Here are quick overviews of important Worldox features. Click topics below for brief descriptions and links to more information.
Note: Feature access in Worldox depends on your user entitlements, and on how Worldox is implemented at your site. So what you see - and what you can do - could well differ from the descriptions below. Please check with your Worldox Administrator if you have questions.
Tip: For a more hands-on approach to learning features, check out these how-to videos: www.worldox.com/howtovideos They're short, to the point ... the perfect way to build Worldox skills quickly. See details here. |
Worklists - also known as "file lists" - are lists of files, much like the file lists you are no doubt familiar with from using Windows Explorer.
The key difference in Worldox is that you can have several worklists open and available at the same time. That is done via worklist tabs, which appear on the top left of the Worldox window, starting above the left-side navigation panel. Depending on how Worldox is set-up at your site, you could see an Email tab, which functions as your email inbox inside Worldox. You definitely will see the New List tab (last tab on the right) used to open additional lists while leaving others available via tabs.
Worklists are also configurable in several ways, making it easy to personalize your workspace.
Opening files within Worldox is much like opening files in other applications, except for two things:
• First, Worldox provides so many useful tools (bookmarks, favorite files shortcuts, Direct Access, Location bar) to help you quickly locate documents. That starts with Wordox search, which is far more powerful and customizable than most other search tools you might encounter.
• Second, you don't have to open files in Worldox to view or preview document contents. Built-in viewers mean you can see the contents of any file without opening files in their native (source) applications.
You don't have to open files inside Worldox to see Worldox dialogs. Worldox integrates with many (most) of the programs you use daily. Opening files from within those linked applications could well initiate profiling within Worldox.
Saving
and profiling new documents
Saving files with Worldox usually begins in other applications, where you save files as usual. With Worldox running in the background, that's where things change. Instead of the program's standard Save window, you see one of more Worldox profile dialogs, used to describe and characterize the new document. The process of saving is closely connected to profiling in Worldox.
Moving files and email messages - and copying files/messages - also involves profiling. Profiling enables efficient file management and tracking, and makes it easy for you and others at your firm to find files.
Worldox makes it easy to view/preview document content, without actually opening files in their native (source) applications. You can view files and email in the Worldox Viewer window, or preview as many as three files at once by using the document Viewer tab.
Worldox offers powerful search capabilities. First, you can search by any combination of profile identifiers - using file dates, comments and field values such as Client, Matter or Author. You can also search by full or partial file name (the Description field), and search for words or text phrases within the documents themselves.
Note: Your Worldox Administrator will likely have created one or more search forms (called Find Files templates) already. If you have questions on how to search, please contact the Worldox Administrator at your firm.
You can also customize your own searches, modifying existing searches to create and save new ones, or by starting from scratch.
Once files are profiled in Worldox, they can easily be copied or moved to other locations (and profile groups).
• Copying files places file copies elsewhere, leaving the originals in place, unchanged.
• Moving files physically relocates them to new folder locations, removing files from where they had been.
Both of these operations involve "re-profiling" already profiled documents, so that every file ends up in the right place, and has the proper identifiers.
You can also copy or move email messages into Worldox from your email program, profiling messages as they are copied or moved.
Incoming and outgoing email messages are no different than other important documents to Worldox. They have to be profiled, so Worldox can manage them and find them quickly.
Depending on which email program you are using, you may have several options for working with email. These programs are supported (integrated) by Worldox:
• Outlook
• GroupWise
• Lotus Notes
Integration works in several ways, You could see an Email tab in the Worldox window. This is essentially the same as the inbox in your email program. So the Email tab gives you the opportunity to access email without leaving Worldox. The reverse may be possible as well. Dedicated toolbar buttons and right-click menu options in supported email programs trigger Worldox profiling actions. Outlook users even have the option of opening Worldox directly within the Outlook window.
Incoming and outgoing email messages are no different than other important documents to Worldox. They have to be profiled, so Worldox can manage them and find them quickly.
Depending on which email program you are using, you may have several options for working with email. These programs are supported (integrated) automatically by Worldox:
• Outlook
• GroupWise
• Lotus Notes
Integration works in several ways, You could see an Email tab in the Worldox window. This is essentially the same as the inbox in your email program. So the Email tab gives you the opportunity to access email without leaving Worldox. The reverse may be possible as well. Dedicated toolbar buttons and right-click menu options in supported email programs trigger Worldox profiling actions. Outlook users even have the option of opening Worldox directly within the Outlook window.
Bookmarks are shortcuts to important files and worklists. Worldox bookmarks work in much the same way as internet browser bookmarks do. The most notable difference in Worldox is visibility. You can "pin" bookmarks to the upper screen frame in Worldox, keeping them in sight to guarantee fast access.
TIP: Bookmarks are also available now under the Bookmarks category button in the navigation pane. |
Checking out a document creates a local copy. The original stays in place in Worldox - and is accessible to other users - but is protected from further changes until your checked- out version is returned (checked in). You can revise the local copy as needed, then check it back into Worldox. You have the choice at that point to overwrite the original, to create a new version, or to discard the local copy, leaving the original intact.
Once a document is checked out, Worldox remembers that action, and knows where your local copy is. When you have documents checked out, Worldox automatically asks if you want to check them back in as the next Worldox session starts.
One of the great advantages offered by Worldox is the ease with which you can group and relate files. The first method is to simply locate like files together. That is, in fact, reflected in Worldox by how profile group fields reflect actual folder structures of document repositories.
There are other ways to relate files:
• Simple file relationships can be established by selecting documents and linking via pull-down menu choice, or by dragging and dropping files onto the Relations document tab.
• Categories (new in GX3) are an expanded, improved evolution of the old Libraries feature. Use this tool to "tag" documents that are somehow related - regardless of where they are and what they are. You can then easily view and find categorized files in worklists.
• Projects are virtual containers holding Worldox-managed documents - actually, links to those documents, rather than the files themselves. (See the Working with projects topic further down this page.)
One of the great advantages offered by Worldox is the ease with which you can group and relate files. The first method is to simply locate like files together. That is, in fact, reflected in Worldox by how profile group fields reflect actual folder structures of document repositories.
There are other ways to relate files:
• Simple file relationships can be established by selecting documents and linking via pull-down menu choice, or by dragging and dropping files onto the Relations document tab.
• Categories (new in GX3) are an expanded, improved evolution of the old Libraries feature. Use this tool to "tag" documents that are somehow related - regardless of where they are and what they are. You can then easily view and find categorized files in worklists.
• Projects are virtual containers holding Worldox-managed documents - actually, links to those documents, rather than the files themselves. (See the Working with projects topic further down this page.)
Projects are collections of files, selected and organized for sharing with work groups, for collaboration or for any number of other purposes. A project in Worldox is actually a special type of file (with a .WDL file suffix.) A project file is completely independent of the documents it contains. That means individual project documents stay where they are in Worldox. You don't physically move files to create or change projects. In this way, projects can be thought of as a virtual containers.
Projects are easily managed and shared in Worldox, via the Projects document tab and the My Workspaces zone on the left-side navigation panel.
Because projects are themselves profiled objects in Worldox, you can copy and move them as needed, and email them to colleagues.
When you first encounter Worldox, you are seeing pre-set (default) screen layouts, fonts and colors - or as specified by your Worldox Administrator during program setup. Depending on your user rights, you may have ability to customize various screen elements. These options include the ability to:
• Show, hide the left-side navigation panel, Location and Filter bars.
• Show, hide or rearrange navigation panel category buttons.
• Add, move, delete, even rename toolbar buttons.
• Specify fonts and color for worklists, dialog prompts and other text items.
• Add, delete, rearrange worklist columns, and save those changes as Window styles.
• Show, hide comments in worklist entries.
• Rename pull-down menus and menu commands.
• Customize tip text, the text that appears as you roll the mouse cursor over toolbar buttons.
The ability to change display settings means you can personalize screens to the way you work, setting up Worldox so that everything is more readable and easily accessible.
One big advantage with Worldox is the ease with which you can create and manage document versions.
The opportunity to version is typically presented every time you create and save new documents, or save existing ones as new. You can comment and annotate each successive version, and display the list of file versions for a particular document via right-click, menu or toolbar choices.
Note: Worldox can be set to version files in two different ways. You need to understand how versioning operates at your site, in order to update and save files safely. Here is a quick primer on how versioning options work. If you have questions about how to version documents, please contact the Worldox Administrator at your firm.
Another useful feature in Worldox is the ability to send files to other applications or actions outside Worldox.
No doubt you are familiar with similar functions in various Windows applications - actions such as printing, faxing files, or sending them as attachments. These tools can be customized in Worldox, via choices presented on Send To menus. You also have the ability to send multiple files, even large groups of files - a real time-saver when you need to batch-process documents.
Note: Send To choices vary from site to site. If you have any questions, please contact the Worldox Administrator at your firm.
My Workspaces was introduced in GX2, and further enhanced in Worldox GX3.
A part of the redesigned left-side navigation panel, My Workspaces is a configurable content zone. What you see here depends in part on how profile groups are set up at your site, but mostly on you. That's because this zone mainly contains what you decide to put here - such as folder bookmarks and shared workgroup folders.
Here are instructions on using My Workspaces.
Worldox manages documents even when network access is interrupted. Documents changed or created while off-line can be checked into Worldox when network access is restored.
