There are currently four ways to connect a document to a process. You can either upload your files, connect them through url links or use integration services and add files from Dropbox or Google Drive. To use some of the integration services the function has to be activated on your space, read more about this in Enable Integration Services.

How to add files to a process

1. Go to you process model

2. Open the Asset Browser. Under the section Documents you can find your previous connected documents. If you want to add more documents use the "+"-sign, more information about the different ways of connecting files can be read in the articles Add url link to a process, Upload files, Add files from Google Drive or Add files from Dropbox.

3. The added documents appear in the Asset Browser and are ready to be referred to in the process by simply drag and drop the file to a task or a Block Symbol. 

The file is now connected to that specific task and an icon also appears on the top to the right of the tasks indicating that one or more documents are connected to the task.

Double click on the icon to see a list of the referred documents.

In the Asset Browser the file reference count indicator is added by one and if you hover the document in the list the referred tasks are marked with blue corners. 

Where to access the attached documents

Documents connected to a task will be shown in two views except in the modeling tool; in the task view under Resources and on the process page when hovering the tasks. In both cases it is possible to click on the documents and get access to the files and links. In some cases it will open a new window in your browser showing the source of the weblink, in other it will start a download of the file.

How to remove added files

There are two different connections to a file you can remove. One is the referral between a task and a file, and one is the file from the process Asset Browser.

Remove task - document reference

1. To remove a document from a task you have to go to a draft version of the process in the modeling tool, then simply double click on the document icon to the right just above the task and click on the "x" for the specific document.

Remove document from process Asset Browser

1. If you want to remove a file from the Asset Browser go to a draft version of the process in the modeling tool, open the Asset Browser and go to the section Document. Hover or select the file you wish to delete and click on the trash basket that is shown. The file is removed from the Asset Browser and also from the referred tasks.

When to use files in process

Files in your processes can be used to in any way support or document the process, such as descriptions, guides, supporting documents and explanations.

How to handle changes in source documents

If you use url link or a Integration Service to connect files and documents to your processes you can easily edit the documents in your document management system and the reference to the document will ensure that the task performers always will have the latest and updated version of the files. This unless the link is being changed when the document is edited, but this is often not a problem if you use a document management system, such as Google Drive, Sharepoint etc.

If you upload documents to Barium Live you have to download the document, edit and then upload and refer to a new version of the document. Therefore we recommend you to use url links and Integration Services for documents that is frequently updated. 

What kind of files can be uploaded/connected

• You can connect any type of document file; among others images, PDF, Microsoft Office files, url links to internal or external web, or even program specific files like .ps or .log
• The files you upload can't exceed 20 MB, linked files have no size restrictions

NOTE: When adding documents through url links or integration services the file rights are the same as if you would send the url link to the documents directly to the performer. 

What about the file safety

You are of course the owner of the files you upload or link to your processes!

Read more about the security here.

Documents and Files on Block Symbols

You can add documents and files to Block Symbols in the same way as you add them to Tasks. This is a useful feature if you are creating a process-based management system and want to create a process model that does not have any BPMN symbols but where you want to make files and documents available. Simply drop the files on the Block Symbol and they will show up when hovering on them.

You can also use Documents on Block Symbols for those process models where you want to create separate, visual entities where documents exist. Since you can upload an image to a Block Symbol it can look any way you like. You could make the Block Symbol look like a Word icon, folder icon or any other type of image and use that as a pattern for your users to clearly find information.

Note! Documents and files that are added to Block Symbols do not show up in the Task View for Process Apps. They are also not connected to a role in the process meaning that they don't show up in the Process Metadata information on the Process Page.