Integrating with other products

File upload variables - incorporate existing files in an automated document

Integrating the Contract Express feature 'file upload variable' with HighQ, providing seamless file integration that allows users to incorporate existing files into automated documents.
File upload
 variables (
Include Document
 or
Attach Document
) ask users to upload a document as they fill out a questionnaire. Uploaded documents are either included as a section in the generated document or attached as a child document in the Files module.

Overview

  1. A template author can add file upload variables to a Contract Express template.
  2. Users access the questionnaire and see a prompt to upload documents.
  3. When the questionnaire is submitted, Contract Express generates documents.
  4. Generated documents are available in the Files module. But uploaded and generated documents are recorded in the Output iSheet.
  5. A user can return to edit the questionnaire with updated information. As documents are available in the Output iSheet, users can reuse or replace file uploads as required.

Setting up file uploads in Contract Express

A Contract Express admin can add the
Include Document
 and
Attach Document
 fields with the File upload variables in a Contract Express template. These variables provide options to upload a document from a users computer when they fill in the questionnaire. The document is either included as a section of the generated document, or attached as a child document.
Include and Attach documents
Two new types of the file upload variable are supported in the Contract Express template:
The
Include Document
 field inserts the entirety of the uploaded document into the body of the generated document, and
Attach Document
 attaches the input document as a separate file (i.e. a bundle of files).
Add a file upload variable ('Include Document' or 'Attach Document') to the Contract Express template, followed by the variable name used in Contract Express: 
{Include Document CE_Fileupload_VariableName_1}
{Attach Document CE_Fileupload_VariableName_2}
Example of an 'Included' document
:
Example of an 'Attached' document
This shows two generated documents in the Files module:
The second 'Attached' document was generated from an uploaded document.

Designing the questionnaire

Add upload steps to the questionnaire
Incorporate the file upload variable and create the appropriate question text for the questionnaire. You can add a descriptive prompt for the file upload to ensure users upload the correct document.
Question format
The user is presented with the
Choose file
 option which allows the user to upload a document from their computer. Once a file is uploaded,
Remove chosen file
 is available to remove the file.
Examples of prompts to upload documents:
or
Follow the usual process to upload the template, and map columns to the template.

Using the questionnaire to generate documents

When the questionnaire is completed, one or more output documents are created, as defined by the variable used in the Contract Express template.

Stored documents

In addition to the generated document (or documents), HighQ also stores the uploaded documents in the Output iSheet. An attachment column is added to the Output iSheet for each file upload variable.
These documents are stored so they can be used for future updates, reference and audits. Any changes to the input documents made in the Files module are NOT reflected in the generated documents until the document is re-generated in Contract Express.

Editing the questionnaire to update documents

If a user edits the questionnaire, it retrieves and displays documents from the Output iSheet (i.e., documents previously uploaded in the questionnaire).
Changes must be made via the
Edit questionnaire
 option in the
More actions
 menu. Any changes are then reflected in the generated documents and recorded in the Output iSheet.

Generated documents in the Files module

Documents added with the 'attach' function are generated alongside the parent document and will be available in the Files module. If approvals are enabled, the assigned user must first approve the files.

Approvals, Audit history and Permissions

Approvals
As of January 2025, if Approvals are required on a site, when a user approves the generated parent document, all attached child documents are approved automatically.
Audit history
The Audit history for an attached document follows the rules applied to all other attachment columns.
Permissions
Generated and uploaded documents are included in attachment columns in the Output iSheet. Default iSheet folder permissions apply, as configured on your site.
If
Own file permissions
 are active for users completing these forms, they only see their own documents in the attachment column, not documents generated by other users.

This article applies to: