Documents & Compliance
Track employee and asset documents, manage expiry dates, and stay compliant with automatic alerts.
Document Types
SOPHIOS manages two categories of documents:
Employee Documents (EmployeeDocument)
Documents attached to individual crew members:
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Passport | Valid passport, dual citizenship documents |
| Visa | Work visas, Schengen permits |
| STCW Certificate | Standards of Training, Certification & Watchkeeping |
| Medical Certificate | ENG1 or equivalent fitness certificate |
| Seaman’s Book | Official discharge/service book |
| Contract | Signed employment contracts, amendments |
| Training Certificate | Safety, fire, first aid, ISPS security |
| ID Card | Government-issued ID, driver’s license |
| Other | Insurance, references, background checks |
Access: Employee detail page > Documents tab
Document Properties
Every document in SOPHIOS stores the following information:
| Field | Description | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Title | Descriptive name for the document | Yes |
| Description | Additional notes or context | No |
| Type | Category (passport, visa, contract, etc.) | Yes |
| File | The uploaded file (PDF, JPG, PNG) | Yes |
| Expiry Date | When the document expires | No |
| Uploaded By | User who uploaded the document | Auto |
Files are stored securely in AWS S3 using presigned URLs — uploads go directly to S3 with time-limited authorization, never passing through the application server.
Uploading Documents
Navigate to the Document Section
For employee documents:
- Open the employee profile
- Click the “Documents” tab
- Click ”+ Upload Document”
For asset documents:
- Open the asset detail page
- Scroll to the Documents section
- Click ”+ Upload Document”
Fill Document Details
- Select the document type from the dropdown
- Enter a title (e.g., “John Smith - Passport”)
- Add an optional description
- Set the expiry date if applicable
Upload the File
- Click “Choose File” or drag-and-drop
- Supported formats: PDF, JPG, PNG (max 10MB)
- The file uploads directly to secure S3 storage via presigned URL
- A preview thumbnail is generated automatically
Save
Click “Save” to finalize the document upload.
Presigned URLs expire after a short time window. If an upload fails due to timeout, simply retry — a fresh URL is generated each time.
Expiry Tracking & Alerts
Automatic Expiry Monitoring
SOPHIOS runs an automatic cron job that checks for documents approaching their expiry date. When documents are expiring soon, the system sends email notifications via Brevo to the relevant users.
Expiry Status Indicators
Documents are color-coded by their expiry status:
| Status | Condition | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Valid | More than 90 days until expiry | No action needed |
| Expiring Soon | 30-90 days until expiry | Plan renewal |
| Urgent | Less than 30 days until expiry | Renew immediately |
| Expired | Past expiry date | Document no longer valid |
Notification Flow
- Cron job runs on a scheduled basis checking all document expiry dates
- Documents within the alert window trigger a Brevo email notification
- Notifications are sent to the document owner and relevant managers
- The compliance dashboard updates in real-time
Compliance Dashboard
The compliance dashboard provides a consolidated view of document status across your crew and assets.
What It Shows
- Documents by status — Valid, Expiring Soon, Urgent, Expired counts
- Upcoming expirations — Sorted list of documents expiring in the next 90 days
- Expired documents — All documents past their expiry date requiring immediate attention
- Missing documents — Employees or assets with required documents not yet uploaded
Filtering Options
- By document type (passport, STCW, medical, etc.)
- By employee or asset
- By expiry status
- By date range
Managing Documents
- View: Click any document title to see details, preview, and download
- Replace: Open an existing document, click “Upload New Version”, upload the renewed file, and update the expiry date. The previous version is retained in history
- Delete: Open the document, click “Delete”, and confirm
Deleting a document permanently removes the file from storage. Download a copy before deleting if you need to retain it.
Best Practices
Document Management Tips
- Upload immediately — Add documents as soon as they are issued, do not wait until expiry approaches
- Set expiry dates — Always set expiry dates for time-limited documents so alerts work correctly
- Use descriptive titles — Include the employee name and document type for easy searching
- Monitor the dashboard — Check the compliance dashboard weekly for upcoming expirations
- Renew proactively — Start renewal processes at least 60 days before expiry for critical documents (STCW, medical, visas)
- Keep originals safe — SOPHIOS stores digital copies; maintain original physical documents per regulatory requirements
Related Documentation: