# Document management

Probo documents are controlled records for policies, procedures, reports, and other compliance material. A document has a lifecycle; its versions preserve the content and decisions that were current at a point in time.

## Versions and publication

Edit work in a draft version. Publishing creates the version intended for use or review. Archived documents remain part of the record but are removed from active use. Avoid editing a document merely to change its approval history; create a new version when the controlled content changes.

To share selected documents outside your workspace, configure their portal visibility separately. See [Publishing content in the Compliance Portal](/docs/product/compliance-portal/publishing-content).

## Approval quorums

An approval quorum defines who must decide before a document can proceed. Decisions are recorded against a specific version so later revisions do not rewrite the history of an earlier approval.

## Electronic signatures

Signature requests also belong to a document version. A request can be completed, cancelled, or voided according to its state. Confirm the signer identity and intended document version before requesting signatures.

## Export and evidence

Documents can be exported as PDF and linked to controls and measures. A controlled document explains what the organization intends to do; evidence demonstrates that a measure operated. Keeping those roles distinct makes audit review clearer.

Access to drafts, approvals, and signatures follows organization authorization. Portal visitors use a separate access workflow for restricted published documents; see [Visitor access and NDA](/docs/product/compliance-portal/visitor-access-and-nda). Use the audit log when investigating changes to controlled records. See [Roles and permissions](/docs/product/roles-and-permissions).

## Automation

- [CLI document](/docs/developers/cli/commands/document) — Manage documents and versions with prb document
- [MCP documents and approvals](/docs/developers/api/mcp/tools/catalog/documents-and-approvals) — Operate documents, quorums, and signatures through MCP
- [n8n Document](/docs/developers/api/n8n/resources/document) — Automate document lifecycle workflows in n8n