# Lifecycle of a Collection

## Creating a new collection

A collection starts with the person who you're collecting documents from, otherwise known as the **respondent**.

* Head to **My docs** and then go to the **Create** tab and stick their email address in. Or, if you have already collected from them...
* Go to the **Our people** section and find the person you'd like to collect documents from, hit **Manage** and then hit the **Collect documents** button

If the email address is unknown to Zipwire, we'll send an invitation out, otherwise we'll locate their account and take you to the Create tab of their documents section where you can name the collection, pick a template (if you have any saved), and get going.

### Edit, design and configure

Once created, you'll see the collection in its editing state. The respondent has not yet been notified, so you're safe to delete it again and they'll be none the wiser.

In this mode, you can add and remove documents and packs and get it how you want it. Once you think it's all good, click **Open**. This'll take a few moments and during this time we'll email and send WhatsApp messages to your respondent.

### Open

Once open, your respondent can see it in their **Open** tab and they can (and should) send you documents for review.

[What the Respondent Sees at Their End](/zipwire-collect/what-the-respondent-sees-at-their-end.md)

You can make some documents optional and you can upload your own files, for example if you find copies somewhere or they send them to you some other way.

Other than that, you generally wait. Zipwire Collect will remind your respondent if they stop sending you things.

{% hint style="info" %}
You can see if someone has logged-in to Zipwire by visiting **Our people** and click **Manage** where you'll see an overview of them.

This view captures your workplace's relationship with this person.
{% endhint %}

### Close and force close

Once everything has arrived and you're happy, you can and should close the collection. We'll let your respondent know and thank them.

Your respondent can also hit the **Force close** button on their side. This marks all remaining documents as refused and closes the collection so they won't get nagged again.

<figure><img src="/files/Jab64C5iis6xhddlFvIE" alt=""><figcaption><p>The <strong>Force close</strong> button on the respondent's side</p></figcaption></figure>

Closed collections pile up under the **Done** tab. At present there is no archive. You can come here to see past collections and access their files and view their forms.


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