Upload and Attach multiple document files into a Business Object

  • 19 December 2022
  • 9 replies
  • 439 views
Mayura Wasantha
Rank
Userlevel 6
Badge +15

Background:

From the beginning of IFS Cloud (in Aurena ) , there were concerns of not being able to upload multiple document files into the Attachment section of a single Business Object. Having understood the requirements around the user experience, a fix has been delivered to all IFS Cloud tracks except 21R1 version.

RnD Solution:

The possibility to call “Create Documents”  was brought back when standing on an Attachment section of a business object. “Create Documents” page supports to Drag/Drop or Select single or multiple files and crate document accordingly attaching to the respective business object. This is handled by adjusting the  Document Default Value for “ATTACH_CREATE_NEW_FORM”  in the Document Management Basic Data setting.

( Document Management > Basic Data > Document Default Values > ATTACH_CREATE_NEW_FORM)

NOTE: It is still possible to set either “Create Documents” for multiple uploads or “Create Document Assistant” for a single upload as it was existed previously.

 

When the above is set for “Create Documents”, it will open the Create Documents page that supports uploading multiple files, upon clicking the [New Document] command in the Attachments section.

 

This will sort out the main concerns had by the document management users for uploading and attaching multiple files in an single attempt on a single business object.

However we have a known limitation too. The Create Documents page does not use the IFS Aurena Agent today, (& will not use it after the fix either.) Therefore, ability to execute macros or check in view copies will not still be possible in this flow.

 

/ mayura

9 replies

Mayura Wasantha
Rank
Userlevel 6
Badge +15

shared with @Mathias Dahl @Martin Harris @stpese

/ mayura
Mathias Dahl
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +30

Moved to Document Management section 🙂 

/Mathias
xeam-eran
Rank
Userlevel 2
Badge +6

Hi Mayura, This is really good news! :)

Just to be sure though as you mentioned that the Create Documents page does not use the IFS Aurena Agent “today” and will not do so with the fix either - Should that be interpreted as that the Create Documents page will not use the Agent in the future? The reason for asking is that the automatic View copy check-in functionality is useful when importing original documents together with their supporting (pdf) view copies.

Thanks,

Erik

Mayura Wasantha
Rank
Userlevel 6
Badge +15

Hello Erik,

We truly understand the requirement here. I actually meant that for this fix. However, the important thing to understand is that we cannot use both Drag & Drop and the Aurena Agent in a given check in flow,  It is same here on the Create Documents page as well. This the known limitation when it is browser based. Right now we don’t have a straight answer to overcome this. However we are planning to look  this back at some point in future. Until then, Create Documents page will not be able use Aurena Agent as it supports Drag-Drop. 

In case of a customer situation, we would be able to handle the situation by 02 similar “Create Documents” pages, with and without Drag-Drop. But, how suitable that in core is something we have to investigate & evaluate.

/ mayura
xeam-eran
Rank
Userlevel 2
Badge +6

Hello Mayura,

Ah, I see, thanks for reminding me about the general limitation regarding drag & drop and the Aurena Agent. Also appreciate the clarification and the suggested workaround

/Erik

Mathias Dahl
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +30

The critical issue here is that, once a file has been selected by the user through drag and drop or the standard file picker in the web browser, the full information about the file paths is not accessible to JavaScript. Only the file name without path is available, and that's not enough for us. If we knew for a fact which folder the file is in, we could have the Aurena Agent upload it, including checking in optional view files or executing macros.

I hope you too realize how fragile such a solution would be, hoping we know in which folder the file is in. 

As Mayura says, we could have a sibling page where the web browser drag and drop and file picker is disabled. Or, but this is very tricky from a usability standpoint, we could let the user decide if they want drag and drop, but no view file and macro support, but I suspect you also realize how brittle that would be. Many users might not even think about these things, especially not macros. How could we design a user interface where this restriction is clear enough?

I think the solution for fully functional multi file import would be to extend the Aurena Agent to allow selecting many files in one go, plus turn off drag and drop and the standard file picker.

It's not good to have to know which page to use to get all the features available though (this is why we disable the drag and drop area and file picker (which is really part of the same framework feature) when the Aurena Agent is installed. Our users expect the same experience wherever they upload a file to Docman. At the same time, web browser security does not allow us to do what we want. And to be very clear, this is actually a restriction that's impossible to workaround, not just hard.

Any bright ideas? 🙃 Should we have some settings to control this? Can we allow users to decide what they want at any given time they upload a file? How would we make them understand that drag and drop disqualifies other features? (we might be able to warn them, but would they understand?)

 

 

 

 

/Mathias
xeam-eran
Rank
Userlevel 2
Badge +6

Thanks for a thorough explanation, Mathias.

I realize how tricky this situation is - when trying to find a user friendly solution in the context of standard web browser security implications.

Regarding “Our users expect the same experience wherever they upload a file to Docman”:
I was testing a couple of scenarios and settings (both related to Document Default Values and enabling/disabling the Agent) and maybe I messed it up, but to me it seems that the Create Document Assistant only offers the possibility to drag-and-drop a file (which also includes inhibiting the use of the Agent) regardless of having the Agent available or not. That is, it seems not to be possible to run the assistant in combination with selecting a file with the standard file picker, to be able to import a View copy together with the Original. I am testing on 22R1 SU9. Could you please confirm if this is the case, or if I am missing something.

As you say, it wont be easy to create a solution that is both user friendly and which is offering full options and functionality.  I think you’re on a good path though, suggesting the possibility for the user to decide - maybe by means of a switch/button whether to use the Agent or not - which in turn would display different options regarding using drag-and-drop & file picker versions. A warning could be shown that View copies & Macro support is not available when disabling the Agent.

Mathias Dahl
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +30

Hi Erik,

I think you are right, that the Create Document Assistant doesn't make use of the Aurena Agent today.

It should, of course, when we are done.

 

/Mathias
xeam-eran
Rank
Userlevel 2
Badge +6

Hi Mathias,

Thanks for the clarification!

 

/Erik

Reply


Terms & ConditionsCookie settings