Importing documents

ALB enables you to import external, that is, non-PMS documents, into ALB. For example, you can import an email relating to a matter so that it is stored with the matter record.

Where to import documents

For a document that relates to an ALB record, import the document via the Document History tab for that record. For example, if the document relates to a client, use the Client Details - Document History tab
For a general document, that is, a document that does not relate to a specific record, import the document via Document Management

Two ways to import documents

There are two ways to import documents into ALB:

Use the right-click menu and select Import Document
Drag and drop documents into the Document History tab or into Document Management

To import a document via the right-click menu:

Do the appropriate one of the following:

- If the document relates to a particular record, on the record's Document History tab, right-click a blank area of the Files section of the screen and select Import Document
- If the document does not relate to a particular record, on Document Management, in the left pane, find the volume that will hold the document. Right-click the volume name and select Import Document

On Import Document, click to browse for the document.
Select the Type of document and add a Description of the document.
If your starting point was a Document History tab, select the Folder in which to store the document. If you want to use a new folder, click and enter a name for the folder in Folder.
Enter Notes if you wish.
If your starting point was a Document History tab, if you need to change the Fee Earner from the default for the client, select the fee earner to associate with the document.
If you want to use document versioning for this document (available for Word and Excel documents), select Use Versioning. More about versioning.
If you want to encrypt the document, select Encrypt File. More about file encryption.
If you want to make the document visible to the client using the self-service module (available in 2011), select Make Public.
If you have sufficient permissions and want to lock the document so that others cannot open it, select Lock Document. More about document locking.
Click OK. The document is imported and is listed on the Documents tab or on Document Management.

To import a document via drag and drop:

Method 1

With the record's Document History tab (or for a general document, Document Management) open in ALB, also open the application where the file you want to import is listed, for example, Windows Explorer or Outlook.
Resize the windows as necessary so that you can see both the Document History tab (or Document Management) and the other application window.
Click the file you want to import and drag it to the File pane of the Document History tab (or Document Management). You might be asked to confirm that you want to allow access to the data.
Using drag and drop, you don't complete the import settings. Therefore, unless you want to use the default settings, you now need to Edit the document's settings.

Method 2 (avoids having to resize application windows)

With the record's Document History tab (or for a general document, Document Management) open in ALB, also open the application where the file you want to import is listed, for example, Windows Explorer or Outlook.
Click the file you want to import and drag it down to the taskbar and hover, without releasing the mouse button, as follows:

- For a document relating to a particular record, hover over the Practice Management System button on the taskbar. Don't release the mouse button yet
- For a general document, hover over the Document Management button on the taskbar. Don't release the mouse button yet

When the Document History tab or Document Management window opens, drag away from the taskbar up to the File pane on that window and release the mouse button. You might be asked to confirm that you want to allow access to the data.
Using drag and drop, you don't complete the import settings. Therefore, unless you want to use the default settings, you now need to Edit the document's settings.

You can also drag files from your desktop into ALB.