Imported electronic files will be saved as part of an electronic document. That means that the electronic file itself will keep its original format and will be launched in its native application. (For example, the native application for an Excel spreadsheet is Microsoft Excel, so an Excel spreadsheet stored in Laserfiche will still open in Excel.) You can still view metadata, text, and other relevant elements of the document in Laserfiche, however.
Note: The file conversion list displays a list of file types that will not be stored as electronic files.
By default, the original name of an electronic file will be used to name the new document created from it. The only exception is an Outlook email message, where the default name will be the message subject line.
Note: The file extension of an electronic file will only be included in the document name if the Retain file extensions in electronic document names option is selected in Options. See Options: New Documents for more information.
Special Considerations for PDFs
The process of importing PDF files is slightly different from that of importing other types of electronic files, because PDFs have additional options for how they are handled during import.
A PDF can be imported in three ways:
- In its original file format, like other electronic file types. In this case, you will view the document either in your PDF-reading software (usually Adobe Reader) or using the electronic file pane of the Laserfiche document viewer.
- Converted into a Laserfiche imaged document with TIFF pages. In this case, you will view and work with the document in the Laserfiche document viewer.
- Both, generating TIFF pages and also retaining the original PDF. In this case, you can view the PDF in its native application, using the electronic file pane, or as pages in the Laserfiche document viewer.
You can choose how to handle PDFs on an individual basis during import using the Import Dialog Box. You can also set the way they will be handled by default for you in Options: New Documents: Settings.
If you choose to generate TIFF image pages, you can also choose whether to convert the PDF annotations to Laserfiche annotations. By default, when converting PDF pages to TIFF image pages Laserfiche will attempt to determine whether a PDF is color or monochrome, and import appropriately, but you can choose to always import images in monochrome format. Both of these options are also configurable in the Options: New Documents: Settings dialog.
Tip: If you choose not to generate pages from a PDF, you can always do so later. See Generate Pages from Electronic Documents for more information.
Special Considerations for Microsoft Office Documents
Microsoft Office documents can be added to the repository using the same import options as any other electronic file. However, using the Office Integration, you can also send documents directly to Laserfiche from within your Office application. See Creating Documents from Microsoft Office for more information.
Special Considerations for Emails
The process of importing an email message is slightly different than that of importing other electronic files, because of how attachments and properties are handled. In addition, like other Office documents, Outlook emails can be sent directly from Microsoft Outlook. See Creating Documents from Microsoft Office for more information.
Note: Only email messages exported from Microsoft Outlook can take advantage of these enhanced importing capabilities. Email messages exported from other email clients will be imported like any other electronic file.
An email message can contain one or more attachments. Laserfiche allows you to configure how those attachments are imported:
- Keep the attachments with the email message
- File each attachment as its own electronic file
- Store attachments with an email message, filed as separate attachments
In addition, you can choose to save distribution list information about the email.
You can choose how to handle attachments and the distribution list on an individual basis during import using the Import Dialog Box. You can also set the way Outlook emails will be handled by default for you in Options: New Documents: Outlook.
Additionally, basic email information can be stored as field information for the electronic document created for the email message, including who sent and received the message and when it was sent or received. This information is also configured in the Options: New Documents: Outlook.