Managing documents

Hansoft enables you to store files of any type on the central project server, which can be uploaded and downloaded from Hansoft Project Manager. As such, they can be managed independently of their physical location. Hansoft also incorporates full version control, and files can be rolled back to earlier versions.

You can access and manage these files through the Documents view, which is available from the toolbar. This interface works similarly to a standard file browser, enabling you upload, view, edit, and delete files. You can also separate documents into folders.

By default, users without administrator rights have access to files in the projects to which they are connected, as well as the Global Documents folder. Administrators have full access to all documents and folders on the server database. If you are an administrator, you can change these access rights in the user settings.

In addition, detailed permissions can be set on all files and folders for everyone except for the Administrator account who has the right to reset all other set permissions. Users with limited visibility cannot access the Documents view. See Changing project user settings for more information.

Note: Hansoft administrators can limit the maximum size for each file, indicate if comments are required when attaching files, and specify file types that users cannot upload. For more information, see Setting document policy options.

Viewing documents

To view a file, you can either:

Double-click it in the Documents list.
Right click the document and select Read file.

This will open the file in the associated editor - such as a word processor or image editing application - without checking it out. As such, you will not be able make changes.

Checking documents in and out

When checking out a file, you become its owner and only you will be able to make changes until you have checked it back in. Other users will still be able to view the last version of the item.

Once you check in an item, it will again become available for everybody else to edit.

Performing document actions

When you right-click in the Documents view, you get the following options:

Edit file - Checks out the document and opens it in an associated editor - for example, a word processor or image editing application. See Editing documents.
Read file - Opens the document in the associated editor without checking it out. As such, you will not be able make changes. See
Show file history - Every time a document is checked in, for example, a new version is stored in the file/document history. A document can be rolled back to an earlier version. See Viewing the file history.
Check out - Checks out the document. Other users are now prevented from editing the document as long as you have it checked out; click on Check in to check in the document.
Check in - Checks in the document and the new version becomes available to everyone else.
Discard changes - The file will no longer be checked out and the current version of the document will be discarded.
Delete - Documents and folders can be either temporarily or permanently deleted. A temporarily deleted document may be shown by clicking on the Show deleted files button on the main Documents toolbar. See Deleting documents.
Restore deleted - If a document is temporarily deleted, and shown by clicking the Show deleted files button, it can be restored to its original state. See Restoring deleted documents.
Set permissions - A document or a folder can have very detailed permissions. See Setting document permissions.
Copy to my computer - The document or folder will be copied or updated from the central project server.
Create new folder - Creates a new folder within the current folder.
Add to current folder - You can add documents from your computer and store them on the central project server. See Uploading new documents.
Compare to previous version - Compare the current version of the file to a previous version. This requires you to set a comparison app in your personal options. See Setting personal options.
Open folder on my computer - Opens the folder in a file browser.