Importing Files to Cognidox: A Comprehensive Guide

Cognidox provides several methods of uploading files. You can upload a single file, or multiple files in one go.

In this article, we'll deal with the different ways of bulk uploading documents.

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What's in this article?

You'll find the following information in this article:

• Importing files via Drag and Drop
• Importing files via a spreadsheet
• Uploading documents in subcategories with folders
• Creating document placeholders using the cognidox.xls spreadsheet

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Importing files via Drag and Drop

Being able to upload several documents at once using drag and drop is a very handy feature.

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Basic procedure

To upload (import) multiple files into a category. using drag and drop:

1. Collect the files together in a local folder on your PC.
2. Open the Cognidox category. Drag and drop all the files onto it from your PC.
3. Confirm, and set up the basic import settings.
4. Click Import Files, and specify more granular settings for individual files. Cognidox will have made some initial settings by scanning the documents, but you may well need to change them.
5. Click Confirm, follow the import process, and click the generated category link at the bottom of the import page.

See the online help for more details.

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Importing files via a spreadsheet

Use a cognidox.xls spreadsheet file to upload multiple files as part of a zip archive.

Watch the video

Basic procedure

To upload multiple files in a zip archive:

1. Download a cognidox.xls spreadsheet and use the built-in macro to scan and list all the files for upload.
   The video explains how to add things like release notes to the same document number as a master file, and how to handle multiple versions of the same document.
2. Zip all your local upload files, including the spreadsheet.
3. Open the subcategory where you want to upload your files, click Manage this Category, and display the Import tab.
4. Drag and drop the zip archive onto the Import File field, check the import options, and click Import Files.

See the online help for more details.

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Uploading documents in subcategories with folders

You can upload a zip archive of a local folder structure, with all its included files. The folders will appear as Cognidox sub-categories, and contain the correct uploaded files.

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To do this:

1. Create a zip archive of all the folders and files you want to import.
2. Display the Import tab for the category that you want to manage.
3. Drag and drop the zip archive onto the Import File field, check the import options and change if necessary, then click Import Files.
4. Use the Scanning Import page to make changes to individual file import options, and click Confirm.
5. Check the import log, and click the link at the bottom of the page to display your imported files in their correct sub-categories.

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Creating document placeholders

You can also use the pre-formatted spreadsheet to import placeholders (empty document numbers, ready for users to upload their files as Cognidox drafts or issues).

To do this:

1. Navigate to your Cognidox destination sub-category, click Manage this Category, and download the cognidox.xls spreadsheet from the Import tab.
2. Open the spreadsheet and, as a minimum enter the document title, author, and document type for each placeholder that you want to create,
3. Save the spreadsheet on your local computer, drag and drop it onto the Import File field on the Import tab, and click Import Files.
4. Click Confirm on the Scanning Import page, then click the link to the sub-category at the bottom of the Import Log.

The document numbers will be listed, ready for files to be uploaded.

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