree">
    Keep important files in one secure location, separate from individual items
  </Card>

  <Card title="Estate Planning" icon="file-contract">
    Store wills, trusts, and estate documents for heirs to access
  </Card>

  <Card title="Insurance Management" icon="shield-halved">
    Organize policies, riders, and coverage documents with expiry tracking
  </Card>

  <Card title="Heir Access" icon="users">
    Share documents with approved heirs automatically
  </Card>

  <Card title="Audit Trail" icon="list-check">
    Full logging of document access for security and compliance
  </Card>

  <Card title="File Integrity" icon="fingerprint">
    SHA-256 checksums verify document integrity
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Accessing Secure Storage

Navigate to [storehouses.app/secure-storage](https://storehouses.app/secure-storage) or:

1. Go to Dashboard
2. Click "Secure Storage" in the sidebar (below Heir Access)
3. Browse your document vault

## Folder Organization

Secure Storage uses a folder-based organization system with both system folders and custom folders.

### System Folders

Five default folders are automatically created for each user:

| Folder             | Purpose                   | Suggested Contents                                         |
| ------------------ | ------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Legal & Estate** | Estate planning documents | Wills, trusts, power of attorney, beneficiary designations |
| **Insurance**      | Coverage documentation    | Policies, riders, coverage schedules, claims               |
| **Appraisals**     | Valuation records         | Professional appraisals, certificates of authenticity      |
| **Personal**       | Personal documents        | ID copies, passports, important contacts                   |
| **Other**          | Miscellaneous             | Any documents that don't fit other categories              |

<Note>
  System folders cannot be deleted or renamed, ensuring you always have a basic organizational structure.
</Note>

### Custom Folders

Create additional folders to match your organization style:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Click 'New Folder'">
    Click the "New Folder" button at the top of the page
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter Folder Name">
    Provide a descriptive name for the folder
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add Description (Optional)">
    Add notes about what belongs in this folder
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create Folder">
    Click "Create" to add the folder to your vault
  </Step>
</Steps>

**Custom folder ideas**:

* Specific collections (e.g., "Wine Collection Documents")
* Time periods (e.g., "2026 Tax Year")
* Advisors (e.g., "Morgan Stanley Correspondence")
* Acquisitions (e.g., "Christie's Purchases")

## Uploading Documents

<Steps>
  <Step title="Click 'Upload'">
    Click the "Upload" button at the top of the page
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select File">
    Choose a file from your device (drag and drop also supported)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter Document Details">
    Fill in the document information:

    <ParamField path="Title" type="string" required>
      A descriptive name for the document
    </ParamField>

    <ParamField path="Description" type="string">
      Optional notes about the document's contents or purpose
    </ParamField>

    <ParamField path="Folder" type="select" required>
      Choose which folder to store the document in
    </ParamField>

    <ParamField path="Tags" type="array">
      Add searchable tags (e.g., "insurance", "gold", "2026")
    </ParamField>

    <ParamField path="Document Date" type="date">
      The date of the document (e.g., appraisal date, policy effective date)
    </ParamField>

    <ParamField path="Expiry Date" type="date">
      When the document expires (useful for insurance policies, certifications)
    </ParamField>

    <ParamField path="Share with Heirs" type="boolean">
      Toggle on to make this document visible to approved heirs
    </ParamField>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Upload">
    Click "Upload Document" to save to your vault
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Supported File Types

| Type           | Extensions                     | Max Size |
| -------------- | ------------------------------ | -------- |
| PDF            | .pdf                           | 10 MB    |
| Images         | .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .gif, .webp | 10 MB    |
| Word Documents | .doc, .docx                    | 10 MB    |

<Warning>
  Files larger than 10 MB cannot be uploaded. Consider compressing large PDFs or splitting multi-page documents.
</Warning>

## Managing Documents

### Viewing Document Details

Click any document to view its full details:

* File preview (for supported formats)
* Title and description
* Folder location
* File size and upload date
* Document date and expiry date
* Tags
* Sharing status (whether shared with heirs)
* Notes

### Document Actions

Each document has a dropdown menu (⋮) with the following actions:

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="View Details" icon="eye">
    Open the document details modal to see all metadata and preview the file
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Download" icon="download">
    Download the document to your device. Uses signed URLs for secure access.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Move to Folder" icon="folder-arrow-right">
    Move the document to a different folder:

    1. Click "Move to Folder"
    2. Select the destination folder
    3. Confirm the move
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Delete" icon="trash">
    Delete the document:

    1. Click "Delete"
    2. Confirm deletion in the modal
    3. Document is soft-deleted (recoverable for 30 days)
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

### Search and Filter

Find documents quickly:

**Search**: Use the search bar to find documents by:

* Title
* Description
* Tags

**Filter by Folder**: Click a folder in the sidebar to show only documents in that folder

**Filter by Tag**: Click a tag in the sidebar to show only documents with that tag

## Linking Documents to Items

Documents can be linked to specific items in your portfolio for easy reference:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Document Details">
    Click on a document to open its details
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add Item Link">
    In the "Linked Items" section, click "Link to Item"
  </Step>

  <Step title="Search for Item">
    Search for and select the item(s) to link
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save Link">
    The document now appears when viewing that item
  </Step>
</Steps>

**Use cases**:

* Link an appraisal to the appraised item
* Link a certificate of authenticity to the artwork
* Link an insurance rider to the covered items
* Link purchase receipts to acquired items

## Sharing with Heirs

Documents marked "Share with heirs" are automatically visible to heirs who have approved access to your portfolio.

### How It Works

1. **Upload or edit** a document
2. **Toggle on** "Share with heirs"
3. Document becomes visible to heirs with **approved access**
4. Heirs see the document in their view of your portfolio

### What Heirs Can Do

Heirs with access can:

* View shared documents
* Download shared documents
* See document metadata

Heirs **cannot**:

* Upload new documents
* Edit or delete documents
* Change sharing settings
* See documents not marked "Share with heirs"

### Best Practices for Heir Sharing

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Share Estate Documents" icon="file-contract">
    Always share:

    * Wills and trusts
    * Power of attorney documents
    * Beneficiary designations
    * Estate inventory lists
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Share Insurance Information" icon="shield-halved">
    Consider sharing:

    * Current insurance policies
    * Agent contact information
    * Coverage schedules
    * Claim procedures
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Share Appraisals" icon="magnifying-glass">
    Share recent:

    * Professional appraisals
    * Certificates of authenticity
    * Provenance documentation
    * Valuation reports
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Keep Some Private" icon="lock">
    You may want to keep private:

    * Tax returns
    * Personal financial statements
    * Sensitive correspondence
    * Draft documents
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Security Features

<Card title="Enterprise-Grade Security" icon="shield-check">
  Secure Storage is built with security as a priority:

  * **Encrypted Storage**: Documents stored in encrypted cloud storage
  * **Signed URLs**: Download links expire after a short period
  * **Row-Level Security**: Database policies ensure you only access your own documents
  * **SHA-256 Checksums**: File integrity verification on upload
  * **Audit Logging**: All access and actions are logged
  * **Soft Delete**: 30-day recovery window for deleted documents
</Card>

### Audit Trail

Every action on documents is logged:

* Document uploads
* Document views/downloads
* Document edits
* Document deletions
* Folder changes

<Note>
  The audit log helps you track who accessed which documents and when, providing accountability for shared documents.
</Note>

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Upload Failed" icon="circle-xmark">
    **Common causes**:

    * File exceeds 10 MB limit → Compress or split the file
    * Unsupported file type → Convert to PDF
    * Network interruption → Retry the upload
    * Storage quota reached → Contact support

    **Solution**: Check file size and type, then retry
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can't Find Document" icon="magnifying-glass">
    **Try these steps**:

    * Clear folder filter (click "All Documents")
    * Search by different keywords
    * Check if document was moved to another folder
    * Verify document wasn't deleted

    **Solution**: Use search with partial title matches
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Heir Can't See Document" icon="user-slash">
    **Verify**:

    * Heir has approved access (not just designated)
    * "Share with heirs" is toggled on for the document
    * Both users have active Pro subscriptions
    * Access hasn't expired (180-day limit)

    **Solution**: Check document sharing settings and heir access status
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Download Not Working" icon="download">
    **Try**:

    * Refresh the page and try again
    * Check browser download settings
    * Try a different browser
    * Verify file wasn't deleted

    **Solution**: Signed URLs expire quickly; refresh and retry
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Best Practices

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Organize Consistently" icon="folder-tree">
    * Use system folders for standard document types
    * Create custom folders for specific collections or purposes
    * Add descriptive tags for easy searching
    * Keep folder structure simple and intuitive
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Add Metadata" icon="tag">
    * Always add a clear, descriptive title
    * Set document dates for appraisals and policies
    * Add expiry dates for time-sensitive documents
    * Use tags consistently across documents
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Track Expirations" icon="calendar-xmark">
    * Set expiry dates on insurance policies
    * Review expiring documents regularly
    * Update expired documents with current versions
    * Consider setting calendar reminders for renewals
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Link to Items" icon="link">
    * Link appraisals to appraised items
    * Link certificates of authenticity to artworks
    * Link purchase receipts to acquired items
    * Makes documentation easy to find when viewing items
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Plan for Heirs" icon="users">
    * Share estate-critical documents with heirs
    * Review what's shared periodically
    * Include a document explaining your organization system
    * Keep contact information documents updated
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Comparison with Item Attachments

| Feature          | Secure Storage              | Item Attachments               |
| ---------------- | --------------------------- | ------------------------------ |
| **Scope**        | Account-level vault         | Per-item files                 |
| **Organization** | Folders and tags            | Attached to specific item      |
| **Sharing**      | Share with heirs toggle     | Shared with item               |
| **Best For**     | Wills, policies, appraisals | Photos, receipts, certificates |
| **Audit Log**    | Full access logging         | Basic tracking                 |
| **File Types**   | PDF, images, Word           | Images and documents           |

<Tip>
  Use **Secure Storage** for documents that apply to multiple items or your overall estate. Use **Item Attachments** for photos and documents specific to a single item.
</Tip>

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Open Secure Storage" icon="vault" href="https://storehouses.app/secure-storage">
    Start organizing your documents
  </Card>

  <Card title="Set Up Heirs" icon="users" href="/advanced/heir-access">
    Configure heir access for document sharing
  </Card>

  <Card title="Add Items" icon="plus" href="/features/adding-items">
    Build your portfolio to link documents
  </Card>

  <Card title="Export Reports" icon="file-export" href="/portfolio/export-reporting">
    Generate portfolio documentation
  </Card>
</CardGroup>