NetDocuments workspace templates are administrator-defined models that decide which filters, folders, and saved searches every new workspace in a cabinet starts with. Each workspace is anchored on a primary profile attribute, usually Matter or Client, and the template gives it a consistent structure from the moment it is created. Without templates, every matter team builds its own layout, and after a year no two workspaces look alike. This article covers the governance side: how many templates to keep, which containers to predefine, how to test security, and how to change a template safely.
What is a NetDocuments workspace template?
A NetDocuments workspace template is the configuration that sets the default containers and organizing behavior for every workspace created in a cabinet. The administrator chooses the workspace attribute that anchors each workspace and a second attribute, commonly Document Type, that organizes the documents inside it. Consistent structure saves real time, and 2024 estimates put time lost organizing, storing, and managing agreements at 6,000 hours a year per business function.
The anchor and the organizing attribute do most of the work. Every document profiled to a matter appears in that matter’s workspace, and the Document Type value places it in the right filter. NetDocuments workspaces are built on one primary attribute, and the template decides what users see once they open one.
Templates matter most at scale. A firm or legal department opening 50 to 200 workspaces a month cannot review each layout by hand. A template makes every new workspace correct by default, so administrators only handle exceptions.
Which containers should a workspace template use?
A workspace template should use filters as the main organizing container, saved searches for views that cut across the workspace, and folders only where a fixed filing structure is genuinely required. Each container behaves differently, and the mix decides how well the workspace holds up over time.
- Filters. A filter works as both a filing destination and a search result. It shows every document matching the workspace and the filter’s profile value, so documents appear in the right place because of their metadata.
- Saved searches. A saved search shows documents matching stored criteria wherever they are filed. Use them for views such as recently modified documents, executed agreements, or items awaiting review.
- Folders. A folder is a fixed filing location where documents live. Use folders sparingly, for fixed deliverable sets or teams that require a constrained structure.
Default to filters. Because they follow metadata, a document profiled correctly shows up in the right filter without anyone filing it by hand. NetDocuments folders, filters, and saved searches each suit different jobs, and templates work best when filters carry most of the structure.
How many NetDocuments workspace templates should you maintain?
You should maintain the smallest set of NetDocuments workspace templates that covers genuinely different ways of working, which for most organizations is between three and six. Every extra template adds testing, training, and maintenance, and a minor team preference is no reason for a new one.
Create a separate template only when one of these differs:
- Organizing attribute. A practice organizes documents by a different attribute, such as Transaction Stage for deal work in place of Document Type.
- Security model. A group needs a different access pattern, such as restricted HR or investigations matters.
- Workspace type. The workspace serves a different purpose, such as administrative workspaces for vendors, policies, or internal projects alongside client matters.
Keep a short register of approved templates: the name, the owner, the attributes used, the predefined containers, and the date last changed. Review it once a year. A template nobody has used in 12 months can usually be retired.
Which filters should be predefined and which auto-created?
Filters for the core, high-use document types should be predefined in the template, and the long tail should be left to auto-create when matching documents appear. Predefined filters show in every workspace from day one, even before any document is filed. Auto-created filters appear only once a document with that value exists.
- Predefined filters. Choose 8 to 12 document types used on most matters, such as correspondence, pleadings, agreements, and drafts. Users see a familiar layout in every workspace.
- Auto-created filters. Leave rarer types, such as expert reports or regulatory filings, to appear only where they are used. Empty workspaces stay readable.
- High-volume types. Where one type could exceed 10,000 documents on a matter, split the type or add a saved search with narrower criteria. Each view stays under the result limit.
Plan around the platform’s limits. NetDocuments documents that a filter or saved search returns up to 10,000 items, and a new workspace auto-creates up to 50 filters from existing documents. NetDocuments also recommends showing no more than six items per filter on the Summary View.
How does the organizing attribute shape a workspace template?
The organizing attribute shapes a workspace template because its values become the filters users navigate every day. A clean, controlled list gives clean workspaces, and a messy list gives messy ones.
Keep the Document Type list controlled and short, typically 20 to 40 values with a written definition for each. Avoid values that overlap, such as “Letter” and “Correspondence,” since users will split documents between them. Make the attribute required at profiling, so documents never land in a workspace without a value.
Assign an owner for the list. New values should go through a quick review before they are added, since every new value can become a new filter in hundreds of workspaces. NetDocuments document types work best when the list stays small enough to avoid overload.
How should workspace template security be tested?
Workspace template security should be tested by checking what representative users can see in a sample workspace before the template goes live, because containers and profile-based security can interact in ways that are easy to miss.
Two behaviors cause most surprises. If the cabinet inherits access rights from folders, a document filed into a folder takes on that folder’s access, which can override cabinet and profile-based security. And containers created on a workspace inherit the workspace’s access list minus any external users, so external users need access added to each filter, folder, or saved search they should see.
Test with at least five user types, matching the groups a least-privilege access design defines:
- Matter team member. Sees every document in the workspace and every container.
- Practice group member. Sees what the practice-level access allows, and nothing restricted.
- Restricted-matter outsider. Cannot see the workspace or any document in it.
- External user. Sees only the containers and documents explicitly shared.
- Administrator. Sees and can manage everything, as designed.
Design the access model first, since NetDocuments security permissions should be settled before any template is tested.
How do you change a workspace template safely?
A workspace template is changed safely by testing the change in a pilot or non-production cabinet, rolling it out to a small group, and then applying it widely once it behaves as expected. Template changes can affect every workspace built from the template, so a mistake spreads fast.
- Test. Apply the change in a test cabinet with a copy of the template and a few sample workspaces, and rerun the security tests.
- Pilot. Release it to one practice group for two to four weeks and collect feedback.
- Roll out. Apply it across the cabinet, update the template register, and brief users on what changed.
Record every change with the date, the reason, and the approver. When a user asks why a filter disappeared, the register answers in seconds. Saved searches defined in a workspace template follow the same change process as its filters, since they are part of the template too.
Which metrics show NetDocuments workspace templates are working?
NetDocuments workspace templates are working when nearly every workspace uses an approved template, nearly every document carries the metadata the template depends on, and users rarely build their own structures. A few simple measures show all three.
Aim for 90 percent or more of active matters on an approved template, and 95 percent or more of newly filed documents carrying both the workspace and Document Type values. These are internal targets to set against your own baseline. Also count custom folders created by users each quarter. A rising number signals the template is missing something users need. Review the figures quarterly with practice leads and adjust the predefined filters where the data shows a gap.
Conclusion
NetDocuments workspace templates give every matter a consistent, metadata-driven structure from the day it opens. Keep the library small, lead with filters, predefine only the core document types, and control the Document Type list tightly. Test security with representative users before any template goes live, and change templates through a test, pilot, and rollout sequence. The result is a cabinet where users find documents by metadata and administrators manage exceptions.
How Basla can help
Basla provides certified delivery team members for NetDocuments implementation, covering legal technology consulting, business analysis, workspace and template design, profile attribute and document type configuration, security testing, documentation, and post-go-live support. Basla’s team works with records and IT leads to define templates, document the register, and run the security tests before rollout.
Basla supports NetDocuments programs from initial cabinet design through migration and hypercare, and its teams stay on to tune templates and filters once users start filing.
Frequently asked questions
What are NetDocuments workspace templates?
NetDocuments workspace templates are administrator-defined models that set the filters, folders, and saved searches every new workspace in a cabinet starts with. They use a primary attribute such as Matter to anchor each workspace and a second attribute such as Document Type to organize it.
Should NetDocuments workspaces use filters or folders?
NetDocuments workspaces should use filters as the main organizing container, since filters follow document metadata. Folders suit only fixed filing structures, and they need care because folder access inheritance can override profile-based security.
How many workspace templates should a NetDocuments cabinet have?
A NetDocuments cabinet usually needs between three and six workspace templates. Create a new template only when the organizing attribute, security model, or workspace purpose differs, and avoid templates for minor team preferences.
What is the difference between predefined and auto-created filters?
Predefined filters appear in every workspace from the start, even when empty. Auto-created filters appear only once a document with that profile value is filed, which keeps workspaces readable for rarer document types.
Why do external users not see new workspace filters?
External users do not see new workspace filters because containers created on a workspace inherit its access list minus external users. Access for external users has to be added to each filter, folder, or saved search they need.
How should a NetDocuments workspace template be changed?
A NetDocuments workspace template should be changed in a test cabinet first, then piloted with one practice group, then rolled out across the cabinet. Record each change with its date, reason, and approver.
*This article is provided for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Basla Solutions provides legal technology implementation and support services and does not practice law.*