Key takeaways
- Secure file sharing is built into ClientConnect, included on every Cohessra plan, with no add-on fees.
- Files use encrypted transport and secure storage practices, and access is scoped to each individual client's portal account.
- A BAA is available where applicable, while clinicians retain their own retention and security duties.
- File sharing is included in the Solo plan at $39/month, or $33/month billed annually, with no per-file charges or storage caps.
Cohessra's secure file sharing lets your clients upload intake paperwork, download superbills on the Practice and Clinic plans, and exchange documents with you inside ClientConnect, with encrypted transport, secure storage practices and role-based access. You enable it in a few clicks, and it works alongside your messaging and scheduling without a separate tool. Here's exactly how it works and what it costs.
What is secure file sharing in the Cohessra client portal?
Secure file sharing in Cohessra is a document exchange area inside ClientConnect, the client portal on every plan. You and your client upload, share, and sign off on files without email attachments or texting. Every transfer uses encrypted transport and secure storage practices, and access is limited to the specific client's portal account, per the Cohessra security overview.
What kinds of files you can share
Intake forms, worksheets, session summaries, and signed agreements all live in one folder per client, with superbills on the Practice and Clinic plans. Clients upload from their phone or browser; you upload from your dashboard.
What this replaces
Email attachments, texts with documents attached, and paper intake packets. If you are on Google Workspace plus spreadsheets, this is the missing client-facing piece.
How do clients upload and download files securely?
Clients never need a separate account or app. They receive an email invitation, set a password, and sign in to the ClientConnect client portal from any browser. Everything happens inside the portal, so no documents travel as email attachments.
Client upload steps
- The client signs in to the portal and opens the Files tab.
- They click Upload, choose the document (an intake form, a worksheet, a photo of an insurance card), and confirm.
- The file appears in the shared folder, and you get a notification in ClientConnect.
Therapist-to-client download steps
- From your dashboard, open the client's record and select Files.
- Click Upload, pick the document, and choose whether to notify the client by portal message.
- The client signs in, sees the file, and downloads it directly.
File size and type limits
Standard document formats (PDF, DOCX, JPG, PNG) are supported. Very large files may need compression.
Which encryption and access controls protect shared files?
Encrypted transport and secure storage
Cohessra is designed to use encrypted transport and secure storage practices appropriate to the service, and customers can request additional documentation during procurement.
Who can see which files
Access is scoped per client: a file uploaded for one client is visible only in that client's portal and to you. There is no shared drive where documents from different clients sit side by side. You can delete a file, which removes it from the client's view immediately.
A BAA is available where applicable, subject to executed agreements.
Access controls and accountability
Role-based permissions and authentication controls help reduce accidental exposure and support accountability within teams.
Is file sharing HIPAA-ready and covered by a BAA?
Yes. Secure file sharing runs inside the same HIPAA-ready platform as your messaging and scheduling, and a Business Associate Agreement is available where applicable, subject to executed agreements. Full details on access controls and secure storage practices live on our security page.
What the BAA covers
The scope of the agreement is set by the executed BAA, which you can request before any PHI enters the platform.
What you as the clinician still control
You stay responsible for how you use the tool. That means keeping your password and two-factor settings tight, setting access on a per-client basis, avoiding downloads to unencrypted personal devices when possible, and handling retention and destruction per your own record-keeping policy. A signed BAA shifts vendor obligations onto us; it does not remove your clinical and legal duties for the PHI you exchange.
How does file sharing work with ClientConnect messaging and scheduling?
File sharing lives inside the same client record as your ClientConnect messaging and scheduling, so documents, conversations, and appointments stay in one place instead of scattered across email, texts, and a shared drive.
Sharing alongside secure messaging
When a client uploads a document through the portal, it attaches to their file and a notification appears in your messaging thread. You can reply in the thread and reference the document without switching tools. Clients see their uploads and your shared files in the same portal view, so nothing gets lost in an inbox.
Attaching documents to appointments
You can tie paperwork to a scheduled session so intake forms, consent documents, or a superbill are requested before the appointment date. If a client has not completed an upload, you see it alongside the appointment, which makes follow-up a one-click message rather than a phone call.
How do I enable file sharing for my practice?
Turning on secure file sharing in the Cohessra client portal takes three steps.
Step 1: open client record settings
From your dashboard, click Clients, select the client's record, then open the Documents tab. File sharing is controlled per client, so you decide who can exchange files with you.
Step 2: enable document sharing
Toggle Enable document sharing on, then set permissions: choose whether the client can upload, download, or both, and whether uploads require your approval before they appear. Files shared here sit inside the client's record, so nothing lives in email or texts.
Step 3: invite the client
Click Send portal invite. Your client gets an email with a one-time link to set a password, and the Documents tab appears in their portal view immediately.
File sharing is included on the Solo plan at $39/month, or $33/month billed annually, per the Cohessra Solo plan pricing page.
How does Cohessra file sharing compare to what you use now?
Here is the same yardstick applied to four options, including where Cohessra falls short.
| Criteria | Texts, email, paper | Google Workspace | SimplePractice Starter | Cohessra |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Built for client document exchange | No | General-purpose | Yes | Yes |
| Encryption and access controls you configure per client | No | Partial, fiddly | Yes | Yes |
| Tied to the client portal and messaging | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Cost for a solo cash-pay practice | Free, risky | $6+/user/month (illustrative) | $49/mo per CoralEHR's June 2026 pricing check | $39/mo, $33/mo annual |
| Insurance billing features you pay for anyway | N/A | No | Yes | No |
Honest shortfalls: Cohessra is a newer platform with no published reviews yet, so you are betting on a smaller vendor. SimplePractice (simplepractice.com) has years of track record and a larger community. If you need deep integrations beyond file sharing, messaging, and scheduling, verify fit before switching.
If your current setup is spreadsheets and texts, the gap is encryption and auditability, not features.
What does file sharing cost on the Solo plan?
File sharing is included in Cohessra's Solo plan at $39/month, or $33/month billed annually. There are no per-file charges, storage caps tied to file sharing, or add-on fees for portal features. The full ClientConnect portal scope, including messaging, scheduling, and document exchange, is listed on the Cohessra ClientConnect product page.
If you currently pay $49/month for SimplePractice Starter, file sharing on Cohessra costs $10/month less while covering the same document-exchange need. Nothing about file sharing changes at renewal, and the current pricing page always reflects what you pay.
Where do I sign in or book a demo to see file sharing?
Head to the Cohessra website and open the ClientConnect product page for an overview of the client portal, then use the Book a Demo link to schedule a live walkthrough of secure file sharing with a real clinician's workflow. Existing subscribers sign in from the same site and can test uploads, downloads, and access controls inside their own portal.
FAQ
Do I need extra storage or an add-on plan for file sharing?
No. File sharing is included in the Solo plan at $39/month, or $33/month billed annually, with no per-file charges, no storage caps tied to file sharing, and no portal add-on fees. You get the full ClientConnect scope, including messaging, scheduling, and document exchange, on one subscription. Pricing is always reflected on the current pricing page.
Does my client need to create a separate account or install anything?
No. Clients receive an email invitation with a one-time link, set a password, and sign in to the ClientConnect portal from any browser on their phone or computer. There is no separate app, no client-side software, and no additional account to manage. Uploads and downloads both happen inside the portal itself.
Are shared files covered by a BAA?
Where applicable, yes. A Business Associate Agreement is available, subject to executed agreements, and its scope is set by the executed BAA. You still handle your own retention policy, password hygiene, and two-factor settings.
Can I control what a client sees after a file is shared?
Access is scoped per client, so files shared with one client are visible only in their portal and to you. You can delete a file, which removes it from the client's view immediately. One current gap: there are no per-file expiration dates or watermarks, so retention works through deletion rather than automatic expiry.
Can I see who accessed a shared file and when?
Role-based permissions and authentication controls help support accountability within teams. We'll confirm what access history is available during your demo.
Sources
- SimplePractice simplepractice.com
