# Railbase for Document Operations

> Give documents, policies and contracts a home with versions, an access log, translation and approvals — on software you own.

_Updated: 2026-07-02_

## The problem with documents scattered everywhere

Policies live in a shared drive. Contracts sit in email threads. The current version of anything is whoever's memory you trust that day. When a regional team needs a document in their language, someone translates it by hand and pastes it into chat. There is no record of who opened what, and nothing stops an out-of-date file from circulating.

Files in chat and drives are unauditable by design. Document SaaS solves storage but hands you another silo to log into and pay for. An ERP document module can do the job, but it is heavy machinery for a growing team. Railbase is lighter than ERP: a self-hosted business operating platform where documents sit next to the rest of your operations, on your own server.

## What Railbase gives document operations

**Documents core** is a platform capability, not an add-on. Every file becomes a document row with versions, an access log, legal hold and quotas. You always know the current version, who touched it, and what has to be retained.

**Translate** is a company-wide business module — $99 per company per month plus a fair-use quota (usage-based, not per-seat). Regional teams read the same policy in their own language without a manual copy-paste cycle.

**Core Tasks / Authority** ships in the free core and provides approvals and a work inbox. Basic document sign-off does not cost extra — route a document for approval and it lands in the right person's inbox.

## A policy, end to end

1. Upload the policy to **Documents** — it becomes a versioned row with an access log.
2. Publish a new version; the old one is superseded, not lost, and every open is recorded.
3. Translate it for regional teams with **Translate**, company-wide.
4. Route it for sign-off through **Core Tasks** approvals — no paid dependency for the basic flow.
5. Retain it under **legal hold** so it cannot be deleted while it matters.

One shared record, one audit trail, one origin.

## FAQ

### Do I need a paid module just to approve a document?
No. Approvals and the work inbox are built into the free core (Core Tasks / Authority). You add paid modules only when you need more, like translation.

### How is Translate priced?
As a company-wide plan: $99 per company per month plus a fair-use usage quota. It is not billed per seat, so the whole company can read documents in their own language.

### Where does my data live?
On your own server. Railbase is simple self-hosting — one binary, one file — and works with your IT partner. railbase.app only handles the catalog, licenses and signed artifacts, never your documents.

## Get started

Run the free core, turn on Documents, then add Translate when regional teams need it. [Browse business modules](../plugins) or [plan an implementation](../develop) for a migration off your current drives.