Within the parties tab, users can control over who can access, edit, complete, and manage documents generated from templates.
Access is configured using Parties and Roles, which together define who is involved and what actions each user can perform at every stage of the document lifecycle.
This enables secure collaboration while maintaining clear ownership and control.
Most users will not need to make changes and can just use the default configuration.
However, some users will prefer to change these default settings to:
Control access – ensure only the appropriate users can view, edit, or complete documents
Collaborate efficiently – involve internal teams and external counterparties at the correct stage
Maintain consistency – reuse templates with predefined access and permission settings
Reduce risk – prevent unauthorised edits or actions on sensitive documents
Configuring access and permissions in a template
Most users will NOT need to make changes and can just use the default configuration. If desired, users can change the default configuration and vary permissions that will affect all the generated documents from a given template through two core concepts:
Parties – represent the organisations or individuals involved in the document (for example, the Employee and the Employer)
Roles – define the actions a user can perform within the document, such as editing, inviting others, or managing signing
Configuring access in the Parties tab
By default templates will have:
only one party ("Party A")
one role that will be the author of the document and all questions will be assigned to them
This role is set up so they will not be able to edit generated documents in the platform and can only interact with the questionnaire (questionnaire only rights)
They will be allowed to invite other users to the generated document
e-signature will be turned off
Admin users can vary this default configuration in org settings and all users with template access can change them on a template level.
Within the Template Editor, navigate to the Parties section in the side panel.
Configure the access settings based on how users in that Party or Role should interact with the document.
Enable Allow the document to be shared with external user to allow users outside the organisation to access the generated document.
This setting is typically used for documents that will be negotiated in the platform, allowing them to be shared with clients, counterparties, or other third parties.
Enable Allow document to be e-signed if users in the Party are required to sign the document using Avvoka Sign or a supported e-sign integration (DocuSign or AdobeSign).
Configuring Roles
Roles define the actions a user can perform on a document. A Party can have multiple roles (e.g: the author, the reviewer, the signatory, etc).
From the Parties panel, select Add role, then specify a Role Name such as Author, Reviewer, or Signer.
Some participants or approvers will be added via workflows. Configure the Role Permissions as outlined below.
Role Permissions
Role document input / edit rights - This setting controls the level of access a role has to the generated document and, where applicable, the questionnaire. The default setting is "Questionnaire" rights only. Permissions can be:
View – the role can view the document only
Questionnaire – the role can complete the questionnaire but cannot edit document text
Comment – the role can add comments and input into the document questionnaire
Edit – the role can edit the document using track changes, add comments, and input into the document questionnaire
Role invite permissions - This setting controls whether users assigned to the role can invite additional users to access the document. By default they will be allowed to add them to any party.
Role control level permissions define responsibility for managing the document workflow, including the following:
Controller - Responsible for managing the document workflow, including resolving comments, sending the document to other parties, taking control when a document is returned by a counterparty, and initiating or requesting e-signature or completion. There always needs to be at least one controller in a party.
Author - The author is the role that takes charge of the document when it is first generated. When a user generates a document, they will be assigned the author role and will start by accessing all the questionnaire items assigned to their role. By default all questions will be assigned to the author.
Advanced Role Settings
Advanced settings allow additional control over role behaviour, default values, and security.
Default email address for this role - Defines the email address that is pre-associated with the role and applied when the role is assigned on a document.
Default name for this role - Defines the name that is pre-associated with the role and applied when the role is assigned on a document.
Disable name and email changes - Prevents any changes from being made to the name or email address of users added to this role on the document.
Prioritise profile rights - If a user has default document permissions set at profile level, those permissions take precedence over the template’s role permissions.
Default Role for New Participants - Each time a new user is added to the document, that user is automatically assigned this role.
Comment manage - Allows the role to manage and moderate comments on the document.
Adding users to a generated Document
After access has been configured in the template level, users can interact with the different roles and access on a generated document.
Adding Users from View Documents
User access can be managed from the sidebar for an individual document.
Access Parties in the side panel, then select Manage users.
If invite rules permit it, user will be able to click "Add user" to include collaborators to their document. They will be prompted to provide the user’s name and email address, and assign a role to determine the user’s permissions on the document.
The user is added to the document with access defined by the selected Party and Role.
Document Role Permissions
When a user is added from a generated document, role permissions can be configured directly by selecting the pen icon (edit role permissions) at the end of the relevant user row.
Sign rights - Defines whether the user is required or permitted to sign the document:
Sign – the user is required to sign the document
Sign and witness – the user signs and acts as a witness
No sign – the user does not sign the document
- DEFAULT
Edit rights - Defines the level of document and questionnaire access:
Edit – allows editing with track changes and comments
Comment – allows adding and responding to comments
Questionnaire – allows completion of the questionnaire only
- DEFAULTView – allows view-only access
Invite rights - Controls whether the user can invite other users to access the document:
All roles in all parties – allows inviting any role across all parties
- DEFAULTAll roles in own party – allows inviting roles within the same party only
No roles – prevents inviting additional users
Custom – allows fine-grained control over which roles can be invited
Controller (toggle on/off) – enables or disables controller-level permissions, including managing comments, sending the document to other parties, taking control when a document is returned, and initiating or requesting e-signature or completion. There always needs to be one controller per party
- ON BY DEFAULT
By combining Parties, Roles, and advanced role settings, teams can collaborate efficiently on documents while maintaining clear ownership, consistent permissions, and full control over the document lifecycle.