Workspaces, faceted tags, and access control

1. Overview & Business Value#

This comprehensive operational guide details the architecture, business workflows, configuration parameters, and execution steps for Workspaces, faceted tags, and access control within SmartERP.

In SmartERP Documents Enterprise, document organization is managed through two complementary systems: Hierarchical Workspaces (defining storage boundaries and access permissions) and Faceted Tags (enabling multi-dimensional discovery).

{screenshot:workspaces-and-access-control-overview-dashboard}

2. Prerequisites & Security Access Groups#

• Required Modules: documents, smarterp_dms
• Security Groups:
  • Documents User (Technical ID: documents.group_documents_user)
  • Documents Administrator (Technical ID: documents.group_documents_manager)
• Master Data Dependencies: Workspace hierarchies, document tags, automated actions, OCR rule definitions, and retention policies.

3. Step-by-Step Configuration & Execution#

Step 1: Navigating to the Module Interface#

1. Log into your SmartERP instance at https://smarterp.et/odoo.
2. Open the main App Switcher (grid icon in the top-left corner).
3. Select the Documents app icon.
4. From the top navigation bar, open Documents → Workspaces → Finance / Legal / HR / Operations.

{screenshot:workspaces-and-access-control-app-switcher-navigation}

Step 2: Creating and Parameterizing Records#

1. Click the New button in the top-left control panel.
2. Complete the mandatory fields in the record form:
   • Document Title (Mandatory): Clear descriptive document name
   • Workspace Category (Mandatory): Target departmental archive workspace
   • Attachment File (Mandatory): Uploaded PDF, image, spreadsheet, or scan file
   • Document Owner (Mandatory): Employee or department responsible for custody
3. Configure optional operational parameters and localized tags as required:
   • Document Tags (Optional): Tax, audit, or confidentiality classification labels
   • Facial/OCR Extraction Template (Optional): Automated field mapping profile
   • Expiry Date (Optional): Statutory document retention expiration date
4. Click the Save icon in the control bar to commit the record.

{screenshot:workspaces-and-access-control-record-creation-form}

Step 3: Validating and Processing Transactions#

• State Transitions: Execute operational state progression (Uploaded → Indexed / OCR Processed → Tagged → Approved / Locked → Archived).
• Ledger & System Impact: Document metadata tags and financial attachments link directly to general ledger journal items and vendor bills for instant audit recall.
• Audit Verification: Automated recording of author ID, timestamp, and immutable revision history.

{screenshot:workspaces-and-access-control-transaction-processing-state}

Workspace hierarchy and security rules#

Workspaces (documents.workspace) structure the organization's document repository into parent-child trees:

Company Repository
├── Finance & Accounting
│   ├── Invoices & Bills (AP/AR)
│   ├── Bank Statements
│   └── Tax Filings & VAT
├── Human Resources
│   ├── Contracts & Offers
│   ├── Identification & Credentials
│   └── Payroll Slips
├── Operations & Projects
│   └── Project Deliverables
└── Legal & Corporate Governance
    ├── Board Resolutions
    └── Registered Letters (DMS)

Access Control Levels#

Each workspace defines permissions per user group or individual:

• Read Only: Users can preview, search, and download documents, but cannot upload or modify tags.
• Read / Write: Users can upload new files, edit metadata, apply tags, and create revisions.
• Manager: Full administrative control over the workspace, including deleting documents, moving folders, and configuring tag categories.

Faceted tag categories (Facets)#

Unlike rigid folder structures where a file can only exist in one location, SmartERP Documents supports multi-dimensional faceted tagging:

flowchart TD
    DOC[Document: Vendor_Agreement_2026.pdf]
    DOC --> F1[Facet: Department -> Legal]
    DOC --> F2[Facet: Document Type -> Contract]
    DOC --> F3[Facet: Status -> Active]
    DOC --> F4[Facet: Fiscal Year -> 2018 E.C. / 2026 G.C.]

Facets allow cross-cutting filters: for instance, finding all Contracts across all departments that have a status of Pending Renewal.

External sharing and secure upload links#

Documents and entire workspaces can be shared with external third parties (clients, auditors, vendors) without requiring an Odoo user account:

1. Read-Only Download Links: Generates an expirable tokenized URL with optional password protection.
2. External Upload Dropboxes: Creates an upload drop link allowing external suppliers or candidates to securely upload documents directly into a designated workspace.

4. Advanced Configuration Points#

• Automated Actions & Scheduled Tasks (Crons):
  • Documents: Run OCR field extraction (documents.ir_cron_ocr_process): Runs every 15 minutes to process incoming scanned document text
  • Documents: Archive expired records (documents.ir_cron_retention): Runs weekly to enforce statutory document retention schedules
• Custom Print Templates & Reports:
  • Document Audit Trail & Access Log
  • Workspace Document Storage & Activity Ledger
• Multi-Company Rules: Record-level security isolation under Company 1 (Ashewa Technology Solutions S.C.), preventing cross-company ledger leakage across parent and subsidiary legal entities.

5. Comprehensive Troubleshooting Matrix#