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User Guide · Documents Module

The GeoCore Manual

A walk-through of the GeoCore Documents (DMS) module: setting up projects and metadata schemas, then using the day-to-day features like notifications, alerts, and virtual folders to keep your project documents organized and on schedule.

01

Adding a New Project

To begin, go to geocore.pages.dev.

Overview of the Login Screen

When you first arrive, you’ll land on the login screen. Use the login option at the top of the page to sign in.

GeoCore login screen
Fig 1.1   The GeoCore login screen.

Create a New Project

Go to the Project section and click the “New Project” button. A popup appears where you enter a Project Name. Once the project is created, select it to open the project view. As shown below, every new project follows the same layout.

Creating a new project
Fig 1.2   The project view for a newly created project.
02

Setting Up the Document Module

When you first open the document management module, there are no items to explore yet, so we’ll start with the settings. Under Settings you’ll find four options:

  • Metadata SchemaSet or edit the metadata schema used for document management.
  • Location MetadataSet or edit the metadata that appears in the Mapping Module.
  • Virtual FoldersSet or edit the virtual folder hierarchy.
  • Clone from ProjectCopy the metadata schema and location metadata from a previously configured project.
Note

Cloning means you only have to create a schema once, then reuse it across many projects.

Document module settings
Fig 2.1   The four setup options in the document module.
03

Updating / Setting Up the Metadata Schema

Selecting “Metadata Schema” from Settings opens a form builder with several options, including:

  • Form BuilderVisually format the upload form, which appears each time a new document is added to the system.
  • PreviewShows a preview of the current form design.
  • CopyCopy the metadata schema for use in other projects.
  • PastePaste a metadata schema copied from a previous project.
  • Schema SettingsName the current schema and choose whether the form appears.
  • Add FieldAdd a new field to the metadata schema to track any type of data.
  • Save SchemaThere is no automatic save, so save your progress manually.
  • Delete SchemaDelete or reset the metadata schema.
Metadata schema form builder options
Fig 3.1   The metadata schema toolbar and its options.
04

Adding New Fields to the Metadata Schema

Click the Add Field button to open the “Add Field” dialog box. The dialog offers several field types for recording data in any format you need, from standard text and dates to dropdowns and checkboxes. Two special field types, Contact and Multi-Contact, let you link to the project’s Address Book.

Text-Type Fields

After selecting a Text type, you can complete the field as shown:

  • LabelThe name of the field.
  • DescriptionOptional. Helps users when completing the form.
  • PlaceholderOptional. Sets a default value.
  • Required FieldSets the current field as required.
  • Min / MaxSets the allowed length of the response.
  • VisibilitySets when the field appears. By default, all fields are visible for data entry.
  • CancelCloses the dialog box without saving.
  • Save FieldSaves the field.
Note

Text, Number, Date, and Time fields share similar properties, except that Min / Max is not available for Date and Time fields.

Text field properties
Fig 4.1   Properties for a text-type field.

Dropdown & Multi-Select Fields

After selecting a Dropdown (or Multi-Select) type, you can complete the field as shown:

  • LabelThe name of the field.
  • DescriptionOptional. Helps users when completing the form.
  • PlaceholderOptional. Sets a default value.
  • Required FieldSets the current field as required.
  • OptionsLists all the options for the dropdown, one option per line.
  • VisibilitySets when the field appears. By default, all fields are visible for data entry.
  • CancelCloses the dialog box without saving.
  • Save FieldSaves the field.
Dropdown field properties
Fig 4.2   Properties for a dropdown / multi-select field.

Checkbox Fields

After selecting a Checkbox type, you can complete the field as shown:

  • LabelThe name of the field.
  • DescriptionOptional. Helps users when completing the form.
  • PlaceholderOptional. Sets a default value.
  • Required FieldSets the current field as required.
  • VisibilitySets when the field appears. By default, all fields are visible for data entry.
  • CancelCloses the dialog box without saving.
  • Save FieldSaves the field.
Checkbox field properties
Fig 4.3   Properties for a checkbox field.

Special Fields

The File Upload option lets users attach additional files to a document being uploaded as metadata. The attached file carries no metadata of its own; it serves purely as a reference file.

After selecting File Upload, you can complete the field as shown:

  • LabelThe name of the field.
  • DescriptionOptional. Helps users when completing the form.
  • PlaceholderOptional. Sets a default value.
  • Required FieldSets the current field as required.
  • Accepted File TypesSets which file types are allowed.
  • Max File Size (MB) & Max FilesLimits the size and number of files users can upload.
  • VisibilitySets when the field appears. By default, all fields are visible for data entry.
  • CancelCloses the dialog box without saving.
  • Save FieldSaves the field.
File upload field properties
Fig 4.4   Properties for a file upload field.

Contact & Multi-Contact Fields

Info

Contact and Multi-Contact let users select one contact or multiple contacts, respectively, from the project’s Address Book.

After selecting Contact, you can complete the field as shown:

  • LabelThe name of the field.
  • DescriptionOptional. Helps users when completing the form.
  • PlaceholderOptional. Sets a default value.
  • Required FieldSets the current field as required.
  • VisibilitySets when the field appears. By default, all fields are visible for data entry.
  • CancelCloses the dialog box without saving.
  • Save FieldSaves the field.
Contact field properties
Fig 4.5   Properties for a contact field.
05

Using the Form Builder within the Metadata Schema

You can update the form’s style at any time to make data entry easier. By default, all fields are listed in a single column in the order they were created. To change this, click the Form Builder.

Form builder overview
Fig 5.1   The Document Metadata Form Builder.

When you open the Document Metadata Form Builder, you’ll see the following options:

  • Design ElementsDivider and Section elements that can be dragged and dropped into the builder to organize fields with proper sections and breaks.
  • Data FieldsShows all fields available to be assigned. Any field dragged into the builder disappears from this list.
  • Form Builder (canvas)Drop and arrange fields in the central canvas, where they appear in the style applied here.
  • PreviewShows how the form will look to users when a new file is being uploaded.
  • CopyCopy the design of the current form.
  • PastePaste a copied style.
  • SaveThe form builder does not save automatically, so save often.
  • Field FormattingSelect any field in the canvas; the right-hand panel then lets you adjust how it appears and edit its data.
Form builder field formatting
Fig 5.2   Arranging and formatting fields in the canvas.

Try it: sample form schema

Copy the JSON below and paste it into the Form Builder’s import dialog to load a ready-made metadata form. Use it as a starting point for your own schemas.

sample-form.json
06

Setting Up Cascading Dropdowns

Cascading dropdowns let one Select field control the options available in another, for example, choosing Type of Record filters the list shown in Subtype, which in turn filters Sub Subtype. This section walks through the setup end-to-end.

Step 1: Create the parent field

  1. Add a field and choose Select as the type.
  2. Enter the options using value:Label format, one per line.
  3. Save the field.
Creating a parent Select field with value:Label options in the Form Builder
Fig 6.1  Creating the parent Select field with options entered in value:Label format.

Step 2: Add the child field

  1. Add another Select field.
  2. Leave the Options list empty; the child's options are supplied by the parent.

Step 3: Link the parent and child

  1. Open the child field and enable Cascading Dropdown.
  2. Pick the parent field from the list.
  3. For each parent option, enter the child options in value:Label format.
  4. Leave the mapping blank for any parent option that should show no children.
Linking a child Select field to a parent with per-option mappings
Fig 6.2  Linking the child field to the parent and mapping each parent option to its own list of child options.

Step 4: Add deeper levels (optional)

Repeat steps 2–3 with the child field as the new parent to build multi-level hierarchies such as Type → Subtype → Sub Subtype → Record Detail. There is no fixed depth limit; each new level cascades from the one above it.

Note

The system validates each cascade on save. It will warn if the chosen parent field does not exist or is not a Select type, so cascades cannot be linked to text, date, or numeric fields.

07

Notifications & Alerts

Audience: all project members. Applies to the GeoCore Web Documents (DMS) module.

Overview: how the pieces fit together

In GeoCore, Notifications and Alerts are two halves of one feature:

  • An Alert is a reminder attached to a specific document, for example “Permit expires”, “Renew insurance”, or “Submit inspection report”. Each alert has a date, an importance level, an optional reminder lead time, and can be assigned to teammates.
  • Notifications are how GeoCore tells people about those alerts: by email (sent automatically) and through the in-app Notifications page, where every alert in the project is listed.

So an Alert is the record you create on a document; Notifications are the emails and dashboard that surface it to the right people at the right time. You reach the dashboard from the Documents page using the Notifications (bell) button.

How you get notified

GeoCore sends document-alert notifications automatically by email. There are four kinds:

NotificationWhen it is sentWho receives it
ReminderAhead of the due date, based on the alert’s Reminder lead time (only if a reminder was set)Assigned users + the alert creator
DueWhen the alert’s date/time arrives. The alert’s status changes from Pending to TriggeredAssigned users + the alert creator
EscalationWhen a due (“Triggered”) alert has not been acknowledged or dismissed within ~24 hoursAssigned users + creator + project admins
Daily digestOnce every morning, summarizing each person’s open alerts (overdue ones flagged)Each assigned user with open alerts
Notes

Each email lists the Document, Note, Due date, and Importance, plus an Open Notifications button that links straight to the dashboard. The system checks for due notifications every few minutes, so an email arrives shortly after its trigger time, not necessarily to the exact second. Each notification is sent once, so you will not get duplicates. Acknowledging or dismissing an alert stops further emails for it, and in particular prevents the overdue escalation email.

Key concepts (the fields on an alert)

FieldWhat it means
NoteA short description of the reminder. Required. Up to 2000 characters.
Alert DateThe date/time the alert is due. Defaults to tomorrow at 9:00 AM. Required.
ReminderHow far ahead to send the reminder email (lead time). Options: No reminder, 1 day, 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month before.
ImportancePriority level: Standard, Important, Critical, Other. Controls color-coding in the dashboard.
Assigned UsersProject members responsible for the alert. They receive its notifications. Only members of the project can be assigned.
StatusLifecycle of the alert: Pending, Triggered, Acknowledged, Dismissed.

Importance levels

LevelColorUse it for
CriticalRedHard deadlines, legal/compliance, expiries
ImportantAmberTime-sensitive items that need attention
StandardGreyRoutine reminders
OtherBlueAnything that does not fit the above

Status values

StatusMeaningSet by
PendingActive and waiting; the default for a new alert.System (on creation)
TriggeredThe alert’s date has arrived; the “due” notification has gone out.System (automatically when due)
AcknowledgedA user has seen it and confirmed it is handled. Stops escalation.User
DismissedClosed without action or no longer relevant. Stops escalation.User

Who can do what (permissions)

ActionRequired access
Create an alertWrite permission on the document (and the document must belong to a project)
Edit or delete an alertThe alert creator, or a document admin
Acknowledge or dismiss an alertAnyone with read access to the document
Be assigned to an alertMust be a member of the project

Step 1: Add an alert while uploading a document

You can attach an alert at the moment you upload a file.

  1. Start a document upload on the Documents page, uploading into a project (the alert option appears only for project uploads in per-file mode).
  2. In the upload panel, find the Alert / Notification section and switch the Add Alert toggle on.
  3. Fill in the Note, Alert Date, Reminder, Importance, and optionally Assigned Users.
  4. Complete the upload. The alert is saved with the new document and its notifications are scheduled automatically.
Upload panel with the Alert / Notification section expanded
Fig 7.1  The upload panel’s Alert / Notification section with the Add Alert toggle expanded, showing Note, Alert Date, Reminder, Importance, and Assigned Users.

Step 2: Add or manage alerts on an existing document

  1. Open a document to its detail page.
  2. Scroll to the Alerts section.
  3. Click Add Alert to open the alert form, fill it in, and click Create Alert.
  4. Existing alerts are listed here. From each one you can Acknowledge, Dismiss, Edit, or Delete (subject to permissions).
Document detail page showing the Alerts section
Fig 7.2  A document detail page with the Alerts section, the Add Alert button, and existing alerts listed.
Create Alert form with Note, Alert Date, Reminder, Importance, Assigned Users
Fig 7.3  The Create Alert form with the Note, Alert Date, Reminder, Importance, and Assigned Users fields.

Step 3: Open the Notifications dashboard

  1. Go to the project’s Documents page.
  2. Click the Notifications button (bell icon) in the toolbar.
  3. This opens the Notifications page: the central list of every alert in the project.
Documents toolbar with the Notifications bell button highlighted
Fig 7.4  The Documents toolbar with the Notifications (bell) button highlighted.
Notifications page header and the full alerts table
Fig 7.5  The Notifications page header and the full alerts table.

Step 4: Find the alerts you care about

The Notifications page gives you several ways to narrow the list:

  • Upcoming Alerts / Past Alerts tabs: split by whether the alert date is in the future or the past. Each tab shows a count.
  • Search: match by document name or note text.
  • Importance filter: Critical, Important, Standard, Other.
  • Status filter: Pending, Triggered, Acknowledged, Dismissed.
  • Assignee filter: show only alerts assigned to a specific member.
  • Sort: click any column header (Document, Note, Alert Date, Reminder, Importance, Status, Created By, Assigned To, Ack By, Ack Date) to sort; click again to reverse.

Pending Critical alerts show a red left border and Important ones an amber border, so urgent items stand out.

Filter bar with search, importance, status, assignee, and the Upcoming / Past tabs
Fig 7.6  The filter bar (search, importance, status, assignee) and the Upcoming / Past tabs with their counts.
Alerts table with color-coded Importance and Status badges
Fig 7.7  The alerts table showing color-coded Importance and Status badges, including a red-bordered Critical row.

Step 5: Act on an alert

From the dashboard (or the document’s Alerts section), each open alert offers quick actions:

  • Ack (Acknowledge): mark that you have seen and handled it. Records your name and the date/time under Ack By / Ack Date, and stops any further escalation emails.
  • Dis (Dismiss): close it as no longer relevant. Also recorded, and also stops escalation.
  • View Document (eye icon): jump straight to the related document.
  • Delete (trash icon): permanently remove the alert (creator or document admin only; asks for confirmation).
Act promptly

Once an alert is due, you have roughly a day to acknowledge or dismiss it before an escalation email goes to the project admins.

What a notification email looks like

Every alert email uses the same clean layout: a GeoCore header, the alert details (Document, Note, Due, Importance), and a blue Open Notifications button that takes you to the dashboard for that project. The escalation email is styled with a red “past due and not acknowledged” warning; the digest lists all of your open alerts with overdue ones marked.

Example alert email with the details block and Open Notifications button
Fig 7.8  An example alert email showing the details block and the Open Notifications button.

Tips & best practices

  • Write action-oriented notes. “Renew environmental permit, submit form 3 weeks prior” beats “permit”.
  • Always set a Reminder lead time for anything with prep work, so the reminder email lands with enough runway.
  • Assign the right owners. Assigned users (and the creator) receive the emails; assign whoever actually needs to act.
  • Use Critical sparingly so it stays meaningful for true deadlines.
  • Acknowledge or dismiss promptly. This keeps the Upcoming tab focused and prevents unnecessary escalation emails to admins.
  • Check the daily digest. Each morning’s summary is the quickest way to see everything still open and anything overdue.
For admins

The exact send cadence, escalation delay, and email provider are configured by your administrator.

08

Working with Virtual Folders

Virtual folders let you browse documents organized automatically by their metadata, for example by Type of Record → Status → Year, instead of by the physical folders they were uploaded into. Nothing is moved or copied; it’s just a different view of the same documents. Change a document’s metadata and it instantly appears in the right virtual folder.

You can view the same documents two ways: Classic (the traditional folder view with all files in a single list, filterable by dropdowns) or Dynamic (metadata-driven virtual folders).

Permissions

Only company admins can enable virtual folders and create configurations. Anyone on the team can browse them once they’re enabled.

Before you start

Virtual folders are built from metadata fields, so the project needs an active Metadata Schema first. If it doesn’t have one, the settings page shows a yellow “No Metadata Schema” warning with a link to set one up.

Step 1: Open Virtual Folder Settings

  1. Go to the project’s Documents page.
  2. Click the Settings button (gear icon) in the top-right toolbar.
  3. Choose Virtual Folders from the dropdown.

Step 2: Enable Virtual Folders

Switch the Enable Virtual Folders toggle on. More options appear once it’s enabled.

Step 3: Choose the Default View

Under Default View, pick what users see first when they open Documents:

  • Traditional (Folders): opens in Classic view.
  • Dynamic (Virtual Folders): opens in virtual view.

Each user’s last-used choice is remembered on their device, so this is just the starting point.

Step 4: Create a Folder Configuration

A configuration defines the folder hierarchy, which metadata fields become folder levels and in what order.

  1. In Saved Configurations, click + New Configuration.
  2. Enter a Configuration Name (e.g. “By Record Type & Date”).
  3. Under Folder Hierarchy, use + Add field to hierarchy to add metadata fields one at a time. Only groupable field types appear: dropdown, multi-select, text, number, and date.
  4. Drag the rows (using the handle on the left) to set the order. The labels L1, L2, L3 show the folder nesting; L1 is the top level.
  5. Optionally, type a Custom label for any level to rename it in the breadcrumb.
  6. Click Create Configuration.
Date fields

When you add a date field, a grouping selector appears with three choices: Full Date (one folder per exact date), Year / Month (two levels), or Year / Month / Day (three levels). A single date field can generate several folder levels automatically.

Step 5: Set the Active Configuration & Save

  1. Each configuration is listed with its level count and last-modified date. Click the radio button next to one to make it the Active configuration, which is what everyone browses.
  2. Click Save Settings to store the enable toggle and default view. Creating, editing, deleting, and activating configurations save immediately on their own.
Managing

The pencil icon reopens a configuration for editing; the trash icon deletes it (a second click confirms). You can’t delete the only remaining configuration.

Step 6: Browse in Dynamic View

Back on the Documents page, once virtual folders are enabled and the active configuration has at least one level, a Classic / Dynamic toggle appears in the toolbar.

  1. Click Dynamic.
  2. The left panel becomes a virtual folder tree, and the main area shows folders with their document counts.
  3. Click into folders to drill down. The breadcrumb (starting with All) shows your path; click any segment to jump back.
  4. Documents missing a value for a level are grouped under an Unassigned folder.

Step 7: Switch Between Configurations While Browsing

If a project has two or more saved configurations, a configuration selector dropdown appears in the toolbar (Dynamic view only). Use it to instantly re-organize the same documents a different way, for example, switch from “By Department” to “By Date.”

Good to know

  • Multi-select fields: a document with several values appears in each matching folder.
  • Sorting: years newest-first, months in calendar order, days ascending, everything else alphabetical. Unassigned always sorts last.
  • Live updates: changing a document’s metadata moves it between virtual folders automatically, with no re-filing needed.