Documents
Package: BASIC
1. General
The Documents module enables the central storage, management, and organisation of files related to customers and business processes.
It serves as a unified archive for various file types – e.g. quotes, contracts, or invoices in PDF format – and thereby supports efficient collaboration and access to relevant information.
All signed customer contracts are stored as PDFs in the Documents module and assigned to the respective Contracts directory. Through the link to the corresponding organisation, the documents can be accessed directly from the customer record. Using the Email File as Attachment action, a contract can, if required, be sent directly from brainX.
Technical documentation stored on a network drive is entered as a URL in the document record via the External File Link field. This way, it can be accessed directly from brainX with a single click, without duplicate storage.
This section describes only special fields and functionalities of the module, as all general brainX functionalities are described elsewhere in the handbook.
2. List View
The list view in the Documents module offers the usual functionalities of a list view. For more detailed information on this, see the section Layout/Structure - List View.
2.1. Actions
In the list view, general actions are available – depending on the module. An overview and description of all general actions can be found in the section Actions (List View).
In addition, the following module-specific actions are available:
| Action | Functionality |
|---|---|
| Migrate to Wiki Article | Converts the selected records into Wiki articles – see Actions (List View) – Migrate to Wiki Article |
| Move Document(s) | Moves the selected documents to another directory – see Actions (List View) – Move Document(s))) |
| Manage Directories | Create, rename, and delete directories – see Actions (List View) – Manage Directories |
3. Detail View
3.1. Fields
The following table describes mandatory fields as well as fields whose function is not obvious. All other fields are self-explanatory.
Base Data Block
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Title * | Name of the document |
*Mandatory field
File Information Block
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| File | Upload file via Drag & Drop or through the operating system's file explorer |
| External File Link | URL to an external file (e.g. network drive or FTP server); displayed as a clickable link after saving |
If a document is used as an accounting voucher (see DATEV Booking Data Service - Accounting Vouchers or DATEV Invoice Data Service 1.0 - Accounting Vouchers), only the File and External File Link fields are write-protected and marked accordingly. All other fields of the document – such as Title and custom fields – remain editable.
3.2. Actions
The following actions are available in the detail view:
3.2.1. General Actions
- PDF Export
- Recommend
- Delete
- Change Tracking
For detailed information on the actions, see the section Actions (Detail View).
3.2.2. Module-Specific Actions
| Action | Prerequisite | Functionality |
|---|---|---|
| Email File as Attachment | Configured email account | Opens the email editor with the file as an attachment |
| New Email | Configured email account | Opens the email editor with reference to the document |
4. File Types
4.1. Permitted File Extensions
The following file types can be uploaded:
- Images: jpg, jpeg, png, gif, bmp, tif, tiff
- Text documents: txt, rtf, pdf, log, md
- Other documents: csv, xml, vcf, keynote, numbers, pages, ics, bmpr, graffle, eps
- Audio: mp3, aac, wav
- Video: avi, mp4, mpeg
- MS Office: doc, docx, dotx, xls, xlsx, xlsm, xltx, ppt, pptx, pps, potx, accdb, msg
- ISO Standard Office: odt, ods, odp, odb
- Archives: rar, zip, 7z, tar.gz, bz2, gz, tar
- Email: eml
- HASP license file: v2c
- 2D/3D: dwg
- Configuration files: cfg
- Mindmap: xmind
- Flowchart: isf
The listed file extensions constitute a whitelist. This means that all file extensions not listed are (for security reasons) not permitted.
If you want to upload a file type that is not included in the list, please contact brainX GmbH.
4.2. File Preview
A preview option is available for the following file types:
- aac
- mp
- cfg
- csv
- gif
- jpeg
- jpg
- mp3
- mp4
- png
- txt
5. Practical Examples
1 – Central Contract Archive with Direct Customer Reference
A company wants to store all signed customer contracts centrally and in a structured manner, so that they can always be found quickly. For each signed contract, a record is created in the Documents module, the PDF file is uploaded, and the document is assigned to the Contracts directory.
Each document record is linked to the corresponding organisation, so that the contracts can be accessed directly from the customer record. If required, a contract can be sent by email directly from brainX using the module-specific action Email File as Attachment – without having to download the file first.
Through the directory structure and the link to customer and organisation records, a clearly organised, central document archive is created that is accessible to all authorised employees.
2 – Integrating Technical Documentation via External File Link
A company maintains extensive technical documentation on an internal network drive. In order to avoid storing these files twice, they are referenced in brainX via the External File Link field.
For each technical document, a document record is created, a meaningful title is assigned, and the path to the file on the network drive is entered as a URL in the External File Link field. After saving, the link is displayed as a clickable link and enables the file to be opened directly from brainX.
The documents are assigned to the corresponding directory and linked to the relevant product or customer records, so that technical documents can always be found in the right context.
3 – Structuring Documents and Moving Them into Directories
Over time, many files have accumulated in the Documents module that were previously stored in the default directory without structure. To create clarity, new directories are first created via the Manage Directories action – for example Contracts, Quotes, Invoices, and Technical Documents.
The existing documents are then grouped by type in the list view and moved into the respective appropriate directories via the Move Document(s) action. Documents that were originally created as records in the Documents module but would be better maintained as wiki articles can be transferred directly to the Wiki module via the Migrate to Wiki Article action.
6. Frequently Asked Questions
Which file types can be uploaded in the Documents module?
Numerous file types can be uploaded, including common image formats (jpg, png, gif), text documents (pdf, txt, docx), MS Office files, archives (zip, rar), audio and video files, as well as many others. This is a whitelist – file types not included in the list cannot be uploaded for security reasons. If a required file type is missing, brainX GmbH should be contacted.
What is the difference between uploading a file and entering an external file link?
When a file is uploaded, it is stored directly in brainX and can be accessed there. The External File Link, on the other hand, only stores a URL to a file located externally – for example on a network drive or FTP server. The file itself is not stored in brainX, but only linked. After saving, the link is displayed as clickable.
Can I move several documents to another directory at the same time?
Yes. In the list view, multiple documents can be selected and moved together into a target directory via the Move Document(s) action.
How can I send a document directly by email?
In the detail view of a document, the module-specific action Email File as Attachment is available. This opens the email editor with the stored file as an attachment. A prerequisite is a configured email account in brainX.
For which file types is there a preview in brainX?
A preview is available for the following file types: aac, mp3, mp4, cfg, csv, gif, jpeg, jpg, pdf, png, and txt. For all other file types, the file must be downloaded in order to open it.
Can I convert a document into a wiki article?
Yes. Selected document records can be converted into wiki articles via the Migrate to Wiki Article action in the list view. Detailed information on this can be found in the section Actions (List View).