DOCOVA Administrator Quick Start Guide

This It is NOT an Installation or Technical guide.  It is also NOT a User Guide.  This document is intended for DOCOVA administrators tasked with configuring and managing DOCOVA.  It assumes that if you are reading this guide you are an Administrator with an instance of DOCOVA already installed and running and you are interested in a quick overview of basic administration tasks. It also assumes that you have read the User Guide.

This document assumes you are running the current version of DOCOVA.   If that is not the case, some of the images you see below for the Admin System Application could be different, however the general concepts remain the same for prior releases.  App Builder was introduced in  DOCOVA Version 5 and does NOT apply to previous releases.

DOCOVA is a Platform that is used to Create and Manage Applications.  Applications in DOCOVA can be either System Applications or Custom Applications. System Applications include Libraries, Dashboard, Search, Admin, Designer and App Builder.  Custom Applications could be almost anything, such as a CRM, Invoice Tracking application or a Process Automation application.

System Application – Admin

  1. Creating a Library
  2. Library Security
  3. Structuring Content
  4. Folder Security
  5. Creating a Document Type
  6. Creating Forms with DOCOVA Designer
  7. Assigning your Document Types to Folders
  8. Creating Folder View Perspectives
  9. Processing Documents
  10. Registering Users
  11. Setting Up Mobile Devices
  12. DOCOVA Explorer Plugin
  13. Mapping a WebDAV drive to DOCOVA using File Jockey

 System Application – App Builder

  1. Overview
  2. Properties
  3. Forms
  4. Views
  5. Pages
  6. Layouts
  7. Subforms
  8. Outlines
  9. JavaScript, Agents, Script Libraries and CCS
  10. Images
  11. Workflow

Admin System Application – Creating a Library

The Admin System Application allows an administrator to configure a variety of settings.  Many of these, but not all, pertain to Libraries. A Library in DOCOVA is a repository for Documents. Once you create a Library using the Admin System Application it can be accessed from the Libraries System Application.

When you launch the Admin System Application from the Workspace it will open in a Tab. On the left of the screen you will see the Global Settings. By default DOCOVA will show you a list of existing libraries.  To create a new library click on the Add Library Button.

The Library Form is composed of several sections.  Note that some of the options are only available once the library has been created, so it is recommended that you create the library by adding at least the library name, then save and re-open the form to set the various options.

You can create a library From a Template.  To do this, create the library you want to use as a template as per the instructions above, then Subscribe to the Library via the User interface and add the folder/subfolder hierarchy and any documents that you want to appear in other libraries created from the template.   Now go back to the Admin System Application, open the library settings and select the field Enable Use as a Template.

When you create a new library you will be able to select what template to use. The new library will have the same design and documents as the template.

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Admin System Application – Library Security

Libraries can be accessed by users, however the User must manually subscribe to the library using the Subscribe Icon on the top of the Folder Control. As an Administrator you can add their name into the Current Subscriptions field in the Subscriptions section of the library form.  This will automatically subscribe them to the library and display it in their folder control the next time they access DOCOVA.

To restrict who can subscribe to a library, add the names of users that Can Access the Library into the Subscription Restrictions field. By default all users can see new libraries if this field is left blank.

There are two types of DOCOVA administrators, the Global Administrators identified in the Global Settings, and Library Administrators identified on the Library Form.  Global Administrators have complete control over a DOCOVA instance, while Library Administrators have control over a library.

To configure Administrators for a Library, select Libraries then open the Library and navigate to the Library Administrators field and add the names of the individuals who will administer the Library.

Library Administrators can also be set off the Access Control section of the library form.  In this case they can also Create and Manage Members who are NOT in the company directory.  To do this you must first Edit the Library Form and change the Access Control type on the Library form to Assign Membership. Then save and re-open the form.

When a library administrator opens this section they will see the controls that allow them to register and assign members.

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Admin System Application – Structuring Content

An administrator can create a hierarchy of Folders and Subfolders in a library to help manage the content, or they can delegate that task to their users.   To learn more about how to create folders and subfolders refer to the User Quick Start Guide.

Administrators have the ability to add up to two more descriptive levels to the library hierarchy by adding information into the Community and Realm fields on the Library form, in the General Content section.  These allow the grouping of libraries.  For example libraries could be grouped by geographical location, then by department.

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Admin System Application – Folder Security

By default all users have Author access in DOCOVA. That means that they can create folders and sub-folders as well as add documents.  Global or Library Administrators can limit this behavior by adding user names or group names to the Security Section of the folder properties.

To set the folder security, navigate to the Libraries System Application, then right click on a folder and select Properties located near the bottom of the menu.

The folder properties dialog box will appear.  You will then be able to expand the Security Section.

As you can see, there are Managers, Editors, Authors and Readers in a folder.  Here is a breakdown for each.

 Managers
  • Can Edit Folder Properties
  • Have full read and edit access to documents in the folder
  • Automatically have access to all sub folders beneath the current folder
  • Can create documents in the folder and can add sub-folders
  • Can read all documents in the folder
  • Automatically set as the Manager of any sub-folders they create
 Editors
  • Cannot Edit Folder Properties
  • Have full read and edit access to documents in the folder
  • Do not automatically have access to all sub folders beneath the current folder
  • Can create documents in the folder and can add sub-folders
  • Automatically set as the Manager of any sub-folders they create
 Authors
  • Can create documents in the folder and can add sub-folders
  • Can read all documents in the folder
  • May only edit documents that they create, or documents where they are specified as an ‘Additional Editor’, or any documents created after ‘Default new documents to include Authors as additional editors’ has been enabled. (see Advanced Folder Security below)
  • If blank (default) then everyone can create documents in the folder
  • Automatically set as the Manager of any sub-folders they create
 Readers
  • Can read Released documents in the folder.  Draft documents not visible unless ‘Readers Can See Drafts’ is enabled (Advanced Folder Security)
  • If blank (default) then everyone can read documents in the folder

When a new sub-folder is created it will inherit the security from the parent folder.

In managing the access control, DOCOVA has some rules that it follows to try to ensure that access control is set and used properly.

Folder Creators are by Default, a Manager of the folder they create. They control the security of the folder. If the parent folder has a different person as the Manager, that person is inherited into a sub folder, with the idea being that if you are a Manager of a folder, people should not be able to create folders under your folder and restrict you from accessing it.

By default, the Authors and Readers access control sections are inclusive, where “none” means all. For example, if you have a top level folder and have not identified particular Readers to a folder, then the Readers of the Library can read the folder. Reader access is only Restricted once entries are made in the Readers sections. The same goes for Authors. If an Author is not identified, then Authors in DOCOVA can create in a Folder they have access to. Which also means, if they are Readers of the folder, then they can access it, and if the Authors section is blank, then they are Authors too. You can only lock down who can Author a document in a folder, by specifying people in the Authors sections.

Example:
FolderSecurity

With the above settings, and no Advanced Options set,  the following statements are true:

  • IT Test4 can view all Released documents in the folder, as can all Managers, Editors and Authors.
  • IT Test2 can create and edit documents they create.  They can see documents that IT Test3 creates, but cannot edit them.  Both users can see all Draft and Released documents.
  • IT Test1 can create documents and edit any other documents in the folder.  They can see all documents.
  • David Wice can create documents, edit any document, see all documents, and can modify these Folder Members.

There are several other rules surrounding folder access control. For example, if a person is removed from the Readers section of a folder that is several levels deep in the folder structure, they are automatically removed from all of the children folders that that folder might have.

If a Manager wants to push changes down the folder tree they can do that through the settings icon beside Apply Changes. With this functionality, the Manager can push access control and other properties down the tree.

Admin System Application – Advanced Folder Security

AdvancedOptions

The Advanced Options section of Folder Security offers a number of additional options to further define Folder and Document security.

Authors:

  • Editors and Authors can not create sub-folders.  Check this option to stop Editors and Authors from being able to create sub-folders under the folder.
  • Keep drafts private.  If enabled, only the document author can see documents they create while they are in a Draft or Unreleased state. Folder Managers and Editors can always see Draft or Unreleased documents that they are not the author of.
  • Default new documents to include Authors.  By default, Authors can create documents but they can only edit documents that they have authored. Enable this option to inherit the folder Authors into the document Authors, such that any Author can edit the document.  Affects documents created after the option is enabled only.  Tip: Use a group to define Authors, that way the Group name is inherited as opposed to individuals, and membership can be managed in one spot, as opposed to each document.
  • Allow authors to create revisions of documents they have not authored.  Applicable only version control is enabled for the documents in the folder.

Deletion Rights:

  • By default, any Author may delete their own documents, and Editors and Managers can delete any document.  Use this option to restrict deletions.

Readers:

  • Restrict Readers to Authors list.  If Readers field is blank then all users can read Released documents in the folder.  Set this flag to only allow named Authors to be able to read documents.
  • Readers Can See Drafts.  By default, Readers will only see Released documents.  Enable this option to allow Readers to see all documents.

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Admin System Application – Creating a Document Type

Document Types, sometimes referred to as DocTypes, are used to create documents in DOCOVA.  This is essentially a form that has fields and other pre-built components.  DOCOVA comes with several pre-configured DocTypes that you can enable on folders so your users can start to input content immediately.  The File Document Type is very basic, and can used if you are using DOCOVA primarily as a repository for files.  Other document types, such as Contracts, are there as examples to give you an idea of what you can do if you choose to configure your own DocType for a particular business need.

To create a DocType, select Document Types from the Administrative menu off the Administration Tab then click the button  Add Document Type.  The Document Type form will be presented.

Use a descriptive name for your DocType, such as “Legal Contract”.   There are several sections to the DocType form, however, for the purpose of this Quick Start Guide we will focus on the Content Sections part of the form.  Later we will discuss the Workflow/LifeCycle Settings in the Processing Documents section of this guide.

Open the Content Sections. In the Sections Order grouping you will find a variety of pre-built components.  There are several to choose from and you can have up to 7 active on a DocType.

The Embedded Forms are also known as Subforms and contain fields which are referred to as Meta Data, which are added to enable the capture of data that is important to the business. Subforms are created using DOCOVA Designer or another form design tool such as Domino Designer.

When you add one of the pre-built components you will immediately see options appear in tabs.  For example, if we add the Attachments to the DocType, a tab will appear with attachment options.

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Admin System Application – Creating Forms with DOCOVA Designer

A key component to a DocType is Meta Data.  Meta Data refers to the fields that are added to enable the capture of data that is important to the business.  To create a new form with DOCOVA Designer click on the Designer tab and then the New button.  Give your form a name and select the library you would like the form to appear in.  Note that by default Designer will create a mobile ready version of the form, so it will be available from mobile devices.  See the section Configuring Mobile Devices in this Guide for more information.

Drag and drop fields from the types available on the left to the right side work area, dropping them when the dashed line appears. Once the field is positioned correctly click on the field to set the properties.

When you have completed your form click Save and Close then return to the Document Types option located in the Administration menu off the Administration Tab.  Open your Document Type, select Edit and add the form to the Content Sections.

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Admin System Application – Assigning Document Types to Folders

When you create a custom DocType, by default users can use it to create new documents in any folder in a library. You may want to limit the types of documents that can be placed in specific folders.  To do this, open the Libraries Application and Right Click on the selected folder from the hierarchy.  Select Properties from the menu and in the Content/Layout section click on the Selected radial option for Allowed Documents and click on the forms you want to allow in this particular folder.

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Admin System Application – Creating Folder View Perspectives

A Folder View allows users to look at documents in different ways.  For example, if they are project documents, it may be advantageous to look at them by the Project Number, by the Customer Number, or by other types of Meta Data that exists on the Document Type.  Folder Views are also known as Perspectives since it is easy for a user to shape them up to meet their needs.

Every folder has a Default Perspective. Users can change this by right clicking on the column headings and adding or removing columns, changing the column properties, or categorizing and sorting.  Note that the changes will be lost after the user navigates away from the folder unless they have been granted privileges to be able to save them. Make sure the View Options Bar is Enabled to see the available perspectives.

Administrators and users with admin rights can adjust a folder view and save it for use by other users.  First make your changes by right clicking on the column headings. Then click on Tools – Edit/Save Perspective.  Give the new perspective a name and users will be able to access it from the Perspective: dropdown.

If your DocType contains custom fields created with DOCOVA Designer then these fields must be pushed to the library before they can be referenced in a Perspective. This is done by defining a View Column.  This option can be found in the Administrative Menu off the Administrative Tab.

Click on the Add View Column button and complete the form. Make sure you reference the field by the same name you used in DOCOVA Designer.  Also make sure you indicate what library it belongs in.  If you need the same subform to be available on DocTypes in other libraries, make a copy of the subform in DOCOVA Designer and edit the library name.

Once you have defined all of the View Columns you need for your custom Perspectives, push them to the library by clicking on the Update Columns in Libraries button.

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Admin System Application – Processing Documents

DOCOVA has several tools that enable the automation of document processing.  These include:

  • Workflow
  • Version Control
  • Autofile Rules
  • Review Policies
  • Archive Policies

These are advanced topics that typically require consultation and/or training to configure.  The following information provides a basic introduction.

By default custom Document Types have the LifeCycle option enabled.  That means that documents must by Released by the owner of the document before being published on the system.  If they are not Released, then they will be stored in a Draft state. By default Draft documents are only visible to the document owner.  If the LifeCycle option is not set on a Document Type, documents will automatically go to the Released state when they are saved.

Workflows are created using the Add Workflow action in the Workflow Processes section.

Complete the form then click Save and Close and re-open the form to add the workflow steps.

Once a Workflow has been created and configured, it can be added to a Document Type by selecting the appropriate options in the Workflow/Lifecycle Settings section on the Document Type.  Workflows must at the very least have a Start and End step defined. Other step types include Review and Approve, each of which have configurable Actions.  Actions determine what happens when a step is started, completed, delayed or cancelled.

It is possible to dynamically change a workflow based on the values of the fields on a DocType. You can also dynamically change the participants assigned to a step, add or remove a step, branch, and much more.  Check out the DOCOVA Workflow API for more information.

A document can only be Released once it has gone through the workflow process.  If Version Control is enabled, the document version number will be assigned after the document has completed the workflow and has been Released.  If the document is edited then it will need to go through the workflow again before it can be released with a new version number.

Autofile Rules are configured by completing the rules that determine how documents are to be moved between folders when a specific criteria is met.

Review Policies will alert specific users when a document needs to be reviewed.  For example 15 days before the renewal date for a legal contract.

Archive Policies can be used to move documents to a separate archive repository when a specific criteria is met.  This helps to better manage documents and improves system performance.

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Admin System Application – Registering Users

There are two general types of users of DOCOVA, Administrators and Users.  Administrators can either be Global Administrators or Library Administrators.

Global Administrators have complete control over a DOCOVA Instance. They have access to the Global Settings and they can Register External Users to the DOCOVA Instance.

Library Administrators have complete control over a Library.  They can also register external users, both internal and external, but only to a library.

Everyone not considered an Administrator is a User.  Depending on how they are setup, Users may be able to create folders and subfolders, and add or edit documents.   There is a great deal of flexibility when defining what a User can and cannot do.

If you are a Global Administrator, your name will be entered into a field in the Global Settings.  This is located off the Administration tab at the top of the Administration menu.

The Global Administrator has access to the User Profiles section of the Administration menu.  This is where they can register users who are external to the company to a DOCOVA instance.   If a user is internal to the company, and is listed in the company directory, a User Profile is automatically created when they access DOCOVA and log into a DOCOVA instance.  For external users the Global Administrator must create the User Profile.  Note that Library Administrators can register external members, but only for a Library.

To register a user click on the User Profile option in the User Settings part of the Administration Menu.

You can then click the Add User Button to create the User Profile.  When you save the Profile there is an option to email the credentials to the user.

Library Administrators, defined on the Library Form, can register users specific to a Library.  To do this, the Global Administrator would edit the Library form and change the options in the Access Control section to Assign Membership. See the Libraries Security Section of this document for more information.

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Admin System Application – Setting Up Mobile Devices

Android and iOS clients can be downloaded from Google Play and the Apple App Store.  Search for the word “DOCOVA”.   Once the client is downloaded it will be necessary to configure it to access a particular DOCOVA instance.  That involves entering the host and server instance information. This is difficult for an end user, however, an Administrator can generate an email to the User that will automate the process.

To setup a Mobile User, first register the user then open the User Profile and click on the Send Mobile Setup Email button.

The User will receive an email similar to the one below.  When they access this email on their Mobile Device, the required setup profile to access DOCOVA will automatically be filled in.  They can then click on the DOCOVA icon on their mobile device to begin using the product.

Note that the mobile interface is different from the DOCOVA browser interface.  It is similar to the DOCOVA Lite interface.

If an iPad user accesses DOCOVA by typing in the address directly in the browser on the iPad they will have access to the full DOCOVA browser interface that they would see on their PC.

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Admin System Application – DOCOVA Explorer Plugin Configuration

By default, DOCOVA V4.5+ is zero footprint. That means there is NO software required on the client to use the product.   For some of the more advanced DOCOVA features, such as integration with other products like Microsoft Office, the DOCOVA Explorer (DOE) Plugin is required.  Note that this plugin is only available to Windows users at this time.

A User can download the DOE Plugin by clicking on the About DOCOVA icon in the upper right corner of the browser interface.

The DOE plugin can also be installed as a Silent Install via an MSI for a group of users. Please contact support@docova.com for more information about DOCOVA Explorer and how to setup, configure and distribute it.

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Admin System Application – Mapping a WebDAV Drive to DOCOVA Using File Jockey

In some cases you may want to provide your users with access to DOCOVA from their file system.  This will allow them to work with files in DOCOVA directly from Windows Explorer or a similar interface. DOCOVA is WebDAV enabled through an optional third party tool you can purchase called DOCOVA File Jockey.

File Jockey is installed on the server.  It does not require anything be installed on the client, however, in the case of Windows you may need to ensure user’s machines have all recent critical updates applied to be able to take advantage of WebDAV to map a drive.

To map a drive to DOCOVA using WebDAV from a Windows machine right click on Computer

A dialog will appear where you can enter the URL to the DOCOVA Instance and a Drive Letter.   The drive will then display in the file system.

For Mac Users the process is similar.  Hold down the COMMAND K keys and enter the same URL.

The URL will change depending upon your particular DOCOVA installation but will be similar to what you see below.

https://standards.docova.net/servet/filejockey/standardsdemo

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Custom Applications – Overview

While you could create a custom application using DOCOVA Libraries and DOCOVA Designer, you are limited in terms of the layout of the forms, the navigation, and other parameters.  New as of DOCOVA version 5 is App Builder.  This is a powerful and easy to use design tool that allows you to create powerful business applications.

To access App Builder, add it to your Workspace using ‘Add an App’ in the Options button.  When opened, App Builder will load the design of the last application you worked on, if applicable.  You can also right click on an application and select Open in App Builder.

Open the application, and you will see an interface that contains design constructs on the left.  These are the building blocks that you can use to create your application.

Let’s review each of these design constructs in the order they are listed:

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Properties

Under properties you will see two sections, General and Access Control.  The former has general information, the latter allows you to determine what users have the rights to access and their level of access.

You will also see the Import Application and Import Data buttons. These will allow you to migrate an existing Custom IBM Notes client based application into DOCOVA.  For more information see the Migration Quick Start Guide.

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Forms

In order for users to enter or view information in your application, they will need a form.  When you select New Form in App Builder you will be provided with a three pane interface.  The top pane can be thought of as a canvas, and it is where you can drag and drop design elements to build your form.  These elements are listed in the right most pane, which is like a tools menu. These design elements include fields, images, tables, buttons and much more.

The bottom pane will provide you with the properties for a specific element when you click on it. You can adjust these to meet your needs.

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Views

When a user saves data in a Form they are creating what is commonly known as a Document.  To be able to access the record they could search for it, or they could view all of the records in what is called a View.  To create a view navigate to the Views in App Builder and click the button to Create a New View.

The design is similar to forms, however now there are just two panes.  In the upper pane you can create columns using fields that you defined on your form. Each document will appear on a separate row, and the columns will allow you to display data from the document.  If you click on the document in the view, the record will open.

You create Columns using a series of buttons that are located near the top of the interface.

Another set of buttons allow you to create Actions. A typical action would be to Create a New Document.

When you are building the view, you can use the preview option to see what it will look like by clicking on the Preview Action button.

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Layouts

App Builder provides flexibility in the design of your application.  You can lay it out using several pre-defined templates or build your own.

To use an existing template, select the design that best fits your needs.

If you want to start from scratch, or modify an existing template, click on the  icon.

Once you have the Layout created, you can target what goes into each pane.  For example, you may want to put a default view into the right most pane, and a company banner in the top.  Simply click on the pane and fill in the properties.

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Pages

A Page is a bit like a Form, but you have fewer options.  They are usually used to display information, such as text and graphics.  Users cannot input information into a page like they can on a form.  It cannot contain Fields and Sub Forms.  If, for example, you want to create a Welcome message when a user first enters your application, that would be a good use for a Page.

Pages can contain other design elements as well.  Below is an example of a Page with an Outline for navigation and an Image to describe the application.

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Sub Forms

Unlike a Page, a Sub Form is very much like a Form and are essentially created the same way. Sub Forms are useful because they allow you to create re-usable design elements.  For example, you may want to have the person who created a document, and the time they created it, on the majority of the forms you design.  You can do that by placing these Fields on a Sub Form, and include that Sub Form in all your Forms. If you decide to change or add more fields you only have to do it once on the Sub Form and the change will appear on all your Forms.

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Outlines

The primary use for Outlines is to provide your users with a way to Navigate an application. Think of it as a table of contents in a book or an electronic document.

To create an Outline, click on the New Outline button in App Builder.  Similar to Views you will see a two pane design with buttons across the top. The top pane is your Canvas.  The bottom pane displays the Properties of what you have highlighted.  The buttons allow you to add Entries to the Outline.

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JavaScript, Agents, Script Libraries and CCS

DOCOVA is a Low Code Platform you can use to build applications.  However, if you do have coding skills, or you want to contract someone to do something special, App Builder has specific design elements that you can code to.

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Images

This is where you can upload images that you can reference in your Forms, Sub Forms and Pages.

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Workflow

DOCOVA can be used to automate business processes.   When a user adds information to a form, for example, the form could be submitted to an individual or a group for approval.  The approval process could include branches, and the process itself could change based on certain conditions determined by the values placed in fields on the form.

To create a Workflow, select the Workflow option in App Builder and click on the Create Workflow button.  Once again you will see two panes with a series of buttons across the top.   You can use the buttons to add steps to your Workflow.   Workflows need a start and end step, by default, so these have been added for you.

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