Introduction to Document Management

Document Management

The Document Management module allows you to attach index and route your scanned documents and images to Viewpoint data records. Documents can be images, spreadsheets, faxes, or any other type of document. They are most useful for master files such as vendors, customers, equipment, and employees, or transaction records that are related to invoices, purchase orders, etc.

You can add multiple attachments to most records throughout the software, with some limitations. For example, you can attach documents to header records but cannot add them to detail records. Although, in some cases, you can attach documents to individual grid records (e.g. payroll timecards).

Examples of attached documents include:

• Employee pictures

• Copies of correspondence with customer or vendors (including emails)

• Unapproved invoices

Attachments are available from most forms. However, users must have access to the form to view, add, modify, or delete attachments.  

Attachment Indexes and Searching

The system automatically creates an index when assigning an attachment to a data record. Indexes allow you to search for attachments in the system. They are like tags that link to attached documents. The system creates indexes based on the data record’s information; therefore, the information shown is different for each index.

For example, if the document was attached to an AP invoice (in AP Transaction Entry), the Accounts Payable section of the index entry displays the AP Company, Vendor Group, Vendor, AP Invoice (AP Reference), and the AP Check Number, if applicable. The index may also contain additional information depending on the type of line added to the invoice. For example, if it is a Job line type, the Job Cost section of the index will show the JC Company, Job, Phase Group, Phase, and Cost Type, as well as Contract and Contract Item, if applicable. If there are multiple lines on the invoice, a separate index sequence is generated for each line on the invoice.

DM Attachment Index Search

The DM Attachment Index Search form allows you to search for attachments. There are two ways to access this form:

• From the Document Management Programs menu
• From the Attachments button on the toolbar of an individual form.

Use this form to locate documents associated with invoices, jobs, equipment, and so forth. By entering various search criteria, you can refine your search to minimize the number of 'non-related' documents that the system returns to the grid. The system performs its search based on system-generated and user-defined indexes in DM Attachment Index.

Tabs

There are several tabs available on this form that you can use to enter attachment search criteria. Use any or all of these tabs to locate documents.

Module-specific tabs- For example, if you want to see all documents associated with a specific AP invoice, you could use the AP/AR/GL/PO/SL/RQ tab to enter the AP Company, Vendor Group, and AP Reference. If you posted a Job line on the invoice, you could also use the JC/PM tab to enter the JC Company, Job, Phase Group, Phase, and Cost Type.

Advanced - The Advanced tab allows you to narrow your search based on specific attachment details such as attachment date, the person who added the document, the associated form, the attachment type, as well as the document description.

Custom - The Custom tab allows you to narrow your search based on specific user-defined data (e.g. transaction date, tax code, hold code, etc.). You must enter custom values on user-defined indexes (in DM Attachment Index) in order for this feature to work.

Additional Search Fields

If you want to look for specific text within a document, enter it in the Keyword field. When entering a keyword in this field, the system will look for all documents containing the keyword that match the other criteria that you specified.

NOTE: You can only use this keyword search option if you have enabled Full Text searching on your system. (See the Viewpoint Help topic ‘Enabling Full Text Searching to Locate Documents’)

Additionally, you can search for attached documents, stand-alone documents, and deleted documents by checking the Include Attached, Include Stand Alone, or they Include Deleted checkboxes.

Grid Options

To further help you locate specific documents, you can add additional columns to the Results grid that represent the different search criteria fields on this form.

To add additional columns,

1. Click Grid Options. The system displays the DM Attachment Grid Options form.
2. Check each box that represents a column that you want to display in the grid.
3. Click OK to add the columns to the grid.

NOTE: The system saves the Grid Options settings for your login, and the columns will appear in the grid the next time you perform a search.

Additionally, you can change the order of columns in the Results grid by clicking and dragging a column heading. The system will save this grid column order by user, so individual users can customize how the grid columns display.

Search

Once you have entered your search criteria, click Search. The system locates all documents meeting the search criteria and displays them in the grid. Click Clear to clear the grid and perform a new search.

TIP: You can use the Grouping Bar on the Results grid to group records together based on specific values to aid in finding a specific document. The system saves any custom groupings that you create in the grid and will display those groupings each time you perform a search and the system displays data.

WARNING: If you edit any transaction with an attached document, it may cause some of the information in the index to become outdated. You should periodically use the DM Attachment Index Refresh form to update your attachment indexes, ensuring that the search feature is used to its full potential.

Stand Alone Attachments

Standalone documents are attachments that are not associated with a data record in the system. They are created in one of three ways.

• You can add them using the DM Stand Alone Documents form
• The associated data record is deleted and the ‘Retain attachments after record delete’ option is checked in DM Attachment Options
• The attachment is deleted from a data record and the ‘Archive deleted attachments’ option is checked in DM Attachment Options

To add a standalone document to the system using the DM Stand Alone Documents form,

1. From the Document Management Programs folder, open the DM Stand Alone Documents form.
2. Click Add.
3. On the Attachment Detail form click Browse, find and select the file you want to attach. Click

Open.

4. Enter a description in the Description field.
5. Enter an Attachment Type or press F4 to select one from the list of available attachment types.
6. Click OK.

Transaction Attachments

You can use the DM Transaction Attachments form to add documents to transactions that have already been posted.

When you attach documents to posted transactions, the system associates the attachment with the form that the record was created with and not the DM Transaction Attachments form. This ensures that you will be able to find the attachment using the DM Attachment Index Search form or enable cross- referencing with the DM Index Cross Reference form.

1. Open the DM Transaction Attachments form from the DM module Programs folder.

2. Press F4 in the Transaction Type field and select the type of transaction that was posted - for example select AP Transactions if you want to add an attachment to a posted AP invoice.
3. Click Refresh Filters. The Filters section will populate with filters that can help you find the posted transactions.

4. Enter values in the Filter Value column - for example if you are looking for an AP invoice you might want to complete the AP Company and Month fields.

5. Click Refresh Results and the transactions that match the filter criteria will display.

6. You can use the Filter Bar at the top of the grid, in the lower portion of the form, to filter the transactions even more.

7. Double click on the transaction that you posted. This will open the Attachment Form, which can be used to add, view, and edit the attachments on a record.

8. Click the Add button at the top of the form. This will open the Attachment Detail Form.

9. Click the Browse button and then select the file that you would like to attach. Click Open.

10. Enter a description of the attachment in the Description field.

11. Enter an attachment type in the Attachment Type field or press F4 to select it from a list.

NOTE: This field will populate with a default attachment type if there is one defined on the form used to launch the Attachment Detail form. Generally, this is done to ensure that an attachment type is assigned and security is applied.

12. Click OK when complete. A message displays stating that the system added the document successfully.

13. Close the Attachment Form or click the Add button again to add more attachments.
14. On the DM Transaction Attachments form, you can now add attachments to more transactions, or you can close the form when complete.