Organise document categories
Apply consistent categories to property, tenancy, compliance, maintenance and financial files so documents remain easy to find, review and manage.
Categories help organise documents but do not replace the property, tenancy, tenant or operational record connection. A well-organised file should have both the correct category and the correct linked record.
How document categories work
The category describes the document’s main purpose. Its connected record identifies which property, tenancy, tenant, compliance item, repair or financial entry it belongs to.
Example document organisation
Document, category and connectionSelecting “Compliance” does not automatically connect a certificate to the correct property or compliance record.
Use the Property category
Ownership documents
Ownership records and other documents relating to the property itself.
Mortgage records
Mortgage statements, lender correspondence and property-finance records.
Property insurance
Insurance schedules, policy documents and related property records.
Valuation and survey
Valuation reports, surveys and other general property assessments.
Use the Tenancy category
- Signed tenancy agreements.
- Draft tenancy agreements.
- Renewal agreements.
- Inventories and schedules of condition.
- Check-in and check-out reports.
- Rent-change documents.
- Tenancy notices and formal correspondence.
- Joint-tenant documentation.
- Documents specific to one tenancy period.
A property may have several past and current tenancies. The category alone will not identify the correct one.
Use the Tenant category where available
- Tenant-supplied identification documents.
- Tenant correspondence stored as a document.
- Referencing or application records.
- Documents relating to one named tenant.
- Joint-tenant records that require separate connections.
- Uploaded files received through a tenant request.
Check access, retention and visibility before uploading identification, financial or other personal records.
Use the Compliance category
Certificates
Gas, electrical, energy and other property certificates.
Inspection reports
Reports created following property inspections or assessments.
Renewal evidence
Documents supporting a renewed or replaced compliance record.
Related correspondence
Relevant communications supporting the compliance record.
This helps keep the certificate, issue date, expiry date and renewal history together.
Use the Maintenance category
- Contractor quotations.
- Repair invoices.
- Job sheets and contractor reports.
- Before-and-after photographs.
- Warranty or guarantee documents.
- Inspection reports relating to a repair.
- Parts or product information.
- Completion evidence.
Categorise it as Maintenance and link it to the related repair and expense record where supported.
Use the Financial category
- Property expense invoices.
- Receipts and payment evidence.
- Property statements.
- Supplier credit notes.
- Refund records.
- Insurance payment records.
- Financial reports and exports.
- Documents supporting imported transactions.
A financial category helps with searching, while the expense connection identifies the transaction it supports.
Use Other only where necessary
The Other category is suitable when no more specific option describes the document.
- Review all available categories first.
- Use a clear document title.
- Add a useful description.
- Connect the document to the correct record.
- Avoid using Other as the default for every upload.
- Review Other documents periodically.
- Move files into a more specific category when possible.
Choose the correct category during upload
Identify the document’s main purpose
Decide whether it primarily supports the property, tenancy, tenant, compliance, maintenance or financial record.
Select the most specific category
Avoid broad categories when a more suitable option is available.
Connect the document to its record
Select the correct property, tenancy or operational item.
Review the title and description
Make sure the document can be understood without opening it.
Save and verify
Confirm the document appears under the intended category and record.
Change an incorrect document category
Open the document
Find it using the title, property, date or existing category.
Select Edit
Open the document-details form.
Select the correct category
Choose the category that best describes the document’s main purpose.
Review the record connection
Confirm the property, tenancy or operational link is also correct.
Save and check the document list
Confirm it now appears under the intended category.
The stored document remains the same. Only its organisational details are updated.
Review documents already in Estavo
- Filter by category.
- Review documents listed under Other.
- Check files without a category.
- Review documents without a property connection.
- Check tenancy documents linked only to the property.
- Review compliance files without a compliance record.
- Check maintenance invoices without a repair connection.
- Review financial documents without an expense connection.
- Correct unclear titles.
- Archive or remove confirmed duplicate files.
Use clear and consistent document titles
Include the document type
Example: “Tenancy Agreement” or “Boiler Repair Invoice”.
Include the relevant year
Example: “Gas Safety Certificate 2026”.
Identify the version
Use “Draft”, “Signed”, “Final” or “Renewed” where relevant.
Avoid personal data in titles
Do not include unnecessary sensitive information in document names.
Common document-category problems
The category cannot be changed
Check your permissions and whether the document is locked by a connected process.
The document disappeared after editing
Clear the active category filter and search using the title or property.
The document appears in two areas
This may be because it has both a category and an operational record connection.
The wrong tenancy is connected
Edit the record connection separately from the document category.
Too many files are categorised as Other
Review them and move each document to a more specific category where possible.
A compliance document is not shown in Compliance
Check both the Compliance category and the connected compliance record.
A maintenance invoice is missing from the repair
Link it to the relevant maintenance request in addition to selecting the Maintenance category.
Search results contain unrelated files
Combine category, property, title and date filters for a narrower result.
The documents are organised
The next guide explains how to control whether a document remains private, is visible through the Tenant Portal or is shared directly with an authorised recipient.
Continue to document visibility