1. AWARDS
  2. System Management
  3. Administration Module
  4. Human Resources

Employee File Cabinet

Updated

The AWARDS Employee File Cabinet enables users with the appropriate authority to upload files to attach them to the records of a specific employee.  Once uploaded, those files can be accessed by anyone with the authority to view that employee's staff information.

Uploaded files open in a new window, outside of AWARDS, using the software that was used to create them (i.e., Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft Word). If changes are made to a file once it has been opened and the updated file is saved on the user's device, those updates will not be reflected in AWARDS; rather, the updated file must be uploaded in place of the original version. 

  TIP: In addition to the Employee File Cabinet, separate Client and Agency File Cabinets are also available in AWARDS.  The Client File Cabinet enables users to attach client-specific documents to file cabinets accessible within individual face sheets and the Services-Individual module.    The Agency File Cabinet enables users to attach general agency-wide documents to a centrally located File Cabinet accessible to all users.

Required Permissions 

The Employee File Cabinet feature is available to members of the "System Administrator" user group and to users with the following permissions:

Display Executive Administration Buttons (not required for members of most user groups, including "Executive" and "Direct Care" level groups or "Human Resources Staff")
Human Resources Data Full Access

  NOTE:  Permissions are assigned using the Permissions Maintenance feature.  If you do not have access to that feature and need a permission listed here, please contact your supervisor or your local Help Desk for assistance.

Click-by-Click Instructions 

Working with the Employee File Cabinet - Learn to upload, make changes to, delete, and view Employee File Cabinet files.

The AWARDS Employee File Cabinet is a feature that allows users with the appropriate permissions to upload files and attach them to the records of a specific employee. Once uploaded, those files can be accessed by anyone with permission to view that employee's staff information. 

 

Employee File Cabinet files can be uploaded, downloaded, or deleted directly from the employee's record, or from the Human Resource Module's Employee File Cabinet feature. Aside from a different initial point of access, in each instance, the general steps in the process are the same, as detailed below:

  1. Navigate to one of the following locations in AWARDS:
  • Human Resources > Staff Information - Click Administration from the left-hand menu. From the fly-out menu displayed, click Human Resources, and then click Staff Information. Select the Worker whose file cabinet is to be worked with (first clicking Staff Archives if that individual is not a current staff member), and then click Continue. The staff information record is displayed. Click the File Cabinet tab, and then click Update Employee File Cabinet. 

    If you are a supervisor and have supervisees listed in Staff Information, you will be able to access and work with the files in your supervisees' cabinets as well.
     
  • Human Resources > Employee File Cabinet - Click Administration from the left-hand menu, and then click Human Resources. From the fly-out menu displayed, click Employee File Cabinet. Click the Employee drop-down arrow in the upper-right corner of the page and select the employee to be worked with (first clicking Archives if the employee is not an active staff member.)


Regardless of the path taken above, the individual's Employee File Cabinet index page is now displayed, listing any existing files previously uploaded for that individual.
 

When working on the index page, files are easily accessible using the following tools and navigation features:

  • Sorting Options - Records in the index are sorted alphabetically by "Category" (if applicable), and then by "Name." Click a column header in the data table to sort the index by a different type of data. Click the heading again to reverse the sort order.
  • Navigation Options - 10 files are displayed on the page by default. To access files on subsequent pages of the index (when applicable), click the arrows in the bottom-right corner of the table. To display 25 or 50 files at a time, click the Show drop-down to the left of the file count, also in the bottom-right corner, and make a selection.
    Once you select files on the index, a count of how many total files are selected is displayed in the action bar. Selections are maintained while moving from one page of the index to another; meaning, you can select files on the first page (showing files 1-10) and move to the next page (showing files 11-20) without losing the selections you made on the first page. Links for Show All Selected Records and Uncheck All are available beneath the index table for easy navigation.
  • Search and Filtering Options - A Search field is available on the action bar along with a corresponding Filter by drop-down list. To search the contents of the index (including those files not currently displaying on the page), enter a value in the Search field. The index is automatically updated as you type. To further narrow your search, use the Filter by selection to indicate whether the search should look at data in "All Columns" (the default) or a specific column. Keep in mind that this search only looks at the index values, NOT the files themselves. 
  • ReportBuilder Access - The Employee File Cabinet ReportBuilder link on the left-hand menu bar provides a shortcut to access the ReportBuilder for this feature. For instructions on using that ReportBuilder, click here.

 

 

  1. At this time, complete one of the following tasks, as needed:
  • Add a New File - Click the add new icon from the action bar above the files table. A new data entry page is displayed. Configure the fields and options on this page as follows, and then click Save. The file is uploaded, and a confirmation page is displayed.
     
    • Category - Click this drop-down arrow to select the category in which this file should be placed. This option is only available if your agency has configured a customized categories list. Leave this selection blank if the file should not be categorized. 
    • Name - In this field, type the name of the file using 40 characters or less. The name entered here will be used to identify and access the file in the future and should be brief and descriptive.
    • Description - In this field, type a brief description of what the file contains using 100 characters or less.
    • Choose File - Click this button to open a File Upload window. Select the file to be uploaded, and then click Open.

Keep the Employee File Cabinet's available space in mind when selecting which file to use, as each client is limited to a total of 10MB by default, or to the maximum displayed on this page if it has been increased for your agency. Additionally, note that the maximum individual file size is 8 MB. Accepted file types are DOC, XLS, PDF, JPG, BMP, TIFF, MP4, and ZIP.

  • Update the Information for an Existing File - Click the file that needs to be updated, or click the checkbox to the left of that file, and then click the edit icon from the action bar above the files table. A data entry page is displayed. Make changes to the information on this page as needed (field/option descriptions are detailed above), and then click Save. The changes are saved, and a confirmation page is displayed.

Documents cannot be re-uploaded during the update/editing process. If you'd like to replace the current file with a new version, delete that file entirely and then re-add it as new.

  • Download an Existing File - Click the checkbox to the left of the file to be downloaded, and then click the download icon from the action bar above the files table. A PHI Download Alert is displayed, reminding you of your obligation to properly handle any confidential data and/or protected health information (PHI) within the download in accordance with related government regulations and agency policies. After reading the alert, click OK to acknowledge it and proceed with the download, or Cancel to return to the previous page. Once downloaded the file is accessible on your machine and can be opened and displayed in the appropriate software application (for example, Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft Word). AWARDS remains open and available in the web browser window behind the file.

If changes are made to a file once it has been opened and the updated file is saved on your computer, the updates made will not be reflected in AWARDS. Rather, the existing file must be deleted and the new version uploaded in its place.

  • View or Print an Existing File - Click the checkbox to the left of the file you want to view or print, and then click the view icon from the action bar above the files table. A read-only version of the file information (name, description, category, etc.) is displayed and can be printed as needed using your browser's print option. This option does NOT display the file itself; for file viewing use the download option.
  • Delete an Existing File - Click the checkbox(es) to the left of the file(s) to be deleted, and then click the delete icon from the action bar above the files table. A confirmation message is displayed. Click OK to proceed with the deletion. The selected files(s) are deleted and the updated index is displayed.

Deletions of Employee File Cabinet files are tracked and can be viewed using the Audit Trail ReportBuilder. 

Warning! When a File Cabinet File is deleted, it is removed from AWARDS entirely and cannot be retrieved from any of the file cabinet access points.

  • Return to the Employee File Cabinet Index - Click the To Index icon from the action bar while working with a file's details to return to the index page. You can also return to the index page at any time by clicking Employee File Cabinet from the breadcrumbs trail below the AWARDS navigation bar.

 

The process of working with Employee File Cabinet Files is now complete.

Configuring the Employee File Cabinet Categories List - (For AWARDS Administrators) - Learn to set up and make changes to an agency-wide list for file categorization.

Optional categorization functionality enables an AWARDS administrator to set up a categories list for the Employee File Cabinet.  Once that list is configured, a corresponding Category column is added to the Employee files index, and a Category option is automatically made available to all users during file data entry - both when uploading new files, as well as when editing existing files.  Making a category selection using that option allows for the assignment of individual files into the appropriate categories.

  TIP: When file categorization is in use, the Employee File Cabinet index is sorted alphabetically - first by category, and then by file name.

  NOTE: Please be aware that at the current time it is not possible to select multiple files for placement into a category; each file must be categorized separately.  We understand that this may make categorization of existing files tedious for agencies that have large file cabinets.  As we work on additional phases of the file cabinet enhancements project in coming months we will be looking into the feasibility of building in multi-select categorization to improve usability.  In the meantime, we encourage you to begin taking advantage of categorization for new files uploaded into AWARDS, and gradually categorizing existing files as they are updated or otherwise worked with.  This categorization, particularly when used in combination with the Employee File Cabinet ReportBuilder, will provide additional flexibility in not only navigation, but also in administrative oversight.

If you are an AWARDS administrator and would like to set up the Employee File Cabinet categories list for the first time, or to make changes to the existing categories list, complete the following steps from the AWARDS Home screen:

  NOTE: In order to complete the steps outlined here you must have the ListBuilder permission assigned to you within the Permissions Maintenance feature.

    1. Before beginning the configuration process, work with your agency's leadership team to determine which categories should be available for use with the Employee File Cabinet.  Keep in mind that the full agency shares the same list, so consensus and/or a list of shared guidelines for when to use each category may be helpful for staff once categorization is rolled out.
    2. Once your list is set, click Administration from the left-hand menu in AWARDS, and then click Builders & Tools.  The Builders & Tools fly-out menu is displayed.
    3. Click ListBuilder.  The ListBuilder index page is displayed, showing all existing lists.

    1. Click Employee File Cabinet Categories.  (This ListBuilder list exists automatically and does NOT need to be created first.) 

  TIP: If the number of available lists is extensive, first enter "employee" into the Search field to narrow selections.

The ListBuilder data entry page is displayed.

    1. At this time complete one or more of the following tasks as needed:

  NOTE: The majority of the fields and options on this page do NOT apply to the Employee File Cabinet categories list.  Only those specifically referenced below need to be filled in.

  Add a category - To do so, type the category name in the Value field, enter a unique numeric value in the Code field, and confirm that the corresponding Enabled option is set to "Yes."  To add additional categories, click Add Item and then continue until all new categories have been entered.  Click Save to apply your changes.

  TIP: "Enable 'Other' option" is not applicable to this categories list and will not be a selection regardless of whether or not this option is checked.

  TIP: Categories are always displayed alphabetically in the File Cabinet's selection list, regardless of the order specified here.

  Disable a category - To turn off a category so that it is no longer available for selection in the Employee File Cabinet, click the corresponding Enabled drop-down arrow and select "No."  Click Save to apply your changes.  The disabled category is no longer available for data entry, but will continue to display for files previously assigned to  it (for example, within the Employee File Cabinet ReportBuilder) unless/until the category assignment for those files is manually changed.

  Delete a category - To delete a category so that it is as if that category never existed, click the Remove check box next to the category and then click Save to apply your changes.  The category of any existing Employee File Cabinet files previously assigned to the deleted category is now set to blank.

The process of configuring the Employee File Cabinet Categories list is now complete. 

  TIP: If this is the first time the list has been set up for your agency, we recommend that you now share guidelines to all staff for which types of documents should be placed into which category.  This will allow for consistent use moving forward and therefore for more accurate reporting when necessary.

Using the Employee File Cabinet ReportBuilder - Learn to generate customized reports of Employee File Cabinet data along with basic employee demographics.

The AWARDS Employee File Cabinet ReportBuilder is used to generate customized reports of file information, along with basic employee demographic data.  It can be particularly useful for auditing tasks; for example, checking to see which staff members have a required document in their file cabinet.

To generate and save an Employee File Cabinet report that can be re-run in the future, to generate a single-use report, or to use and/or update an existing report format to generate a report, complete the following steps from the AWARDS Home screen:

  TIP: The following instructions detail accessing the Employee File Cabinet ReportBuilder from directly within the Employee File Cabinet feature.  This report is also available in the AWARDS Reports module, where it can be bookmarked for easy access, and from the Employee File Cabinet index page when accessed via a staff information record.

    1. Click Administration from the left-hand menu, and then click Human Resources.  The HR fly-out menu is displayed.
    2. Click Employee File Cabinet.  The Employee File Cabinet index page is displayed. 

    1. Click Employee File Cabinet ReportBuilder from the left-hand menu bar.  The Employee File Cabinet ReportBuilder Settings page is displayed.

    1. By default the report includes all files for employees on staff during the last year.  If necessary, make changes to that default date range using the available Employee Date Range From and To fields/date pickers.  When doing so please keep in mind that a two year period of your choosing is the maximum length of time for which the report can be run.

  NOTE: In the event that you are creating a new report format that will be saved, please be aware that the selection you make here is not saved with the report.  It must be set each time the report is run.

    1. Leave the Provide ExportBuilder Options checkbox unchecked.  It is NOT relevant to report generation.

  NOTE: This option is used to provide access to an ExportBuilder corresponding to the ReportBuilder with which you are working.  AWARDS ExportBuilders - which are designed for use by individuals who are familiar with export files and formats, their design, and setup - harness the power of ReportBuilder functionality and take it a step further to meet a variety of outside reporting needs.  With ExportBuilders, users can create customized data reports as they would with the ReportBuilder itself, and from those reports generate export files of a number of different types - CSV, TXT, XLS, or XML.  Exported files can be saved to your computer, then uploaded into other data collection systems and/or worked with in other applications as needed.  Additionally, as can be done with ReportBuilders, ExportBuilder formats can be saved and shared for future use.

The instructions provided here detail use of the Employee File Cabinet ReportBuilder only, not the corresponding ExportBuilder.  For more information on using ExportBuilders, click here.

    1. If you would like the report (both its content and an Excel file version) to be sent to your AWARDS Messages module upon its completion, click the Send in AWARDS Message checkbox.  When this option is selected, you need not wait for the report to generate, and can navigate away from the ReportBuilder after finishing the configuration process - this can be a time-saver, especially when working with reports containing large amounts of data that might otherwise take a while to display in AWARDS.

  NOTE: When using this option the report will remain in your messages for one month, after which time it will be deleted.  (The exact date of deletion will be displayed in red at the top of the report message for your reference.)  If you know you will need the report content after that time, be sure to download the Excel file (Excel File.zip) or HTML content (Report Content.html) attached to the report message.  If you don't download one of these attachments before the message is deleted, you will need to manually re-generate the report if you need access to it in the future.

    1. Use the Select a saved report format drop-down options at the bottom of the page to specify whether you will be generating the report from scratch or using a previously saved report format.  Available choices are to:

  Use a previously saved report format - To generate the report using a previously created and saved format, select that format from this drop-down.  When using this method, you can immediately generate the report without changing any settings.  Alternately, you can first review and modify the settings of the format by checking off the available Provide option to modify settings of saved report format checkbox.

  Start from scratch, without using a previously saved report format - To create your own report format for single-time use or for saving and later re-use, leave the saved report format drop-down blank.

  NOTE: If you (or another user) have previously saved a default report format for this ReportBuilder and program, that format is pre-selected here.  Make changes to the selection as needed, or leave it at its default value.

    1. Click CONTINUE.

If you are using an existing report format and have NOT chosen to view/modify the settings of that format, you are now taken directly to the report page.  Continue with step 16.

  NOTE: If you chose to send the report to yourself via the Messages module (in step 6), a notice is first displayed on the page to let you know that report generation is in process and that the report will be sent to your Messages module upon completion.  You can then navigate away from the page, or wait for the report to complete and then proceed with step 16.   If you did NOT set that option, you can do so now by clicking Send to AWARDS Messages.   

In all other instances, the Options page is displayed.  Continue with step 9.

    1. The Options page contains a list of available report variables grouped by type, and includes sections for "Demographics," "File Information," and "Record Information." 

  NOTE: A section for "Date Parts" - common to all ReportBuilders that have date variables available for selection - is also included on this page.  It is intended to allow for greater flexibility of reporting around dates; for example, giving you the option to report out on a month as either a number (1) or a written month (January).

Click the checkbox next to each variable to be included in the report, and/or use the available Check All options as needed.

    1. Click CONTINUE.  The Report Options - Continued page is displayed.
    2. Configure the options in the "Filter Options" portion of the page as necessary to adjust the scope of the report contents.  Set the "Show Individual Detail" and/or "Summary Tables" options to adjust the way in which the contents are displayed.

  TIP: Individual detail report options and/or summary table selections must be set before the report can be generated.  For more information on using the various report options, please click here.

    1. To save the report settings so that this report can easily be re-run in the future, click SAVE REPORT FORMAT.  The Save Report Format dialog box is displayed.

  TIP: If it is not necessary to save the report format and you wish only to view the report contents, please skip to step 15. 

    1. Configure the fields and options on this dialog box to indicate the specifics of how the format should be saved.

  TIP: For more information on using the save report format options, please click here. 

    1. Click Save Report Format.  The report format is saved and the Report Options - Continued page is re-displayed.
    2. Click DISPLAY REPORT.  The report is generated and displayed on the ReportBuilder page.

  NOTE: If you chose to send the report to yourself via the Messages module (in step 6), a notice is displayed on the page to let you know that report generation is in process and that the report will be sent to your Messages module upon completion.  You can then navigate away from the page, or wait for the report to complete, and then proceed with step 16. If you did NOT set that option, you can do so now by clicking Send to AWARDS Messages. 

    1. At this time individual detail and/or summary table content can be hidden or sorted as needed.  The report can also be printed or exported to Microsoft Excel.  For more information on working with ReportBuilder report contents, please click here. 

  NOTE: When working with report data, please keep in mind that when a report is long enough to require you to scroll down the page to view all of its content, the header row of the data table (individual detail and/or summary) "freezes" at the top of the page.  Similarly, when printing a report that covers more than one page, the header row of any tables split between pages is shown at the top of each page. 

The process of generating an Employee File Cabinet ReportBuilder report is now complete.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Can attached documents be write-protected?

AWARDS does not prevent users who open an attached file from making changes to it on their computer; however, the changes made will not be reflected on AWARDS unless the updated file is attached in place of the original file.  If you are concerned with the possibility that files will be altered, you can protect the file before attaching it to the AWARDS system.  The steps for doing so will vary based on the software used to create the file.

Can existing files be batch categorized?

While we are examining the possibility of adding a feature that will allow multiple files to be edited and categorized at once, the functionality is currently limited to categorizing one file at a time.

Can I delete or add multiple file cabinet files at one time?

Files can only be added individually; however, they can be deleted in groups using the multi-select checkboxes on the file cabinet index.

Can I limit access to a file to specific staff?

No. Files are viewable by all users with the authority to access the Employee File Cabinet.

Can the 10MB storage limit for the Employee File Cabinet be increased?

Yes.  If you would like to increase the storage limit for the Employee File Cabinet so that it is greater than the 10 MB default per employee, please review the File Cabinet - Additional Storage Space Information & Pricing Guide and contact your Foothold Customer Success & Advocacy team representative.  There is a fee associated with this increase.

Why do I see an old File Cabinet category in the ReportBuilder that's no longer available for use?

When a category in the custom categories list is disabled it is removed from availability when categorizing files in the future; however, it is retained as part of historical data.  Any existing files assigned to that category at the time it was disabled will continue to display that original category assignment in the ReportBuilder unless/until that category selection is changed.

Why doesn't anything happen when I click a link to download a file or attachment from AWARDS?

Clicking a link in AWARDS to download a report/export file, message attachment or File Cabinet file is designed to generate a "PHI Download Alert" pop-up notification to inform you that the content of the download may contain confidential or protected information and should be handled accordingly.  If you have a pop-up blocker turned on in your browser's settings and have not exempted *.footholdtechnology.com so that it is always allowed to open pop-ups, it will seem as if nothing is happening when the AWARDS link is clicked.  Please see the instructions for your browser to adjust the settings related to the pop-up blocker.

Service Agreements 

File Cabinet - Additional Storage Space Information & Pricing Guide

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