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Template Client File Directories

CX builds each client's folders from a template — one for your team's internal directory, one for the client-facing Shared directory. How to set both up, and how to apply the Shared template to companies you already have.

Written by Andrew Flowers

Overview

CX gives every client the same organized folder structure, automatically. There are two templates behind that, and they do different jobs:

  • The Client Folders template shapes the internal directory your team works in.

  • The Shared folder template shapes the Shared directory — the part your clients see.

Think of each as a blueprint. CX copies the blueprint so folders come out identical every time, which means no rebuilding the same tree by hand, no guessing where a document goes, and no missing folders for a client. Required folders like Shared, Notices and Attachments are always created, which also lowers compliance risk.

Note: The two templates are set in the same place but behave differently. Most importantly, only the Shared template can be applied to companies that already exist. Options and behavior explained below spells out the differences.

When to use it

Set this up if:

  • You onboard clients regularly and build the same folders each time.

  • Different team members organize client files differently, and finding documents depends on who set the client up.

  • You want the Shared folder structure (what clients see) to be consistent across your whole book of business.

Configuration steps

Part 1: Set the root and template folders for the internal directory (admin only)

You must be a team admin to complete this part.

  1. Log into CX and click Settings in the main menu.

  2. Click Advanced, then select Client Folders. You should see options for Root Folder and Template Folder.

  1. Click the Root Folder picker and choose the main folder where all client directories should live. Click Save. The folder name appears in the field after saving.

  2. (Optional but recommended) Click the Template Folder picker and select the folder containing your standard client structure — your blueprint. Click Save. The folder name appears in the Template field.

Tip: Before selecting a template, open it and make sure it contains exactly the folders and files you want copied for every new client. The template is copied as-is.

Part 2: Create a client directory

Once setup is complete, operations users can create client directories.

  1. Go to the Clients section and open the client record.

  2. Go to the Files tab. If no directory exists yet, you'll see a Create Client Directory button. (If a directory already exists, you'll see Client Directory instead.)

  3. Click Create Client Directory. CX now: a. Creates a new folder under your Root Folder, named after the client (special characters are removed automatically). b. Creates a locked Shared folder, with locked Notices and Attachments folders inside it. c. Copies your Template Folder structure, if one is set.

  4. Wait a few seconds. When it finishes, CX opens the new client directory automatically.

Part 3: Set the Shared folder template (admin only)

This controls the folder tree created inside each client's Shared directory — the folders your clients see. You must be a team admin.

  1. Click Settings, then Advanced.

  2. Find the Shared Folder Template selector and choose the folder holding your standard Shared structure.

  3. Review the folder-tree preview. It shows exactly what will be created for each company.

  4. Click Save.

From this point, every newly created company gets that Shared structure automatically. There is no button to press.

Apply the Shared template to existing companies

Unlike the Client Folders template, the Shared template can be applied to companies you already have.

  1. In Settings > Advanced, with your Shared Folder Template set, choose the option to apply it to existing companies.

  2. Confirm. CX works through your existing company directories and shows a progress bar as it goes.

  3. Leave it to finish. This runs in the background, so you can carry on working.

Important: This runs across every company directory you have, not a selection. Check the folder-tree preview and make sure the template is exactly what you want before you start — it is far easier to get it right first than to tidy up afterwards. If you are unsure how it will affect directories your team has already organized by hand, check with support before running it.

What you should see

Inside the new client folder:

  • Shared, containing the folder tree from your Shared folder template

  • Notices

  • Attachments

  • All folders and files from your Template Folder (if configured)

Options and behavior explained

  • Root Folder — where every client directory is created. Required.

  • Template Folder — the blueprint that gets copied into each new client directory. Optional, but this is where the real value is.

  • Shared Folder Template — the blueprint for the client-facing Shared directory. Applied automatically when a company is created.

  • Locked Shared folders — the Shared, Notices, and Attachments folders are created locked, so the client-facing structure stays intact.

  • Name collisions — if a folder name already exists, CX renames the new copy automatically (for example, "Folder (2)").

  • Client Folders template changes do not apply backwards. Updating your Template Folder only affects client directories created after the change. Existing directories stay as they are.

  • Shared folder template changes can be applied backwards. Update the template, then use the apply-to-existing option to push the new structure out to companies that already have a directory.

  • Template copy failures are safe. If the template copy fails, the client folder itself is still created — you just won't see the template structure inside.

Troubleshooting

If the template structure doesn't appear in a new client directory:

  1. Confirm the Root Folder is set in Settings > Advanced > Client Folders.

  2. Confirm the Template Folder is set and the folder still exists.

  3. Make sure you have write access to both the template folder and the root folder.

  4. Check for any error messages during creation.

  5. Confirm the client now shows a directory in the Files tab.

If the Shared folder structure doesn't appear:

  1. Confirm the Shared Folder Template is set in Settings > Advanced and the source folder still exists.

  2. If the company was created before you set the template, use the apply-to-existing option. It will not backfill on its own.

  3. Check the folder-tree preview matches what you expect.

If everything checks out and it still fails, contact support with the client name and the time you tried.

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