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Explanation of Basic Concepts

For efficient use of the mDocs+ system, it is essential to understand the fundamental concepts used within the system and in the field of electronic document management in general. This section of the documentation is intended to explain the basic terms, concepts, and operating logic that make up the framework of the mDocs+ system. The purpose of the explanation is to give users a shared understanding of the functionalities and procedures in the system.

Organization​

An organization in the mDocs+ system represents an independent entity that operates within the same system installation but has a separate data structure, its own users, permissions, settings, and business processes.
This allows several business entities (e.g. subsidiaries, business units, independent departments) to operate within a single system while remaining completely separate from one another. Data between different organizations is not linked.

Module​

A module is the basic organizational element in the system that enables the structured classification of documents and cases. It has a role similar to folders in file systems.

Document​

A document is the fundamental unit in the system. It is a record with or without content. A document's record consists of metadata about the document, while its content is made up of the attachment, or file, of the document. A document can contain several files. A document's metadata enables the document to be searched for, classified, and used in processes. A document can have several content versions, or revisions.

Attachment​

A file attached to a document, i.e. the content of the document. There can be several attachments, and they can be of various and arbitrary formats.

Metadata​

Metadata is data about a document that describes the document and its properties; metadata forms the document's record. It is intended for searching, filtering, classifying, and further use of the document in business processes.

  • System metadata is generated automatically (e.g. time of entry, user, ID, ...).
  • User metadata is defined by users according to business needs (e.g. invoice number, contract title, expiry date, ...).

Access Rights​

Every document or case has a set of rights that determine which users can:

  • view the document (read right),
  • edit it (write right),
  • change permissions for others (administrative right).

Rights are assigned based on the user's role, department, or on an individual basis.

User​

Any individual who has access to the mDocs+ system. Users can be divided into groups (e.g. department, project team) and are assigned specific roles or rights.

Dashboard​

The starting page after logging in to mDocs+, where the user can see:

  • recently processed documents,
  • open tasks,
  • customized filters and views
  • reminders and notifications.

You can read more about the dashboard in the Dashboard chapter.

mSign​

An electronic signing solution connected to mDocs+. It allows you to send documents from mDocs+ for signing to signatories inside or outside the organization, while tracking the signing status at the same time.

Audit Trail​

A continuous and immutable record of activities on a document or case, e.g. viewing, changes, sending, signing, and other actions.

Attachment Versions​

mDocs+ allows you to store the latest and previous versions of a document's attachment. A change or replacement of the content is recorded as a new version, which enables a review of the history and, if necessary, reverting to a previous state.

Labels and Statuses​

Depending on the module, documents and cases can have a different status (draft, in signing, completed, etc.) or label.

Retention Period​

Determines how long a document must be kept. The retention period is usually determined based on the classification code from the classification scheme.

Classification Code​

A label that determines the content context of a document, in accordance with the organization's classification scheme. The classification code is linked to the retention period and archiving rules.