> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://intuitem.gitbook.io/ciso-assistant/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://intuitem.gitbook.io/ciso-assistant/guides/documents/authoring-documents.md).

# Authoring documents

This walkthrough covers writing a document in-platform — from a blank page or a template — and taking it through review to publication.

{% hint style="info" %}
Documents require the `document_management` [feature flag](/ciso-assistant/configuration/settings/feature-flags.md) (on by default). See [Documents](/ciso-assistant/concepts/governance/documents.md) for the underlying model.
{% endhint %}

## Where documents live

* **Documents** — the reading catalogue: published documents as tiles, grouped by type, with search and type filters. This is where readers browse the published corpus.
* **Manage** (on the Documents page) opens the full document list, where you create and manage documents regardless of status.

## Create a document

Choose **New document** — from the **Documents** catalogue or the document list — and fill in the essentials: a name, a **Document type** (Policy, Procedure, Charter, Record, Meeting minutes, Other), a **Domain**, and optionally a **Classification** (see [Object classifications](/ciso-assistant/concepts/specialised-modules/object-classification.md)).

Then pick a **Content source**:

* **Author** — write the document in-platform. You land in the editor's **template picker**, where you **Start from scratch** (a blank document) or pick a **template** — the picker only offers templates matching the document's type and language.
* **Upload** — attach an existing file (e.g. a signed PDF). It runs through the same lifecycle and version history but is served as-is rather than rendered from Markdown; you can upload a new version at any time.
* **Link** — point at a document that lives in another system (Confluence, SharePoint, a DMS, …) by entering its URL. Readers open it in place.

The rest of this guide follows the **Author** path.

## Write

The editor is a Markdown editor with a formatting toolbar (bold, italic, headings, lists, quote, code, link, table) and a live **preview** toggle. Two things worth knowing:

* **Link to document** inserts a link to another document. These links become the **References / Referenced by** panels automatically — see [Documents → References](/ciso-assistant/concepts/governance/documents.md#references).
* **Save draft** stores an increment as a new revision; the diff between the last loaded state and your current edits is tracked as you work.

## Review and publish

Each language version moves through **Draft → In review → Change requested → Validated → Published → Deprecated**:

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Submit for Review

From a draft, **Submit for Review** hands the document to a reviewer.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Approve or Request changes

A reviewer either **Approves** the revision (→ Validated) or uses **Request changes** to send it back with reviewer comments (→ Change requested).
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Publish

**Publish** makes the validated revision the live version and renders a PDF snapshot. Previous published revisions are deprecated automatically.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

The **Version history** sidebar lists every revision; you can read any past version and diff two of them (see [Policies → Diff between revisions](/ciso-assistant/concepts/governance/policies.md#diff-between-revisions)).

## Add a language

Use **Add translation** to create another language version of the same document. Each language has its own lifecycle and revisions, so a translation can stay in draft while the original is published. One language is the default (used for the catalogue title and status).

## Export

**Export PDF** produces a PDF of the current document. On the PRO plan the PDF layout (cover page, header/footer, branding) can be customised — see [Custom templates → Document layout templates](/ciso-assistant/configuration/settings/custom-templates.md#document-layout-templates).

## Related

* [Documents](/ciso-assistant/concepts/governance/documents.md)
* [Document templates](/ciso-assistant/guides/documents/document-templates.md)
* [Policies](/ciso-assistant/concepts/governance/policies.md)


---

# Agent Instructions
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## Querying This Documentation
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