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How To: Unlock a File

Why a client file locks, what happens while it is locked, and how to unlock it.

Written by AI Support

A locked client file stays in your account, but XBert stops working on it and you cannot open its work items until it is unlocked.

Why a file locks

A client file locks when it is not being paid for. That happens when:

  • its 7 day free trial ends and the file has not been paid for

  • the file has not been paid for and is not in a trial

  • you are re-adding a client you have had in XBert before, so the trial does not apply

Note: A file does not lock because of how much activity it has. Activity volume decides which plan a connected client sits on, but it never locks a file.

👉 Read more here: Understanding XBert Pricing

While a file is locked

Locked clients with work items will still appear on your Work View, marked with a lock icon. If you try to open one of those work items you will not be able to access it, and will be prompted to unlock the file.


How to unlock a file

  1. Go to Settings, then under Clients select Plans.

  2. Any file that needs unlocking has an Unlock button on its row.

  3. Click Unlock. The pricing summary updates to show what you will pay. You are invoiced a pro rata amount for that file, covering from now to your next billing date.

  4. Select Pay Now and complete your billing details.

  5. Your card is charged and an invoice is emailed to the address you entered on the payment page. From then on you are charged each billing period at the frequency your account is on.

👉 Read more here: Checkout and Billing

Note: Your billing frequency is set for your whole account, not per client. Whichever frequency you choose, monthly or annually, every client plan is billed on it from then on. You cannot put one client on annual billing and another on monthly.

To enquire about changing your billing frequency, please contact support.


Need help?

If you have any questions, our support team is here to help!

Reach out via the chat widget on the bottom left of your XBert screen (Help), or email us at support@xbert.io

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