# Document statuses Every document in Hippoly has a status that controls who can see it and who can make changes. Understanding the three statuses makes it easier to work with drafts, shared documents, and signed documents. ## Draft A **Draft** is only visible to the person who created it and to the collaborators they've invited. Drafts are the right place to prepare a document before the rest of the workspace sees it. * Only the creator and invited collaborators have access to a draft. * Collaborators can edit, share and invite additional collaborators to the draft. * Drafts don't appear for users who are not invited as collaborators. When you're ready to let everyone in the workspace see the document, you [share it](/using-hippoly/hippoly-docs/share-document.md) and it becomes **Shared**. ## Shared A **Shared** document is visible to everyone in the workspace. Anyone in the workspace can open the document and read it, but also make changes to it. To make changes you first [start a new version](/using-hippoly/hippoly-docs/update-shared-doc.md#start-a-new-version), which creates a working copy visible only to you and your collaborators until you [share the changes with everyone](/using-hippoly/hippoly-docs/update-shared-doc.md#share-changes). ## Signed When a document has been [e-signed](/using-hippoly/hippoly-docs/e-sign-document.md), its status becomes **Signed**. Signed documents are **read-only** PDFs and no one can edit them, not even the original author. However, anyone in the workspace with access to the document can [create a new editable copy](/using-hippoly/hippoly-docs/update-shared-doc.md#start-a-new-version) from the PDF. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://help.hippoly.com/using-hippoly/hippoly-docs/document-statuses.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.