Last updated
Feb 3, 2026
Shares are the core record of who actually owns your company today, and share classes define the rights attached to those shares (for example, common vs. preferred, voting vs. non‑voting). Mantle lets you model your share classes, issue shares, and keep every change—cancellations, transfers, repurchases, amendments—tied back to a clean cap table view.
Share classes 101 for founders
A share class groups shares with the same rights (voting, liquidation preferences, dividends, etc.). Common examples: “Common”, “Series Seed Preferred”, “Series A Preferred”, “Non‑voting Common”.
Your charter (certificate of incorporation and amendments) defines which share classes exist and how many shares of each class the company is authorized to issue.
Mantle mirrors this structure so your cap table matches your legal documents, not just an internal spreadsheet.
Share class vs. share class series
Share class
A share class groups shares that have the same core rights on voting, dividends, and liquidation (e.g., Common vs Preferred, or Class A vs Class B common).
Different classes are used to separate founders vs investors vs employees, or to distinguish voting vs non‑voting, participating vs non‑participating, etc.
New classes are used when the company wants a fundamentally different rights package (e.g., founder super‑voting common vs regular common, or common vs preferred).
Share class series
A share class series is a subset of a particular share class; all series in that class share the core class rights but can differ on specific economic terms if the articles allow it.
In practice, preferred stock in startups is often issued in multiple series over rounds (e.g., Series A Preferred, Series B Preferred), each with its own price, liquidation preference, and protective provisions layered on the same base “Preferred” class.
New series are used to stack financing rounds within the same overall class (especially preferred) so that each round’s investors can get customized economic/protective terms while keeping the capital structure more manageable than creating a brand‑new class every time.
How to create a share class in Mantle
Use this when you are setting up your cap table for the first time or adding a new class/series that appears in a charter amendment.
Navigate to Share Classes
In the left-hand sidebar, click Cap Table → Share Classes.
You will see any existing classes (for example, Common, Seed Preferred) and their high‑level stats.
Add a new share class
Click Actions → Edit.
Click Add Share Class towards the bottom of the table.
Enter the basic details for the class (e.g. name, type, series, voting/non-voting).
Enter authorized share amounts
For the new class, enter the number of authorized shares or select from the dropdown:
Unlimited – if the charter does not cap this class (rare, confirm with counsel).
Discontinued – when a class is removed in a later amendment.
Unset – if you are still gathering documents and want to fill this in later.
Save changes
Review the table to confirm that class names, types, and authorized amounts match your charter and amendments.
Click Save.
Once saved, this share class can be used when drafting and publishing share issuances, and Mantle will track authorized vs. issued shares for each class.
Drafting and publishing share issuances
Once your share classes are set, you can draft and publish specific share issuances (for founders, employees, investors, etc.) from the Shares tab.
One at a time
Navigate to Shares
In the left-hand sidebar, click Securities → Shares.
Draft a new share issuance
Click the Draft Shares button in the top-right corner.
Select the share class you are issuing from.
Enter stakeholder and share issuance details.
Review and publish
Review the draft to confirm that stakeholder, share class, quantity, price, and dates match your signed documents and board approvals then click Done.
Publish the share issuance by selecting the share draft in the share issuances list then click Review.
After reviewing the share issuance, click Issue New Shares.
Once published, the issuance appears on your cap table and in the stakeholder's profile as a live security.
Drafts let you prepare issuances ahead of final signatures or approvals; publishing should align with your executed documentation.
Recording share cancellations
Cancellations reduce or eliminate a previously issued share position—often because of rescissions, errors, or specific corporate actions. Mantle supports two ways to record cancellations so your history stays clean.
Go to Securities → Shares in the left sidebar.
Find and click on the share issuance you want to cancel.
Click Actions → Cancel Security.
Fill out the cancellation web form.
Click Review → Confirm.
Recording a share repurchase
A repurchase occurs when the company (or an approved buyer) buys back already issued shares. Mantle records this so your cap table reflects the reduced outstanding shares and the correct new owner (often treasury or a new holder).
Go to Securities → Shares in the left sidebar.
Find and click on the share issuance that was repurchased.
Click Actions → Repurchase Security.
Fill out the repurchase web form.
Click Review → Confirm.
Recording a transfer of shares
Transfers move shares from one stakeholder to another without the company issuing new shares—for example, a secondary sale or an internal restructuring.
Go to Securities → Shares in the left sidebar.
Find and click on the share issuance you want to transfer.
Click Actions → Transfer Security.
Fill out the transfer web form.
Click Review → Confirm.
Amending a share class
Sometimes the rights or authorized amounts of a share class change through a charter amendment. You can update the share class configuration in Mantle to match.
Go to Cap Table → Share Classes in the left sidebar.
Find and click on the share class you want to amend.
Click Actions → Edit.
Make your edits in the web form.
Click Save.
Make sure these changes are backed by actual charter amendments and board/shareholder approvals, and attach those documents in your Data Room.