How to Use the SimpliHome File Manager

Every household accumulates paperwork. MOT certificates, insurance schedules, mortgage statements, warranty cards, school letters, tax returns, utility bills, survey reports — the list never ends.

SimpliHome's file manager gives your Circle a shared document store. Upload any file, organise it into folders, and access it from any device. No more digging through email archives or hunting through filing cabinet drawers.

#Accessing the File Manager

Go to Files or File Manager in the navigation.

The file manager shows you a folder structure with your uploaded files. By default, SimpliHome creates several protected folders as a starting structure:

• Pictures — household photos and images
• Documents — general documents
• Houses — property-related documents
• Cars — vehicle documents

These protected folders cannot be deleted, but you can add subfolders within them and upload files freely.

#Uploading Files

Family members and Admins can upload files to the Circle's file storage.

To upload a file:

1. Navigate to the folder where you want to store the file
2. Click Upload or drag and drop the file into the window
3. The file is uploaded and appears in the folder immediately

Supported file types: Any file type can be stored — PDFs, Word documents, images, spreadsheets, ZIP files, and more. SimpliHome shows a preview for images and PDFs.

Storage limits: Your Circle has a storage limit based on your subscription. The file manager shows your current usage vs. your limit so you always know where you stand.

#Creating Folders

Organise your documents with custom folders.

1. Navigate to the parent folder where you want to create a sub-folder
2. Click New Folder
3. Give it a name
4. Click Create

Example folder structure:

 1Documents/
 2├── Mortgage/
 3│   ├── 2024 Mortgage Statement.pdf
 4│   └── Fixed Rate Agreement.pdf
 5├── Insurance/
 6│   ├── Home Insurance Schedule.pdf
 7│   └── Life Insurance Policy.pdf
 8├── Tax/
 9│   ├── 2024-25 Self Assessment.pdf
10│   └── P60 2024.pdf
11└── Warranties/
12    ├── Boiler Warranty.pdf
13    └── Dishwasher Warranty.pdf
14
15Cars/
16├── Ford Focus/
17│   ├── MOT Certificate 2025.pdf
18│   └── Insurance Certificate.pdf
19└── Vauxhall Astra/
20    └── Insurance Certificate.pdf
21
22Houses/
23├── [Property Address]/
24│   ├── Title Deeds.pdf
25│   ├── Survey Report.pdf
26│   └── EPC Certificate.pdf

#Downloading Files

To download a file:

1. Click on the file
2. Choose Download

The file saves to your device's downloads folder. Files can also be viewed directly in the browser for PDFs and images.

#Deleting Files

Individual file deletion (Family members and above):

1. Click on a file to select it
2. Choose Delete
3. Confirm

Bulk deletion (Admins only):

1. Select multiple files using the checkboxes
2. Click Delete Selected
3. Confirm

Note: The protected base folders (Pictures, Documents, Houses, Cars) cannot themselves be deleted, but files within them can be.

#Permission Levels for the File Manager

| Action | Admin | Family | Relatives | Friends | |--------|-------|--------|-----------|---------| | View files | Yes | Yes | No | No | | Upload files | Yes | Yes | No | No | | Create folders | Yes | Yes | No | No | | Delete own files | Yes | Yes | No | No | | Bulk delete | Yes | No | No | No |

The file manager is only accessible to Family members and Admins. Relatives and Friends cannot access it.

#What to Store in the File Manager

#Essential Documents

These should go in first — the ones you'd need in an emergency or that are genuinely hard to replace:

• Insurance certificates — home, life, car, health, travel
• Property documents — title deeds, mortgage agreement, survey
• V5C vehicle documents — the logbook for each car
• Will and power of attorney — if applicable

#Important But Not Urgent

Add these when you have time:

• Warranty cards and receipts — for appliances, electronics, furniture
• Gas and electrical safety certificates
• Passport copies (useful for identity purposes, but don't store the actual passport info in an unsecured way — SimpliHome's member profiles have dedicated passport fields)
• School reports and certificates
• Medical letters and test results

#Useful but Lower Priority

• User manuals for appliances (PDFs are usually available online, but having them in one place is convenient)
• Receipts for major purchases
• Holiday booking confirmations
• Service history records for vehicles

#File Manager vs Attaching Documents to Records

SimpliHome has two ways to store documents:

The File Manager — central storage for any document, organised in folders. Good for documents that don't belong to a specific record, or where you want a central filing structure.

Attached documents — Bills, cars, houses, and insurance records each have their own document attachment feature. An MOT certificate attached to the car record is more findable in context than one buried in a folder.

Best practice: Use both. Attach MOT certificates to the car record AND keep a copy in the Cars folder in the file manager. The record-level attachment gives context; the file manager gives a complete document archive.

#Checking Your Storage Usage

1. Go to the File Manager
2. Look for the storage indicator (usually in a sidebar or header)
3. It shows: Used / Total (e.g., "2.3 GB / 10 GB")

If you're approaching your limit:

• Delete files that are no longer needed
• Compress large image files before uploading
• Upgrade your subscription for more storage

#Tips for a Well-Organised File Store

Name files descriptively. "Insurance.pdf" is almost useless. "Home Insurance Certificate - Aviva - 2026.pdf" is self-explanatory and searchable.

Include dates in filenames. "Mortgage Statement March 2026.pdf" — you'll thank yourself when you have 5 years of statements.

Organise as you upload. Creating the right folder before uploading takes 10 seconds. Reorganising 200 files later takes an hour.

Audit annually. Once a year, go through the file manager and delete what's no longer relevant. Expired insurance schedules, documents for cars you no longer own, warranties that have expired.

Use the Houses and Cars folders for vehicle and property docs. This keeps them consistent with where SimpliHome expects to find them, making cross-referencing easier.