How to add a user attribute to entire folder of documents?

[J-Mac]

I imported a folder full of PDF files. I also created a user attribute that I want to add to all of the individual info items (in this case, the PDF files). I can add them one by one, but I have several more folders to import so I would like to automate this if possible. I believe that creating a template from the Document template and adding this new attribute to it would help, but how do I properly import the folders using the new template? Or, perhaps using a template is not the best way? I'm hoping to get some advice before I get too far into this little project.

I would appreciate some advice on how best to get these folders and files in with my user attribute automatically assigned.

Thanks in advance,

Jim

[quant]

Originally posted by J-Mac
I imported a folder full of PDF files. I also created a user attribute that I want to add to all of the individual info items (in this case, the PDF files). I can add them one by one ...

you can select as many as you want (or have a search at the end of your overall import process to find all pdf files), and add your attribute to all of them at once. The same could be done with template. I don't think there is a way to assign a template automatically based on document type, it would be nice though.

[J-Mac]

Originally posted by quant
you can select as many as you want (or have a search at the end of your overall import process to find all pdf files), and add your attribute to all of them at once. The same could be done with template. I don't think there is a way to assign a template automatically based on document type, it would be nice though.

Thanks quant.

I understand now that a template cannot be assigned based on file type, but is there a way to assign a template automatically for all files that are imported? E.g., if I import a folder filled with PDF files is there any way to do that and have UR add that new attribute? (I was thinking a template, but really anyway that the attribute is added is fine with me!).

If not, the search method is fine also. I didn't realize I could assign an attribute to search results! That will help especially with the files I already imported, and also if or when I create more attributes that I want to assign to files in this project.

Thanks!

Jim

[J-Mac]

Oh my! I just selected all files in that folder that still needed the attribute assigned to them and inserted it to all at once. I was sure I had tried that before, but I must be mistaken. Or possibly when I saw the abbreviated Item Attributes pane when selecting all I just didn't think it should be done that way.

Whatever the case, that was perfect.

Thanks again, quant. Very much appreciated!

Jim

[ashwken]

J-Mac,

If you wish the files (pdfs) that you are importing to contain the same user-defined Attribute why not create a Template based on the UR Document Template, then assign this new Template as the Default Child Template for the Folder you are importing to.

From the Folder you wish to import to, right-click on the Folder and Import, navigate and select the desired files, they will be assigned the Default Child Template during import/creation.

You did not mention what value the user-defined Attribute will have; if each imported file will have a different value then you've got to "touch" each file after import to assign the value, if groups of files will have the same value you can select multiples in the Child Pane and assign the value in the IA Pane, if all files will have the same value you can set it as the default in the Template.

If these imported pdfs are going to ultimately reside in a Folder that may contain other types of Items, you could use the Folder described above as an "Import Folder" for the pdfs, then after import and value assignments Move them to their final location.

Or have I missed the point?

[J-Mac]

Hi Ken. Long time...

I was thinking template for this, but I could not figure out how to do that in a way that would auto-add the attributes when imported. Believe me I read all through the Help file and couldn't find how to have it work at import. I read through your posts to me last year sometime about creating templates and forms, and while those posts are very helpful to me I couldn't determine how to have a template assigned to a folder. Or any other way to have a template affect imported Info Items during their import.

BTW, to answer your questions, the value of the user-defined attribute I am adding is text string. If you can remember we once discussed the claims correspondence database I had wanted to put into URp? That is what this is. This attribute is simply Provider Name, with six defined values for the drop-down list. I will also no doubt be adding more as I rebuild this data in URp. And I imagine that it is possible that different types of files may end up in the folders with the PDF files, so the Import Folder idea is definitely a viable one for this.

Actually adding them en masse as suggested by quant worked wonderfully, so as I add more that will certainly help me too.

Thank you for the help!

Jim

[ashwken]

Originally posted by J-Mac
I was thinking template for this, but I could not figure out how to do that in a way that would auto-add the attributes when imported. Believe me I read all through the Help file and couldn't find how to have it work at import. I read through your posts to me last year sometime about creating templates and forms, and while those posts are very helpful to me I couldn't determine how to have a template assigned to a folder. Or any other way to have a template affect imported Info Items during their import.

OK, I'm assuming that you understand that every Item has an Attribute called Default Child Template that allows you to control what Template will be used for Child Item creation. And that Custom Templates allow you to add user-defined Attributes (Fields) to the Template - usually best to leave the Default UR Templates as they are and work from copies of a given Template type, ie, work from a copy of the Document Template.

It appears that what you need is a way to assign a Value to a user-defined Attribute upon creation (import of the pdf), more below...

BTW, to answer your questions, the value of the user-defined attribute I am adding is text string. If you can remember we once discussed the claims correspondence database I had wanted to put into URp? That is what this is. This attribute is simply Provider Name, with six defined values for the drop-down list. I will also no doubt be adding more as I rebuild this data in URp. And I imagine that it is possible that different types of files may end up in the folders with the PDF files, so the Import Folder idea is definitely a viable one for this.

OK, so the Value that you want to assign to the user-defined Attribute of the Custom Template is limited to one-of-six choices. I would suggest creating six Custom Templates and assign a Default Value to the user-defined Attribute (Provider Name), one Template for each Provider.

Continuing with the "Import Folder" described previously, you would have one "Import Folder" for each Provider Value, each "Import Folder for Provider Value" would have its Default Child Template Attribute assigned to the corresponding "Provder" Template.

Now, Items that are created from an Import to a particular Folder will use the assigned Child Template and the Provider Value will be assigned upon creation.

[ashwken]

J-Mac,

Here's a quick mock-up of what we've been discussing, perhaps it can serve as a starting point for discussion.

First, I created a Folder (Provider Info) that will hold contact records for your Providers. The Default Child Template for this Folder is the default UR Contact Item.

Second, from the Template Folder, right-click Insert Document, focus is now on the New Document Tempalte. From the IA Pane I set the values for Template Name and Item Title to "Provider-00". From the IA Pane press Insert to create a new Attribute for this Template - the new Attribute is "Provider Name" and its Type is Info Item, upon closing the Item Attribute dialog you are prompted to assign an Item location (chose the Folder "Provider Info").

Third, from Tools | Forms create a Form (Provider) and place the Attribute "Provider Name" on the Form. Assign this Form to the Template.

Fourth, from the Template Folder, right-click Insert Provider-00, focus is now on the new Template. From the IA Pane set the values for Template Name, Item Title, Provider Name to "Provider-01".

Repeat this fourth step for each of the remaining Providers (01-06), making the respective changes in the IA Pane for each. All of these Templates (01-06) will be based on Provider-00.

Fifth, from the Root, right-click Insert Folder and name it "Import Provider pdf".

From Folder "Import Provider pdf", right-click Insert Folder, name it "Provider-00" and set the Default Child Template to Provider-00. Repeat for the remaining Providers (01-06), renaming the Folder and setting the Default Child Template value repectively.

Notes:
You had originally mentioned that the value for Provider Name was to be selected from a List, I've opted to make this an Info Item in order to make the Provider Contact Info accessible from the individual Item (Ctrl-Q from the Provider Name field).

I've also opted for a Provider-00 which is an unassigned Provider - looking to the future or infrequent use. Bear in mind that you'll need to create the Provider contact record prior to importing to Provider-00 so that you have something to assign to the Provider Name after import.

Obviously I've used a generic Provider Name value (00-06) for illuistrative purposes, in actual use you'll want these values to be the actual name of the provider.

Anyway, this is my initial take your project.

[ashwken]

J-Mac,

Some additional Notes:

Originally you mentioned only one user-defined Attribute (Provider Name) that you wanted to assign to the imported pdfs, there may be others (Status field (Pick List), ...) - these would need to be created during Step-2 so that they appear in the subsequent (derived) copies of Provider Templates (01-06). Any default values for the additional user-defined Attributes would need to be defined in Step-4 for each Provider Template. Also, if you want these additional Attributes on the Form they will need to be placed during Step-3.

It's usually best to take the time to think about what user-defined Attributes you are going to need before you start creating actual data records, adding Attributes later and populating existing records can be a bit of a job.

The Info Item Attribute Type provides not only a Lookup to an Item (record) but also a jump-link to the Item (Ctrl-Q, Back Button to return).

The Folder "Provider Info" created in Step-1 is actually a Lookup Table (containing Contact Items). Generally such a Info Item Lookup Folder would reside on the first level off the Root, once you start linking to this Folder's Children you don't want to (ever) move this Folder to another level - breaks all the links.

This project involves Tracking Claims, as Claims enter and flow to resolution various events and time limits govern. What are the most common set of Events (Tasks) for a Claim, plus are there any unqiue Events for a Provider.

It would seem that these Claim Resolution Events (Task) are a good candidate for a suite of Templates, which could then be placed as Children under each Provider Template (???). I'm just thinking out loud.

Are you scanning any docs?

Something that I've recently come across is scanning to a .tif file, then creating a pdf from it resulting in some pretty small pdfs.

I scan a good amount of forms and came across a reccomendation that when working with a B&W printed form (8.5x11) scan at 2-color depth at 300dpi, the resulting file is 400-600kb. When printed to pdf the file is 70-100kb. I recently had to scan at 24-bit at 150dpi and the resulting .tif was 3.5mb, the resulting pdf was 500kb.

I don't know why .tifs exhibit this behavior, png to pdf does not shrink as much.

[J-Mac]

Thanks for all the advice Ashwken. Very much appreciated!

I really don't want to start posting too much information here - a lot of the data is not really for public consumption.

When I have had time to implement more of this I'll post back with progress.

Thank you again.

Jim

[ashwken]

Originally posted by J-Mac
Thanks for all the advice Ashwken. Very much appreciated!

I really don't want to start posting too much information here - a lot of the data is not really for public consumption.

When I have had time to implement more of this I'll post back with progress.

Thank you again.

Jim

This project, Claim Tracking, while personally important to you, does offer the opportunity to explore the capabilities of UR for the wider audience.

As a fellow user I do want to help you get over the intial hurdles we all face when starting out with a program, but I am also hoping for input from others that might fill the gaps in my understanding.

It is possible to speak in general terms while not revealing personal information about your situation. The portion of this project dealing with Claim Resolution Events does have impact on other situations that involve working with Tasks in UR.

Anyway, glad to help.

[J-Mac]

Thank you for your help.

Jim