Document management techniques to account for user-specific patterns in document metadata are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for facilitating document retrieval may comprise: assigning a first entitlement to a first user for accessing a first plurality of documents; identifying patterns in the first user's creation or modification of metadata related to the first plurality of documents; recording the identified patterns associated with the first user; receiving a document query from a second user who has been assigned a second entitlement to access a second plurality of documents; determining, based on the second entitlement, an access right of the second user with respect to the first plurality of documents; and modifying the document query based on the access right of the second user and the identified patterns, such that the document query returns relevant documents from the first plurality of documents despite the second user's ignorance of the identified patterns.