Synergy2016 training stream – The power of document management in Synergy - Anne Thompson

1. THE POWER OF
DOCUMENT
MANAGEMENT
ANNE THOMPSON
SERVICES CONSULTANT

2. Why you need document management.
STORE, MANAGE, TRACK

3. STORE DOCUMENTS
Secure and centralised storage | All file types
MANAGE DOCUMENTS
Manage access | Control use
TRACK DOCUMENTS
Versioning and roll-back | Views | Audit trail

4. WHY USE DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT
 Clearly identify changes and revisions
 Lock-down documents provided by external entities to prevent
editing
 Prevent ‘accidental’ issuing of earlier document revisions or obsolete
documents
 Secure final versions of documents
 Control who has access to files
 Manage and store many file types including email

5. DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT IN SYNERGY
 Store project documents as controlled or uncontrolled
 Import documents into the controlled library to enable versioning
 Set document templates to save certain types of documents to the
controlled library on creation
 Create emails in Synergy using email templates
 File / save emails to Synergy using the Outlook plugin
 Use separate folder locations to manage projects, contact and
contract admin documents
 System administrator becomes the ‘knowledge manager’ for all
controlled documents

6. Determine how files should be stored and managed.
CONTROLLED OR
UNCONTROLLED

7. CONTROLLED OR UNCONTROLLED?
Controlled
 Versioning and ‘roll-back’
 Time and date stamping for
versions (check in time)
 Search for a keyword in files
 Restrict user access
 Access controlled documents
only through Synergy
 Email sender /recipient
displayed
Uncontrolled
 No restrictions on editing
 Search for a keyword in the file
name
 Access to folders determined
by network permissions
 Basic email filing – email
subject and save date only
 Use for ‘working’ files where
versioning isn’t needed

8. Background colour indicates if a file is
controlled (white) or uncontrolled (salmon)

9. SETTING UP CONTROLLED DOCUMENTS
 Create a new ‘controlled’ folder in the shared Synergy folder, or in
another location
 Create a network or domain user account that will be used to
control access to the folder
 Set the folder permissions so only the new account has access
 Enter the user details into Tools > Office > Library
 Make sure ‘Allow Controlled Documents’ is enabled
 Browse to the ‘Controlled’ folder to set the path
 User access to the controlled folder is then only available through
Synergy

10. CONTROLLED DOCUMENT LIBRARY SETTINGS
Controlled library settings are
configured through Synergy
office settings

11. Outlook and Synergy working together.
OUTLOOK PLUG-IN

12. OUTLOOK PLUG-IN
 Link Outlook to Synergy using the Outlook plug-in
 ‘Save on send’ available for immediate filing of outbound emails to
project folders
 File inbound emails using ‘drag and drop’
 Choice of saving emails with, or without attachments
 Save to controlled or uncontrolled
 File to controlled to maintain the integrity of the email and for easier
searching and filtering

13. Enable ‘Save on send’ to automatically file outbound email
Save to controlled documents for enhanced search functionality

14. OUTLOOK PLUG-IN
 Email ‘save as’ name is configured through Synergy system settings
 ‘Save as’ name becomes the default email naming convention for all
Synergy users
 Default bookmarks are available in system settings
 Custom ‘save-as’ formats can be used
 Set default ‘email in’ and ‘email out’ folders in Synergy project folders
for consistent filing across projects, contacts and contracts

15. Bookmarks determine the email ‘save as’ name

16. Documents tab or global search – there are differences.
DOCUMENT SEARCH

17. DOCUMENTS TAB SEARCH
 Search function available in the documents tab in projects, contacts
and contracts
 Keyword search
 Controlled – search the file contents
 Uncontrolled – search in the file name
 Filter on location and / or document type
 Filter the search results
 Search results are limited to the project, contact or contract you are
currently viewing

18. Local search results
within a project

19. GLOBAL DOCUMENT SEARCH
 Search keywords in controlled files across all Synergy projects,
contacts and contracts
 Parent displays the project title and number
 Drill into the parent column to open the project, contact or contract
 Preview file contents
 Refine the search using filter options
 Central control for knowledge managers to:
 Force a check-in for any controlled file
 Remove read-only (local copy) flags for controlled files

20. Global document
search across all
projects

21. Prevention is better than cure.
CASE STUDY

22. THE BACKGROUND
 A specifications document was created containing details of a
particular brand and type of exterior door lock
 The manufacturer subsequently advised that model had been
discontinued. Specifications of the replacement model were then
supplied
 The specifications document was updated with the details of the
replacement model

23. THE PROBLEM
 The original specifications document (Version 1) was saved to the
project folder
 The updated specifications document (Version 2) wasn’t saved to the
same location
 A project team member was asked to email the specifications to the
builder
 They emailed the version located in the project folder (Version 1)
 Work commenced based on these specifications
 The locks were subsequently delivered to site ready for installation
and…didn’t fit..
 Rectification work was required

24. IF ONLY THEY HAD….
 Used Synergy to create their project folder structures
 A specifications folder would exist within all projects
 Specifications relevant to the project would be saved to the correct folder
 Created a controlled library
 Versioning of documents would have allowed them to have version 1 with the
original lock specifications and version 2 with the replacement lock specifications
 Set email-in / email-out folders
 The outbound email would have been stored in a pre-defined location
 Installed the Outlook plug-in with ‘save on send’ enabled
 The outbound email would have been saved to the controlled library enabling
keyword searching

25. Working together
DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT

26. They work together to support your internal QA and workflow
requirements.
Use controlled when versioning, security and global searching is required.
Use uncontrolled for working documents.
CONTROLLED AND
UNCONTROLLED DOCUMENTS
ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE

27. Use project folders, document templates, email templates
and document management to generate and track
documents consistently across all your projects, contacts
and contracts.
SYNERGY FEATURES WORK
TOGETHER

28. File emails in a central, relevant location to ensure they are
accessible to all staff.
SYNERGY AND OUTLOOK
WORK TOGETHER

29. “Files are like contracts. No one really
needs them until there’s a problem.”
Cynthia Kyriazis. Productivity coach and author.