About Check Outs

To edit a file stored in Document, you first must check it out. Checking out a file makes it unavailable for other staff members to check out or edit. Checking out a file also places a copy of it on your computer. This copy is deleted when you check in the file.

There are two ways to check out a file. Document handles these check-outs in slightly different ways, as described below.

  • Direct edit. You can check out and open a file at the same time by double-clicking the file on a Document grid. This check-out method is a "direct edit." When you close the file, Document either prompts you to check in the file or checks it in for you automatically. The action taken depends on the check-in user option you have selected.

    • Note: If you direct edit a file in a managed storage area, a copy of the file is placed on your computer. Files in extended storage areas are not copied to your computer when you direct edit them.

  • Manual check-out. Manual check-outs are performed using the right-click menu. This method gives you the option to send an email alerting other staff members that you are checking out the file. This can be helpful if you will have the file checked out for an extended period of time. Unlike the direct edit method, you are not required to open the checked-out file immediately with a manual check-out. If you do not open the file immediately, you can open it later from your computer. You can even edit the file when you are offline. See Checking Out a File Manually for more information.

Note: The checked-out icon that displays for a file on Document Central is the same regardless of whether you right-click a file to check it out or if you double-click a file to direct edit it.

Frequently Asked Questions about Check-outs

ClosedWhere on my computer does Document put the files I check out?

When you check out files, Document creates folders in the My Documents\Drafts folder on your computer. The files you check out are placed in those folders. When you check in files, the corresponding check-out folders are removed from your computer.

  • For individual files, Document creates a folder with the name of the entity and entity ID-sub ID in the Drafts folder. Inside that folder, Document creates the same folder template structure used to hold the file in Document.

    • Example: A file for your client Joe Smith Automotive is stored in a 2012\Workpapers folder in Document. When you check out this file, a copy of the file is placed in the following location on your computer: 

    C:\Users\<your user name>\My Documents\Drafts\Joe Smith Automotive 1234-01\2012\Workpapers

  • Because it is possible for a Client to not have a sub-ID, it is possible that a Staff and a Client can have the same Entity Name and Entity ID. To prevent their files from being stored in the same folder, the entity folders will be placed inside Entity Type folders (Staff, Client, Business Unit, etc.) when checking out individual files.

  • If you check out a file group with direct edit, no files are copied to your computer, and so no folders are created on your computer.
  • If you check out a file group manually, Document creates a folder in the Drafts folder named File Groups. Within that folder, another folder with the same name as the file group is created, followed by an entity type folder. Inside this folder will be a folder for each entity which has a file in the file group. Each of those entity folders will include the folder template structure that holds the file in Document.

    • Example: You check out the file group named Sole Proprietors. This file group includes the workpaper for Joe Smith Automotive that was mentioned in the previous example. The check-out location for this workpaper will now be as follows:

    C:\Users\<your user name>\My Documents\Drafts\File Groups\Sole Proprietors\Clients\Joe Smith Automotive 1234-01\2012\Workpapers

ClosedWhen I checked out a file, I received a message that the file path was too long. I also had to enter an alternate check-out location. What causes this and how do I fix it?

When you check out a file, by default a copy of the file is stored in your My Documents\Drafts folder. Depending on how many levels of folders there are in your My Documents folder, it is possible that the number of characters in the file path may exceed the limits imposed by Microsoft® Windows®. You can enter an alternate check-out location in your user options. If Document encounters this issue in the future, this location will be used instead of the My Documents\Drafts folder.

ClosedHow can I stop Microsoft® Word and Excel® files that are stored in extended storage from opening in Protected View?

Add the IP address for the extended storage server to the list of local intranet sites that are trusted by your browser. See your browser's Help file for information about where these options are set up in your browser.