In-browser Editor

iPassport’s in-browser editor provides a streamlined process to allow the user to edit the content of their documents without the need to download from the system and re-upload when changes are completed.

Users can always retrieve previously uploaded source files (in any format) at any stage for export and back up purposes, or to edit the documents externally.

So, for text based documents, both options (to edit internally or externally) are available to suit the needs of the document and its editors.  Sometimes documents with complex formats and imagery are best edited in their native software (usually MS Word™️); sometimes documents require more protection and using the online editor keeps them safely inside iPassport.

Compatibility

The editor works with most .docx and .doc files. It will also try to edit .pdf source files but the resulting document can lose part of it’s formatting.

The in browser editor should make editing of Word documents much quicker and simpler within the system. However, there are some limitations such as the editor is only available within Draft documents and it is not presently available through the document correction function. To edit a document via document correction the user needs to use the Get Source option to download the source file, make the changes locally and then use document correction to load it back onto iPassport without adjusting the version.

Locking

Only one user can edit a document at any given time. When a document is being edited it is marked as checked out and restricts other users from being able to edit the document or upload a new version via the Procedure tab. A note is displayed stating that the document is checked out and to whom.

The document is unlocked/checked in when the user closes the editor. In the event of the editor not closing correctly (if the browser is closed without saving, for example) the lock will be released after five minutes.

Location

1. The in-browser editor is located in Laboratory Records > Controlled Documents.
   
   
   
2. The in-browser editor is available when the document is in Draft status. It can therefore be used on documents which have first been imported into the system in Draft status, or, when “Create New Version” has been selected to create a copy, in Draft status, of the currently Authorised version.
   
   
   
   
3. Select a document that shows a PDF (uncontrolled copy) icon in the Actions column, this shows there is an editable source document. Click on the row or the magnifying glass in the Actions column to open the document.
   
   
   
4. The 'Edit Document' button should be visible.

When the ‘Edit Document’ button is clicked, the user is presented with the in-browser editor, which should look and feel like Microsoft Word. Here the user can edit text and add images, pages, tables etc.

Adding Images

1. A user can add images to the document by dragging them from a file explorer.
   
   
   
2. Highlight the image, then drag it onto the editor.
   
   
   
3. The image can be edited using the Frame Formatting feature within the editor.
   
   
   

Saving Changes

1. A user can save their changes by clicking the ‘Save Changes’ button in the top right on the editor.
2. A message should display whenever the user saves the document, indicating that the save was successful (or display an error if the document could not be saved).
   
   
   
3. The user can then click the X button to close the Editor.

If the user makes changes to the document and tries to close the editor without saving, the system will inform the user that there are unsaved changes.  Occasionally, just opening the editor for a while will trigger this dialogue box, even if no changes were made.

The user has the opportunity to either drop the changes or go back to the document and click the ‘Save Changes’ button.

When satisfied with the content the document can then be moved to the next stage of its lifecycle (feedback, authorisation, request authorisation etc.).

Auto Saving

Any changes an editor makes to a document are auto-saved in the background every two minutes.

Auto-save is purely a safeguard for lost connection or accidental browser closure. In these events, when the user clicks ‘Edit Document’ the system checks to see if an auto save file exists and if so it will provide the opportunity to recover or discard it.

Change History

The system saves the changes each user makes as a new file in the 'Source File' box, under the General tab.

When new edits are saved the button 'View all uploads for this version of the document' appears, and clicking it will reveal all the source files collected during the edition of the current draft version.

Edits are also stored within the 'Log' tab, these are marked as Update., and the entries are either "<User> checked the document out" or "<User> checked the document back in".

The Log tab records only that a change was made, not what was altered in the document.

Possible Errors

The in browser editor is a tool supplied by a third party which Genial Compliance Systems have incorporated into iPassport. This means that adding functionality is not within the scope of iPassport development. As the editor is updated, Genial will review the changes and make additional features available if they are deemed suitable.

The tool uses a technology called websockets. This opens a tunnel between the user’s browser and the editor. Messages are transmitted between the computer and the server. If this connection is restricted for any reason, a server error may be displayed (see image).

This error message probably indicates an issue with the user’s network which is preventing the user’s computer from communicating with the in browser editor.

In this instance, you should contact your local IT department and provide them with the above details.  We've seen the related features disabled in the Windows registry on individual machines, but also on a local network firewall. Your IT should know where they put the restrictions for the long-running TCP connections.