Granting and revoking access

Restricted documents in UnitVault don't share themselves — every access from a buyer is a deliberate decision by you, the seller. This is the workflow.

Where access requests show up

When a buyer requests access to a restricted document, you get notified in two places:

• Dashboard → Notifications — the badge counter and the notifications list.
• Dashboard → My Listings → [the listing] → UnitVault → Access requests — the per-listing queue with full context.

Each request shows the buyer's business profile, what they're asking for, and any message they attached.

What to look at before approving

Treat the request like a job application — the answer should be a deliberate decision.

• Is the buyer a verified business? A real entity with a real legal name and address.
• Does their type match the asset? A logistics provider asking for a title isn't normal; a verified dealer in your category is.
• Have they engaged on the listing first? Buyers who message you about the asset before asking for restricted documents are usually serious.
• What did they say in the request? A clear context ("evaluating for purchase, need title and inspection") beats a blank request.

You can also look at their reviews tab to see how previous transactions went.

Granting access

When you click Approve, the buyer:

• Immediately gains read access to the specific document(s) you approved.
• Gets a notification with a direct link to the file.
• Is recorded in the document's audit log — who, when, what file. The audit log is part of the snapshot record if you seal one later.

Two patterns for the grant scope:

• Per-request, per-file — approve only what they asked for. Safest default for new counterparties.
• All restricted docs on this listing — broader grant when you've decided the buyer is serious. Saves the back-and-forth on follow-up requests.

You can also add an optional note that the buyer sees ("Approved for evaluation only — please don't redistribute" etc.). Notes are advisory, not enforcement.

Denying access

Deny closes the request. The buyer is notified that the request was denied and can re-request later with additional context. Denial doesn't ban the buyer from the listing — they can still see public content, message you and request other documents.

When to deny:

• Unverified profile asking for a sensitive document on a high-value asset.
• Profile or context doesn't match the asset (random consumer account on industrial machinery).
• Repeated requests from the same buyer after you've already declined and asked for more context.

You don't owe an explanation. A brief one is courteous but not required.

Ignoring requests

You can also leave a request open. It stays in the queue and the buyer sees "pending" indefinitely. Don't do this. It looks like you're disorganised and it blocks the buyer from moving on. Approve or deny.

Revoking access

Approved access is not permanent. To revoke:

1. Go to Dashboard → My Listings → [the listing] → UnitVault.
2. Open the document.
3. Find the buyer in the Access list.
4. Click Revoke.

The buyer loses access immediately. They keep any copies they already downloaded — revocation cuts off future access, not past downloads. The audit log still records that they had access and when it was revoked.

Reasonable revocation triggers:

• Listing is being sold — clear out access requests from buyers who didn't close.
• Buyer dropped off — if a buyer hasn't responded in a while, revoke and re-approve later if they come back.
• You changed the document — if you've replaced the inspection report or the title, revoke access to the old version so buyers re-request the current one.
• You no longer trust the buyer — if something came up in the conversation that changes your judgement, revoke and ask why.

Audit trail

Every grant, denial and revocation is recorded with:

• Who acted (you, or a teammate on the same business profile).
• Who the buyer is (their business profile and the underlying user ID).
• What the action was (grant / deny / revoke).
• When it happened.
• What document(s) were affected.

This trail is visible in the UnitVault per-document audit view and gets baked into any snapshot you seal. If a dispute arises later about what was shared and when, the audit trail is the authoritative answer.

Bulk patterns

For repeat counterparties, see TradeCircle vs individual grants — granting via a TradeCircle lets you approve a known group of buyers in one move instead of one at a time.