The types of documents added to Knowledge are usually related to your firm, rather than your clients. Documents such as Training Manuals, Templates, HR Documents, Procedures, Letters, Administration Documents would be added in the Knowledge area of HowNow.
Documents can be added to HowNow Knowledge, by using the Right-click menu. If the Records module is installed, Records can also be added automatically when a document is opened or created via merge documents from Knowledge.
Adding Documents via the Right-click Menu
Right-click on the search results grid and select New. The New Profile Wizard will appear, allowing the choice of existing document, a web page link or a knowledge note.
- Select the appropriate Type from the Type Selection area.
- If you selected Existing Document as the Type, choose a file. Click Next. The New Profile Wizard - Document Profile box appears.
- Choose Web Page to create a direct link to a web address. Enter the web page address in the Address field.
- If you selected Note to create a profile-only entry. No document is attached as the description field contains all the necessary information. Click Next. The New Profile Wizard - Document Profile box appears.
Steps to Adding Documents to Knowledge
Once the HowNow - New Profile Wizard appears complete these steps in the Document profile information:
- Title - The default is the name of the incoming document. Change it if required. Note: the document will be stored in the HowNow database with the same name as the title. It cannot be the same name as any other document in Knowledge.
- Description - Enter any additional description here. As HowNow searches all fields it is not necessary to repeat the title here.
- Standard Key Words - Enter any standard search key words here that are not already in the title or description.
- Custom Key Words - Enter any additional, firm specific keywords here. This field is not updated if this document is updated via the HowNow content update process. Note: Enter words in the Standard and Custom Key words fields that do not appear in either the Title or the Description fields, but you suspect might be words or acronyms users might enter when searching for this Item. Consider plurals and alternative spellings (including common misspellings).
- Document Type and Procedural Area - Select the appropriate areas from the drop-down lists. See Document Types and Procedural Areas for more information.
- Move or Copy Document - The default is to move the incoming document into the HowNow database but these options allow for a copy to be made instead, which will leave the original file in the existing location.
- Click Next. The New Profile Wizard - Advanced Tab appears.
From the New Profile Wizard Advanced Knowledge Template Options screen, complete these fields:
- Template Options
- Open as editable - select this checkbox if you are adding a document whose master version is always edited or added to by standard HowNow users (e.g. a log of some sort).
- Set as current edition and Set as active document - leave these checkboxes in their default state if you wish the document to be available to all users.
- Template has been modified - if checked, this signifies that the document has been edited and should therefore be reviewed carefully if it is the subject of a content update.
- Record Creation Options
- Automatically file to records - select this checkbox if the records module is installed and you want HowNow to automatically create a record from this document when it is opened.
- Clear record description - select this if you do not wish for the knowledge document description to flow through to the record.
- Clear record keywords - select this if you do not wish for the knowledge document description to flow through to the record.
- Turn on record versioning - set this option if new versions of records are to be created every time the record is edited. This option is not available in HowNow X as it is preset and automatically creates up to 3 versions of all records.
- List Options
- Select the Add to my favourites list if you would like this Item to be added to your My Favourites list. Note: This does not add the document to other users’ My Favourites list.
- Select the Add to my review if you would like this Item to be added to your My Review list.
- Select the Add to my news if you would like this item to be added to your My News list.
- Merge Settings
- Select the Document has merge fields checkbox if you are adding a document (such as a standard letter template) that will need to be populated with data. The File Automatically checkbox will be checked.
- If required, specify a master style template for this document. If a style template is not attached, HowNow uses the default style template when producing a merge document.
- Document Properties
- Select the appropriate Approval Status from the dropdown list.
- Select an Expiry date if the item is to expire at a specified time and choose an Action to be performed when the expiry date is reached. The action options are:
- Warning Message – any user opening the item is warned that the item has expired but is allowed to continue.
- Set To Inactive – the item is set to inactive when the Administrator opens HowNow on the day the item is set to expire.
- Optionally enter the Owner and Author of the document.
- Content Modules
- If required change the Content Module by selecting New.
- If required change the Content Module by selecting New.
- Click Next. The Document revision notes screen will appear.
- Click New Note if you wish to enter an administrative note about this document. Refer to Entering Revision Notes in Document Profiles for details.
- Click Next. If the Topics is turned the Topics dialog appears. Refer to the section on Topics if you require more Topics to be set up. Select the Topics that apply to this document.
- Click Next. If the Team Security is turned on the Visibility dialog appears. Select the teams that are allowed to view this document. The default is Everyone (All Teams).
- Click Finish. The document has now been added to your HowNow knowledge database. Note: The information you entered into this document’s Profile is the “metadata” (a set of data that describes and gives information about other data) that will make the document easy to find in HowNow.
Adding Documents via Scanning
HowNow can receive scanned documents and records either directly from a scanner or via email or a watch folder.
- Scanner Direct: Most scanning software allows a Send To button to be created. In the field that asks for the application to send to, enter the path to the HowNow.exe file.
- Scan to Email: If the scanner creates email, they can be either automatically captured by the HowNow Email Manager or by dragging and dropping them into HowNow.
- Scan to Folder: If the scanner saves to a folder, HowNow can automatically monitor and capture files added to a nominated folder. The default location is My Documents\HowNow. Folder monitoring must be enabled in System Options and Employees.
The HowNow New Profile Wizard will appear - follow the steps for Adding Knowledge Documents to HowNow above.
Adding Documents via Import
HowNow can import Documents from a folder on a hard drive, CD or memory stick. Note: HowNow will create a new edition of a document if it already exists in the database. To import, select Import icon from the the Knowledge Tab.
- The Import Wizard dialog will appear - select Files in a Folder.
The Location Tab will appear. Click the browse button to select a folder where the files are located and choose sub-folders if required. - Click Next.
- A list of files will appear. Use the checkbox beside each file to deselect/select the file for import.
- Click the Process button to start the import.
Adding Documents by Duplicating
Duplicating creates an exact duplicate of the selected item profile except for the title. When a document is duplicated, the document type can be changed and, if the item type is a document, a different document file can be selected.
- Right-click the document in the search results list and select Actions > Duplicate. The Duplicate Item Profile dialog appears.
- New Title – Enter a new title for the document. If the item is an actual document, the duplicated file associated with the item will have the same name as the title.
- Item Type – a new item type can be selected if required.
- Description - this can be changed if needed
- Keywords - these can be changed, deleted or added to
- Source File Name – only visible if the item is a document. Use the browse button at the end of this field to select a new file to attach to this document.
- Destination File Name – only visible if this item is a document. By default, the destination file name is the same as the document’s title. Edit the file name if a different file name is required.
- Address field – only visible if the item is a Web Page. Use this field to enter a new web address.
- Click OK to duplicate the document.
Removing Documents (Deleting)
- If the document’s status is still Current, right-click the document or selected range of documents and select Remove Current Status (you cannot remove a document that has a Current status).
- Once the current status has been removed, right-click the document or selected range of documents and select Delete (or Delete Selected). Click Yes to confirm the deletion.
- This will move the document to the Recycle Bin. The document and the profile can be deleted from the Recycle Bin by an administrator when required.