Table of Contents

File Manager of ERP.net

Overview

Oftentimes, keeping files in an external storage (like local drives or cloud platforms) leads to searching through complex external directories to find a file you are looking for. And this often leaves a gap between navigating through internal ERP entities and external file storage.

File Management inside the ERP system is a feasible and productive way to close this gap and utilize the ERP system's full potential.

Some files are associated with a specific record in the ERP system. They are an integral part of the record and make more sense if stored attached to it.

To meet these needs, your ERP.net system provides you with the universal functionality of attaching embedded or linked files to an internal record or other object, available throughout all subsystems.

Other files are more generic documents for business use, such as documentation regarding training courses, internal or external regulations, company practices, handbooks, and so on. These concern the organization as a whole and are used for general reference or as informational sources. In this case, being able to upload them in an accessible storage, unattached, would be a more suitable solution.

To solve this, ERP.net now comes with the updated functionality File Management v2.0.

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Built upon the proven and trusted functionality of attaching documents to specific objects, File Manager of ERP.net now extends its abilities featuring a way to also store an unattached file.

File Manager enables you to store and access your files and folders in an organized and straightforward way. Its intuitive structure resembles the well-known Windows File Explorer structure users are used to.

The new functionality for organizing your work files and folders is accessible to all users of your ERP.net platform regardless of their workplace's physical location.

File Manager Structure

File Management v2.0 unlocks new opportunities by providing a uniform, centralized and shared structure for managing your business documentation in a cloud environment, integrated with the rest of your data within the ERP platform.

ERP.net's File Manager uses a vertically-expandable hierarchical tree structure to arrange and represent your folders.

The File tree can be expanded or collapsed to list or hide subfolders for a more detailed, or conversely, a more compact layout.
You can use the folder tree to easily view your folders and navigate throughout your directories structure.

In the Folder tree you can also:

  • Edit the definition (name, parent, and notes) of the selected folder.
  • Create a new folder
  • Change the name of the selected folder
  • Remove the selected folder from the folder tree and your storage
  • Refresh the contents of the folder tree

The Files window shows the files stored in the selected folder. It also allows to:

  • Open the selected file using an appropriate application
  • Save the selected file to your local storage or external storage
  • Delete the selected file(s)
  • Upload new file(s) to your ERP.net File Manager storage

File Manager Views

The layout options for visualizing your files are identical to the popular ones in Windows File Explorer. Different layouts represent a different level of density and details for the files in the current folder. There are currently eight available views for viewing your documents. You can choose between different icon sizes, tiles, list, details, and other.

File Manager Sections

While in Details layout, you can assign sections to your files.

Sections will be shown in all other layouts. Each section is represented by its name and a horizontal line, separating it from other sections. This way the systems groups all of your files belonging to the same section.

By using sections, you can organize your files in a neat and convenient for you way to navigate visually throughout them even faster.

Uploading Files to Your File Manager Storage

You can store all types of files in your ERP.net File Manager Storage. You can even select multiple files for upload and then upload them all at once.

Files can be uploaded and stored in your ERP.net storage using one of the available three storage methods:

  • Embedded file - your file's full contents are uploaded to your ERP.net storage
  • Linked file - allows you to create a shortcut linked to the physical location of the file (a physical drive with shared access, or its shared partition or folder)
  • Internet URL - create a shortcut linked to an object located on the Internet using a URL (for example, a shortcut to a website opened by your browser)

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The Embedded file option is best suitable for small-sized file that are frequently used by your ERP.net instance's users.

Linked file is a solution suitable for larger-sized files located on a shared resource accessible to your users, saving space on your ERP.net database.

And Internet URL is a great option for working with very large-sized files which are located on your external cloud storage, as well as accessing resources readily available on the Internet.

Opening and Editing Your Files with Your File Manager

You can open and edit your files directly in ERP.net File Manager using a suitable application on your computer for each file type.

File Manager Extensivity

You can do so much more with File Manager without leaving your ERP.net environment:

  • Open and edit your files - do it directly via File Manager. All changes to the file are saved immediately into the database where the file is located, as soon as you save the file. Feel free to close your file afterwards or continue editing.

  • Add quick notes to your files - these serve as a brief explanation or comments to the file. The notes are added and shown in the Tiles, Contents, and Details layouts, next to your file's icon and name.

  • Filter your files - set one or more filters to exclude from showing files that may be irrelevant to your current activities. Files can be filtered by various kinds of criteria, for example: file extension, type, symbols contained in the file name, date and time, etc.

  • Search your file storage - use the main search bar to find the file you are looking for. Use the full file name or just a part of the file name.

  • Set access restrictions for different users - limit access to your folders and files for various users.

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