IBM FileNet P8, Version 5.1.+            

Viewing and Editing Attachments

You can view the attachments for a work item and add new attachment objects if needed. The attachment can be either a single object or an array of objects, such as a document, a folder, a stored search, a search template, a publishing template, or a workflow definition file.

If the attachment is a folder, the complete contents of the folder can be accessed by anyone processing the work item. The folder contents are not considered part of the attachment and are not listed as attachment objects.

For example, the ExpenseReport workflow includes 2 attachments named ExpenseForm and ExpenseReceipts. ExpenseForm is a single object, assigned the ExpenseForm.xls spreadsheet by the workflow definition. ExpenseReceipts is a placeholder for you to assign up to 5 scanned image files of physical receipts.

The person who designed the workflow decides how many attachments are needed and when the objects are assigned to the attachment. That is, either the objects are assigned at design stage, or you can assign objects to an attachment while the workflow is in process. Additionally, the workflow designer can make some attachments read-only so that you cannot change the object assigned to the attachment.

If the attachment is a collection of objects, you can add more objects than the designer planned for. For example, you might have 6 receipts (instead of 5) to add to the ExpenseReceipts attachment from the example above.

Note: In a workflow step that uses CE_Operations for a publishing operation, when copy publishing is selected, the attachment is returned immediately, and then the workflow continues to the next step. When a transformation operation is selected (PDF or HTML), the new document in PDF or HTML is published, but not returned as an attachment—the workflow continues to the next step without the transformed document as the attachment.

To view and edit attachments:

  1. To view an attachment:
    1. Navigate to the desired work item in Tasks.
    2. Either click the work item name to open the Task Step page, or click Get Info to open the information page. In the Task Step page, you can open and edit the attached object. In the information page, you can only view the attachment information.
    3. Click Attachments in the tab bar to display the list of attachments.
    4. Click an attachment name link in the list to view the list of objects assigned to the attachment. If no object is assigned to the attachment, then Unassigned is displayed for the object name.
    5. Optional. To open and view the attached object, click the object name link.
      Note: If you are using Netscape 6.0 or higher and cannot open a UNC file attachment, contact your system administrator. A UNC attachment name looks like file:\\machine_name\sharename\directory\file.ext. For example: file:\\D:\JanuaryReports\Region7.xls.
    6. Optional. To view the object properties, click Get Info.
  2. To assign an object to an attachment:
    1. Navigate to the Attachments view of the Task Step page for the work item.
    2. Click the name for the attachment that you want. A description of the attachment is displayed.
    3. Click Assign below the description for the desired attachment object. The Assign Attachment - Select Item page opens where you can browse or search for the desired object you want to assign to this attachment.
    4. Navigate to the object store and folder for the desired object.
    5. Do one of the following to select the desired object:
      • If you are adding a folder or stored search, click Select <name>.
      • If you are adding a file, click either Select or Select from Versions for the desired file.
      • If you clicked Select from Versions, you need to select a version from the list.
    6. In the Task Step page, click Apply.
  3. To remove an assigned attachment object:
    1. Navigate to the Attachments view of the Task Step page.
    2. Click the desired Attachment name.
    3. Click Unassign below the description of the attachment you want to remove.
    4. Click Apply.
    5. Continue to work on the work item as needed, and then click Exit to close the Task Step page.
  4. To add a new object to an attachment collection:
    1. Navigate to the Attachments view of the Task Step page.
    2. Click Edit Attachment. The Edit Attachments page opens.
    3. At the bottom of the page, click Add New. A simplified selection page opens where you can browse or search for the desired object.
    4. Navigate to the object store and category for the desired object.
    5. Do one of the following to select the desired object:
      • If you are adding a folder or stored search, click Select <name>.
      • If you are adding a file, click either Select or Select from Versions for the desired file. If you clicked Select from Versions, you need to select a version from the list.
    6. In the Edit Attachments page, click Apply.


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Last updated: July 2011


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