Folder overview
- 13 Nov 2023
- 14 Minutes to read
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Folder overview
- Updated on 13 Nov 2023
- 14 Minutes to read
- Contributors
- Print
- DarkLight
- PDF
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The folders
The purpose of this section of the guide is to introduce the reader to the concepts of folders. Along with the document, this notion forms the heart of document management, whether it is electronic, integrated or traditional. To use Constellio properly, it is essential to understand the basic folders that feed the document vault. Each element is linked to another, and their interdependence is a matter of structure.
As an indication, the folders are visible in the home page, in the developed tree structures. To create a folder, it is imperative to link it to a classification plan heading and to an administrative unit. In the same way, it is mandatory to link a document to a folder, otherwise it cannot be saved.
Folders are elements that enable documents to be classified in Constellio. They form the end of the document tree of the collections. It is possible to create a folder from the interface's action menu, in the upper right-hand corner.
1. The use of folders - Icons according to status and supports
The icons of the folders in Constellio's collections are reactive to the actions and items that are placed in them.
- First of all, the folder icons will change depending on whether they are opened or closed during consultation.
- Also, folder icons reflect the archival status of their contents. Thus, the icon of a folder will change color if it is active, semi-active, retained (filed) or destroyed.
- A folder icon marked with an icicle (legally frozen/suspended) signifies a legal hold on the folder.
- Finally, the folder icon is also modified according to the media of the documents in the folder. There are three possible types of icons in relation to this: the paper folder, the electronic folder, and the hybrid folder (paper/electronic).
The colors of the folders
The colors of each folder indicate their archival status.
- Beige : Active folder
- Orange: Semi-active folder
- Purple: Folder kept (deposit)
- Grey: Folder destroyed
1.1 Folder without support
| Icons | Description |
 | Folder without closed support |
 | Folder without open support |
1.2 Paper folder
| Icons | Description |
 | Closed paper folder |
 | Open paper file |
 | Paper folder closed and legally suspended |
 | Paper folder open and legally suspended |
1.3 Digital folder
| Icons | Description |
 | Closed electronic folder |
 | Open electronic folder |
 | Closed and legally suspended electronic folder |
 | Electronic folder open and legally suspended |
1.4 Hybrid folder
| Icons | Description |
 | Closed hybrid folder |
 | Open hybrid folder |
 | Hybrid folder closed and legally suspended |
 | Hybrid folder open and legally suspended |
1.5 Unified folder
| Icons | Description |
 | Folder unified with O365 content |
2. Configurations
In this section you will find all the system configurations that affect the folders. To learn more about the configurations, see the article "System configurations".
| Advanced Tab | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration | Description | Possibles values | Impacts |
| Always use interval selection in paginated pages | When this configuration is enabled, the "Select All" button on a paged page allows you to select the interval, regardless of the number of records on the page. | Activated | The select all button in a paginated page asks you to enter an interval for the records to be selected. |
| Deactivated | The select all button in a paginated page selects all results. | ||
| Use the copy status entered instead of the parents' copy status if possible | This configuration allows you to enter a different copy status than the parent folder. | Activated | Assumes the status of a manually entered copy. |
| Deactivated | Take the status of a copy of the parent file. | ||
| Legacy identifiers index (require a reboot, can require more memory) | This configuration considerably speeds up robot executions and record imports, but increases memory consumption. | Activated | The old identifiers are indexed. |
| Deactivated | The old identifiers are not indexed. | ||
| Maximum number of search results that can be selected | This configuration allows, after a search, to select the indicated number of results to execute actions on them. | Number of results | The number of selectable results will be limited according to this number. |
| Dynamic configuration of columns of a table (reduce the speed of display of pages) | This configuration allows you to dynamically modify the metadata displayed in some tables. | Activated | The display of the metadata is done from the table. |
| Deactivated | The display of the metadata is based on the metadata schemas. | ||
| Agent Tab | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration | Description | Possibles values | Impacts |
| Create a shortcut to «drop» folder on desktop | This configuration allows you to create a "Constellio" shortcut on the user's workstation (on the desktop) after installing the Agent. The purpose of this functionality is to allow the "Drag n Drop" action on the "Constellio" icon on the workstation in order to import records on the Constellio desktop. *Important: Validate the configurations related to the automatic deletion of files on the workstation when a document is imported with the Agent. | Activated | The shortcut will be created on the user's computer. |
| Deactivated | The shortcut will not be created on the user's computer. | ||
| Disposition Tab | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration | Description | Possibles values | Impacts |
| Allow to box active folders | This configuration allows you to display the "Container" field in the input form of an active file. | Activated | All folders can be put in containers. |
| Deactivated | Only semi-active and inactive folders can be put into containers. | ||
| Allow sorting of folders in decommissiong list | This configuration allows you to change the order of the folders in the tables by pressing the column labels. | Activated | It is possible to order the columns by different metadata in the tables. |
| Deactivated | It is not possible to order the columns by different metadata in the tables. | ||
| Allow modifying archival status and expected dates for folders | This configuration allows you to manually change the value of the "Archival status" metadata in the input form of a file. The action leads to a change in the dates for the calculation of retention periods. | Activated | Allow to modify the dates for all the files |
| Activated for imported records | Allows you to modify the dates for all the files imported using Constellio | ||
| Deactivated | Do not allow to modify these dates | ||
| Calculated close date | This configuration allows Constellio to automatically add the closing dates for files that are governed by closed retention rules. | Activated | Constellio adds the number of years specified to the closing date and adds the months required to reach the fiscal year end date. |
| Deactivated | Constellio does not calculate any closing date | ||
| Number of calculated close dates (fixes rule) | This configuration allows you to systematically add a buffer year(s) to the closing date for all records subject to a closed retention period. | Number of years | Constellio automatically calculates the closing date by adding the specified number of years to the opening date for It is possible to order the columns by different metadata in the tables.les délais fixes. |
| -1 to deactivate the functionality | Means that there is no buffer year added to the time frame for closing a file. | ||
| Number of calculated close dates (variable rule) | This configuration allows for the systematic addition of a buffer year(s) to the closing date for all records subject to an open retention period. | Number of years | Constellio automatically calculates the closing date by adding the specified number of years to the opening date for open periods 888 or 999. |
| -1 to deactivate the functionality | Means that there will be no automated calculation for closing an open deadline file, so closing files will have to be done manually before downgrading. | ||
| Number of calculated inactive dates (Open rule) | This configuration allows for the systematic addition of a buffer year(s) at the end of the semi-active stage for all records subject to an open-ended retention period. | Number of years | Constellio automatically calculates the disposition date by adding the specified number of years to the expected disposition date for open time periods 888 or 999. |
| -1 to deactivate the functionality | Means that there will be no automated calculation and that the closing of the files must be done manually before downgrading. | ||
| Number of calculated semi active dates (open rule) | This configuration allows a buffer year(s) to be systematically added at the end of the active stage for all records subject to an open-ended retention period. | Number of years | Constellio automatically calculates the active period by adding the number of years specified in the opening date for open periods 888 or 999. |
| -1 to deactivate the functionality | Means that there will be no automated calculation and that the closing of the files must be done manually before downgrading. | ||
| Close date required before the end of year | This configuration allows you to postpone the calculation of retention periods to the following year if a file is created too close to the end of the current year | Number of days | Example: If a file is opened on December 1 and the end of the fiscal year is set for December 31, the value "30" must be entered in the current configuration in order to extend the calculation of the file to the coming year. |
| Complete actual disposition date when creating folder with manual status | This configuration allows you to deduct the date calculation for files that have been imported at a stage other than active, without having a real calculation date (e.g.: file without a real transfer date when the record is declared as being at the semi-active stage) | Activated | If the archival status is changed, but no dates are entered, the calculation of dates will automatically be based on the expected dates. |
| Deactivated | No completion of dates is done automatically | ||
| Disposition date | This configuration allows you to specify the date on which the time limits of the conservation rules are calculated. | Date de fermeture | The calculation is based on the date the file was closed. |
| Date d'ouverture | The calculation is based on the date the file was opened. | ||
| Delete folder records on destruction | This configuration allows you to permanently delete the metadata record of a folder when it is destroyed inactive. | Activated | The metadata records of the files are destroyed during decommissioning. |
| Deactivated | The metadata records of the files are retained upon decommissioning. | ||
| Use actual transfer date to calculate deposit/destruction dates of semi-active folders | This configuration allows retention times to be calculated on actual dates rather than scheduled dates. | Activated | The calculation of the payment and destruction dates is based on the actual date of transfer. |
| Deactivated | The calculation of the payment and destruction dates is based on the expected transfer date. | ||
| Include sortable folders in destruction decommissioning lists | If this configuration is not activated, the folders whose final disposition is sorting will only come out in the remittance lists. | Activated | Files whose final disposition is sorting will go out in the destruction and remittance lists. |
| Deactivated | Files whose final disposition is sorting will go out exclusively in the remittance lists. | ||
| A folders category must be related to its rule | This configuration prevents a folder from being created if the selected classification scheme entry is not associated with a retention rule. | Activated | It is not possible to associate a field in the classification plan if it is not associated with a retention rule. |
| Deactivated | A classification plan item can be associated even if it is not associated with a retention rule. | ||
| Linkable catefory must not be root | This configuration prevents the classification of files at the first level of the classification plan. | Activated | The user cannot associate folders with the root levels of the plan. |
| Deactivated | The user can associate files in all the headings of the classification plan. | ||
| Anticipation of decommissioning - Time in days to which records can be decommissioned before the scheduled date | This configuration allows you to choose the number of days that the files can be downgraded before the scheduled date. | Number of days | Example: If the planned decommissioning date for a file is set for December 31 and the value "30" is entered in this configuration, the file will be decommissionable on December 1. |
| Subfolders are decommissioned separately | This configuration allows you to downgrade a sub-folder without having to downgrade its parent folder. | Activated | The subfolder is declassifiable separately from its parent folder. |
| Deactivated | The subfolder is not declassifiable separately from its parent folder. | ||
| Others Tab | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration | Description | Possibles values | Impacts |
| Allow comments to be added with read permission | This configuration allows users with read-only access to add/delete comments on the record card. | Activated | Users with read-only access can add or delete comments. |
| Deactivated | Users with read-only access cannot add or delete comments. | ||
| Append (Copy) to the title of duplicated records | This configuration allows you to add (Copy) to the title of duplicate records. | Activated | Allows you to add (Copy) to the title of duplicate records. |
| Deactivated | Does not add anything when duplicating records. | ||
| Force to confirm before editting | This configuration forces a confirmation before the modification of a record. | Activated | Force a confirmation before the modification. |
| Deactivated | Do not force a confirmation before the modification. | ||
| Number of loaded items in autocomplete fields (maximum of 100, may decrease performance) | This setting allows you to define the maximum number of suggestions that will be displayed below an input field. | Number of items | The number of items displayed is limited according to this number. |
| Maximum number of records that can be modified using a batch process | This setting allows you to define a maximum number of records that can be processed in a batch at a time. | Number of records | The value entered determines the maximum number of records that can be processed in a batch at one time. |
| Folders borrow duration (days) | This configuration allows you to define the default loan duration for a document. | Number of days | The value entered determines the default days entered in the loan form. |
| Default tab in folder display (C for Content, M for Metadata) | This configuration allows you to define the tab that is displayed by default when consulting a file. Each user can configure the tab they want in "Edit my profile". | C | Content |
| M | Metadata | ||
| Default display mode | This configuration allows you to select the default display mode of the grouped data in the views. | List view | The grouped data will be displayed as a list. |
| Table view | The grouped data will be displayed in a table format. | ||
| Enable illegal characters validation | This configuration prevents the characters \/*:?"&<> from being entered in titles, codes and abbreviations. | Activated | Prevents the capture of illegal characters. |
| Deactivated | Allows the input of illegal characters. | ||
| Automatically fill the department of new folders and boxes | This configuration allows you to automatically add a value in the "Administrative Unit" field when creating a record (folder, document, container, task). | Activated | The administrative unit is entered automatically. |
| Deactivated | The administrative unit is not entered automatically. | ||
| Hide leading zeros when displaying the metadata ID | This configuration allows you to hide leading zeros when displaying the ID metadata. | Activated | Hides leading zeros when displaying the ID metadata. |
| Deactivated | Does not hide leading zeros when displaying the ID metadata. | ||
| Number of loaded items in trees (maximum of 100, may decrease performance) | This configuration allows you to limit the number of records visible by default in the home screen. | Number of items | The specified value limits the number of items that appear in the trees. |
| Log files and documents with CMIS | This configuration allows you to log file and document consultations made with CMIS. | Activated | Consultations of files and documents with CMIS will be logged. |
| Deactivated | Consultations of files and documents with CMIS will not be logged. | ||
| Requires a reason before deleting folders or favorites | This configuration allows you to require a reason to be entered before deleting a folder or favorites. | Activated | A reason must be entered before deleting a folder or a bookmark. |
| Deactivated | You will not be asked to enter a reason before deleting a folder or a bookmark. | ||
| Open holder | This configuration allows the user to choose the copy status when creating a folder, despite the copy status defined by the retention rule. | Activated | The user can choose the copy status of a record regardless of what is written in the retention rule. |
| Deactivated | Constellio automatically calculates the copy status from the holder of the conservation rule. | ||
| Start and end date are required to publish a document | This configuration forces the entry of a start and end date to share a folder or a document. | Activated | Requires entering a start and end date to share a folder or document. |
| Deactivated | Does not require the entry of a start and end date to share a folder or a document. | ||
| Delay before sending notification email (in minutes) | This configuration allows you to define a refresh time for changes made to records. | Number of seconds | The number of seconds specified will be applied to the refresh delay. |
| Number of days before trash elements delete | This configuration allows you to define a maximum number of days for keeping records in the recycle garbage can. | Number of days | After the deadline (in days) has passed, the records are permanently deleted. |
| Reports Tab | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration | Description | Possibles values | Impacts |
| Remove brackets in Excel reports | This configuration allows to remove the brackets in the Excel reports. | Activated | Removes brackets in Excel reports. |
| Deactivated | Do not remove the brackets in Excel reports. | ||
| Sorting metadata for labels and metadata reports | This configuration is used to choose the metadata on which to sort the multi-value reference fields with alphabetical sorting. This is only effective with metadata labels and PDF reports. | Titre | The sorting metadata for labels and metadata reports is "Title". |
| Code | The sorting metadata for labels and metadata reports is "Code". | ||
| Trees Tab | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration | Description | Possibles values | Impacts |
| Display deposited records | This configuration allows you to display the folders in the home screen (virtual spaces). | Activated | The uploaded files will be displayed in the trees (classification plan, administrative units) of the virtual spaces. |
| Deactivated | The uploaded files will not be displayed in the trees (classification plan, administrative units) of the virtual spaces. | ||
| Display destroyed records | This configuration allows to display the destroyed folders in the home screen (virtual spaces). | Activated | The destroyed folders will be displayed in the trees (classification plan, administrative units) of the virtual spaces. |
| Deactivated | The destroyed folders will not be displayed in the trees (classification plan, administrative units) of the virtual spaces). | ||
| Display semiactive records | This configuration allows you to display the semi-active folders in the home screen (virtual spaces). | Activated | The semi-active folders will be displayed in the trees (classification plan, administrative units) of the virtual spaces. |
| Deactivated | The semi-active folders will not be displayed in the trees (classification plan, administrative units) of the virtual spaces. | ||
| Only display the opening triangle when the folder has a content (major decrease in the display speed of the trees) | This configuration allows the opening triangle to be displayed when the folder has content. However, there is a major decrease in the speed of tree display in this case. | Activated | Shows the opening triangle only when there is content. |
| Deactivated | Does not display the opening triangle when there is no content. | ||
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