A document index, not a file cabinet

A PDF named IMG_4281.pdf might be a receipt, but six months later nobody remembers what it was for. FamilyBoard’s Documents tab doesn’t try to solve that by storing the file — it stores a short, structured pointer to where the real file already lives, linked to the household thing it’s actually about.

What a document record stores — and doesn’t

The quick-add form asks for a record name, a category (defaulting to “Home record”), a location reference (required — where the original actually is), a related asset and a review date. That location reference is a plain-text field: “PDF in Downloads, filename dishwasher-manual.pdf,” “printed folder in filing cabinet, tab 3,” “email starred, subject ‘Insurance renewal.’” There is no file-upload button on this form. The screen itself carries a permanent notice explaining why: “This v1 stores document references, not uploaded document files. Keep durable originals in storage you control.” That’s an intentional boundary, not a missing feature waiting to be discovered — FamilyBoard is an index of where things are, not a document vault.

Linking a document to an asset is what makes it findable later

A document with no asset link is just a name and a location string, no more useful than a well-labeled folder. Link it to an asset, though, and it shows up alongside that asset’s other records — the same connective pattern the Maintenance and Warranty tabs use. A “Water heater installation manual” document linked to the Water Heater asset becomes something you’d actually find again when a technician asks which model you have.

The review date field is visible and sorted, but it is not a notification

Documents like insurance policies, service contracts or lease agreements benefit from a periodic look, not a one-time filing. Set the review date to the real decision point: a renewal window, notice deadline or scheduled accuracy check. The Documents tab puts dated records before undated records and describes each date as overdue, due today or due on the formatted date. It still does not add document reviews to the Today dashboard or send push, email or text alerts. If missing the date has consequences, create a separate household task with a real owner and matching due date.

A worked example

After a plumbing repair, a household adds a document: name “Water heater repair invoice — March 2026,” category “Service invoice,” location reference “PDF attached to email from ABC Plumbing, starred,” related asset “Water Heater,” review date left blank since it’s a one-time record. Separately, they add “Water heater manual” with category “Manuals,” location reference “Downloads folder, filename whirlpool-wh-manual.pdf,” same asset link. Now, opening the Water Heater asset gives context that neither a folder of PDFs nor a manufacturer’s app would: the maintenance history, the warranty window and now two document references, all pointing at the same physical unit.

Categories worth using

A small taxonomy holds up better than a large one: purchase records, warranties, manuals, service invoices, insurance references, utility information, emergency documents and property records cover most households without needing fifty categories nobody remembers the difference between.

The honest limit

Because documents are references and not uploads, the durable copy of anything irreplaceable — a deed, a passport scan, an insurance policy — needs to live somewhere outside this browser too: cloud storage you control, a physical fireproof folder, or both. FamilyBoard’s JSON backup (from Settings) preserves your document references and notes, but not files those references point to.