Understanding Your Documents
Uploading Documents
Kaison gives you two ways to get documents into the system: manual upload and email forwarding.
Manual Upload
From the sidebar, click Documents under the Portfolio group. The upload area accepts drag-and-drop or click-to-browse. You can upload PDFs, images (JPG, PNG), and common document formats. Multiple files can be uploaded at once.
Email Forwarding
Every organization gets a unique upload email address in the format upload-[your-code]@kaison.io. Forward receipts, invoices, closing documents, or inspection reports to this address and Kaison automatically ingests the attachments. The subject line and body are preserved as metadata.
How Kaison uses this
Email forwarding is the fastest way to capture documents in the field. Get a receipt from a contractor? Forward it from your phone. Your title company sends the HUD-1? Forward it. The document arrives classified, deduplicated, and linked to the right property within seconds.
How Auto-Classification Works
When a document arrives, Kaison runs a two-stage classification pipeline to determine what type of document it is.
Stage 1: Keyword Matching
The system first checks the filename, subject line, and extracted text against a taxonomy of over 40 document types. If the filename contains "HUD" or "settlement statement," it is classified as a closing document. If it contains "W-9" or "1099," it goes into tax documents. This stage is instant and handles the majority of well-named files.
Stage 2: AI Fallback
If keyword matching cannot determine the type with high confidence, the document is sent to an AI model that reads the content and classifies it. This handles ambiguous filenames like "scan001.pdf" or "IMG_4521.jpg" — the AI reads the actual content to determine what it is.
Document Categories
Kaison recognizes documents across several categories:
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Acquisition | Purchase agreement, title commitment, HUD-1, appraisal |
| Rehab | Scope of work, contractor bid, draw request, permit |
| Financial | Invoice, receipt, bank statement, loan document |
| Insurance | Policy declaration, certificate of insurance, claim |
| Tax | W-9, 1099, property tax bill, depreciation schedule |
| Tenant | Lease agreement, application, screening report |
Pro tip
Give your files descriptive names before uploading. "742-birchwood-hud1.pdf" will be classified instantly. "scan001.pdf" will still work — the AI reads the content — but a good filename saves a step.
Document Deduplication
It is easy to upload the same document twice, especially when forwarding emails. Kaison catches duplicates at three levels:
| Level | How It Works |
|---|---|
| Exact Match | SHA-256 hash comparison — identical files are caught instantly |
| Filename + Size | Same name and file size — likely the same document with minor metadata differences |
| Semantic | Content-level comparison — catches re-scanned or reformatted versions of the same document |
When a duplicate is detected, Kaison skips the upload and links the existing document instead. You will never end up with three copies of the same closing statement cluttering your document list.
Document Security
Real estate documents contain sensitive financial information — purchase prices, loan terms, social security numbers on tax forms, tenant personal data. Kaison takes security seriously.
Encryption at Rest
Every document is encrypted before it is stored using AES-256 encryption. Each organization gets its own encryption key, derived through PBKDF2 key derivation. This means that even if someone gained access to the raw storage, they could not read your documents without the encryption keys.
Tenant Isolation
Documents belong to your organization. Every query that touches documents is scoped by your organization ID. There is no way for one user to see another organization's documents — it is enforced at the database level, not just the application level.
How Kaison uses this
All document downloads are gated behind a PIN. When you export or download documents, you must enter a 6-digit PIN. The exported ZIP file is encrypted. This prevents accidental data exposure if someone gains temporary access to your session.
Linking Documents to Properties
A document can be linked to one or more properties. When you upload or forward a document, Kaison tries to automatically link it to the right property using a four-tier address matching system:
| Tier | Method |
|---|---|
| 1 | Exact address match in the filename or email subject |
| 2 | Property alias or nickname match |
| 3 | Partial address match (street number + name) |
| 4 | Content extraction — address found inside the document text |
If auto-linking cannot determine the property, the document lands in your inbox unlinked. You can manually link it from the document detail page or the property detail page.
Pro tip
Include the property address or alias in the email subject line when forwarding documents. "742 Birchwood — contractor invoice" will auto-link to the right property every time.
Finding Documents Later
Documents pile up quickly. Between closing docs, contractor invoices, insurance certificates, and tax forms, a single deal can generate dozens of files. Kaison gives you several ways to find what you need.
By Property
Open any property and click the Documents tab. You will see every document linked to that property, organized by type.
By Type
The main Documents page lets you filter by document type. Need all your insurance policies? Filter to "Insurance." Looking for all your closing statements across every deal? Filter to "Acquisition" and find them in one list.
By Date
Documents are sorted by upload date. When tax season arrives and your CPA needs every receipt from the calendar year, sort by date and you have a clean chronological record.
How Kaison uses this
The Tax Center pulls from your document library automatically. When you generate a tax package, Kaison includes relevant documents — receipts, 1099s, closing statements — organized by property and category. Good document hygiene now saves hours at tax time.
Educational content only. Consult a CPA or attorney for advice specific to your situation.