# Keep documents and certificates on a customer

Add exemption certificates by state and other files to a customer, replace them when new ones arrive, and see what is missing or expired.

Canonical: https://demo.qixcount.com/help/invoicing/keep-customer-documents

Who can do this: Owners, or people with *View customers*; adding, replacing and deleting need *Edit customers*

Where: Sales, then Customers

You'll need: A saved customer; a PDF, JPG or PNG file up to 10 MB

## Add a document

1. Open **Sales**, then **Customers**, and select the customer's name.
2. Select the **Documents** tab.
3. Under **Other documents**, select **Add a document**.
4. Choose the file. It must be a PDF, JPG or PNG up to 10 MB.
5. Select the **Type**: Purchase order, Contract, Credit application or Other.
6. Enter **Signed** and **Expiration date** if the document has those dates.
7. Enter a **Note** if you want one, such as the purchase order number.
8. Select **Add document**.

The document appears under **Other documents** with its type, file name, size, who added it and when. QixCount does not read the file. A file of another kind, or one over 10 MB, is not added, and a message names the file. Files are stored privately with the customer.

## Add an exemption certificate

Select **Add a certificate** on the **Documents** tab. The page asks for the file, the reason, the number, the states it covers and its dates. See [Record and review exemption certificates](https://demo.qixcount.com/help/taxes/exemption-certificates) for each step and for what a certificate changes on invoices.

To have the customer send it instead, select **Ask for a certificate** above the list of certificates, or in the **Paperwork** card. They get a private link, and what they send waits on this tab until you accept it. See [Ask a customer for an exemption certificate](https://demo.qixcount.com/help/taxes/ask-a-customer-for-a-certificate).

## Understand the certificate list

**Exemption certificates** lists each certificate with the states it covers.

| Status | What it means |
| --- | --- |
| On file | The certificate has a file and is current. |
| No file yet | The certificate is current and has no file. It exempts all the same. Select **Add the file** to attach one. |
| Expires in | The expiration date is within 30 days. The status counts the days left. |
| Expired | The certificate reached its expiration date. Sales shipped to its states are taxed unless another certificate covers them. |
| Missing | You collect sales tax in this state and have invoiced the customer there, and no current certificate covers it. The row says how many invoices were shipped there. Drafts and voided invoices do not count. |

A missing state is listed only for a customer set to exempt. Select **Add** on its row to start a certificate for that state. The **Paperwork** card repeats the same facts in a line each, says who gets the reminder for a certificate that expires within 30 days, and shows a certificate request you sent.

A certificate's number is shown by its last four characters only. A certificate the customer sent through a private link says so, and who accepted it.

## Replace a certificate or a document

1. Open the menu at the end of the row and select **Replace**.
2. For a certificate, enter the new details on the page that opens and select **Replace certificate**. For a document, choose the new file, check that **Replaces** names the old file, and select **Replace document**.

The old one moves to **History** under its list, with the date. It is not deleted, and a replaced certificate keeps its file. Only a document of the same type can be replaced. To put a new file on a certificate without changing anything else, open the menu on its row and select **Change the file**. The old file moves to the certificates' **History**, where **View** and **Download** still open it.

## View, download or delete

Select **View** to open a file in a new browser tab. Open the menu at the end of the row to select **Download**.

> [!WARNING]
> Deleting a document or a certificate removes its file permanently. This cannot be undone. To keep the old file, replace it instead.

1. Open the menu at the end of the row.
2. Select **Delete**.
3. Select **Delete document** or **Delete certificate**.

A certificate that an invoice or quote relied on cannot be deleted. The dialog says how many relied on it and offers **Replace it** instead. Deleting a certificate changes new invoices and quotes only. Those already saved keep their tax.

## Who can open these

Anyone who can see customers sees the list and can open the files. Adding, replacing and deleting needs *Edit customers*.

This guide explains how QixCount works. It isn't tax, legal or accounting advice.

Next, [review the customer page](https://demo.qixcount.com/help/invoicing/customer-page-and-history).