Administrative units
  • 29 Jan 2025
  • 4 Minutes to read
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Administrative units

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Article summary

1. Administrative units (AU)

An administrative unit can mean, depending on the case, a department, a division or a section of an organization. In Constellio, administrative units should be the first structure to be created, because the latter is somewhat independent.

In this case, the use of the term "independence" means that the administrative unit is not a structure that depends on others, it is rather the opposite. In the image opposite, we can see that the AU structure does not point to any other structure. In fact, it would be counterproductive to start populating the database with conservation rules, for example, knowing that they point to the AUs in order to determine which ones are responsible for the mass of documents produced according to the rule. 

Several operations will have to be carried out in relation to the structure of the AUs: the creation, consultation, modification and deletion of administrative units. As regards the allocation of access and roles per administrative unit, reference should be made to the documentation on security and user management.


1.1 Creating an administrative unit

In order to create an administrative unit, you must complete the following steps:

  1. Click on "Administration" in the navigation menu;
  2. Click on "Departments";
  3. In the "Departments" window, click on "Add";
  4. In the "Add/Modify a concept" window, complete the metadata and click on "Save".

Basic metadata for the creation of an administrative unit
Element
Description
Code
Obligatory
Enter a code to identify the administrative unit.
Title
Obligatory
Clear and concise title that makes it easy to identify the administrative unit.
ParentOptionalThis field is used to indicate the parent administrative unit of the unit being created if that unit is to be nested within another. For example, the Staffing Department would be nested within the parent unit Human Resources.
Month of disposal
Optional
Allows you to select the month in which the administrative unit is to be decommissioned as an indication. The actual decommissioning month is selected in the system configuration.
AddressOptional
Allows you to indicate the address of the administrative unit.
AbbreviationOptionalAllows you to enter an abbreviation for the administrative unit.
DeactivatedOptionalAllows you to indicate whether the administrative unit is active or not.

1.2 Consulting an administrative unit

  1. Click on "Administration" in the navigation menu;
  2. Click on "Departments";
  3. In the "Departments" window, click on the magnifying glass to the right of the administrative unit's name.

The consultation form for an administrative unit has three tabs. The metadata tab allows you to know the metadata, but also the administrative sub-units of the consulted unit. The folder tab lists all the folders contained in this administrative unit while the consultation rules tab lists the rules related to the unit. In addition to being able to consult all this information, it is also possible to perform several actions: manage authorizations, manage roles, modify, delete the administrative unit and clean it up.


1.3 Manage authorizations on departments

Add an authorization on an administrative unit to users/groups. 

  1. Click on "Administration" in the navigation menu;
  2. Click on "Departments";
  3. Click on the magnifying glass to the right of the name of the administrative unit or subunit for which you wish to add an authorization ;
  4. In the administrative unit's file, click on "Manage authorization";
  5. Click on "Add an authorization". In the "Add an authorization" window, indicate the information necessary to add an authorization to the administrative unit to users or groups.
Field name
Description
Authorized user(s) OptionalSelect one or more users.
Authorized group(s)OptionalSelect one or more groups.
Access
ObligatoryGive the desired permission: read, write and delete.
Start dateOptionalEnter a start date for this authorization.
End dateOptional

Enter an end date for this authorization.
*If there is no end date in the "End Date" field, authorizations added to users or groups will never end.


1.4 Managing the roles of an administrative unit

Add a role on an administrative unit to users/groups. 

  1. Click on "Administration" in the navigation menu;
  2. Click on "Departments";
  3. Click on the magnifying glass to the right of the name of the administrative unit or subunit for which you wish to add a role;
  4. In the administrative unit's file, click on "Manage roles";
  5. Click on "Add a role". In the "Add a role" window, indicate the information necessary to add a role to the administrative unit to users or groups.
Field name
Description
Authorized user(s) OptionalSelect one or more users
Authorized group(s)OptionalSelect one or more groups
RolesObligatoryAssign the desired role(s)
Start dateOptionalEnter a start date for this role
End dateOptional

Enter an end date for this role
*If there is no end date in the "End Date" field, roles added to users or groups will never end.


1.5 Modifying an administrative unit

  1. Click on "Administration" in the navigation menu;
  2. Click on "Departments";
  3. Click on the notepad to the right of the name of the administrative unit to be modified. It is also possible to click on "Modify concept" in the metadata sheet of the administrative unit;
  4. In the "Add/Modify Concept" window, modify the metadata and click on "Save".

1.6 Cleaning up an administrative unit

An administrative unit must be cleaned up before it can be deleted. Clearing an administrative unit allows you to permanently destroy the folders, subfolders, documents, containers, tasks and declassification lists that are associated with this administrative unit. If you don't want to destroy all these elements, perform batch processes to modify the administrative unit metadata of these different elements.

  1. Click on "Administration" in the navigation menu;
  2. Click on "Departments";
  3. Click on the magnifying glass to the right of the name of the administrative unit to be cleaned;
  4. In the record of the administrative unit, click on "Clean the unit";
  5. Confirm your action, click on "Yes".

1.7 Deleting an administrative unit

It is impossible to destroy an administrative unit that contains elements (files, sub-files, documents, containers, etc.). It is therefore necessary to perform a cleanup of the administrative unit or batch processing on these various elements prior to the destruction of the administrative unit.

  1. Click on "Administration" in the navigation menu;
  2. Click on "Departments";
  3. Click on the X to the right of the name of the administrative unit to be deleted;
  4. A confirmation window appears, click on "Yes".



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