Society documents: WhatsApp & drives vs Plinth
| WhatsApp / shared drive | Plinth Document Vault | |
|---|---|---|
| Finding the current bye-laws | Search chat history; multiple versions | One library; admins replace and publish |
| Who can access | Anyone with the link or in the group | admins_only or members; must be published |
| Download link | Permanent share URL | 120-second signed URL to private storage |
| Categories | Ad-hoc folder names | byelaws, minutes, financials, resolutions, certificates, contracts, insurance, sop, other |
| Draft vs final | Easy to forward the wrong file | Unpublished drafts hidden from residents |
| Audit trail | None | set_document_visibility logged |
| File types | Anything (size limits vary) | PDF, images, Word, Excel; 25 MB max |
| Tied to governance | Separate from voting and AGM | Same platform as polls, notices, meetings |
WhatsApp is fine for a quick "minutes attached" message. Use Plinth when the committee needs controlled publication, member entitlement, and a record of what was released. Part of the Governance tier — see pricing.