Who is this article for?

Ideagen Quality Management administrators using automatic file transfer.

Admin access is required.

1. Automatic File Transfer
2. Installing AFT
3. Checking Out Documents
4. Checking In Documents
5. AFT Troubleshooting

Automatic File Transfer

When editing documents through Ideagen Quality Management, you're required to save the version you're working with to a location (either on your PC or a shared drive) and then upload it back when you're ready to release it. This can be a tedious process if you edit regularly and can result in lost documents in cases where you forget where you saved it. To eliminate this hassle, we urge you to use the Automatic File Transfer (AFT) tool that comes with your system.

AFT must be enabled system-wide by your system administrator before you can begin. If AFT is already installed on your PC by your IT staff, move on to the Checking In section. If you'd rather use the Manual Transfer method, skip ahead to Manual File Transfer.

Note: We strongly advise that you uninstall and reinstall the Automatic File Transfer tool (and all Client Tools) after any upgrades to your Ideagen Quality Management version.

Installing AFT

AFT can be installed from your User Preferences page. To install AFT before editing a document, Log into Ideagen Quality Management, go to the User Menu in the upper right, and select User Preferences. Then click Download next to the Automatic File Transfer option in the Client Tool Installers section.

The steps below illustrate how to install it from there.

1. From User Preferences, select Download.
2. Select the file from your download location to begin the installation process

3. From the installer window that opens, select Save or Run. If you select Run, select Run again on the next pop-up window. If you select Save, open the file wherever it's saved to begin installation.
4. Select Next on all the panels when the Installation window opens. And at the end select Close to close it.

5. Go to the Context Menu and select Check Out for a document you want to edit.
6. Uncheck the Always ask before opening this type of file box when the Open box pops up. If you don't, this window appears each time you edit a document.

7. Select Open.
8. You are then prompted to select a Working folder where your files will be saved when editing and where they'll be pulled from when checking in. We recommend a location that will be backed up, such as a shared drive; contact your system administrator if you're unsure.

9. Select OK once you've designated the Working folder and AFT will now handle the file transfers during all editing from now on.

Checking Out Documents

If AFT is already installed on your machine, go to the document you want to check out.

1. From the Context Menu, select Check Out. AFT begins downloading the file.
2. The document opens once the download is complete. When documents are checked out to you, they always reside in your Working Folder. To see where this is or make changes to its location, see User Preferences.

Checking In Documents

To check a document back in after editing, it must be closed wherever you were editing it.

1. From the Context Menu, select Check In.
2. AFT begins uploading it into Ideagen Quality Management.
3. Your newly uploaded document opens.

Note: In case you close the document without checking it back in, it is in your Working Folder and has its Ideagen Quality Management ID# as the file name. For instance, if you're editing document #233 in Word, the file will be 233.doc in your Working Directory.

Tip: Files are not automatically removed from your Working Folder once they're checked in, so you may also want to periodically delete old files from that location. Just make sure they're checked in before doing so.

AFT Troubleshooting

The following errors are the most common problems users run into when either initially installing AFT or during regular use. If you do not see your problem listed here, contact Ideagen Quality Management Support.

Error: Unable to Transfer File

If you receive this message when checking in a file after editing, the document is still open. You may have saved the file but did not close it.

To resolve this issue:

1. Select OK to close all AFT windows that may be open.
2. Close the open document.
3. From the Context Menu, select Check In, Release for Approval, or Release for Review again.

Unable to Find File Error

If you receive a message that AFT cannot find your document when you attempt to check it back in, the file you originally downloaded has either been renamed or moved from your Working Folder.

To resolve this issue:

1. Select Yes to browse for the document.
2. Highlight it and select Open once you've located it, and AFT will begin checking it in.
3. If you cannot find the file, you will have to cancel the edit on the document to return it to its last published revision.

Can't Access File/File in Use Error

Older versions of AFT can conflict with your PC's virus scanning software. If your system was upgraded from a previous release to Ideagen Quality Management, you may see this error.

To resolve this issue:

1. Select OK to close all AFT windows that may be open.
2. Uninstall your version of AFT. To do this, go to Start > Control Panel > Programs and Features > and Uninstall Automatic File Transfer from the program list.
3. Reinstall AFT by following the Install Instructions above.

Missing Working Folder Error

When checking in a document, AFT asks you to choose your Working folder. If you select OK to that screen it opens another window saying, "The selected folder does not exist or is not accessible." This means the Working Folder you've been using has either been renamed or removed.

To resolve this issue:

1. Select OK to close all AFT windows that may be open.
2. Rename your working folder back to its original name. If this is not possible, you will have to cancel any existing revisions you have checked out in edit and choose a different Working folder location from your User Menu > User Preferences page.