Adding documents using Print to FileHold

Print to FileHold is an automated way to get documents into the FileHold library from any third party application that supports the ability to print a document. Print to FileHold is a virtual printer that converts the document to a PDF and then allows you set the destination folder, document type, and metadata through a FileHold Office Client (FOC) window. It works in conjunction with the FileHold Desktop Application.

In order to use the virtual printer, the FileHold Desktop Application (FDA) must be running and the user must be logged in for licensing reasons. You cannot use the virtual printer without the FDA running. You can set the Print to FileHold printing preferences in the FDA to make Print to FileHold the default printer and remember most printing preferences on the local computer.

When using the Print to FileHold virtual printer, the PDF document can be added as a new document or checked in as a new version. Any document that has a text layer (Microsoft Office applications, PDF plus text, etc.) will maintain the text layer once it is added to FileHold as a PDF document. Note that Print to FileHold does not OCR any text. If documents need to be fully searchable, see our Server Side OCR feature.

Print to FileHold can be used in conjunction with auto-filing scripts. If your schema has auto-filing enabled, then an Auto-file button will appear in the FileHold Office Client (FOC) window.

Documents are automatically named according to date and timestamp. For example, 2014-11-10-15.33. A new file name can be entered in the FOC in the blue document name bar.

To add a document using Print to FileHold

Ensure the FileHold Desktop Application is open and you are logged in.
From any application that has the Print functionality, select Print.
In the Print window, ensure that the Print to FileHold printer is selected.
Set any desired printer preferences. See Print to FileHold Printer Preferences for more information.
Click Print. The Print to FileHold virtual printer coverts the document to a PDF. This may take a few seconds, depending on the size of the file.

In the Print to FileHold Options window, select one of the following:

Save this printed file as a new document in FileHold.
Save this printed file as a new version of an existing document in FileHold – If you select this option, the file must currently be checked out.

If you selected to add a new document, do the following:

Select the destination folder from the library tree. Alternatively, if auto-filing is enabled, click Autofile.
Change the file name in the blue title bar if needed.
Select the Document Schema and fill in the required metadata field values.
Click Add.

If you selected to check in a new version, do the following:

Select the checked out document from My FileHold > Checked Out Documents list.
Change the file name in the blue title bar if needed.
Make any changes to the metadata fields.
Click Check In.

Print to FileHold preferences

Print to FileHold can be set as the default printer and most printer preferences can be retained upon the start up of the FDA in the Print to FileHold preferences.

To set the Print to FileHold preferences

In the FDA, go to File > Preferences & Settings > Print to FileHold Preferences.
Enable any of the following options:

Make Print to FileHold the system default printer – Print to FileHold is the default printer for all applications (not just the FDA) on the local computer.
Remember printing preferences – This retains any of the set printer preferences when restarting the FDA and Print to FileHold. See Print to FileHold Printer Preferences for more information.

Click OK.

Print to FileHold printer preferences

When printing from an application, you are able to configure printer preferences in the Print window. The printer preferences allow you to set thepage size, orientation, watermarks, and a number of other options. These printer preferences can be maintained between print jobs if the Print to FileHold preference "Remember printing preferences" is enabled.

The following preferences can be configured and maintained (if enabled in the Print to FileHold preferences) in the Printing Preferences window:

Paper – Allows you to change the main properties of printed documents. You can change: paper size, orientation, page margin, images' resolution (DPI), and the scaling factor used so pages are reduced or enlarged.
Custom forms – Allows you to create and store alternate page sizes that are not offered in the "standard" page sizes.
General – Allows you to specify the settings for the PDF document that is created.
Compression – Allows you to set the compression settings to create smaller size PDF files. Determining which algorithm is best for your images or text is a very complex and difficult subject – for most users a little trial and error will reveal a general setting good for most documents they tend to create.
Graphics – Allows you to compress or optimize file content by converting or re-basing image content within the generated PDF file.
Fonts – Allows you to enable or disable font embedding, you can enter a list of fonts which you prefer to always embed and which should never be embedded.As a general rule, common fonts which can be expected to reside on users PC's (such as Arial, Courier etc) should be set to never be embedded, but unusual fonts which you cannot expect viewers of your files to have in residence on their local PC's should be embedded.
Watermarks – Not supported with Print-to-FileHold.
Overlays – Allows the use of a PDF as a watermark or overlay. It is useful if you have standard forms pre-prepared in PDF format that you wish to overlay text on from your Word Processor, spread sheet or database etc. Simply use the form as a background overlay and output your text or data at the correct position on the document to match the required area on the PDF form and again the document is prepared electronically without ever physically being printed to paper.
Security – Allows users to limit the use of a document to perform only certain functions with the material they have created. The level of protection authors can apply depends on the Acrobat PDF format being used.
Links – Allows you to analyze the hyperlinks which may exist within the document, and support the reader’s ability to 'click' and open a web page or an 'Email' to address.
Default file append – Allows you to either prepend or append the PDF being printed to an existing PDF document accessible from your computer.
Headers/Footers – Allows the user to add standardized header and footer information to every document generated to PDF.
Document Info – Allows the user to specify whether to include PDF Information for the documents created.
Email – Allows you to send your documents via e-mail.
Profiles – Allows you to maintain optional profiles so you can quickly switch between different sets of options and job types or possibly users too, if the PC you work on is used by more than a single person.