Did you know you can link documents by creating document relationships or link groups within Laserfiche? Often documents need to be stored in different locations in the repository. Linking documents is a practical way to relate and connect documents; making categorizing and searching a breeze. Types of Links 1. Document Relationship Links connect two related documents or folders. Here are some examples of documents that could be linked. Invoice – Payment Email – Attachment Agenda – Minutes Expense Report – Receipts It is important to note that documents can only have a single relationship, meaning that only two documents can be directly connected. However, documents can have as many links as you want. For example, if an email has four attachments, you can create a separate connection to the email for each of the attachments. The option for linking documents is available within the metadata pane of the document or folder viewer. There is a list of out-of-the-box document relationships available or administrators with the manage links privilege can create custom relationship options in the administration console. However, linking documents does not require special permissions if the user has access to the document. 2. Link Groups are a collection of related documents. Link groups can only include documents, not folders or shortcuts. Another benefit to link groups is that they can be set up directly in the Laserfiche Client, there is no need to access the administration console. Automate Linking Documents Creating document links may seem like a tedious process, especially if you have many documents to associate. Workflow can help to maximize efficiency when it comes to linking document by establishing document relationship links automatically. The Workflow creates a seamless way to connect documents within the repository without taking time away from other vital tasks. Searching and Viewing Links Often documents are related but need to be stored in separate locations. Linking documents creates a convenient way to access information from one location. An example would be a purchase order and an invoice. While these two documents are related, they are often stored in separate folders and departments. The Laserfiche search options give users the ability to locate documents with specific links. Search provides a convenient way to access information quickly from a centralized location. Search for linked documents using the Laserfiche advanced searching options. From the document viewer, users can see which documents are linked. Giving users the ability to categorize documents and easily track information with a centralized process is valuable. Consider the documents currently in your organization’s repository. Could linking documents be beneficial for you? Contact the Cities Digital support team if you would like more information on linking documents.

Laserfiche Solution Contributed by Steve Snyder, CIO/VP of Information Technology. Chicago, Illinois is home to Mercy Home for Boys & Girls, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping youth in need by providing a safe and nurturing home. The organization offers therapeutic, vocational, educational, and life skill resources to at-risk youth and a mentoring program that fosters supportive and healthy relationships. The focus of this article is the Friends First community-based and site-based youth mentoring programs at Mercy Home and how Laserfiche is contributing to their success. Laserfiche is helping though tracking of documentation. Much of the documentation is generated through the volunteer program. Community members reach out to Mercy Home to volunteer for the program. The volunteers go through a comprehensive review and background check to become a mentor. The initial process includes many documents that must be signed by the volunteer mentor such as confidentiality agreements, commitment agreements, DCFS application, background checks, and references, among others. The commitment agreement and psychological examination are required to be completed and reviewed before the mentors can be matched with a mentee. Steve Snyder, CIO/VP of IT at Mercy Homes explains, “It is imperative from our perspective that when a mentor agrees to be matched with a mentee that they are going to honor the year-long commitment. A lot of the youth have had situations where they haven’t had great relationships with adults, so the goal is not to add to their previous experience but to foster good relationships with adults who care about them.” Once the mentor has completed all of the documentation, which varies slightly based on the type of program for which they are volunteering, they are ready to be matched with a mentee. Mercy Home matches a mentor with a mentee of the same gender who shares common interests and goals. There are multiple programs for connecting the mentor and mentees under the Friends First umbrella, Steve explains. The mentor and mentee can meet at Mercy Home. The mentor and mentee can meet on their own and then venture out into the community. Mercy Home also has relationships with corporations that allow youth to visit their mentors’ workplace, creating a more convenient environment for those involved. The information gathered from the documentation allows an assessment to be made for the type of program that the mentor and mentee will complete. The staff at Mercy Home continue to monitor the relationship after the match is established, following the progress of the mentor and mentee to ensure the relationship is healthy. Where does Laserfiche fit into this process? Once the documentation has been filled out by the mentor, mentee or staff, it is scanned, the template information is applied, and then the documents are sent to Laserfiche. The Laserfiche features that are positively impacting their process include: Templates -Mercy Home staff is collecting information such as the Friends First Program ID, referring to either the mentor or the mentee, document type, first and last names and document date. The Friends First match ID is a template field that is populated once a match is determined. Naming Conventions – Documents and folders are automatically named by Laserfiche to ensure consistency and easy-to-understand names. Workflows – The workflows in use currently are simple, such as creating folders, and renaming documents using naming conventions, verifying match ID’s and creating folders and filing records, and linking the mentor and mentee. The repository holds all of the documentation for both the mentor and mentee. Each has their documentation in separate files, but once a match is established, the records for the mentor and mentee are linked. A workflow searches for or generates a match folder for both the mentor and mentee, allowing staff to review and access files quickly. Auditing and Compliance - The file review process is much more efficient for staff. Before using Laserfiche, staff would sit down with a paper checklist and folder and verify documents. Since implementing Laserfiche and tracking the Friends First program data, they now have the option of logging into Laserfiche from the comfort of their desk to review that all the documents exist for a file. The availability of records in Laserfiche also makes the audit process smooth with state auditors. Information is more readily available. Mercy Home has successfully implemented this new process and increased overall efficiency for tracking all of the Mentor and Mentee data for the Friends First Program. They are only just beginning in their use of Laserfiche, but are continuing to grow their Laserfiche use with plans for integration and more paperless process enhancements to come. ​

Welcome to the November Consultant’s Corner. For this month’s issue, we sat down with Kyle Knebel, from Cities Digital, to discuss best practices for Laserfiche Security, Back-Up, and Volumes; as well as address a variety of questions regarding configuration and setup. Below Kyle provides further insight into methods for user and group management; which can save you time, help you gain solution confidence, and become even more efficient throughout your workday. Laserfiche offers three authentication options, can you describe these methods? Kyle outlines the following three available authentication methods: Laserfiche Password – Allows a “Repository Named User” to log in to a repository on the Laserfiche Server; having authenticated directly with the repository. Windows Domain Authentication - Allows a “Repository Named User” (Avante) or a “Directory Named User” (RIO), to login to one or more repositories; having already authenticated to the Windows Domain Controller using their Windows account credentials. LDAP Directory Authentication - This allows a “Repository Named User” (Avante) or a “Directory Named User” (RIO), to login to one or more repositories; having already authenticated with their Light Weight Directory Protocol (LDAP) account. Which of the methods above would you recommend? An LDAP service is used to provide a place to store usernames and passwords, allowing applications and services to validate users against the list of stored users. Novell eDirectory, OpenLDAP, or OpenDJ are some examples. The best practice, according to Kyle, “is to use Windows Domain authentication where available. If users are connecting to Laserfiche from outside the corporate network via Laserfiche Web Access (the Web Client), we recommend creating a Laserfiche User with an optional Windows Domain link. In this way, the user can log in with either a Laserfiche Password when outside the office, or use Windows Authentication when at the office.” When creating user and group accounts are there recommended best practices for setting permissions? Kyle shares that the recommended best practice “is to use Groups to set Feature Rights and Privileges, then add users to the groups. The User will inherit the rights assigned to the group.” He explains the difference between feature rights & assigned privileges: “Feature Rights are those functions that a user can do while logged into a Laserfiche client. For example, can the user Scan, Import, Search, Email (export), Move, Delete, etc.” “Assigned Privileges are administrative level functions that allow a user to create new Users and Groups, create Fields and templates, enable and set Recycle Bin options, and set other administrative level options. “ He also says that “for most users, they will only need Feature Rights to be assigned. Laserfiche Administrators will probably need most, if not all, Privileges. Power users may get a mix of both. And Records Managers will need the ‘Records Management’ privilege.” How do you set up users and groups so that maintenance is manageable? The best method according to Kyle, “for ease of maintenance, is to create groups, even if there is only one user in that group. Groups are often based on a role or department, and make managing user’s rights and entry access very easy, compared to managing security only by users. Administrators can easily assign entry access on a folder for that Group. If the user leaves the organization, a new user can be added to the Group via the Administration Console and they immediately gain access to the folder. Group access saves the effort of having to set new user security on all the folders to which that user had access.” Are there benefits to applying security to documents and folders vs. users and groups? Kyle says, “We can, and do, apply entry access security to folders and documents by assigning users or groups to an entry. Again, the best practice is to use Groups. Functional user rights come from the user’s Feature rights, like Scan or Search. Alternately, users gain folder or document Entry access either by group membership or giving the user’s account explicit rights to the entry. The best practice is to assign one or more groups to a folder and use ‘inheritance’ to provide security to the documents and folders below that folder level. However, Laserfiche is very flexible in its security methods to allow for virtually any security model you desire.” What are effective permissions and is it possible for users to inherit security from groups? Kyle describes “Laserfiche security is very ‘conservative,’ it will only allow a user the minimum rights set on the entry. When a user is a member of a group, and a Laserfiche entry (folder or document) is configured to allow access to that group, the user gains access, as well. In fact, in the Administration console, users can be added to a group and inherit the Feature Rights and Administrative privileges of that group. Also, effective permissions at the entry level are calculated by Laserfiche, according to the settings assigned.” He shares how several entry access rights can be assigned, as shown in the steps below: Add the desired Trustee (User or Group) Set their desired “Scope” (level of access from this entry) Assign the user’s access rights If desired, reset security by undoing the “inheritance” checkbox and set new access rights at this level, to prevent inheriting rights from a parent folder, as well. What are some common considerations for a template or field security? Field and template security can be valuable to users. Kyle discusses some common considerations for each: Consider Field security when you need to handle the following three situations: Allow users read-only views of field values, no matter what. Allow users to create a new entry and assign field values at the time of creation, but read-only after that point. Allow users to view and edit field values at any time. Consider Template security when you want to: Provide Full access to read, assign and modify templates on entries Allow read-only access to a template Hide a template completely from users or groups Why should administrators consider limiting volume size? “A volume is just Laserfiche’s term for the location of stored images and files.” Mike Richardson Cities Digital's Director of Support shares, “ that limiting the volume size allows an administrator to break up the volume locations so that a single logical volume can have it’s sub volumes stored in different path locations instead of having one large ever-growing volume that must be maintained in its entirety. If the volumes outgrow the capacity of one location, you can update the path of the logical volume so that it will roll over to a new location without having to move any of the other fixed volumes. The default size of a logical volume is set to 20 GB in size but can be changed to any size that might be deemed necessary for compliance to a standard. An example of such compliance would be a requirement to maintain the volumes on a write once read many (WORM) media which have a maximum capacity of 4.7 GB (A DVD). You can set the rollover size to be 3.5 GB so that they can be placed onto the WORM media.” What is a volume rollover, and would you recommend implementing it? Kyle explains, “You can set the maximum folder size for a volume, such that a new folder is created for more document storage once the preceding volume reaches its pre-defined size limit, termed a ‘Logical Volume.’ Alternately, volumes can also be on a roll-over schedule. We recommend using rollover volumes because smaller volumes are easier to move to portable media for archive purposes. It also makes them easier to back-up.” A System back-up is critical, how do you choose the frequency and method of back-ups? Mike shares that “the Laserfiche architecture is based on two data points working in tandem to create one coherent system. The database (SQL) contains all of the metadata, file pointers and other information about the documents within the system and the volumes contain the actual files themselves. Backing up the Laserfiche system requires that you backup both SQL and the volumes at approximately the same time to keep them in synchronization." "At the very least," Kyle says, "we recommend performing a daily differential or incremental backup and a weekly full backup. The idea is to perform a backup as often as your Laserfiche data is added, updated, or deleted. For example, if you are making nightly incremental backups, can your organization afford to either lose all of today’s data or spend another day re-scanning everything? If yes, then this backup plan is sufficient. If not, we suggest a backup be performed more than once a day.” Maintaining a secure repository can be achieved when administrators can effectively manage Laserfiche authentication, templates, fields, users and groups. Also, following recommended best practices for volume control and backup methods can be beneficial to ensuring a compliant solution. If you have any questions regarding these Laserfiche System Administration best practices, be sure to contact the Cities Digital support team for further assistance.

The need for secure and convenient access to information is a feature many organizations are looking for today. The Laserfiche app gives users that flexibility, creating mobile access to documents that matter. The app enables users to capture, upload, and securely access and work with documents in and outside the Laserfiche repository while on the go. This article highlights some of the features available to users with the mobile app. Discover ways to use Laserfiche and improve how you do business. 1. Getting started The Laserfiche app is accessible from an iPhone, Android, or tablet. The user clicks the app to securely log-in to the repository. There are a variety of options that an administrator can configure that ensures secure access to the document repository. The login method will vary slightly by the organization but can include username and password, touch or facial recognition, or active directory. 2. Viewing and Accessing Documents and Forms Once the user successfully logs into the Laserfiche application, there are several ways that they can access the documents and forms. The following list briefly highlights some of the ways that users can view documents and Laserfiche Forms within the repository. Browse Folders and Documents – Navigate the folder browser using the same browsing options as the thick or thin client to locate documents and folders in the repository. Starred Documents – Select the starred option from the menu to quickly view the created favorites list. Starring documents or folders makes the information readily accessible for use. Search Documents – Search documents efficiently using a variety of searches. The same quick search or saved searches are available in the Laserfiche Thin Client, allowing users to leverage complex searches configured in Web Access. Users can also search by filtering fields/templates, entry names, annotations, or document text to find specific documents or folders more efficiently. 3. Capturing, Creating, and Working Documents and Forms There are many ways to capture, create and work with files in the Laserfiche App. Users benefit from the flexibility of this solution, having Laserfiche data available everywhere they go. This section describes some of the interaction options within the app when it comes to creating, importing, and working with content. Capture – The capture feature allows for the use of the device's camera without signing in to the repository. Users can take a picture of an image, edit an image, sign images/PDF’s, save documents locally and even share the file with other applications. Upload a File or Image – Upload a file or image directly from another application into Laserfiche. Users have the option to open the document in another app or send straight to Laserfiche. Geo-Tag – The geo-tag field records the location coordinates of the photo. The location services option must be enabled on the device for the function to be available. A useful tool for organizations that require field work and pictures to document work. Work with documents – Pressing a file in the list allows you to view that document, based on permissions users can see annotations, add template and field data, download files, start business processes, and more. Working with Forms – Complete or submit forms, users can fill out forms or save as a draft. There is also the option for applying signatures to forms that require it, add attachments and more. Task and Process Management – Assign or re-assign a document to other Forms team members and filter tasks according to priority. ­­­­­­­­­­Organizations can reach more customers with greater efficiency and improve daily interactions. The Laserfiche mobile application makes working with data simple and accessible no matter where your work may take you.

Welcome to this month’s issue of the Consultant’s Corner. In this issue we’ll be speaking with Kyle Knebel, a Cities Digital Consultant, System Architect, and Trainer, about the Laserfiche Microsoft Office Integration. Kyle will discuss the advantages of using the Microsoft Office Integration, as well as address a variety of questions regarding its use. The Laserfiche Microsoft Office Integration allows users to access a variety of Laserfiche features while working in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint. The integration enables users to send, edit, attach and save office files to Laserfiche directly from the Microsoft application. Below Kyle provides further insight into how this integration can save you time and help you become even more efficient throughout your workday. Who has access to the Microsoft Office Integration, is it an add-on? One of the first questions many may ask regarding the integration, Kyle explains, “Any Laserfiche user who has the Windows Client or Web Client can use the MS Office Integration. The Windows client contains the Office integration as part of the default installation. The web client is supported on Internet Explorer 11 or later, Microsoft Edge, Firefox, Safari for iOS, and Chrome. The MS Office Integration installs as a browser Plug-in. Web Client users will need to install the Office Integration Add-On as an ‘Extension’ in their browser. Users of the Web Client will usually see a pop-up message prompting them to download the plug-in when they attempt to open an Office document.” What are the most advantageous features of the MS Office Integration? Using the MS Office Integration can make working with these documents in Laserfiche easier. Kyle describes these beneficial features: Save Directly to Laserfiche - “The primary advantage is the ability to easily save an MS Word document, Excel spreadsheet, Outlook email, or PowerPoint presentation directly into Laserfiche while working with that file. For example, with an MS Word document open, you could click on the Laserfiche tab on the ribbon bar, then choose to save the file to a folder in your Laserfiche repository and even apply field values on the document. All without leaving the MS Word application, the same applies to Excel, Outlook, etc.” Import Directly to Laserfiche – “Another significant advantage is to be able to import emails or their attachments from MS Outlook. For example, with an open email message, you can click on the Laserfiche tab on the ribbon bar, then choose to send the email to a Laserfiche folder, or if it has an attachment, send the attachment only into Laserfiche.” Use Metadata as Tokens - “Additionally, the office integration allows for the use of Laserfiche document metadata as token values inside the edited Office document. One can insert metadata as text in a Word document, or as a value in a cell in MS Excel.” Edit Directly from Web Access – “Users can select an office document Excel, PowerPoint, or Word from within Web Access and then optionally check out the document to begin editing immediately or view in read-only mode. Can you explain how you could use the indexing features of Laserfiche from within the various office products to initiate workflows? According to Kyle, “Since the MS Office integration allows a user to update metadata from within an Office document, if there is a workflow that monitors changes to the metadata on that document, it would trigger the workflow.” How can users archive emails from Outlook using the integration? Archiving emails is convenient, Kyle shares, “When viewing an email in the Outlook application, users can click on the Laserfiche tab. The Laserfiche tab will provide several options, including: Save to Laserfiche Save to ‘New Folder’ Save to Default folder (If the user is assigned a default Repository folder) Save Attachments to Laserfiche” Users can also map the metadata such as the sender, recipient, date, time, subject from the email to populate a specified template so that when the emails are archived the information is available for easy searching within the repository. Can you explain how the versioning and check-in/check-out features work with the Microsoft Office Integration? Yes, these features allow users to collaborate more efficiently using Laserfiche. Kyle says, “Versioning and Check out/Check-In are part of the Laserfiche client and work in conjunction with the Office integration. If you are editing an existing Office document opened from Laserfiche, you can use the Office Integration to save the document as a new document or a new version. Any existing document can be saved back to Laserfiche as a new version. Also, if not already checked out, a user can ‘Check out’ the document for offline use while editing the document. When done editing, the user can ‘Check-In’ the document from the Laserfiche tab.” What are recommended best practices when using the MS Office Suite Integration? There are a couple of best practices to note, Kyle explains. Install Plug-in - “Installation of the browser plug-in requires local administrator rights to install, therefore sometimes end-users will need to rely upon their IT support staff to install the software. The IT staff can access the plug-in via the following URL http://{server}/laserfiche/OfficePlugin, where {server} is the Web Client’s server. Checkout Document - When editing office documents from Laserfiche, it is critical to check out the document first to ensure changes get saved, and other users cannot make changes at the same time.” Are there any caveats that users should be aware of when using the integration? “For users with a Chrome browser using Web Access 9.2 or older, the browser will need an additional Laserfiche Web Access Plug-in Detector extension. (see KB 1013534 on the Laserfiche Support site for more information). Also, Web Scanning and Office Integration are not available on Safari for iOS,” says Kyle. Can you share an example of a creative way that an organization is increasing efficiency from implementing the MS Office Integration with Laserfiche? At Cities Digital, the MS Office integration is used regularly in the marketing and development departments for collaborating on documentation. Word documents can go through many reviews and revisions before they are complete. Tracking metadata allows for workflow notifications to staff when documentation is ready for review or approved. Upon completion, an additional workflow is triggered allowing for document assembly to include adding a standard table of contents, appendix and reference page. The Office Integration with Laserfiche promotes a versatile solution, allowing businesses to benefit from increased functionality and efficiency. While also helping organizations adhere to document compliance and security requirements tracking documents securely in Laserfiche. If you have any questions regarding the Laserfiche Microsoft Integration, be sure to contact the Cities Digital Consulting Team for further assistance.

Are you looking for ways to increase Laserfiche Forms efficiency, by automating how information is collected and populated in forms? Consider adding data with a database lookup to auto-populate form’s fields. When forms are pre-filled with information, it can save users valuable time and minimize data entry errors. This tech bite reviews the step-by-step process for using the lookup feature to populate forms automatically. First, evaluate and determine the form you would like to have auto-populated with information; examples might include new hire paperwork, service contracts, or account summary forms. The next steps reveal how to add the lookup to populate forms. Step 1: Verify/Connect the Data Source Before you begin creating lookup rules, you need to verify the connection from Laserfiche Forms to the data source. If the data source connection is available but not configured, it is easy to set up. Users with the Administrator Role in Laserfiche Forms can access data sources by clicking on their account name and selecting the administration option. The administration page displays a data source option in the menu, clicking this option provides a list of configured data sources. If the data source you are looking for does not appear, click the new data source button to add it. Step 2: Define Data Source Access Define the forms that can access the data source. In some cases, the data source may already exist, but access to the forms needs editing. The list of data sources will display, choose the data source and add the forms processes that need access. Step 3: Configure the Lookup Rule Laserfiche Forms can automatically get information from a data source and insert that information into a form using a lookup rule. In the forms process designer, users can create a lookup rule by selecting the Laserfiche Form the data will be populated into and clicking the lookup rules tab. When adding a new rule, users need to specify the data source and the table or view the holds the relevant data. Once the user establishes a data source and table preference, the next step is to specify the criteria for when to retrieve data from the data source and which fields will be populated. These selections will vary between forms. The example below uses the “Sales” data source and is referencing the “Customers” table. When the field “Customer ID,” is recognized on the form, it matches the data source column “ID.” Then the fields for “Customer Name” and “Customer Address,” on the form are populated with the data source values for this information. Users can add additional rules from the same or other data sources and fields to meet their needs. Auto-populating forms from data source information will save users time and is a valuable tool for minimizing data entry errors. Leveraging this feature allows organizations to keep documentation consistent and accurate across forms. For more information, or help to configure lookup rules, contact Cities Digital Consulting Team.

Welcome to this month’s issue of the Consultant’s Corner, focused on using the Laserfiche Connector with Workflow. Cities Digital’s Consultant, Kyle Knebel, System Architect and Trainer addresses a variety of questions surrounding how the Laserfiche Connector can benefit businesses when used in conjunction with Workflow for starting business processes. The Laserfiche Connector is a tool that allows simple, code-free ways for users to integrate other applications with Laserfiche. Organizations leverage multiple applications daily, creating interactions between these applications can be a beneficial tool. A new feature of the Laserfiche Connector 10.3 grants users the ability to start workflows and business processes. The addition of workflow automation using Laserfiche Connector makes it a desirable tool for driving business innovation. Exploring how the Laserfiche Connector interacts with Laserfiche Workflow is a great place to begin our conversation with Kyle. What types of Workflows and business processes can be started using the Laserfiche Connector? The addition of the new Workflow initiation functionality with the Laserfiche Connector can trigger automation from various actions outside of the Laserfiche Repository. Kyle explains, “the connector can start a workflow or business process, either with information captured from an application or without any information at all (however, the latter is not typical). Additionally, any existing workflows can benefit from being fed information from another system that was captured by Laserfiche Connector.” How do you use the Laserfiche Connector to pass information directly from an application into Workflow? Passing information directly from an application into Workflow is a simple process. Kyle says, “the Laserfiche Connector has a configuration tool that allows administrators to create a ‘profile’ that captures information from an application and passes it into the Workflow. Once the profile’s initial action completes, for example, a document search, you can start a workflow, or even transfer parameter values to the workflow. If the workflow doesn’t require a starting entry, the workflow will run once. Otherwise, it will run once per entry.” Why would an organization find the Laserfiche Connector Starting Workflows a useful feature? There are a couple of reasons Kyle shares, why an organization might find this feature useful. He says, “Organizations could consider using the Laserfiche Connector to start a Workflow for ad-hoc processes which occur infrequently; the organization would build a workflow that does not have any starting rules. The absence of a starting rule can lighten the processing load on a busy Workflow server so that it doesn’t have to evaluate these rules for workflows started from Connector.” “Also, having a workflow started after documents are imported can help in those situations when you need the workflow only to start when a user performs a specific type of activity. A process in contrast to workflow starting when something happens in the Laserfiche repository. The Connector can tell the Workflow engine to run a workflow when an activity outside of a Laserfiche repository has occurred.” Can you provide an example of how an organization has implemented the Laserfiche Connector and used the solution to start Workflows? The Laserfiche Connector is a versatile tool that functions in many scenarios. In the example shown, the workflow initiates a new hire onboarding process workflow as a result of the Laserfiche Connector action, such as highlighting the applicants name. The workflow then creates a file folder in the Laserfiche Repository for the new employee. Once the folder is in Laserfiche for the applicant metadata is assigned, and the workflow will transfer any existing documents into the employee file. Lastly, an update is made to the status field, when hired is the new status the applicant receives a congratulatory email. The entire process was started by a simple action from the Laserfiche Connector, triggering a comprehensive file creation workflow. What are recommended best practices when implementing a Laserfiche Connector solution? When it comes to best practice recommendations for implementing the Laserfiche Connector, there are a few to consider. Kyle specifies three best practices for organizations implementing Laserfiche Connector solutions: Test, Test, Test! Verify all the data tokens required for a process before building the profile. It is important to note; additional tokens cannot be added to the configured application after the profile saves. If later, more tokens are required, it’s easier to build the profile again. Use the Connector Test Utility before purchasing Connector to verify that it will work with the selected applications. Laserfiche maintains a list officially approved compatible applications, additionally, a list of customer confirmed applications is also available. How can the other new features of the Laserfiche Connector, like the updated interface, import options, and token review benefit users? These new features benefit the Profile Administrators the most, Kyle explains, “For Laserfiche Connector Profile admins, the updated interface allows easier re-configuration of an existing profile using the same configuration wizard used to build it. The ability to use the configuration wizard for re-configuration is in contrast with having to edit a profiles’ XML file in previous versions 10.2 and earlier. Adding the token review feature to a process allows the user to confirm that the information gathered by Connector is correct, and if not, the user can correct the data manually before it is used in the process.“ The pairing of Laserfiche Connector and Workflow brings automation to a new level, allowing businesses the ability to get creative with solutions that will propel them into the future.

Having information that is readily available to users on the go is a valuable commodity for many organizations. However, with data being available to users on the go it is critical to identify vulnerabilities and maintain the integrity of the system. Mobile Access security, requires awareness by organizations to safeguard their Laserfiche Repository. For Administrators, being familiar with the Laserfiche mobile app security settings is essential to keeping your content safe. The Laserfiche app allows administrators the ability to restrict access to the app and set user permissions on repository content. Laserfiche App Configuration Page Options Deny/Allow Access – An administrator can allow a Laserfiche or Windows user to access documents in the repository using a desktop or laptop computer, but restrict them from using the Laserfiche app. The option is configured in the Laserfiche App Configuration > Connection > Repositories > Authentication. Block Devices – Found within the Devices Section, this feature allows administrators to block devices from accessing the Laserfiche app. To block a device, select the Devices Section from the Laserfiche App Configuration > Devices > Log and check the box next to the device you need to block. Session Time Out- Much of the content stored in Laserfiche repositories contain sensitive information. The Laserfiche session can be configured to timeout after a specific amount of time is met, preventing the app from being left idle and creating a vulnerability for the repository content. Local Encryption – Temporary data and persistent local data stored on the local device such as sign-in information, user settings, forms field values, folder structures, and more are fully encrypted in a SQLite database. Only an individual with the appropriate rights in Laserfiche can view documents that are encrypted. However, electronic documents exported from the app, are not encrypted. Administrators can ensure that electronic documents stay protected by preventing users from exporting to other apps and saving copies of offline documents on mobile devices. This option will keep users from exporting these documents to outside applications or evading Laserfiche Security. Remember Me - Administrators can require users to log into the repository every time and disallow the “Remember Me” option that many apps have. Note: The Disable “ Remember me” Option is only available for accounts not set up for single sign-on. Offline Access - Administrators can prevent users from exporting Laserfiche content to other apps or saving copies of offline documents to their devices, requiring them to use a passcode to access documents. These are just some of the settings available, for a more detailed list refer to the Laserfiche Help Files. Proper configuration and monitoring will minimize vulnerabilities and keep your Laserfiche system operating with the highest integrity.

Do you ever wonder if other people within your organization ask the same questions as you regarding programs or processes? Laserfiche Discussions is a web resource that allows users to communicate with colleagues or customers on topics that are important. The Discussions website available with Laserfiche Rio solution deployments enables organizations to streamline collaboration efforts and create access to content within the organization. What is Laserfiche Discussions? Laserfiche Discussions is a website where users propose ideas, collaborate and learn. Users can begin discussions or inquire about topics for an entire community or create content within public or private groups. The Laserfiche Discussions website allows for all centralized communications in a secure discussion thread. What benefits will users of Laserfiche Discussions see? Laserfiche Discussions website allows users to perform several functions on the Website, including: Create - Creating content by starting discussions, posting announcements, asking questions, proposing ideas, and replying to other posts. Collaborate – Working together as a group with the correct audience regarding a specific document, folder, or more. Users can share their content with the right group. Whether they are public, private or hidden groups, there are options. Subscribe – Choose which topics and posts are of interest and subscribe. The subscription feature allows users to easily keep up with the latest conversations and subjects that are relevant to them. If a user subscribes to content, they will receive an email when new content is available. Participate – Users can reply to posts by answering questions, ask questions, or vote on answers, from within Web Access, Forms or on the Discussions page directly. Upload – The Discussions database can store uploaded files in its database, allowing users to upload documents and images to posts easily. Add Websites to posts – Users can embed external websites with an iframe when creating posts. Display Ads – Site settings allow admins to set and configure ads to display on the bottom of the sign-in page or in the sidebar of the group page. These images can even link to an external URL. Earn Points – Users can collect points when they perform specific actions like answering a question or posting a comment. Points are valued, than obtained when responses are up-voted or if the response was the approved answer. The points can then be used to earn badges or gain new titles for their user profile. The point system can all be customized to fit the organization. How does Laserfiche Discussions interact with other Laserfiche Products? Laserfiche Discussions will interact with other products in the Laserfiche Suite, in these ways: Stores Posts – It stores posts in the Laserfiche repository, allowing secure archival. Access Lists – Discussions can gather its user lists form the Laserfiche Directory Server. Laserfiche Forms – It populates the frequently asked questions pane for starting Laserfiche Forms. This feature provides an effective way for users to seek clarification on items while filling out a form. Web Access – The Thin Client 10 metadata pane includes a Discussions tab where users can start discussions and ask questions about a document or folder. The Discussions page content is visible from either the discussions page or Web Access. Mobile Friendly – Post, request, inquire, or reply to Laserfiche Discussion’s web-page right from your mobile device, making keeping track of conversations secure and accessible. How are organizations leveraging the Discussions Web-page? There are many ways that organizations are using the Laserfiche Discussions Web page, some examples include: Custom Company Discussion Boards – Organizations are creating a custom website to include company colors, logos, ads and more. These company-wide discussion boards allow users to log on, post questions, respond and more, creating a cohesive and available atmosphere. Human Resources - Human Resources Departments are using Laserfiche Discussions during the hiring process. The Discussions forum helps the department facilitate the on-boarding process for new staff, allowing multiple people to review and share comments about the candidates and evaluation. IT Departments - IT Departments are using the application internally for troubleshooting common issues or installations and allowing users to inquire about programs or processes. Sharing the information with a group help prevent the dreaded knowledge drain. Review Processes – Another typical application of the Laserfiche Discussions solution is using the discussion option within Web Access metadata to review documents or folder content within Laserfiche. This use allows for users to quickly and easily access, comment, or review a record without having to leave Laserfiche. Helping to keep information transparent, sharing within an organization, and collaborating on tasks are all ways in which Discussions is improving workplaces. Giving users an open forum to talk about documents, processes, questions, or just brainstorming can be beneficial to the group. Laserfiche Discussions is a powerful tool for reducing redundancy in communication and making internal information more searchable, improving efficiency and saving time.

Laserfiche Solution Contributed by Lena Spencer, Information Services Specialist, Linn-Benton Community College Albany, Oregon is home to Linn-Benton Community College (LBCC), one of the largest of its kind in the state, serving over 22,000 students annually. This innovative community college has been using Laserfiche for more than ten years finding new ways to improve efficiency and streamline processes. Each year at Thanksgiving, the LBCC Culinary Department holds a pie baking fundraiser for all of the staff and faculty at the college. “Previously the process included the fundraiser being sent out in an email and the staff replied with their orders. After receiving the orders, they printed and cut out the orders and taped them on boxes. This process resulted in some missing and incorrect orders,” said Lena Spencer, Information Services Specialist, LBCC. Determined to support the Culinary Arts Department, Lena developed a Laserfiche Form to help the Culinary Department track the Thanksgiving Fundraiser Orders. The new form helps the department more easily track the orders that come in allowing for a more streamlined process. Additionally, “the creation of this form has led to increased knowledge of features within forms leading to form improvements for other departments.” Which Lena shared, “was one of the biggest benefits to sharing this form.” The Culinary Arts Thanksgiving Fundraiser Form Makes Orders More Efficient The form allows the Culinary Department to keep track of pie orders efficiently, minimizing errors. While the form is relatively simple, the customizations, use of index tables, and calculations make it a practical solution. The Process A three-step process was sufficient for this form. The process begins with a staff member populating the Culinary Arts Thanksgiving Order Form. Once the form is submitted, the customer receives an order notification with the total amount due. Then, the orders save to the Laserfiche Repository. The automated process was simple to implement, and the improved method of collecting information creates a more effective solution. Theme Customization The customization features in Laserfiche Forms are a great way to personalize the form. LBCC has customized several forms using the themes tool and personalizing the forms. In Laserfiche Forms, there is a tab for themes, clicking on that tab will bring up a variety of options for customizing the form’s theme. For example, adjusting the wallpaper can be done by selecting Themes> Backgrounds> Wallpaper in the Forms Designer and specifying a fill pattern. There are a variety of other features that can be customized as well, such as such as the font, colors, images, and more. Indexing Options The index tables and calculation features were less familiar to LBCC until the creation of the Fundraiser Form. The index tables, allow the creation of specific fields, like dynamic drop-down lists, item prices, and quantities. The form used these tables to include a drop-down menu for pies, the customer sets an amount and then the price pre-populates. Another form that LBCC created contained drop-down fields with a class list for registration for Community Education. The index tables and having the ability to calculate the values automatically within the form were vital in making this form successful. When the field options open, the advanced features allow for formulas that calculate the values that are input. The formulas can be customized at a very granular level. This concept was instrumental in uncovering many new ways that LBCC could utilize their forms. Lena shared her findings with the Business Office at LBCC, after the creation of the Fundraiser Form. The Business Office was having a similar issue needing calculations for indexed information. Now that they know how to add calculations into their forms, the Financial Hold Appeal Form was adjusted to include the calculations, allowing students to go online and submit a late payment agreement. The students can specify how much needs to be paid to get the balance to zero. The form calculates the payments as they are scheduled. Linn-Benton is also using these features for the Campus Store Deposit Forms. The new feature on the form allows all of the college campuses to eliminate the paper process. The form now enables each campus to submit deposits online allowing quicker access to the deposit information and totals. The satellite campuses can deposit money in the banks directly instead of having to drive into the main campus. The Campus Store Form uses the advanced tab option to calculate the total amount that the form shows as deposited. Lastly, the Community Education Department is coming on-board with a new process, allowing students to register and pay for non-credit classes using these Laserfiche tools. The Laserfiche Forms features that were learned helped to propel forms creativity throughout the college. The implementation of the Culinary Arts Fundraising Form helped to produce a more efficient process for LBCC, preventing any pie order mix-ups this Thanksgiving.