---
title: Document purposes
summary: Set up the list of reasons for which a document is shared, such as For approval or For construction.
order: 6
menu: Company settings > Planning > Document Purposes
route: /documentpurposes
who: People who have the View Other Masters permission. You also need the View Documents permission to see the menu item.
---

A document purpose says why a document is on the project. Examples are `For approval`, `For construction` and `As built`. You create the list once. Later, when someone uploads a document to a project, they choose one purpose from this list in the **Purpose** field.

## Before you start

Nothing is needed first. You can add purposes at any time.

## How to add a purpose

1. Open **Company settings > Planning > Document Purposes**.
2. Click **Add New** (mark 1 in the first picture).
3. Type the name in **Purpose:** (mark 1 in the second picture). For example, `For approval`.
4. Click **Save** (mark 2). The button stays grey until you type a name.

![The Document Purposes list. Mark 1 is Add New. Mark 2 is the search box.](../media/document-purpose-list.png)

![The dialog that adds a document purpose. Mark 1 is the Purpose field. Mark 2 is Save.](../media/document-purpose-add-dialog.png)

## How to edit or delete a purpose

1. Click the three dots at the end of the purpose row.
2. Click **Edit**, change the name, and click **Save**.
3. Or click **Delete** and confirm the question.

Type at least 3 characters in **Search (min. 3 characters)** (mark 2 in the first picture) to find a purpose in a long list. Click the **PURPOSE** heading to sort.

## What the columns mean

| Name | What it means |
| --- | --- |
| **PURPOSE** | The name of the purpose, as people see it when they upload a document. |

## Rules to know

- A purpose name cannot repeat. The system shows **Document Purpose cannot be repeated**.
- You cannot delete a purpose that a document uses. The system shows **Documents are present with this purpose.** Open those documents and choose another purpose first.
- You see **Edit** only with the Edit permission and **Delete** only with the Delete permission.

## If something goes wrong

| What you see | What to do |
| --- | --- |
| **Document Purpose cannot be repeated** | The name exists. Search the list and use the existing purpose. |
| **Documents are present with this purpose.** | Change the purpose on those documents, then delete again. |
| **Document Purposes** is not in the menu | Ask your administrator for the View Other Masters and View Documents permissions. |

## Related pages

- [Document stages](document-stages.md): the second list a document uses.
- [Document folders](document-folders.md): where documents are stored.
- [Planning masters](index.md): the order to set up the planning lists.