FileHold Desktop Application (FDA) access

The FileHold Desktop Application (FDA) has a very simple, intuitive and familiar Library structure similar to your traditional filing cabinets (cabinets > drawers > folders > documents) and Microsoft Windows Explorer folder hierarchy.

Prior to logging onto the document management software using the Desktop Application, you must:

Connection Options

In order to connect to the server via the web client, FDA, or Microsoft Office applications, you must ensure that you have entered the correct connections settings. The connection settings are set in the FDA. You must have your username, password, know whether it is a locally managed account or domain (Active Directory) account, and the URL path to the server.

To set the connection settings

  1. Open the FileHold Desktop Application (FDA) and select File > FileHold Connection Options.
  2. Select the following options that you want to enable:
    • Automatically run FileHold application when I logon to Windows — This option will automatically start up the document management software after you log into your computer.
    • Automatically logon to FileHold Library when the Desktop Application starts — This option will automatically log you in after you launch the FDA. You do not need to enter your username and password.
    • Remain logged in even if no activity is performed — This option keeps your account logged into the system even if you are not using the client by sending a message to the server every minute to  simulate  user activity. If you are disconnected from the network for any reason the message will not be sent and the client would be logged out according to the normal idle logout times set by the system administrator. This option is only available when you are logged into the FDA.
  1. Select one the following options:
  • External identity provider — For use with an external identity provider such as Azure Active Directory. If this option is enabled, the default browser opens the Web Client logon page. Once the user is logged in successfully in the browser, the user can return to the FDA where they will be logged in.
  • Always prompt for credentials — You will always need to log in with a username and password.
  • Use my windows account username and password to logon — This uses your Microsoft Windows account username and password to login. You will need to ask your System Administrator which type of account you are using.
  • Use the following username and password to logon — Your System Administrator will provide you with a username and password. Enter the username and the password twice.
  1. Select the default domain:

  • Local FileHold Account – Select this option if a username and password was provided by your System Administrator.
  • “Domain Name” — Select this option if you are using your Microsoft Windows user account to login to FileHold.
  1. Enter the FileHold Server URL. The URL will be given to you by your System Administrator and should be in the format
    http://<yourcompanyservername>/FH/FileHold
    or
    https://<yourcompanyservername>/FH/FileHold
    The choice will depend on whether or not the system has been installed with a secure connection.
  2. Enter the number of maximum simultaneous transfers. This is the number of documents that can be uploaded or downloaded at a time. This number should be kept at 1. Note: This option may be locked down by your System Administrator.
  3. Select the Share my Inbox with others check box if you want to share your Inbox with other users of the same local computer. See Sharing Inboxes for more information.
  4. Click Test URL. If the server URL is correct, you will receive a “Connection Successful” message.
  5. Click Test Logon. If the username and password are correct, you will receive a “Logon Successful message.”
  6. Click OK.

Logging into the document management system

Ensure that the connection options have been configured prior to logging in. You may have your connection settings set to automatically log into FileHold when you start the FDA. If you have not selected that option, you will need to login manually.

Two-factor authentication may have been configured for your system. See Multi-Factor Authentication for more information on how to log in if this has been enabled for your system.

To log into FDA

  1. Open the FDA. If there is not a shortcut to FDA on your desktop, go to Start > Programs> FileHold > FileHold Desktop Application.
  2. Select one of the following options:
  • Go to File > Logon to FileHold Server as username — This uses your stored Microsoft Windows or locally managed username and password.
  • Go to File > Logon to FileHold Server as… — This allows you to login using an alternative user name and password than the one that is stored in the connection options. Enter a username, password, and select a domain. Click OK.
  1. Select one of following options if the username and password is left blank:
  • Login as currently logged in domain user — Uses your Windows Active Directory credentials to log in.
  • Logon using external provider — For use with an external identity provider such as Azure Active Directory. If this option is enabled, the default browser opens the Web Client logon page. Once the user is logged in successfully in the browser, the user can return to the FDA where they will be logged in.
  • Logon automatically using these settings — User is automatically logged into FileHold using the selected/entered credentials.
  1. You are now logged into FileHold. Click OK to close the Welcome Screen.
  2. Select the check box on the Welcome Screen to not display this screen when FDA starts. You can re-enable this screen in the User Preferences.

Sharing Inboxes

When importing documents into FileHold, you can now share the contents of your Inbox with other users if you have sufficient rights.

Documents in the Inbox can be shared between users on the same computer. Sharing your Inbox allows others to file the contents of your Inbox on your behalf. For example, if there is a dedicated scanning station with several people scanning documents to be added into FileHold, all users who can log into the Windows environment of that scanning station will be able to file all the scanned documents in the Inbox. This is because the Inbox is shared between all the users who can log in with a Windows user account.

You can set whether you want to share your Inbox in the Connection Options window. Note that if you change this setting, it won’t take effect until you log off and then log back in.

The Shared Inbox check box option is only available to users who have at least the Write permission to the common application data folder (usually “C:\ProgramData”), which normally defaults to members of the Administrators group only. See Shared Imports for more information.

Refreshing the FileHold system

If you have made changes in the Library Administration or System Administration areas of FileHold, you will need to update the FileHold Desktop Application by using the Refresh function. This will load your changes into the application.

To refresh the FileHold system

  • Go to File > Refresh All.