Document-type business processes, such as Transmittals or Submittals, can be used for routing documents such as specifications or drawings for review.
Note: Comments and graphic markups can be added to individual files, and the document list is easily accessible from the BP form.
Document-type BPs can be designed such that files can be added to individual line items. This feature allows you to assign line-item status to individual documents. If the status of the line item (and therefore, the associated document) reaches a specified status, for example, Approved, then the BP can be set up so that the line item is no longer editable. At this point, attachments and comments to that line item are no longer allowed.
There are two subtypes of Document-type BPs:
- Document-type BPs with folder structure
A Document-type BPs with folder structure maintains the folder structure of the attached documents and folders, and the folder structure is displayed in the left-hand pane of the lower portion of the form.
For Document-type BPs with folder structure, the designer can specify that a configured folder path be appended to the folder structure. This appended path is based on the path configured in the uuu_dm_publish_path data element on the business process form, and the selection of the Append Line Items Folder Structure to AutoPublish Path option, which is documented in the Unifier uDesigner User Guide (Starting an Upper Form).
- Document-type BPs without folder structure
A Document-type BPs without folder structure does not maintain the folder structure of the attached documents and folders, and the files (within the attached folders and sub-folders) are listed in a flat list.
To attach files to a Document-type BP:
- Go to Unifier > User mode > Project/Shell and open the BP record.
Note: A Business Process (BP) record could be in a folder such as Project Delivery, Cost Manager, Cost Controls, and so forth, in the right-hand Navigator.
- Go to the Line Item tab <tab name> (the very last tab) and click Add to open the Line Item window.
- In the Line Item window click Attachments, click Add Attachments, and select one of the following options:
- My Computer (local system)
Or
- Unifier Folder (Document Management)
- My Computer (local system)
Note: The attachment sources (My Computer and Unifier Folder) are available based on the BP design and both of these two options may not be available for a given BP.
The following explains each option in details.
Attaching files to a Document-type business process from My Computer
This option allows you to attach files, from your computer or your local system.
When you click Add Attachments and select My Computer, the File Upload window opens.
Select the document that you want to attach.
Note: You cannot select a folder.
After you select the file, click Open in the File Upload window. The Line Item window opens.
Enter the information in the fields listed under General and click OK.
Once you attach your files, you can see the files listed in the Line Item window, the Line Item tab <tab name> (the very last tab). The Line Item tab <tab name> (the very last tab) has two panes. The pane on the left displays the Attachment folder which contains the files that you have attached. The pane on the right displays all attached files.
When you upload a file from My Computer as an attachment, in order to be able to enter file-related values for that attachment, the Detail Form design of Document Type with Folder Structure BP (Advanced Document Type BP), must have the following fields:
- uuu_title
- uuu_revision_no
- uuu_issue_date
Note: When attaching files from the Document Manager, some fields on the line item may auto-populate with data from the document or folder Properties window. Document-type BPs can be designed to auto-populate certain data elements on the detail form with data from matching data elements on the document attribute form.
By default, files attached to a business process are placed in the Unpublished Documents folder in the Document Management node (Project/Shell > User mode > Document Management > Unpublished Documents).
A Publish Path data element can be designed in business processes in uDesigner to specify the automatic publishing of documents (Automatic Publishing to a Specified Path) to a specified path and override the default. Refer to Unifier Managers User Guide for details about automatic publishing of documents.
Attaching files to a Document-type business process from Unifier Folder
This option allows you to attach files, from the Document Management (Documents folder).
When you select this option, the Select Files window opens, which displays all the folders of the Project/Shell documents (Current Phase > Documents > Project Documents).
- If the Document-type BP has line items, click Add and select Import Line Item w/Attachments > Unifier Folder.
- If the Document-type BP does not have line items, click Add Attachments and select Unifier Folder.
From the Current Phase (right-hand pane) select the appropriate folder to see the contents in the right-hand pane.
- The Current Phase section enables you to view folders and documents associated with the current phase
- The All Phases section enables you to view all folders and documents in the Document Management, regardless of the phase.
If you want to include the comments that may be attached to the documents, select the Copy Comments checkbox.
From the right-hand pane, click to select a folder and click OK to attach the files in the folder.
The attached files appear in the lower portion of the window. If the BP has line items and you select a folder or multiple documents, each document will be added in a separate line item.
Notes:
- Folders are not attached. Instead, the contents of a selected folder are attached in a flat list.
- The system does not allow attaching files with duplicate file names.
By default, files attached to a business process are placed in the Unpublished Documents folder in the Document Management node (Project/Shell > User mode > Document Management > Unpublished Documents).
A Publish Path data element can be designed in business processes in uDesigner to specify the automatic publishing of documents to a specified path and override the default. Refer to Unifier Managers User Guide for details about automatic publishing of documents.