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Working with libraries

Libraries support the FileNet Document Management capabilities to provide community members document management capabilities to upload, manage, organize, and collaborate on community files. A community can contain multiple libraries.

Attention:

  • Interaction with libraries from the desktop is only available when you are connecting to an HCL Connections server. This feature is not supported on Connections Cloud.
  • There are two types of libraries available through a community: libraries and linked libraries. Libraries are enabled by default. Linked libraries, which are used to access an existing repository of documents stored on an Enterprise Content Management (ECM) server, are not supported by the desktop plug-in.

When the HCL Connections Content Manager add-on is deployed, community owners can create community libraries directly from a community using the Library widget. Community libraries provide owners and members with the following content management capabilities and enhanced social features:

  • Check in and check out. Members can check out files and edit them using private drafts. Checked out files are locked to prevent other users from making updates at the same time.
  • Version control. Members can see who has updated content at a glance and roll back to previous file versions if there is a need to recover older content.
  • File organization. Members can copy, move, and delete files.
  • Draft review. Members can collaborate on shared files and send them through an established review cycle to obtain the approval of selected members of the community.
  • Sharing. Community owners can set file-level access to the library, giving them tighter control over who can edit content.
  • Social content management. Members can interact with content in the community library in a social and dynamic way. For example, they can use tags to categorize content and improve file retrieval, and like files to recommend them to fellow members. Members can also follow files, comment on files, and see who has downloaded files.

  • Document types and properties. Community owners can set the default document type for a library, allowing them to specify a defined set of information and properties for library files.

  • Adding a file to a library
    Add a file from Windows Explorer or your desktop to a library.

  • Editing a library file
    Download files from a library to edit them.
  • Sharing a library file
    Share a library file to make it available to others.
  • Reviewing a library file
    If review workflow is enabled for the library through the browser interface, you can approve or reject a file from your desktop if you are a designated reviewer.
  • Following, liking, and commenting on library files
    In addition to downloading, checking out, and uploading new versions of files, you can use the rich social features provided by community libraries to interact with files and collaborate on them with your colleagues.
  • Viewing and managing versions
    View, open or restore earlier versions of a file or create a new version.
  • Managing library file drafts
    Publish updates to your library files from the Drafts monitor.
  • Editing library file properties
    View and edit properties associated with a library file.
  • Setting preferences for libraries
    Set preferences that control how you interact with library files.

Parent topic:Using the HCL Connections desktop plug-ins for Microsoft Windows