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We Read
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The Desktop
This first screen is basically a consolidated summary screen of the selective folders. You can put your own folders on this page by editing the preferences of a folder.
Folders or Databases
Manipulating Databases is essentially the strength of Information Archive.
Information Archive is very similar to windows explorer as in your WindowsTM Operating System. It basically makes use of folders to organize data structures. Once you create a new folder, you are allowed to create fields which will store data. These fields can have display type as Email, Image, Link and Text. You also can decide the data entry behavior of each of the field, i.e., a text box, dropdown, radio buttons, checkboxes, text area or a multi select box, hoping that you are familiar with these word, if not, these are very similar to the fields in Forms which you must have filled some or the other time at the time of browsing internet, if still do not get it you just can try each of them before you can get back to work.
Once you create fields you would be ready to use this as a database. Now, it is simple to populate records inside, you just need to figure out where is New Record written in the screen and bingo! You are ready to populate the database. And with that you get a Search Box for searching the thousand records you are going to populate. And with each record you can attach as many documents as you want.
Additional Features
Now that was about the basic engine of the Information Archive. Now lets have a look at the tiny utilities & features of Information Archive.
Box
Assuming now you have 1,000 list of clients in one folder and 1,500 in another organized by location, whenever you are contacting a client and fix up a meeting in both of the folders you need to put that client into My Follow Ups, since you may not wish to go to two (or many) separate folders to view all you follow ups.
That's what a Box can handle. Boxes are nothing but the compilation of the existing data from various folders. It is like you have news or articles related to your business put together in various folders of Information Archive, and few selective you mark as important and refer them frequently hence have kept in a separate folder. Looking from an organization's point of view, few noticeable documents or thought or information, which may be important from some perspective angle, can be place in these boxes and this can draw immediate attention of the executives since these are selective.
A data can be placed in a Box by clicking on [Set Box] Button below list of all records. And Box list is displayed in a dropdown at the ShortCut bar.
Quick Forms
When you start using Information Archive, there will be a time when you end up having a huge list of folders & sub folders. This is the time when you will feel that instead clicking on a folder, and then going to a subfolder and so on, you wish there could be straight away a list of forms where you could choose a form and fill it and close it. This is what Quick form does, you do not need to go to n number of hierarchy of folders to enter a data, if you have added that form into the quick form list. Quick form list is displayed in a dropdown at the ShortCut bar.
A form can be added to quickform by checking the checkbox at the end of the form while entering the data which says ' Add this form to My Quick Forms'. And can be removed from the option bar by clicking on Manage QuickForms.
ShortCut Bar
As name suggests, shortcut can be defined for frequently used folders. This is represented with a graphical ICON. Shortcut can be added by editing the preferences of a folder. And can be removed from the option bar by clicking on Manage ShortCuts.
Favorites Bar
This is yet another method form accessing frequently used folders quickly. This is very similar to ShortCuts explained earlier, the only difference being it has readable names in it than representing it in graphic format. Like ShortCuts, Favorites can be added by editing the preferences of a folder. And can be removed from the option bar by clicking on Manage Favorites.
Recycle Bin
Every data being deleted goes to recycle bin. There administrator will have rights to delete unwanted records or folders.
SendMail
In a folder, when you make a field which is an email field, one button at the bottom of records will be seen additionally that is [Send Mail]. Select a particular record or multiple records by clicking on the checkboxes before the ID field, and click on Send Mail Button. This will lead you to the send mail screen from where you can send mail to selected people or the entire folder.
For detailed information on any of the above mentioned features, have a look at the Using Information Archive Manual.
Analogy
| Folders | A place for keeping information |
| Sub Folders | A Folder under another Folder |
| Hierarchy | Similar to a tree, branches of branches. in Information Archive, referred as a sub folder, under a folder, and sub folders under sub folders. |
| Data | A Piece of information |
| Data Field | Used for entering Data, for example, Text area, radio buttons, checkboxes etc. |
| Form | A Data Entry Form. Set of one or many Data Fields put together. |
| Record | In Information Archive, referred as a display of Data |
| Record Set | A set of many Records |
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