In most companies, a system is built and used for storing and delivering document packages. These documents are collected and stored in repositories, also known as personal and shared drives labeled according to the name of folders and subfolders.
In today’s post, we’ll be building a highly advanced document management system using Microsoft Sharepoint. The step-by-step guide in this post will undoubtedly make this complicated process easier.
Let’s start with an example where we’re picking the Human Resources Department (HR). Whenever the HR department hires a new employee, they need to send the new employment document package.
Reading the example, this process might be sounding simpler, but the HR department has to face innumerable problems.
The IT, HR, and Accounting departments only have the freedom to deliver these document packages to the existing/new employees and clients.
How To Develop Document Packages?
The departments that have the freedom to deliver these document packages have to create them manually. The biggest task is ensuring all the required document sets are present in the package. In other words, according to the document package, you shouldn’t miss all the necessary documents.
How Are Documents Delivered To The External User?
Here, the external user means new clients and employees. The document package is sent on the day they join the company. Subsequently, their data is not present in the database, and they don’t know how to access the internal document management systems.
How To Build The System That Develops Document Packages Automatically?
So until now, you have realized how much pain the company has to take while delivering the document packages. Thus, the best solution is building the system for creating document packages automatically. Have a look below.
- Developing the document repository for storing and labeling the documents.
- Automating and generating package process
- Delivering documents to the employee
Step 1: Creating the Document Repository
Here, we’ll be using the SharePoint Document Library for developing the document repository. You should have the library creation rights for this step. The main options in the library are ‘Links’ and ‘Document Type.’
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1.Document Type
For choosing the document type, you’ll get the drop-down menu comprising multiple options. You need to share your business type and requirements.
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2. Links
The ‘Links’ will be storing all the external information accessible even to the people outside of your company. Furthermore, we’ll learn how you create shareable external links.
Step 2: Developing the Workflow For Updating The Metadata And External Link
Until now, you might have created your library and now let’s learn the external link generation process. You can use the Microsoft Flow tool; you can find this tool in Microsoft Office 365.
Office 365 is recommended because you can access Sharepoint easily. Now, quickly follow the below steps.
- On your ‘Flow Designer’ and click the ‘New’ option from the menu. Next, click the ‘Automated’ option.
- In the new creation window, you need to add the name of your flow. Next, type ‘SharePoint’ in the ‘Choose Your Flow Trigger.’ Tick the ‘When a file is created (including properties’ option.
- Now, choose the package you created earlier and let the flow recognize it. This process takes a few seconds.
- The ‘Next’ button will be enabled in the options menu. Click on it and select the ‘Create Sharing Link’ option.
- The final step is updating the links. Select your document library and click the ID for updating the links. Update the ‘Links’ field with the desired ID and document library.
Final Thoughts
So today, you understand the repository creation process, developing the document packages, and generating the links. The process seems to be complicated, but in the automated mode, everything becomes easier!
