Vault ownership defines who can fully manage a vault, control collaborators, and access the vault’s content. Each vault requires a unique email address to be set as the primary owner of a vault. Understanding the differences between Primary Vault Owners and Co-Owners, is key as well, and understanding the different options for owning a vault.
Primary Vault Owner
The Primary Vault Owner is the main end-user assigned to a vault.
Each Primary Vault Owner can own only one vault.
They have full access to all areas of the vault, including uploading, editing, sharing, deleting documents they control, and managing collaborators.
They can add, edit, or remove Trusted Collaborators or Full Access Collaborators for the areas they control.
Cannot modify or delete files uploaded by Administrative Users in Company Folders.
Can be assigned as a Co-Owner or Collaborator in other vaults, but the primary ownership is limited to one vault.
Co-Owner
A Co-Owner is an additional owner who shares most of the permissions of the Primary Vault Owner.
Co-Owners have the same access as the primary owner.
They can upload, edit, share, and manage collaborators in the vault to which they are added.
Cannot remove or modify Admin or Rep access in Company Folders.
Co-Owners are added by Administrative Users, not by the Primary Vault Owner.
Can be assigned as Co-Owner in multiple vaults, giving them shared management rights.
The Term Vault Owner / VaultHolder
The term Vault Owner or VaultHolder refers broadly to any user who has full access to a vault. This includes the Primary Owner and Co-Owners.
Vault Owners can manage documents uploaded by them or other collaborators, share files, and add collaborators.
They cannot modify company-managed folders controlled by Admins.
Full Access Collaborators can be granted similar permissions by the Vault Owner.
Can be set up with Trusted Collaborator access to other vaults, if needed
Vault Ownership: End-Client vs. Company
When setting up a vault, the ownership of the vault can be assigned either to the end client or to the company providing the vault (Standard email). The ownership choice affects how the vault can be managed, the notifications received, and the possible integrations.
For most use cases, assigning ownership to the end client provides the most flexibility and allows them to manage their personal and shared documents fully. Company ownership may be chosen for specific operational reasons, but it comes with trade-offs in client experience and integrations. Here are some quick benefits and limitations for each option:
Option 1: Vault Owned by the End Client
Assigning ownership to the client means they are the primary Vault Holder and have full access to their vault experience.
Benefits:
Full access to all areas: The client can upload, edit, delete, and share documents in areas they control.
Personal folders (Premium package): Clients can manage their own private files, separate from company-related documents.
Email notifications: Vault owners receive notifications for bulk uploads, document updates, and unfiled area uploads.
Easy integration setup: Systems that use the email as the main identifier (e.g., DocuSign) and Single Sign-On (SSO) from other portals can be configured directly by the Vault Owner.
Trusted Collaborator management: Vault owners can manage permissions for collaborators on their vault.
Limitations:
The client has full access to all content inside the vault, with the exception of files set as 'In Review'.
Option 2: Vault Owned by the Company
If the company retains ownership of the vault, it maintains full control over how the vault is managed and how files are shared.
Benefits:
Control over company folders and sharing: The company decides which files are shared and how collaborators access them.
Consistency across multiple client vaults: Useful for standardizing workflows, document types, or automated processes.
Limitations:
Restricted Client Access: Clients may experience limited functionality, particularly in personal folders or for integrations.
Integration challenges: Tools that rely on the Vault Owner’s email (like DocuSign or SSO) may be harder or impossible to configure.
Notifications: Clients may not automatically receive updates on bulk uploads or unfiled documents.