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Set Up and Manage SmartFolders

Updated

SmartFolders provide secure, centralized online file storage within SmartSimple, organized in a folder hierarchy with configurable company- and role-based permissions. Files can be checked out to prevent simultaneous editing, and folders can trigger a workflow automatically when a new file is added. For definitions of SmartFolders settings, see SmartFolders Settings Reference.

Who: Global administrators and users with role-based access to SmartFolders.

When to Use SmartFolders

Use SmartFolders when:

  • Files need to be shared securely with internal teams or external organizations, with controlled access by company or role. For example, sharing grant documents with an external partner or restricting budget files to a finance role.
  • Documents require version control to prevent two users from editing the same file at the same time. For example, contracts, reports, or templates shared across teams.
  • A workflow should trigger automatically when a file is added or changed. For example, sending an alert when a new document is uploaded to a shared folder.
  • Files such as PDFs need to be published and made accessible to external users without requiring a SmartSimple login.
  • Branding or styling files need to be stored in the SmartSimple database and transferred across environments during the change management process. Use Configuration Folders for this purpose.

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Create a SmartFolder

To access SmartFolders in SmartSimple:

  1. Click the Menu icon in the upper navigation bar, and then select SmartFolders from the Tools drop-down menu.
    • The SmartFolders window opens. If no folders have been created yet, the window is empty.
  2. Click the + New Folder button.
  3. Add the applicable information, and then click Save. See the SmartFolders Folder Properties section in SmartFolders Settings Reference. 

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Configure Folder Security

Folder security controls which companies and roles can view, modify, upload files to, and create sub-folders within SmartFolders. 

Grant Everyone Access

To grant all users view access to a folder:

  1. Click the Menu icon in the upper navigation bar, and then select SmartFolders from the Tools drop-down menu.
  2. Click the applicable folder.
  3. Click the Settings button.
  4. Click the Permissions & Availability tab.
  5. Locate the Company Permissions section, click the View Folder field, and then select Everyone from the drop-down menu.
  6. Click the Modify Folder field, and then select Everyone from the drop-down menu.
  7. Locate the Role Permissions section, add the applicable information as needed, and then click Save.
NOTE  Repeat this process for other settings under Company Permission Settings or Role Permission Settings. Users can modify folder security at any time by revisiting these settings.

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Grant Access to a Specific Company

To configure a sub-folder with access restricted to a specific external company and an internal role:

  1. Click the Menu icon in the upper navigation bar, and then select SmartFolders from the Tools drop-down menu.
  2. Click the applicable folder.
  3. Click the Settings button.
  4. Click the Permissions & Availability tab.
  5. Locate the Company Permissions section, click the View Folder field, and then select Select Companies from the drop-down menu.
  6. Click the Lookup [binoculars] icon.
  7. Check the checkbox next to the applicable company, and then click OK.
  8. Click the Modify Folder field, and then select Select Companies from the drop-down menu.
  9. Click the Lookup [binoculars] icon.
  10. Check the checkbox next to the applicable company, and then click OK.
  11. Locate the Role Permissions section, add the applicable information as needed, and then click Save.

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Create a Sub-Folder

To create a sub-folder within existing SmartFolders:

  1. Click the Menu icon in the upper navigation bar, and then select SmartFolders from the Tools drop-down menu.
  2. Click the applicable folder.
  3. Click the + New Folder button.
  4. Add the applicable name, description, and permission settings, and then click Save.

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Upload Files to a Folder

To upload one or more files to SmartFolders:

  1. Click the Menu icon in the upper navigation bar, and then select SmartFolders from the Tools drop-down menu.
  2. Click the applicable folder or sub-folder.
  3. Click browse files, click the applicable file, and then click Open.
    • Users can select and upload multiple files at once.

Uploaded files appear in the list at the bottom of the folder window.

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Check Out a File

To check out a file and mark it as read-only while it is being edited:

  1. Click the Menu icon in the upper navigation bar, and then select SmartFolders from the Tools drop-down menu.
  2. Click the applicable folder or sub-folder.
  3. Click the Check Out icon next to the file.
  4. Add a Check Out note, and then click Check Out.
NOTE  Once a file is checked out, only the user who checked it out, or a user with the SmartFolders - Manager permission, can modify or delete it until it is checked back in. The checkbox next to the file name appears greyed out while the file is checked out.

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Check In a File

To check a file back in and allow further edits:

  1. Click the Menu icon in the upper navigation bar, and then select SmartFolders from the Tools drop-down menu.
  2. Click the applicable folder or sub-folder that contains the checked-out file.
  3. Click the Exclamation icon next to the file.
  4. Locate the file, and then click Check In.
NOTE  Click Undo Check Out to revert the file to the version that existed before it was checked out.

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Download Files

To download a file from SmartFolders:

  1. Click the Menu icon in the upper navigation bar, and then select SmartFolders from the Tools drop-down menu.
  2. Click the applicable folder or sub-folder.
  3. Locate the applicable file, and then click the Download icon.

Repeat this process for each file to download. To keep desktop files in sync with SmartSimple copies, download a copy of the SmartSync Utility.

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Delete Files and Folders

To delete one or more files from SmartFolders:

  1. Click the Menu icon in the upper navigation bar, and then select SmartFolders from the Tools drop-down menu.
  2. Click the applicable folder or sub-folder.
  3. Locate the applicable file, and then click the Options [three dots] icon.
  4. Click Delete, and then click Yes.

To delete an entire folder, click the Settings button and then click Delete.

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Increase SmartFolder Storage

To view current storage usage for SmartFolders:

  1. Click the System Administration gear in the upper navigation bar, and then select Global Settings from the drop-down menu.
  2. Click the System tab, and then click System Log and Summary.
  3. Click Storage Summary to generate a summary of system storage information.

Contact your Account Manager to increase storage limits.

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