Extranet Update: Sub Folders, Hidden Folders and Templates now live

It seems like it was only yesterday we were buried knee deep in snow but it already feels like spring is just around the corner. Looking at the number of updates and new features we’ve added to project-extranet since the turn of the new year it feels like we’re on a bit of a roll.

And here we are with another, bringing in new features based directly on extranet customers feedback.

This update, (which if you are interested takes us to v3.1.0) contains the usual little usability enhancements and tweaks as well as some slight layout modifications aimed at making the extranet work better for those iPad wielding amongst you. The main feature of this update however, is reworked file sharing.

Up to now, when setting up projects it has not been possible to create a folder hierarchy. As customers have expanded the use of their extranets and have started to load up literally hundreds of files to make available to project members, this flat folder structure has, well lacked a little. You’ve told us and we've noticed.

So as of now, this is no longer the case and from this update onwards you can create a full, no restrictions folder tree.

Before: Flat folder structure

After: Build a full folder tree for better organisation

Hidden Folders
A number of you have also asked for ‘hidden folders’ within a project and I’m please to announce that this is now possible as well. You can now mark a folder, or a whole folder branch as hidden. This makes it viewable only by project owners and users with full modify access. For everyone else in the project, it is completely hidden.

As can be seen in these screen shots, hidden folders are differentiated from standard folders by using using grey folders icons.

Administrators and Project Managers can 

view full tree including hidden folders

Other users can only see normal folders. Hidden folders

are not visible.

Templates
Project Extranet has long had the the ability to create templates from which you can base your projects on. The idea behind project templates is simple; it allows you to create templates that contain settings for your common project types, meaning you don't have to set them up each time. Template include which project apps to use, folder structure, default starting app etc.

To compliment this, we have introduced a number of standard built in templates which are setup for common uses for Project-Extranet. These are:

• Customer Accounts
• Document Sharing
• Meeting Workspace
• Photo Sharing
• Project Collaboration
• Shared Calendar
• Shared Contact List
• Task Management

The names are pretty self-explanatory. Hopefully these new built in project templates will give you (and new project-extranet users) a quick and simple way to get the most out of your extranet. They are of course only suggestions, and you can edit/delete these templates and create your own to suite your needs. Simply go to Extranet Settings > Templates.

That’s pretty much it for this release, we’re not out of ideas just yet and have some other interesting developments just around the corner. In the meantime, please keep the feedback coming, we’d love to hear from you and how your business is using your Extranet.

If you are not already a customer of Project-Extranet you can sign up for a free, no obligation trial at www.project-extranet.com.

The latest extranet updates and news can be found at www.project-extranet.com/news or join us on twitter, facebook and blogspot.

Gerry