---
title: "Attachment Check-In/Check-Out"
slug: "attachment-check-incheck-out-1"
updated: 2026-10-08T17:15:46Z
published: 2026-10-29T16:40:50Z
canonical: "wiki.cobblestonesoftware.com/attachment-check-incheck-out-1"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://wiki.cobblestonesoftware.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Attachment Check-In/Check-Out

**COBBLESTONE SOFTWARE**

Contract Insight — User Guide

**Attachment Check-In/Check-Out**

*07. End Users - Contracts › Contract Attachments › Attachment Check-In/Check-Out*

**Note:** Each procedure in this guide begins at the Contract Insight homepage, so any section can be followed on its own. Custom fields are configurable, so the exact field list on a contract category record may vary between environments.

# 1. Overview

**Check-in/check-out** lets one person lock a contract attachment while they work on it, so nobody else can replace it until it is checked back in. The control sits at the top of every attachment's **Document Tools** panel (opened from the tool icon on the file's row in **Attachments & Templates**). When nobody holds the file, the banner reads "**Nobody has this checked out** — Anyone with permission can change or replace it." alongside a **Check out** button. Once you check it out, the banner changes to "**You have this checked out** — Only you can replace it until you check it back in." and the button becomes **Check in**; other users see who holds the file ("**Checked out by** [name]"). Checked-out files are also flagged directly in the attachments grid and listed on the homepage under the **Checked-out documents** tab, where they can be checked back in with one click.

**Note:** Check-in/check-out must be switched on by an administrator (see **Section 3**). While it is off, the Document Tools banner reads "Check-out isn't switched on for this record type." and the **Check out** button is unavailable.

# 2. Key Elements

- **Check In/Out for Contract Files** (Administration → Application Settings): the system-wide setting that turns check-in/check-out on for contract files and attachments.
- **Document tools** icon: the small toolbox icon next to **Download** on each file's row in **Attachments & Templates**. It opens the **Document Tools** panel, with the check-out banner and button at the top.
- **Check out**: locks the file to you so only you can replace it until you check it back in.
- **Check in**: releases the lock so anyone with permission can change or replace the file again.
- **Checked out to you**: a label shown beneath the file name in the attachments grid, alongside other status labels such as **In a joint process**, so you can see the file's state without opening Document Tools.
- **Checked-out documents** tab (homepage): lists every document you have checked out on any record, with its contract number and a **Check in** button.
- Checking a file out does not open it for editing. Pair it with **Edit with VISDOM**, **Collaborative edit**, or **Edit in Word** to make changes.

# 3. Enabling Check-In/Check-Out (Administrators)

1. From the Contract Insight homepage, click the **Administration** (sliders) icon at the bottom of the left navigation bar.
2. Click **Application Settings**.
3. In the **Search every setting** box, type **check in**.
4. Under **Contracts**, switch the **Check In/Out for Contract Files** toggle to **On**.
5. Click **Save 1 change** at the top right.

![Application Settings with Check In/Out for Contract Files switched on and Save 1 change highlighted](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/00_admin_setting.jpg)

1. In the **Save these settings?** window, click **Save 1 setting**. The change applies to all users immediately.

![Save these settings confirmation with Save 1 setting highlighted](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/00b_admin_confirm.jpg)

**Note:** Two related settings appear in the same search results: **Download of Checked Out Contract Files** (allows checked-out files to be downloaded) and **File Type Extension Check In / Check Out** (when Off, files that share a name but differ only in extension, such as *Agreement.docx* and *Agreement.pdf*, are checked out and in together).

# 4. Navigating to a Contract's Attachments

1. From the Contract Insight homepage, click the **Requests/Contracts** icon in the left navigation bar and select **Contracts**.

![Requests/Contracts menu with Contracts highlighted](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/01_nav_contracts(8).jpg)

1. Locate the contract (use the **Search** box if needed) and click **Manage** on its row.

![Contracts list with the Search box and Manage button highlighted](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/ci-checkinout-02_contract_list.jpg)

1. On the contract record, click the **Attachments & Templates** tab.
2. In the **Files / Attachments** grid, find the file and click its **Document tools** icon (next to **Download**).

![Attachments and Templates tab with a file and its Document tools icon highlighted](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/ci-checkinout-03_attachments_doctools.jpg)

# 5. Checking Out an Attachment

1. Navigate to the contract's **Attachments & Templates** tab and open the file's **Document Tools** panel (see **Section 4**).
2. At the top of the panel, confirm the banner reads **Nobody has this checked out**, then click **Check out**.

![Document Tools panel showing Nobody has this checked out and the Check out button](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/ci-checkinout-04_checkout_panel.jpg)

1. The panel closes and the file is locked to you. In the attachments grid, **Checked out to you** now appears beneath the file name.

![Attachments grid showing Checked out to you labels beneath the file names](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/ci-checkinout-05_grid_checkedout.jpg)

**Note:** Checking out does not open the file. To make changes, use **Edit with VISDOM**, **Collaborative edit**, or **Edit in Word** from Document Tools, or download the file. In the example above, **File Type Extension Check In / Check Out** is Off, so checking out *New Out of the Box.docx* also checked out *New Out of the Box.pdf*.

# 6. Checking In an Attachment

## 6a. Checking In from Document Tools

1. Navigate to the contract's **Attachments & Templates** tab and open the file's **Document Tools** panel.
2. The banner reads **You have this checked out** — "Only you can replace it until you check it back in." Click **Check in**.

![Document Tools panel showing You have this checked out and the Check in button](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/ci-checkinout-06_checkin_panel.jpg)

1. The lock is released: the **Checked out to you** label disappears from the grid, and anyone with permission can change or replace the file again.

## 6b. Checking In from the Homepage

1. On the Contract Insight homepage, click the **Checked-out documents** tab in the assignments panel.
2. Every file you have checked out, on any record, is listed with its contract number. Click **Check in** on the file's row.

![Homepage Checked-out documents tab with Check in buttons highlighted](https://cdn.document360.io/e3626857-1fb5-4e27-b278-2d3fc5508be4/Images/Documentation/ci-checkinout-07_home_checkedout.jpg)

1. When nothing remains checked out, the tab reads **You have nothing checked out**.

# 7. Quick Reference Summary

| Task | Where | Action |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Enable check-in/check-out | Administration → Application Settings | Search **check in**, switch **Check In/Out for Contract Files** On, then **Save 1 change** → **Save 1 setting** |
| Open a file's check-out control | Contract → Attachments & Templates | Click the **Document tools** icon on the file's row |
| Check out a file | Document Tools panel | Click **Check out** |
| See check-out status on a record | Attachments grid | Look for **Checked out to you** beneath the file name |
| See everything you have checked out | Homepage → Checked-out documents tab | Review the list (shows the contract number for each file) |
| Check in a file | Document Tools panel or Checked-out documents tab | Click **Check in** |