Creating the document library structure

The library structure is where documents are logically stored. It is used to assign security and permissions for access to documents. It can optionally be used to assign or reflect document taxonomy. Finding the correct location to store documents in the library can be done manually using techniques like drag-and-drop or automatically using tools like auto-filing. The FileHold library structure models the traditional filing cabinet. A cabinet has drawers and each drawer contains folders of documents. In some cases folders are grouped together.

After at least one document schema is created, you can start creating your cabinets, drawers, folders and optional folder groups. The library is created by an administrator in the same web or desktop client interface used by all users to interact with FileHold. Before you start creating your library hierarchy, you should plan out how you are going to organize the structure. Use the Library Hierarchy Planning template as a guide.

Research shows that filing documents three to four levels deep is the maximum efficient depth to store and retrieve files. By expanding the various levels of the library or library archives users are able to browse down to the various folders in the system. Using metadata in FileHold provides much more powerful methods to organize and retrieve documents than a complex library hierarchy.

Document library overview

All documents in FileHold are stored in the Library or Library Archive. Documents are added to the Library and may be moved to the Library Archive by an administrator or by an automated document life cycle task. Both the Library and Library Archive are depicted in the software user interface in a familiar tree style. Both have the same general structure. 

There are two or three levels of hierarchy beneath the Library or Library Archive starting with Cabinets which contain Drawers. Drawers contain Folders and Folders can be grouped into Folder Groups. Documents are contained in Folders.

Access to the structure is controlled by security membership at the cabinet and folder levels. Only users that are members of a cabinet can see the cabinet to access its contents. Once inside the cabinet a user must also be a member of the folders it contains in order to access documents contained within the folder. If the user is not a folder member they will not be able to see the folder. Users can see the membership associated with a particular cabinet or folder by right clicking on the cabinet or folder and selecting Properties > Security. Folders can simply inherit the security membership of their cabinet.

Security membership in a folder is not sufficient to see its documents. The folder must also contain documents where the user is also a member of the document schema. For example, a company may store many employee documents in their human resources cabinet. An employee's individual folder may have a variety of documents such as their employment contract, gym access authorization or disciplinary notes. The employee can be given access to their own folder, but only be able to see their employment contract and gym access authorization according to the schema assigned to those documents. Only HR advisors and managers would have access to the document schema used for disciplinary notes. All types of documents for the employee could be safely stored in the same folder.

Users who are not members of a cabinet or folder will not see the cabinet or folder in the hierarchy.