fileSMART for Property Management Workflow Assist Setup and Use Guide
Overview
Introduction
fileSMART Workflow Assist is your automatic Assistant able to independently open your suppliers emails read the attachment for you and then process that attachment without you having to deal with the emails yourself. It eliminates the need for scanning documents it eliminates manually printing documents, it eliminates the need for a pending queue. Instead of asking creditors to send invoices to your personal email address have creditors send invoices to a generic email address such as invoices@yourrealestate.com.au
where fileSMART Workflow Assist can read and process your invoices for you. Think of an easy ‘hands free’ invoice Workflow process think fileSMART Workflow Assist.
In order to use fileSMART Workflow Assist you will need to be familiar with fileSMART document workflow and in particular Barcoded workflow and QR Code workflow. It is recommended that you read the ‘fileSMART for Property Management - Workflow Setup and Use’ and the ‘fileSMART for Property Management - Workflow QR Code Setup and Use guide’ which will explain the concept and setup of fileSMART workflow and the use of the various workflow options that work in conjunction with fileSMART Workflow Assist.
fileSMART Workflow Assist Tutorial
Pre-requisites
- Training is required to activate fileSMART Creditor Disbursements needed for processing the approval workflow invoices in REST Professional, email training@rockend.com.au for further details or contact Rockend to book today.
- REST Professional v12.5.07 and fileSMART v6.5 must be installed to use all of the integration features. Refer to your fileSMART Help Documentation for installation instructions and instructions on the new invoice workflows in fileSMART.
- REST Professional & fileSMART integration must be setup to use this feature. This integration is available from REST Professional version v12.5.07.
Activating Workflow
If you have not used workflow in the previous versions of fileSMART you can only use the Ad-hoc workflow. Using the more advanced Invoice Workflows requires a consulting session with a Rockend consultant.
Please contact the Learning & Education Team on 1300 657 700 or email training@rockend.com.au for further details.
What is Needed to Setup Workflow Assist
- Workflow Assist reads new emails and changes the status of a new email from unread to read and replied. In order for this to work correctly you need to have dedicated email mailboxes for the Workflow Assist Program. For example for Council rates you would have councilrate@myrealty.com.au for water rates you could have waterrates@myrealty.com.au for strata levies you could have stratalevies@Myrealty.com.au you can have as many email mailboxes as you like and Workflow Assist can read from any one of them.
- You will need to connect to Workflow Assist by IMAP that is the only way Workflow Assist can connect to an email address. Speak to your IT Consultant and if unsure get them to set it up.
- Ensure you have virus protection on your email server this is important for any mailbox receiving emails in your organisation not just for Workflow Assist. It is your responsibility and risk so you must ensure that all emails received are scanned for possible virus threats.
- For council rates, Water rates, Strata Levies and invoices setup up an email rule on your email server to only receive emails from the creditors you have provided an email address to for Workflow Assist in most cases it will only be a small number of email addresses.
fileSMART Workflow Assist Overview
fileSMART Workflow Assist provides a way to replace a paper based document and invoice handling and approval process with an email system. Automatically read invoices such as council rates, water rates, power bills, and strata levies received by email with the attached document automatically read and the archive and invoice data auto completed. All the existing types of workflow remain intact just the way in which an invoice or document is received and then pushed to a user will be dramatically improved with increased efficiency gained by the use of email as a method of receiving invoices from suppliers.
The need to scan a document to get it into the workflow is gone.
The need for a pending queue is gone.
The need for any hands on involvement to workflow an invoice to the right user is gone.
In order to auto read and complete the archiving and invoicing data:
- The invoices must have an acceptable Barcode or QR Code type. BPAY QR Codes are an example of acceptable QR code types.
- The creditor details, Biller code and QR Code setup must be configured in REST Professional and the Customer Reference Number (CRN) of the bill also configured in REST Professional.
Release Features in Detail
fileSMART – Workflow Assist
fileSMART Workflow Assist is designed to take advantage of the improved efficiency and productivity gains that email distribution of documents and invoices can provide. The new fileSMART Workflow Assist program is designed to provide a simple and intuitive step by step solution for email and Workflow setup and handling.
Workflow Assist provides a configuration screen for all workflow configuration options and allows the client to configure automatic workflows for REST Professional trusts. Workflow Assist contains a Workflow configuration page and a Workflow Inbox for workflow processing from multiple email mailboxes.
Email Workflows Available Through Workflow Assist
In most cases the email will be sent by a supplier to a Property Management agency. For the purpose of illustration the first step of performing a Workflow Assist email workflow is to send an email to a Workflow Assist mailbox which will be read by the program and the attached invoice will be extracted from the email. If a PDF file or a TIFF file is extracted Workflow Assist checks for QR Codes or Barcodes so that it can attempt to pre-fill all fields automatically. The Workflow Assist program will be able to handle two type of documents. Ad-hoc documents that have no QR Code or Barcode but an agency wants to place into a user’s workflow queue for processing. Or a QR Code or Barcode invoice where all the meta-data fields for fileSMART QR Code or Barcode workflow can be pre-filled.
Workflow Assist - Ad-hoc
The process of receiving and creating a Workflow Assist, new Ad-hoc workflow is predominantly a hands-off set of steps as the document when received as an email does not need to be scanned and no pending queue handling needs to take place, but no information on the invoice tabs can be pre-filled.
- An email arrives in the Workflow Assist Inbox and the automatic tasks in background open the email.
- The task then looks for an attachment or multiple attachments the attachments must be of type Tiff or PDF no other attachment types are supported. If a Tiff or PDF attachment is found and as an Ad-hoc document has no QR Code or Barcode the document is still be placed in a managers workflow queue for processing the folder will be selected but the meta-data for document and invoice details for the workflow will need be pre-filled by a manager or selected workflow user.
Workflow Assist - Invoice
The process of receiving and creating a Workflow Assist, new Invoice workflow is predominantly a hands-off set of steps as the document when received as an email does not need to be scanned and no pending queue handling needs to take place, but no information on the invoice tabs can be pre-filled.
- An email arrives in the Workflow Assist Inbox and the automatic tasks in background open the email.
- The task then looks for an attachment or multiple attachments the attachments must be of type Tiff or PDF no other attachment types are supported. If a Tiff or PDF attachment is found and as a invoice document today has no QR Code or Barcode the document is still placed in a managers workflow queue for processing the folder will be selected but the meta-data for document and invoice details for the workflow will need be pre-filled by a manager or selected workflow user.
Workflow Assist - QR Code or Barcode Invoice
The process of receiving and creating a Workflow Assist, new QR Code or Barcode workflow is a completely hands-off set of steps as the document when received as an email does not need to be scanned and no pending queue handling needs to take place and a QR Code or Barcode can be automatically read and all document and invoice tabs can be pre-filled.
- An email arrives in the Workflow Assist Inbox and the automatic tasks in background open the email.
- The task then looks for an attachment or multiple attachments the attachments must be of type Tiff or PDF no other attachment types are supported.
- A Tiff or PDF attachment is found the attachments are extracted and sent to the next step for further processing.
- Scans the Tiff or PDF attachment file for a QR Code or a Barcode.
- If the QR Code or Barcode can be read the information from that QR Code is matched to the Creditor and Property in REST Professional.
- The invoice is then placed in the matching Managers workflow queue along with all the pre-filled document tab details and the Invoice tab details for the manager’s approval.
From the moment the QR Code or Barcode invoice is received as an email attachment no hand-on effort is required. The more REST Professional clients ask their suppliers to add QR Codes to invoices the more invoices will arrive in a user workflow queue with all information already filled in.
Settings
Workflow Assist doesn't use an email client such as Microsoft Outlook to receive its emails. It has its own email engine that receives emails from your email servers. The Workflow Assist program will directly connect to any number of mailboxes on the one email server via IMAP. The IMAP server can be your internal email exchange server or an external one belonging to your Information Service Provider (ISP).
The fields on the screen above have the following meaning:
Column Name | Purpose |
IMAP Server Name | Name of the IMAP Server for connection of all Workflow Assist mailboxes. |
IMAP Port | IMAP port to connect to for mailbox connection. |
Use SSL/TLS | If required to use a secure connection for IMAP use SSL or TLS |
Retry Count | Number of times Workflow Assist should try to connect to the IMAP Server and process emails. |
Admin User | Administrator who will receive all alert messages from Workflow Assist for emails in error or warning when attempting to workflow an email attachment. |
Send Notification to Admin | Tick the option if the Administrator wants to receive alerts of emails in error or warning. |
SMTP User Name | The user name that will be used to connect to the SMTP Server to send Error and Warning email alerts. If already using PrintMail, Workflow Assist uses the same SMTP configuration as PrintMail. |
SMTP Password | The SMTP user Password that will be used. If already using PrintMail, Workflow Assist uses the same SMTP configuration as PrintMail. |
SMTP Server Name | SMTP server name to send alert emails. Note that the same SMTP server as the PrintMail server will be used by default. |
SMTP Port | SMTP server port number |
Use SSL/TLS | If required to use a secure connection for SMTP use SSL or TLS |
Sender Email Address | The email address that the alerts will be sent from. |
Sender Display | The name associated to the sender email address for the Administrator alerts. |
Follow These Steps to Setup the Workflow Assist Settings Page
In order to setup your Workflow Assist configuration screen you will need to have certain information which will be provided by your IT Consultant. You will need an IMAP server name or an IMAP server IP address along with the IMAP port number and whether the connection uses a secure connection SSL/TLS. You will need to provide an administrator mailbox so that you can receive notifications if a Workflow fails.
Step |
Description |
1. |
Select the Settings menu in the Workflow Navigation list. To select the Workflow navigation menu click on the Workflow Assist name at the bottom left hand corner of the fileSMART screen. The Workflow Assist Navigation menu will appear in the navigation pane.
Select the Settings menu. In the Settings screen select the ‘Edit’ actions button in top left hand corner. The Edit button is only available when the Workflow Assist ‘Service’ is stopped. |
2. |
Add an ‘IMAP server name’ The IMAP Server will be setup by your IT consultant please ask them for the name to type into the field. |
3. |
Add the ‘IMAP Port’. For connection to an IMAP Server you need to provide the correct port number talk to your IT Consultant for the right port number to use. |
4. |
Tick the SSL/TLS box if using a secure connection to the IMAP server please speak to your IT Consultant if you are not sure. |
5. |
Add the ‘Retry Count’ the retry count is the number of times the Workflow Assist program will attempt to connect to the IMAP Server name you have entered and process emails. |
6. |
Add the ‘Admin User’ The Admin user name is used when sending alerts to the admin user for any workflow items that have failed. |
7. |
Tick the ‘Send Notification to Admin’ The send notification to Admin is ticked when wanting to receive notification of Workflow routing failures. |
8. |
Add the ‘Admin Email Address’. The admin email address is the admin users mailbox where notification emails will be sent when a Workflow routing failure occurs. |
9. |
The SMTP Settings are used to send the email notification for Workflow Routing errors. Add the ‘SMTP User Name’ if you require an SMTP user name to connect to the SMTP server enter the details here. If no user name is required leave it blank. |
10. |
Add the ‘SMTP Password’ if you require an SMTP password to connect to the SMTP server enter the details here. If no password is required leave it blank. |
11. |
Add an ‘SMTP server name’ The SMTP Server will be setup by your IT consultant please ask them for the name to type into the field. |
12. |
Add an ‘SMTP Port’ If you are unsure of the Port number to use speak to your IT consultant for the correct port number to use. |
13. |
Tick the SSL/TLS box if using a secure connection to the SMTP server please speak to your IT Consultant if you are not sure. |
14. |
Add the ‘Sender Email Address’ The Sender Email Address is the email address used when sending emails. |
15. |
Add the ‘Sender Display’ The Sender Display is the email display name when sending emails. |
16. |
In order to save the changes made press the Save button in the Actions pane. |
17. |
Start the Workflow Assist service so that the Settings changes can take effect. |
Manager Mapping
The manager mapping screen allows an Administrator to map the corresponding REST Professional manager to the workflow user in fileSMART. Simply match the REST Professional user to the corresponding fileSMART user. That fileSMART user is then used for the workflow configuration in the Workflow routing configuration screen. Manager mapping is used in conjunction with the Auto Select option on the Workflow routing configuration page this allows the correct Property manager to be matched to the correct property record.
The meaning of the columns is as follows:
Column Name | Purpose |
Trust | The REST Professional trusts where the documents will workflow to. |
Trust Manager | The trust manager in REST Professional. |
FileSMART User | The corresponding REST Professional user defined in fileSMART User Management. |
Follow These Steps to Setup the Manager Mapping Users in Workflow Assist
In this example we will setup a Manager mapping for one of the users in REST Professional and fileSMART. The Manager mapping is required in order to match the corresponding user in REST Professional to the users in fileSMART.
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Step |
Description |
1. |
Select the Manager Mapping menu in the Workflow Navigation list. To select the Workflow navigation menu click on the Workflow Assist name at the bottom left hand corner of the fileSMART screen. The Workflow Assist Navigation menu will appear in the navigation pane.
Select the Manager Mapping menu. In the Manager Mapping screen select the ‘New’ actions button in top left hand corner. |
2. |
Use the drop down menu to select the available trust, if you have multiple trusts available it will display all the trusts you have integrated with fileSMART. In the example shown the ‘REST’ trust will be selected. |
3. |
Use the second drop down menu to select the users configured in REST. In the example above Clark Kent is selected. |
4. |
Use the third drop down menu to select the fileSMART users configured in fileSMART. In the example above the user ck is selected. |
5. |
In order to save that new manager mapping press the save button in the Actions pane. |
Workflow Routing Configuration Screen
A workflow routing configuration screen is available to provide complete visibility of all workflow rules defined to allow any number of users to be setup to receive documents to their workflow queue from the Workflow Assist component.
The fields on the screen above have the following meaning:
Column Name | Purpose |
To | Email mailbox that is used for receiving messages. Any number of inbox's can be defined. For example an Adhoc@rockrealestate.com.au, invoices@rockendrealestate.com.au, rates@rockendrealestate.com.au can be defined to direct different invoices or documents to different users and work queues in the business. |
User Name: | For IMAP connections to a Microsoft Exchange server a ‘User Name:’ needs to be entered. For other IMAP Email server types the ‘To:’ address value needs to be entered. |
Password | The password for automatic logon to the associated mailbox. |
Trust | The REST Professional trusts where the documents should workflow to. |
Workflow queue | Depending on the trust selected the Workflow queue will display the appropriate queue for that trust type, for example REST. |
Workflow Queue User | Select a user to send the workflow email to or if QR Code or Barcode workflow is select you can opt to Auto Select the user based on the Property code selected when the barcode is read. |
Folder | Select the folder where the email attachment will be archived to once the Workflow is approved. Based on the Workflow queue selected the Folders available will then display for only the folder types applicable for the Workflow queue |
Document Type | Select the document type you want to allocate the email attachment to when placed in the workflow. |
Note | A message can be entered into the note field of up to 60 characters in length this will pre-fill the message into the notes field in the Workflow Document data tab for each document that is processed by Workflow Assist. |
Page Split | If a batch of invoices in an email attachment is received from an Multi-function device you can nominate to split the document attachment received every number of pages automatically. |
Browse | In order to use a Workflow Assist routing rule you will need to first test and validate the Workflow routing rule you create. In order to test a new rule select a sample tiff file attachment to send as a validation test. |
Validate | In order to start using the Workflow Routing rule you have created you will need to Validate the rule. Once validated make sure to save the changes otherwise that Workflow Routing rule will not be active. |
Follow These Steps to Setup a Workflow Routing Rule
In this example we will setup a Workflow for barcode_invoices@rockendrealestate.com.au which will receive rates notices and Strata Levies that have a QR Code and Water Rates that have a barcode which will pre-fill the workflow tab information so that no hands on processing of the document needs to take place. The important thing to remember when setting up your Workflow routing rules is that the “Workflow queue” controls how the emails received in that inbox are processed. If you have a number of barcoded or QR Coded invoices that you can receive via email then they could all be sent to the one email mailbox for example (barcode_invoices@rockendrealestate.com.au) and if the Workflow queue selected was ‘REST Barcoded invoice processing’ then all email attachments will be checked and scanned for a barcode or QR Code.
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Step |
Description |
1. |
Select the Workflow Routing menu in the Workflow Navigation list. To select the Workflow navigation menu click on the Workflow Assist name at the bottom left hand corner of the fileSMART screen. The Workflow Assist Navigation menu will appear in the navigation pane.
Select the Workflow Routing menu. In the Workflow Routing screen select the ‘New’ actions button in top left hand corner. |
2. |
Add an email address to be used as your ‘To:’ address this is the address you will give to the creditors that will send you an email with a barcode or QR Code invoice attached. Remember that the ‘To:’ address and in particular the ‘Workflow queue’: control what type of process that Workflow Assist will perform if it is a REST Barcoded Invoice workflow it will attempt to find a barcode on the attached document or a QR Code. |
3. |
Add the ‘User Name:’. For connection to a Microsoft Exchange server or Microsoft 365 IMAP mailbox in addition to the ‘To:’ email address a user name needs to be provided. Microsoft Exchange server requires a user name in addition to the email address for authentication. For all other IMAP mail servers use the email ‘To:’ address as your User Name. |
4. |
Add the ‘Password:’ for the email mailbox you are connecting to for the new workflow routing rule. Passwords are encrypted on the fileSMART screen please ensure you store the password in a safe place when needed in future. |
5. |
Add the ‘Trust:’ if you have only one trust account then that is the only trust that is displayed. If you have more than one REST Trust database the drop down menu will show all the trust that you have to choose from. The trust you select will be the trust library where your invoice will be archived to. In the example above the trust database is called ‘REST’ |
6. |
Add the ‘Workflow Queue:’ the three options available are Ad-hoc, REST Invoice Processing and REST Barcoded Invoice Processing. |