Dear AODocs users,
We’re pleased to announce that AODocs version 49 is planned to be released soon (December 2018).
Please find below the list of changes and features that will impact the end-user and administrator experience.
This post is a preliminary, non-exhaustive list of the features launching with AODocs version 49. The actual features and updates in the final release may differ from the ones listed below. Subscribe to our Announcement List to receive our Release Notes.
Changes to end-user interfaces
For end-users
Document page
To improve collaborative work on AODocs documents in the AODocs user interface, we’re introducing the ability to write comments directly in the AODocs document, rather than having to put them in attachments. This extends the logic of comments, which are already available for workflow transitions and are displayed in the right sidebar.
All users with Can comment access can add the new comments in AODocs documents.
Library administrators can delete any comments added outside the context of workflow transitions. This is an initial version of the comments feature but we’re planning to extend it in future releases, so let us know your requirements!
Following the integration of workflow comments and the transition history in the right sidebar, we’ve added a third tab with custom properties in the attachment panel. This gives a side-by-side view, so allows smoother editing of attachment content and properties.
We’ve made further improvements to the display and selection of categories.
- It’s easier to view the values of multi-value categories as the display is more compact.
- It’s easier to select values for multi-value categories:
- For single-level categories, you no longer have to press the + button for each value: just position your cursor in the field and select as many values as you like from the drop-down menu.
- For multi-level categories, you no longer have to select the whole path for each value: select the path once, then select as many values as you like.
We’ve changed the links to open related items. This has been a known issue for more than a year and thanks to your feedback we found a solution!
- Press the icon to open the document in a new tab.
- Press the document title (if displayed) to open the document in the current tab.
Note: In both cases, the related item opens on the document page.
Actions on documents
When you move documents into a different folder you’ll appreciate the picker being focused on the current parent folder. This means that it's quicker and easier to move a document to a folder close to the current location, such as the direct parent or one of its siblings.
Also, the date and user who last modified the document now stay unchanged when the document is moved into a different folder. This way, we match the behavior of Google Drive.
When a user deletes a document they can (optionally) give a reason. The reason is displayed to library administrators.
For administrators
Actions on documents
When administrators change the workflow state outside the standard workflow transition process, an optional comment field is available. The comment is displayed in the right sidebar of the document page (along with any comments added during standard workflow transitions).
Release 49 introduces the possibility for library administrators to export documents from Document Management libraries, from the document page or from views. Export is possible only to other Document Management libraries (due to the requirement for multiple attachments).
Changes to the administrator interface
Library trash
When administrators restore documents or folders from the library trash, they can select a folder (if the original parent folder is also trashed). Before this release, these items were restored to the root folder of the library.
Workflows
Workflows can be complex, so we added a new button to produce a simplified graphic view.
Audit log
To achieve better and clearer tracking of operations in AODocs, the audit log content is being greatly improved. Among the list of improvements for release 49:
- Updates in the General settings of a library are now tracked.
- Updates in the workflow configuration are tracked more accurately and in greater detail.
- Updates on category values are now tracked.
- ...and many more!
Changes for super administrators
There are some major changes to the management of licensed users.
First, AODocs super administrators can now pre-allocate users a license. This is especially useful when a whole domain is shared between several entities. Pre-allocating a license to users ensures they can log in whenever they’re ready to use AODocs.
Note: Automatic allocation remains in place: when a user who doesn’t yet have a license logs in, they consume a new license if there are any available.
Second, if you manually remove a user from the list of licensed users, this user is no longer considered as an AODocs user. They therefore won’t be able to log back in and consume a new user license.
Important: If a user is going to stop using AODocs, but plans to use it again in the future, you shouldn’t revoke their license temporarily.
Features behind the scenes
In the document interface
We’re moving forward with the ability to group custom properties into sections on the document page. This configuration is not available in the library administration interface by default for release 49, but it can be set up.
Stay tuned for the next step: providing a neat user interface to configure sections.
As document creation is a specific step in a document life-cycle, we’re improving the configurability of read-only, mandatory or hidden fields in different states of the document. This can’t be configured via the user interface just yet, but it can be set up.
On a similar note, we’ll be revamping the creation flow of documents in the near future, especially for Team Folder and Secured Folder libraries.
In the library configuration
We’re planning to revamp the interface for configuring views.
Along with this graphical improvement, we’ll introduce the ability to configure a filter based on a relative date (for Date and Date/time properties). For example, you’ll be able to list only the documents that were created more recently than 10 days ago.
Over the next few releases, a new setting will be progressively introduced to refine the Duplicate action in documents for contributors. We’ll update you with more information when the setting is accessible from the administration interface.
For advanced AODocs users only
In release 49, the menu to trigger custom scripts through viewer actions has been moved to right of the action bar. The visual feedback has been improved through toasts rather than banners at the top of the page.
The execution of viewer actions differs according to whether the user is currently in the draft or main version of a document.