How to use Microsoft Office with TeamConnect Essentials

Microsoft Office and TeamConnect Essentials

TeamConnect Office integrates into Microsoft Office so that you can view and update Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files that have been added to TeamConnect. You can also upload documents to projects in TeamConnect.

Note: You can only open documents from and add documents to the Documents page for a matter.

Office Documents and Emails

Documents and emails that are shared in TeamConnect can be opened in Office Suite with the TeamConnect add-in, allowing easier access to documents without the necessity of working from multiple programs.

In an Office Suite program, such as Word, documents can be seen in the TeamConnect add-in on the right side of the page. Double-clicking on a document inside the TeamConnect pane will allow you to view the document content in Read-Only Mode.

Opening Documents

When you open a document, you have the option to open it as read-only, to check it out, or to save a copy.

Note: When looking for a document in a list of folders, you can only find documents in folders or folders within folders.

To open a document from the TeamConnect add-in, double-click a document from a folder in your Matters. The document will open in Read Mode.

Saving Documents

When you upload a document to TeamConnect, you must upload the document to a matter.

The name of the document will auto-populate in the entry field after clicking save. Note: The document extension is not able to be edited.

To save a document from Word, Excel, or PowerPoint to TeamConnect

From the document, click the Save to TeamConnect button from the toolbar.
Browse to the matter folder where you want to save the document.
Enter a filename for the document in the File Name field. Click Save.

The document now appears in TeamConnect on the Documents page for the matter.

Note: Saving to the same folder as a document with an identical file name will cause an error message. However, clicking the exact identical file and saving to it will allow versioning. See Versioning for further detail.

Saving Metadata from Office

Documents can be uploaded via the TeamConnect plug-in, and metadata is automatically extracted and placed into the appropriate fields. This visible data will make locating and identifying documents easier. See Uploading Documents for more details.

TeamConnect extracts the following metadata:

Extracted Metadata	Conversion Description
Document Name	File Name
Document's Creator	Author
Document Category	Category
Document Creation Date	Date Created
Document Last Modified	Date Modified
Document Extension	File Type
Document Size	File Size

Note: If the Document's Creator cannot be extracted, the description will be left blank. If Creation Date cannot be extracted, the current date will be used. If Last Modified cannot be extracted, Creation Date will be used.

Updating Documents

To update documents

If the document is a read-only document, click the Check Out button. Click the Undo Check Out button to check the file back in without saving your changes.

Make your updates to the document.
Click the Check In button.
(Optional) Enter an explanation of your changes in the Notes field of the Save Dialog
window.
Click Save. A read-only version of the updated document opens.

You can see a list of the documents you have checked out in the Checked Out Documents section under the tab.

Uploading Documents

Users can easily upload local documents into TeamConnect via the add-in. Documents uploaded from a local computer will then be able to be checked in or checked out by multiple users.

Document upload sizes are set to 100 MB by default. The upload will fail (and you will receive notification) if your document(s) exceed the upload size limit.

Uploading a document

Click the TeamConnect tab.
Select Save to TeamConnect.
Select the desired directory, and add a name for the file and description (if needed). Click Save.
The Check Out and Check In options are now available for this file.
Check Out this file to make changes.
The document will now be locked for editing by other users. Click Check In after your changes to remove this lock.

Note: Local changes will not be automatically reflected in the add-in. Users must check the document back in for these changes to be stored and reflected in the add-in.

Editing Document Metadata

From any Office or the Outlook add-in, I can right-click on any document or email (in Outlook) in the TC Documents Pane and I have an option to Edit Document Metadata.

Right click to open and edit the metadata.

View and Edit the document metadata

Users are able to change fields and document information that they would have access to change in the main TeamConnect application. Changes made to the document metadata here will be reflected both in the add-in as well as the main application.

Documents Tab

The document tab contains the editable name and author date of the file as well as other non- editable information fields. Click Submit to finalize any changes to the name field or Date Authored field.

While the File Type is not editable, users can change the extension via the Document Name field. Users will be prompted to click Yes after clicking Submit if they make changes to the extension. While the name will now reflect the new extension, your computer will still recognize the file as its original file type. Changes to the file type should be made in the main application.

Office Tab

Click the Update Office Category checkbox to make edits on the Office tab. These changes will be reflected in the document file bank in the add-in but not in the Document tab.

Categories Tab

The Categories tab allows for improved filtering and document management. Click the checkbox next to the desired categories to add that category. Categories inherited from TeamConnect cannot be removed from the add-in. Likewise, categories added in the add-in itself cannot be removed after clicking Submit. Categories can be removed in the main application.