Documents
Package: BASIC
1. General
The Documents module enables the central storage, management and organisation of files related to customers and business processes.
It serves as a unified archive for various file types – e.g. quotes, contracts, or invoices in PDF format – and thereby supports efficient collaboration and access to relevant information.
All signed customer contracts are stored as PDFs in the Documents module and assigned to the respective Contracts directory. Through the link with the corresponding organisation, the documents can be accessed directly from the customer record. Via the Email file as attachment action, a contract can be sent directly from brainX when needed.
Technical documentation stored on a network drive is referenced as a URL in the document record via the External file link field. This way, it can be accessed directly from brainX with a single click, without duplicate storage.
This section describes only special fields and functionalities of the module, as all general brainX functionalities are described elsewhere in the handbook.
2. List View
The list view in the Documents module offers the usual functionalities of a list view. For more detailed information, see the section Layout/Structure - List View.
2.1. Actions
In the list view, general actions are available – depending on the module. An overview and description of all general actions can be found in the section Actions (List View).
In addition, the following module-specific actions are available:
| Action | Functionality |
|---|---|
| Migrate to Wiki article | Converts the selected records into Wiki articles – see Actions (List View) – Migrate to Wiki article |
| move document(s) | Moves the selected documents to another directory – see Actions (List View) – move document(s))) |
| Manage directories | Create, rename and delete directories – see Actions (List View) – Manage directories |
3. Detail View
3.1. Fields
The following table describes mandatory fields as well as fields with a non-obvious function. All other fields are self-explanatory.
Base data block
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Title * | Name of the document |
*Mandatory field
File information block
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| File | Upload a file via drag & drop or through the operating system's file explorer |
| External file link | URL to an external file (e.g. network drive or FTP server); displayed as a clickable link after saving |
3.2. Actions
The following actions are available in the detail view:
3.2.1. General Actions
- PDF Export
- Recommend
- Delete
- Change tracking
For detailed information on the actions, see the section Actions (Detail View).
3.2.2. Module-specific Actions
| Action | Prerequisite | Functionality |
|---|---|---|
| Email file as attachment | Configured email account | Opens the email editor with the file as an attachment |
| New email | Configured email account | Opens the email editor with reference to the document |
4. File Types
4.1. Permitted File Extensions
The following file types can be uploaded:
- Images: jpg, jpeg, png, gif, bmp, tif, tiff
- Text documents: txt, rtf, pdf, log, md
- Other documents: csv, xml, vcf, keynote, numbers, pages, ics, bmpr, graffle, eps
- Audio: mp3, aac, wav
- Video: avi, mp4, mpeg
- MS Office: doc, docx, dotx, xls, xlsx, xlsm, xltx, ppt, pptx, pps, potx, accdb, msg
- ISO Standard Office: odt, ods, odp, odb
- Archives: rar, zip, 7z, tar.gz, bz2, gz, tar
- Email: eml
- HASP licence file: v2c
- 2D/3D: dwg
- Configuration files: cfg
- Mindmap: xmind
- Flowchart: isf
The listed file extensions constitute a whitelist. This means that all file extensions not listed are (for security reasons) not permitted.
If you wish to upload a file type that is not included in the list, please contact brainX GmbH.
4.2. File Preview
A preview option is available for the following file types:
- aac
- mp
- cfg
- csv
- gif
- jpeg
- jpg
- mp3
- mp4
- png
- txt
5. Practical Examples
1 – Central contract archive with direct customer reference
A company wants to store all signed customer contracts centrally and in a structured manner, so that they can be found quickly at any time. For each signed contract, a record is created in the Documents module, the PDF file is uploaded and the document is assigned to the Contracts directory.
Each document record is linked to the corresponding organisation, so that the contracts can be accessed directly from the customer record. When needed, a contract can be sent by email directly from brainX via the module-specific action Email file as attachment – without having to download the file first.
The directory structure and the link with customer and organisation records create a clear, central document archive that is accessible to all authorised employees.
2 – Embedding technical documentation via external file link
A company maintains extensive technical documentation on an internal network drive. To avoid having to store these files twice, they are referenced in brainX via the External file link field.
For each technical document, a document record is created, a meaningful title is assigned, and the path to the file on the network drive is entered as a URL in the External file link field. After saving, the link is displayed as a clickable link and enables the file to be opened directly from brainX.
The documents are assigned to the appropriate directory and linked with the relevant product or customer records, so that technical documents can always be found in the right context.
3 – Structuring documents and moving them into directories
Over time, many files have accumulated in the Documents module, which were previously stored unstructured in the default directory. To restore clarity, new directories are first created via the Manage directories action – for example Contracts, Quotes, Invoices and Technical documents.
The existing documents are then grouped by type in the list view and moved into the respective appropriate directories via the move document(s) action. Documents that were originally created as records in the Documents module, but would be better maintained as Wiki articles, can be transferred directly to the Wiki module via the Migrate to Wiki article action.
6. Frequently Asked Questions
Which file types can be uploaded in the Documents module?
Numerous file types can be uploaded, including common image formats (jpg, png, gif), text documents (pdf, txt, docx), MS Office files, archives (zip, rar), audio and video files, and many more. This is a whitelist – file types not included in the list cannot be uploaded for security reasons. If a required file type is missing, brainX GmbH should be contacted.
What is the difference between uploading a file and entering an external file link?
When uploading a file, it is stored directly in brainX and can be accessed there. The External file link, on the other hand, only stores a URL to a file held externally – for example on a network drive or FTP server. The file itself is not stored in brainX, but only linked. After saving, the link is displayed as clickable.
Can I move several documents to another directory at the same time?
Yes. In the list view, several documents can be selected and moved together into a target directory via the move document(s) action.
How can I send a document directly by email?
In the detail view of a document, the module-specific action Email file as attachment is available. This opens the email editor with the stored file as an attachment. A configured email account in brainX is required.
For which file types is there a preview in brainX?
A preview is available for the following file types: aac, mp3, mp4, cfg, csv, gif, jpeg, jpg, pdf, png and txt. For all other file types, the file must be downloaded in order to open it.
Can I convert a document into a Wiki article?
Yes. Via the Migrate to Wiki article action in the list view, selected document records can be converted into Wiki articles. Detailed information on this can be found in the section Actions (List View).