DirectConnect Usage

DirectConnect runs behind the scenes and will automatically synchronize a folder on your computer or server with the Archives in your GlobalSearch system.  Using any capture device, a "save as" command from any line of business application, or a drag and drop action, files saved are picked up at the specified Import Frequency and automatically saved to GlobalSearch.  The use case for DirectConnect is very simple.  Scan or save a document locally, and the file will automatically be uploaded to GlobalSearch.

For Server Setups

The most common use case for a server setup is one touch scanning from a multi-function device like a copier or network attached scanner.  Once setup, DirectConnect acts as the bridge between the device and GlobalSearch without any user involvement or input.

1. Configure DirectConnect with a user account that will have permissions to all Databases and Archives.  When DirectConnect starts for the first time, the Starting Folder on the server will synchronize with GlobaSearch and folders matching each Database and Archive will be created automatically.  Don't worry if the GlobalSearch system is not configured or configured completely.  DirectConnect will synchronize any new Archives and create missing ones every time it polls for new files to import.  If the GlobalSearch setup is not complete, now is the time to finish that task.  Make sure that your GlobalSearch Archives are setup before attempting to build out the capture process.
   
   
2. On the server, sharing may be setup at the root level (the Starting Folder) or at and folder level below the Starting Folder.  Ensure your sharing settings include the network users or groups that will be used to capture documents.
   
   
   1. Sharing at the root level (Starting Folder) level will enable any users with permissions to save files to any folder below it.  The benefit to sharing at this level is any folders created in the future would automatically be available as capture destinations without any added server configuration.
      
      
   2. Sharing at any level below the Starting Folder allows for a much more granular approach to security.  You can easily prevent specific users or groups from being able to save documents to a folder, but adding new Archives in GlobalSearch could mean creating and managing additional shares on the server as well. 
      
      
3. Configure capture to a specific shared folder.  Follow the steps outlined from the device manufacturer for creating a scan destination and configuring the scan settings appropriate for the job, including how to authenticate to the share.

For Desktop Setups

Individual users may install DirectConnect on their local workstations.  In doing so, any locally attached scanner with one touch scan ability can be configured to send documents to GlobalSearch.  Additionally, users can easily save documents from emails or generate new content using print to PDF functionality that gets imported automatically.

1. Configure DirectConnect with the workstation owner's user account.  As noted above, DirectConnect will synchronize any new Archives and create missing ones every time it polls for new files to import.  If the GlobalSearch setup is not complete, now is the time to finish that task.  Make sure that your GlobalSearch Archives are setup before attempting to build out the capture process.
   
   
2. Configure capture to a specific folder.  Follow the steps outlined from the device manufacturer for creating a scan destination and configuring the scan settings appropriate for the job.  The folders will exist on the computers hard drive, below the Starting Folder.  Users can browse to the location in Windows Explorer and save or drag and drop files to the location.

Helpful Tips for DirectConnect

DirectConnect couldn't be simpler to use, but there are some tips and tricks that can be leveraged to optimize the end user experience:

1. Setup searches to identify documents waiting indexing in GlobalSearch.  If the Archive has an Entered By System Field, it will automatically be populated with the name "DirectConnect Import".  Setup a search with a Static Search Prompt to automatically identify documents saved by DirectConnect.  You can extended that search to only include results where key index criteria is empty to narrow results even further.
   
   
2. In GlobalSearch, setup email notifications on an Archive to alert others there is work to perform.  If you are licensed for GlobalAction, notifications and alerts can be very dynamic and include escalation rules to ensure all documents are processed in a timely manner.
   
   
3. Applications or capture devices that "job build" (making changes to files directly in a destination folder) can create situations where files get imported before they are ready. DirectConnect will not process a file that is in use. If your capture process results in partial or incomplete files getting picked, you may need to implement an idle wait time to be sure files are finished be written to before being imported. Idle wait settings require a manual configuration file change.
   
   
   1. In the DirectConnect running directory, open the file DirectConnectService.exe.config in any text editor.
   2. In the appSettings section of the file, you will need to add a setting with a key of IdleWait and a value representing the number of milliseconds to wait after a file's last modified time has been updated.
   3. The stock configuration file includes an IdleWait entry that is commented out (the setting is wrapped with <!-- -->). Removing the comment characters will allow you to reuse this line in the file.