Setting Up a File Server with Logical Folders

When file servers and logical folders are set up in the application, you can use them to specify locations for uploading or downloading files and documents. File servers and logical folder specifications can be used in either of these cases:

Cloud applications, where the file servers are predefined as Amazon Web Service Simple Storage Services (AWS S3) “buckets” by the Cloud team. Use of SFTP servers or web servers for logical folders is also allowed in the Cloud.
On-premises applications, where a shared UNC path, FTP/SFTP, or AWS S3 services can be used for logical folders.

Prerequisites:

You must be a system administrator for this application, with permission to access the appropriate forms.
Decide where your file servers should reside (cloud, FTP/SFTP server, web server, or shared on-premises server), and know the file path and login information, if on-premises.
You cannot read or write to a shared file server in a partial trust environment.
Decide what logical folders you need to create. Some logical folders are predefined by the application. Others might depend on your company’s needs, for example, HR documents.
Determine which logical folders should reside on which file server, if you have a choice of file servers.
Decide which users should have access to which logical folders.

For an on-premises application, define each file server on the File Servers form.
For a cloud application, the file servers might be predefined by the cloud team. You can define your own file server in this environment by using the default AWS bucket with a root path, or with the Additional Properties section (see below). You can also set up a local web server as a file server.
1. Specify this information:
  Active
  
  Select this field if the file server is currently active and available for use.
  
  Server Name
  
  Specify a name that describes the server, for example FTP_EDI, fileserver1, or EDI_bucket.
  
  Server Type
  Select one of these options:
  
  FTP: Use this option only for on-premises applications.
  
  Shared Path: Use this option only for on-premises applications.
  
  SFTP: Use this option for either cloud or on-premises applications.
  
  AWS S3: Use this option for either cloud or on-premises applications.
  
  Mongoose Web Service: Use this option only for cloud applications.
2. If you select a server type of AWS S3, specify this information:
  
  Bucket Name/Set as Default Bucket
  
  Specify an AWS bucket name or select Set as Default Bucket to set this field to Default.
  
  Root Path
  
  Specify a sub path to use after the bucket path. This allows you to create different file servers under the same bucket name.
  For example: Server1 has a Root Path of /Benefits/
  
  The full path is infor-awsbucket-prd-csbi/PRIVATE/csbi/903/tenant1/site1/Benefits/
  
  Server2 has a Root Path of /CustomerOrders/
  
  The full path is infor-awsbucket-prd-csbi/PRIVATE/csbi/903/tenant1/site1/CustomerOrders/
3. If you select a server type of FTP, SFTP, Shared Server or Mongoose Web Service, specify this information:
  
  Domain
  
  Specify the domain for user logins.
  
  Shared/FTP Path
  
  Specify the path to access the shared server or FTP/SFTP site, for example: //FTP_Server/Infor
  
  or http://port/folder/service
  
  User ID
  
  Specify the user ID to access the shared server, web server, or FTP/SFTP site.
  
  Password
  
  Specify the user password to access the shared server, web server, or FTP/SFTP site.
  
  Remote Server Name
  
  Specify the DNS name/IP address of the server. This is optional for FTP/SFTP but required for a shared UNC server. It is not used for a web server.
4. If the Server Type is AWS, FTP, SFTP, or Mongoose Web Service click Additional Properties to open a new form where you can set key-value pairs. These properties are optional.
  
  See Additional Properties for File Servers.
5. Click Validate to verify the server login information.
6. Click Activate. The file server is now available for selection on other forms.
On the File Server Logical Folders form, specify this information to create logical folders in a file server:
Active

Select this field to immediately activate a new file server without restarting the IDO Runtime. File servers are automatically activated when the first login occurs in the application. The file server is available for use in other forms when Active is selected.

Logical Folder Name

Specify a name for the logical folder.

Server Name

Select the file server where you want the logical folder to reside.

Folder Template
Specify a substitutable folder path.
These substitutable variables can be used for any template:
- USERGROUP() is replaced by the authorization group name.
- LOGICALNAME() is replaced by the logical folder name.
- USERNAME() is replaced by the session user name.
If this template is form-specific, you can use P() and V() values.
Folder Access Depth
Specify the level to which subfolders can be specified under this folder. This should be a value based on the folder path. For example:
```
\depth1
\depth1\depth2
\depth1\depth2\depth3
```
See Example: Setting up templates for logical folders.
Set up the user groups that can access certain logical folders:
1. On the Groups form, set up a group and add users to it.
2. Click Group Authorizations,
3. In the Object Authorizations for Group form, for the selected group, select File Server as the Object Type.
4. In the Object Name field, select a logical folder whose access should be restricted to this group.
5. Set these access privileges to Granted: Delete, Edit and Read.
For on-premises applications, set up physical folders on the server machine to match the logical folder structure, and set up sharing on those folders as appropriate.

After the file servers and logical folders are defined, you can select them on parameters forms and on the Documents and Attached Documents forms. Then users can access the files from the File Maintenance form as shown in this diagram:

SelectFiles-LogicalFolders

You can also use the file server as back up in case the local file system gets shut down or pulled out from the application site. You must set up this report server location in Configuration Manager and any report generated is also copied to this file server. For more information, see the Configuration Manager help topic "New/Edit Application - Advanced tab".