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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://developers.paperlink.online/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

A sharing link is a URL that gives recipients access to a specific document. You decide the conditions: whether viewers need a password, whether they must provide an email address, whether they can download the file, and how long the link stays active. This page walks through every step of creating a link and explains each setting.

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Before you begin

Make sure the document you want to share is already in your Shared Documents library. If you have not uploaded it yet, see Upload Documents to Paperlink first.
1

Open the document

Go to Shared Documents in the left sidebar and click the document you want to share.
2

Click Create Link

Click Create Link at the bottom of the document page. The link creation form opens as a side panel.
3

Fill in the form

The form is divided into four collapsible sections. Work through each section and configure the settings you need. The sections are described in detail below.
4

Click Create Link

When you are satisfied with the settings, click Create Link at the bottom of the form.
5

Copy and share the URL

Paperlink displays the generated link with a copy button. Copy the URL and send it to your recipient by email, Slack, or any other channel.

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Form sections

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Basic Info

This section lets you identify the link in your dashboard and add private notes. Link Name (optional) - type a name and press Enter to add it as a tag. The name appears in your analytics dashboard and links list so you can tell different links apart at a glance. This is especially helpful when you share the same document with multiple people. To create a separate link for each recipient in one step, add multiple names - type the first name, press Enter, type the next, and repeat. Paperlink creates one link per name, each tracking views independently. This means you see exactly which recipient opened the document. Internal Notes (optional) - a free-text field visible only to your team. Viewers never see it. Use it to record context such as the deal stage, who requested the link, or a follow-up date. Maximum 500 characters.

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Access Control

These settings determine who can open the link. Require email to view - viewers must enter their email address before the document loads. Their email then appears in your analytics for every page they visit. You can also restrict access to a specific email address: when this option is on, an additional field appears where you can type the allowed address. Anyone who enters a different email is blocked. Require login to view - only registered Paperlink users can view the document. Viewers who are not signed in are prompted to log in. Because login provides a verified identity, the email verification step is skipped automatically. Password Protection (optional) - enter a password that viewers must type before the document loads. Share the password with your recipient separately from the link. Passwords are stored as hashes - Paperlink cannot retrieve a forgotten password, only replace it.
Access controls stack. You can require both a password and email verification on the same link. Viewers complete each step in order: password first, then email, then agreement (if enabled).

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Viewer Permissions

These settings control what viewers can do once they are inside the document. Allow PDF download - when enabled, viewers see a download button and can save the original PDF file to their device. When disabled, viewers can only read the document in the browser. Disable this when you want to prevent copies from being made. Require NDA/Agreement - viewers must read and accept a custom agreement before the document loads. You provide the agreement title (optional, up to 150 characters) and the agreement body text (required, up to 5,000 characters). Paperlink records every signature with the signer’s name, email, IP address, and timestamp, and generates a downloadable PDF proof. See Sharing Link Settings Reference for the full explanation of how this works. These settings control the link’s behavior, presentation, and URL. Expiration Date (optional) - the link stops working after the date you select. Viewers who try to open an expired link see a “Document Unavailable” page. You can remove or extend the expiration at any time by editing the link. Welcome Message (optional) - a short message viewers see on the landing page before they open the document. Up to 500 characters. Use it to add context, instructions, or a personal note. Custom URL - replace the auto-generated URL slug with a custom path such as /my-proposal. Only lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens are allowed. If you change a custom slug, the old URL stops working immediately.
Pair a custom URL slug with a custom domain to create fully branded links like docs.yourcompany.com/series-a-deck.
Paperlink shows the shareable URL with a copy button. Send this URL to your recipient through email, Slack, or any messaging tool. When the recipient opens the link, they go through any access gates you configured - in the order: password, then email verification, then agreement. After completing all required steps, the document loads in the browser-based viewer. From the moment the link is created, Paperlink starts tracking activity. You can see who viewed the document, how long they spent on each page, and whether they downloaded the file from the document’s analytics tab.

Link settings reference

Complete reference for every link option, with a quick-reference table

Upload documents

Add files to your library before creating a sharing link

Viewer analytics

Track who opened your link and which pages they read

Data rooms

Share an entire folder structure through one secure link