Documentation System¶
Centralized SOPs, Handbooks, and Reference Material¶
PulseRoster's Documentation system lets communities maintain SOPs, handbooks, 10-codes, penal codes, training manuals, and more, all inside PulseRoster instead of scattered across Google Docs, Notion, and Discord pins.
Included on every plan, capped by plan
Documentation is available on every plan: 5 documents on Free, 50 on Standard, unlimited on Professional. .docx import requires Standard or higher. Department- and subdivision-scoped documents, checklists, certification integration (required reading), Discord notifications, and read analytics are Professional-only.
Document Types¶
PulseRoster supports four document types, each designed for a different use case:
Standard Document¶
Rich text documents with a full WYSIWYG editor. Use these for SOPs, handbooks, training manuals, policy documents, and anything that needs formatted text.
The editor supports:
- Headings (H1 through H6)
- Bold, italic, underline, strikethrough
- Ordered and unordered lists
- Links and images
- Tables
- Blockquotes
- Code blocks
Code Table¶
Structured reference tables designed for 10-codes, penal codes, vehicle codes, and similar reference material. Code tables provide:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Searchable Columns | Instantly filter rows by typing in the search bar |
| Category Badges | Color-coded badges for easy categorization |
| Click-to-Copy | Click any cell in a "Copy" column to copy its value |
| Templates | Quick-start with 10-Codes, Penal Codes, Vehicle Codes, or custom columns |
Checklist¶
Step-by-step checklists that members can check off individually. Useful for onboarding procedures, shift checklists, and training requirements. Progress tracking shows how far each member has gotten.
PDF¶
Upload an existing PDF (up to 20MB) and members read it inside PulseRoster, useful for documents you already maintain elsewhere. Choose whether readers get a page-by-page viewer or one continuous scroll, and replace the file later without re-creating the document; each replacement is recorded as a new version.
Key Features¶
Rich Text Editor¶
The editor provides a full formatting toolbar for Standard Documents. Write and format content without leaving PulseRoster.
Code Table Templates¶
When creating a Code Table, choose from built-in templates:
| Template | Columns |
|---|---|
| 10-Codes | Code, Description, Category |
| Penal Codes | Code, Title, Description, Classification |
| Vehicle Codes | Code, Description, Category |
| Custom | Define your own columns and types |
Folder Organization¶
Organize documents into folders and subfolders, and reorganize them freely as your library grows.
| Action | How |
|---|---|
| Rename a folder | Folder menu → Rename or move… |
| Nest a folder | Drag it onto another folder, or use Rename or move… to pick a parent |
| Move to the top level | Drag it onto All Documents |
| Reorder folders | Folder menu → Move up / Move down |
| Move to another department | Folder menu → Rename or move… → change Department |
| Delete | Folder menu → Delete. Documents inside move to the top level; subfolders move up one level. Nothing is deleted with it |
Moving a folder between departments
Changing a folder's department also moves its subfolders, and offers to reassign the documents inside it to the new department. That changes who can see those documents and who they are required reading for, so the confirmation spells out how many are affected. If a document's name is already taken in the new department, its link changes and you'll be told which ones.
A folder cannot be moved inside one of its own subfolders. That would leave it and everything in it stranded, so it's rejected with an explanation.
Moving Documents Between Folders¶
Documents can be filed, refiled, or pulled back out to the top level at any time. Version history and acknowledgments are always preserved; there is never a reason to delete and re-upload a document just to move it.
| Where | How |
|---|---|
| From the list | Document menu → Move to folder… |
| Several at once | Tick the documents, then Move to… in the bar above the list |
| From the sidebar | Drag a document onto a folder, or onto All Documents |
| While editing | Click the folder button in the editor toolbar |
The sidebar lists the documents inside each folder, so you can see and rearrange your whole library from one place. Use Hide documents to collapse them back to folders only.
Card and List Views¶
Documents can be shown as cards or as a compact list. Use the toggle above the document list to switch; your choice is remembered in your browser.
Department Folders¶
Creating a department automatically creates a matching documentation folder for it, visible only to members of that department. A Dispatch folder is not readable by someone who isn't in Dispatch.
These folders behave like any other. Rename them, move them, nest things inside them, or change their permissions, with one exception: they cannot be deleted, so a department can't accidentally lose its documentation home. They are removed automatically if the department itself is deleted.
Department folders are free
Automatically created department folders do not count toward your plan's folder limit. Only folders you create yourself do.
Department- & Subdivision-Scoped Documents¶
Documents can be community-wide, or scoped to a specific department or subdivision:
| Scope | Visibility | Tier |
|---|---|---|
| Community-wide | All members with documentation permissions | Standard+ |
| Department | Only members of that department | Professional |
| Subdivision | Only members of that subdivision | Professional |
Folder & Document Permissions¶
Beyond department scoping, you can restrict exactly who is able to open a specific folder or document. Open the folder or document menu and choose Permissions….
Access can be granted to any combination of:
| Grant to | Who gets access |
|---|---|
| Departments | Anyone actively assigned to a selected department, e.g. LCSO and BCSO only |
| Staff roles | Holders of a staff role, such as Roster Manager |
| Ranks | Holders of a rank, in any department that rank belongs to |
| Subdivisions | Members of a subdivision, such as SWAT or K9 |
| Department role level | Supervisors and above, or Command Staff only |
| Specific members | Named individuals, searched by name |
Matching any one of the things you pick grants access. Selecting "K9 Unit" and "Sergeant" means K9 members or sergeants can open it, not only people who are both.
How folder and document restrictions combine¶
Restrictions apply to everything inside a folder, including subfolders. To open a document you must pass every folder above it and the document's own rule, so a document can narrow access further but can never be more visible than the folder holding it. Moving a document into a restricted folder restricts it immediately, with nothing else to configure.
SOPs (everyone)
└── Command Only [restricted to Command Staff]
├── Promotion Policy → Command Staff
└── IA Handbook [restricted to Internal Affairs]
→ Command Staff AND Internal Affairs
Who always keeps access¶
So that nobody can lock themselves out of their own documentation:
- Community staff and owners always retain access to everything.
- A department's command staff always retain access to items scoped to the department they command. This does not extend to community-wide items or to other departments.
What restricted members see¶
A restricted folder or document is hidden, not merely locked. It does not appear in the sidebar or the document list, it is excluded from search results (so its title and content snippets never leak) and opening a direct link returns "not found" rather than confirming it exists.
Restrictions are about visibility, not editing
Permissions control who can read a folder or document. Who can create,
edit, publish, or delete is governed separately by the documentation.*
staff-role permissions listed below.
Version Control¶
Every time you publish a document, a new version is created.
- Version History shows who published each version and when
- Restore previous versions if needed
- Standard tier keeps the last 5 versions
- Professional tier keeps unlimited version history
Acknowledgment Tracking¶
Mark documents as "Requires Acknowledgment" to ensure members read critical documents.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Acknowledgment Status | Track which members have acknowledged per document |
| Member-by-Member View | See exactly who has and hasn't acknowledged |
| Version-Aware | Acknowledgments reset when a new version is published |
| Discord DM Reminders | Send reminders to members who haven't acknowledged (Professional) |
Required Reading Tracker¶
Documents that require acknowledgment appear prominently across PulseRoster:
- Community Dashboard: amber-highlighted section showing unacknowledged required documents
- Department Pages: department-specific required reading for that department's members
- Members can click through directly to read and acknowledge
Copy Protection¶
Toggle copy protection per document to prevent unauthorized copying of sensitive content. When enabled:
- Right-click is disabled on document content
- Ctrl+C / Cmd+C is blocked
- Text selection is disabled
Full-Text Search¶
Search across all documents by title and content. Results display highlighted snippets so you can quickly find what you need.
View Analytics (Professional)¶
Track engagement with your documents:
| Metric | Description |
|---|---|
| Total Views | How many times the document has been opened |
| Unique Viewers | How many distinct members have viewed it |
| Average Read Time | How long members spend reading |
| Scroll Depth | How far members scroll through the document |
.docx Import (Professional)¶
Import existing Word documents with full style mapping:
- Headings, bold, italic, and other formatting preserved
- Ordered and unordered lists converted
- Embedded images extracted and uploaded
- No manual reformatting needed
Discord Notifications (Professional)¶
Notify members via Discord when:
- A new document is published
- Acknowledgment is required on a new or updated document
Creating Documents¶
How to Create¶
- Navigate to Documentation from the sidebar
- Click New Document
- Enter a title and select a type (Standard, Code Table, Checklist, or PDF)
- For Code Tables, choose a template (10-Codes, Penal Codes, Vehicle Codes) or create custom columns
- Optionally assign to a department and/or folder
- Toggle Requires Acknowledgment if members need to confirm they've read it
- Click Create Document, and you'll be taken to the editor
Document Fields¶
| Field | Description | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Title | Document name | Yes |
| Type | Standard, Code Table, Checklist, or PDF | Yes |
| Department | Assign to a department or leave community-wide | No |
| Folder | Place in a folder for organization | No |
| Permissions | Restrict who can open it (see Folder & Document Permissions) | No |
| Requires Acknowledgment | Members must acknowledge after reading | No |
| Copy Protection | Prevent text copying | No |
Publishing¶
Documents start as drafts. When ready, click Publish to:
- Snapshot the current content as a new version
- Make the document visible to all members
- If acknowledgment is required, reset acknowledgment tracking for the new version
Draft vs. Published
Drafts are only visible to document editors. Published documents are visible to all members with the documentation.view permission.
Subscription Tiers¶
| Feature | Free | Standard | Professional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Documentation | No | Up to 5 documents | Unlimited |
| Folders | No | Up to 2 | Unlimited |
| Department folders (automatic) | No | Yes, and they don't count toward the folder limit | Yes |
| Folder & document permissions | No | Yes | Yes |
| Code Tables | No | Up to 3 | Unlimited |
| Version History | No | Last 5 versions | Unlimited |
| Department-scoped documents | No | No | Yes |
| Subdivision-scoped documents | No | No | Yes |
| Checklist Type | No | No | Yes |
| .docx Import | No | No | Yes |
| View Analytics | No | No | Yes |
| Discord Notifications | No | No | Yes |
| Certification Integration | No | No | Yes |
Permissions¶
Documentation permissions are managed through Staff Roles. See Permissions & Staff Roles for full details.
| Permission | Description |
|---|---|
documentation.view |
View published documents |
documentation.create |
Create new documents |
documentation.edit |
Edit existing documents |
documentation.delete |
Delete documents |
documentation.publish |
Publish document versions |
documentation.manage_acknowledgments |
View and manage acknowledgment status |
Tips and Best Practices¶
- Table of Contents: Use the Table of Contents on the left side of the reader for quick navigation through long documents
- Code Table Filters: Code Tables support a Filter column (badge type) for easy categorization and filtering
- Copy Column: The Copy column option in Code Tables lets readers click to copy cell values instantly
- Required Reading Visibility: Documents that require acknowledgment show an amber banner on the community dashboard and department pages until acknowledged
- Organize Early: Set up a folder structure before creating many documents to keep things manageable, though you can rename, move and reorganize folders at any time
- Department Scoping: Use department-scoped documents for department-specific SOPs so members only see what's relevant to them
- Restrict the Folder, Not Each Document: Putting sensitive SOPs in one restricted folder is easier to maintain than restricting each document separately, and anything you add later is protected automatically
- Check Before You Save: A restriction that names nothing would hide the folder from every member, so PulseRoster blocks saving until you pick at least one department, role, rank, subdivision or member
- Bulk Filing: When tidying up a lot of loose documents, tick several in the list and use Move to… rather than moving them one at a time
Quick Reference¶
Documentation URLs¶
| Page | URL |
|---|---|
| Documentation List | /c/[slug]/documentation |
| Document Reader | /c/[slug]/documentation/[doc-slug] |
Required Permissions¶
| Action | Permission |
|---|---|
| View documents | documentation.view (plus any folder/document restriction) |
| Create documents | documentation.create |
| Edit documents | documentation.edit |
| Delete documents | documentation.delete |
| Publish versions | documentation.publish |
| Manage acknowledgments | documentation.manage_acknowledgments |
Need help? Join our Discord Community for support.