Collections

Collections Overview

Learn how to use collections in Heretto CCMS to group files located in different folders, enhancing easy access and organization. Explore configurations, permissions, limitations, and essential procedures for adding, renaming, removing files, and managing collections effectively.

Collections are a type of Heretto CCMS metadata. You can use collections to group different files together in the Content Library, regardless of the folder structure.

Users assigned the Administrator role in the CCMS can create and manage collections from the Administration interface. Users assigned the Administrator, Author, or Editor/Manager role can add files to and remove files from a collection. Any user can browse existing collections from the Content Library.

Figure 1. Collections in the Content Library

Collections in the Administrator interface — Figure 2. Collections in the Administration interface

Collections Facts and Recommendations

Learn important facts and recommendations about collections.

Use Cases

The way you use collections depends on the nature and organization of your content. Here are some common examples of how you can use them:

If your commonly used files, like DITAVAL files, are located in different folders, you can add them to one collection to easily access them when setting up an assignment or publishing content.
You may want to mark your content with information about the document audience or type. For example, you may want to mark your maps as internal, external, beta, NDA-required, and so on to internally indicate the character of the content and to provide easy access. For example adding a map to a beta collection would indicate that it contains content about a Beta (not yet released) functionality. You could also add the content to an NDA-required collection, to indicate to any CCMS users that only customers with a signed non-disclosure agreement (NDA) are eligible to receive the content.

Permissions

Only users assigned the Administrator role can add, manage, and remove collections.
Users assigned the Administrator, Author, or Editor/Manager role can add files to and remove files from collections.
Any user can use collections to browse through files in the Content Library.

Configurations

Contact your Customer Success Manager to discuss available configurations.

Heretto CCMS can be configured to automatically require a collection upon file creation. This helps to ensure that every new file is part of a collection.

Limitations

You cannot use collections to serve as metadata or for search functionality in Heretto Portal. The purpose of collections is to provide an additional way to organize files in the CCMS that works across your entire Content Library.
Files are added to or removed from collections individually, as bulk operations are not supported. For efficiency, consider a configuration to automatically require a collection upon file creation.
Keep in mind that when you delete a collection entry from the Administration interface, it will be removed from all associated files. This operation cannot be undone.

Add a Collection

By default, no collections are present in Heretto CCMS. Add collections to the CCMS to start using them. Only users with the Administrator role in the CCMS can create and manage collections from the Administration interface.

In the top-left corner, click the Main Menu and select Collections.
Click the existing collection entry Unnamed 1 and, in the Label field, give it a meaningful name.

The value you add in the Label field is visible in the Content Library. The Name field is used as a unique identifier by the CCMS and is populated automatically. At this point, you can still modify the entry name. Once you save the entry, you can still modify its label but not its name.
Click Save.
Right-click the renamed entry and do any of the following:
- To create a new, top-level entry, select Create Term Below.
- To create a child entry under the existing entry, select Create Narrower Term.
Give the new entry a meaningful name. Click Save.
Keep adding new entries as needed.
Once you are satisfied, click Save all changes.

You added collections to the CCMS. They are now visible in the Content Library. Any user can use collections to browse through files. Users assigned the Administrator, Author, or Editor/Manager role can add files to collections.

Figure 3. Collections in the Content Library

Rename a Collection

You can rename a collection entry by modifying its label. Only users with the Administrator role in Heretto CCMS can rename collections.

In the top-left corner, click the Main Menu and select Collections.
Click the collection entry you want to rename and, in the Label field, enter a new value. Click Save.
The value in the Name field is used as a unique identifier by the CCMS and cannot be modified.
Click Save all changes.

The new entry label is immediately visible in the Content Library.

Add Files to a Collection

Adding files to collections is similar to adding Heretto CCMS metadata to files. You add files to collections manually in the Resource Drawer. Users assigned the Administrator, Author, or Editor/Manager role can add files to collections. Any user can use collections to browse through files in the Content Library.

Add collections of your choice to the CCMS. See Add a Collection.

In the Content Library, click a file you want to add to a collection.
In the Resource Drawer that opens on the right, scroll down to Collections.
Click the Collections field and select the collection entries that are applicable to the file you selected.
Your changes are saved automatically.

When users browse files within collections in the Content Library, the file will appear in the search results of the selected collections.

Remove Files from a Collection

You can remove a file from a collection manually in the Resource Drawer. Users assigned the Administrator, Author, or Editor/Manager role can remove files from a collection.

Note:

If you want to remove a collection entry from all files, consider removing it from the Administration interface. As a result, the collection entry is automatically removed from both your collections and all files it was previously added to. See Remove a Collection.

In the Content Library, click a file you want to remove from a collection.
In the Resource Drawer that opens on the right, scroll down to Collections.
In the Collections field, remove the collection entry of your choice by clicking next to that entry.
Your changes are saved automatically.

You removed a file from a collection. Repeat this procedure for any other files.

Remove a Collection

When you remove a collection entry from the Administration interface, it is automatically removed from all files it was previously added to as well. This operation cannot be undone. Only users assigned the Administrator role in the CCMS can remove collections from the Administration interface.

In the top-left corner, click the Main Menu and select Collections.
Right-click a collection entry and select Remove Term.
If the entry you want to remove has child entries, they will be removed with the parent entry. This operation cannot be undone.
Click Save all changes.

You permanently removed a collection entry or group of entries from your collections. If any of the entries were added to files in the Content Library, they have been removed from those files as well. This operation cannot be undone.

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