Configuring document download from a data grid
This document describes the procedure to be followed in order to configure the document download from data grids feature. This feature, which is based on the use of hyperlinks, enables document owners to download their documents directly from a link in a data grid column.
For this configuration to work properly, the following requirements must be met:
Foreword
This document assumes that documents have already been generated using the subscription service and that documents are available in the rps_file table. The download document feature supports all types of documents (PDF, Word, Excel, etc.).
The operations described herein must be performed in the beqom database; no user interface exists to configure the feature.
Roadmap
To configure the download document feature in a data grid, follow the roadmap outlined below:
| Step # | Description | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Create a new column in the data grid in which you want to insert the document. Set this column as NVARCHAR type. | This step is not described herein. |
| 2. | Enable the hyperlink feature for the data grid column. | |
| 3. | Define the hyperlink type to document download. | |
| 4. | Define the display name of the download link in the data grid. | |
| 5. | Generate the documents using the subscription service. | This step is not described herein. |
| 6. | Link generated documents to the field in the data grid. |
Enabling the Hyperlink Feature for a data grid
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Make sure that your grid contains a dedicated column for the document download link before proceeding with this step and any other step described after this step.
To enable the hyperlink feature for a data grid, proceed as follows:
In k_referential_grids_fields, set the hyperlink_enabled parameter to true for the column in which you want the download link to be displayed in the data grid.
Defining the Hyperlink Type
To define the type of hyperlink in order to use the document download feature, proceed as follows:
In k_referential_grids_fields, set the hyperlink_type parameter to 2 for the column in which you want the download link to be displayed in the data grid.
Defining the Display Name of the Download Link in the Grid
Once you have defined set a column as a hyperlink and have defined the right type of hyperlink, you need to define how the download link will be displayed in the Web Application interface of the beqom application. There are two possible options to do this
Define a static name: in k_referential_grids_fields, enter the display name of the download link in the hyperlink_display_column_name parameter of the column in which you want the download link to be displayed in the data grid. The display name will be used as the name of the downloaded file.
Point to another column in customer data: in k_referential_grids_fields, enter the ID of the column you want to point to in the hyperlink_id_display_field parameter. You can get the ID from k_referential_grids_fields as well.
This is a warning message.
The display name of the link determines the name of the downloaded file. Therefore, if you define a static name, consider using the actual name of the file instead of a generic value such as "Click Here" or a simple ID.
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When using either of the operations described above, the link name will be inserted in all cells of the column in which the document download is activated, even if no document is generated for one or several payees. To avoid any confusion, there should be no rows in which there is no document.
Linking Generated Documents to the Grid
Once you have generated the documents that you want to link in the data grid, you need to map the data grid column to the documents, as follows:
Populate the data grid column created in step 1 of the procedure with the id_file of the document(s) that you want to link in the grid. You can find the id_file value of the documents in the rps_file table.
Security
When using the document download feature in beqom Web Application, the following security principles are applied:
Users can only download their own documents. To make sure that this is possible, the id_payee value of a given document in rps_file must match the id_payee of the currently logged in payee.
It is not possible to use hierarchy security to access the documents of other payees.
Only download is possible. It is not possible to upload documents or to delete documents.
Limitations
The following list details the limitations associated with the document download feature:
The feature is only supported in Web App, not in Admin Portal
The feature is only supported in data grids (i.e. not in process grids or in ad hoc reports)
All configurations for this feature need to be performed in the environment database
It is not possible to automatically generate a file name for the documents. This has to be configured.
If document download is activated on a column and a link name is defined, the same link is displayed in all cells of the column, even when no documents are available.
Business Case: Configuring the Documentation Download Feature when Documents are not Generated for all Rows in the Data Grid
The configuration steps described above enable you to configure the document download according to a method particularly suited when documents are generated for all the rows in the grid. However, in the event that documents are not generated for all the rows in the grid, the described method can lead to confusion since a link is generated in all rows of the grid, but without a document behind. In practice, that means that users could see an active link in the grid, but nothing would happen if they attempted to click the link.
To avoid such behavior, there is a workaround that you can apply to either display an alternative text or an empty cell in the rows for which no documents are generated.