Document Sources

This post is also available in: Deutsch

The document source feature allows users to easily associate and organize documents within KanBo. With this feature, users can link documents from various sources, such as SharePoint, directly to cards or spaces.

This feature enables seamless integration between KanBo and external document storage platforms, providing convenient access to all relevant files and resources in one place. Users can simply click on the document source link within a KanBo card to open and view the associated document, eliminating the need to switch between different applications or platforms.

Documents in KanBo work coordination platform scheme. Space documents, document templates, external documents library.

By utilizing the document source feature, teams can centralize their project-related documents, ensuring easy collaboration, version control, and visibility for all stakeholders. It also streamlines document management and reduces the risk of data duplication or fragmentation across various systems.

How to link your document library with KanBo

By default, all attachments added to a card are stored in a dedicated SharePoint document library. This document library is created during the space creation process – when you create a new space, a new SharePoint Team Site1 is created for you. This functionality also allows you to attach multiple existing SharePoint document libraries to a space.

In addition, permissions from these libraries take precedence over the space. This means that if you are a member of a space and you visit a card that has an associated document from a library that you do not have access to, you will see that document signed in red and will not be able to edit or open it.

Learn how to link your document library with KanBo in 3 steps:

  1. Register the document library in KanBo.
  2. Connect registered document sources with a space.
  3. See how to use it.

Follow the instruction below.

You need the Document Sources role to complete the next steps.

Step 1. Register the document library in KanBo

  1. Go to your  KanBo Settings.
  1. Select Document Sources.

The new window contains all currently used SharePoint document libraries, including those created during every space creation.

  1. To register the already existing document library, click the +Add button.

Now you can choose from 3 options:

  • Modern SharePoint drive – Choose an Office 365’s group which is connected to a modern SP Site
  • Add by URL – Paste the URL to the existing folder in your tenant
  • (RAW) MS Graph file – get Drive ID from MS Graph explorer and paste it here.
  1. Click Add to confirm.

Document source was added.

Click on the three dots button to see more options: Check permissions and Repair Document Sources.

By using the Check permissions button you can verify whether you still have permissions to these libraries.

A green indicator shows that this document library is accessible to you, and red means that you don’t have any permission to this library.

Step 2. Connect registered document source with a space

Now you need to navigate to a specific KanBo space where you want to connect the registered document source.

Only space owners can assign document sources to spaces.

  1. Open a space.
  2. Click More (the three-dot menu) on the top bar.
  3. Select Documents.

Here you can see all the space documents.

  1. Click on the three-dots button and then select Document Sources. Here are document sources already assigned to that space.

You can go there also with Space Settings->Document Sources

  1. Click on + Add to add more document sources. You can check multiple registered document libraries and add them with one click.
  1. After you chose desired libraries, click Add Selected.

Now new Document Sources are added.

  1. Once you click the three-dots button near to Document Source’s name and choose Set as default, all new documents added to the cards will be stored in that Document Source.

You can also remove a Document Source here.

Step 3. See how to use it

Go to space documents and move between libraries using Breadcrumb (select the Home icon to see all available libraries on this space).

Attach documents directly from cards using card documents powers.

Tips & tricks

  • Many spaces can use one common SharePoint document library
  • As a document source, you can connect user’s private OneDrive for Business space. You can share documents with a specific person that will be able to see or edit documents there.
  • You can connect document libraries from different Sites, Site Collections, Web Applications, and Farms. You only need to have permission to that space.

Advanced scenario

Moving card which contains documents from custom document libraries (document sources) between spaces

In this scenario, there are spaces A and B.

Space A contains a default document source and a custom one, added from another Site Collection. Space B contains a default document source and a custom one, added from another Site Collection which is chosen as default in this space.

There is a card in the space A, which contains 2 documents: one (1) from the default document source and one (2) from the custom document source. When you move this card into space B, only document 1 will be added to space B and document 2 will remain the same (it won’t be added again or overwritten).

Was this article helpful?

Please, contact us if you have any additional questions.