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Documents: Advanced Features & Tips

This guide covers advanced usage and best practices for the Documents feature in the Edlio Mobile App.

Updated over 3 months ago

This guide covers advanced usage and best practices for the Documents feature in the Edlio Mobile App, helping you maximize the effectiveness of this powerful tool for your school community.

Advanced Folder Management

Optimize your document organization with these folder strategies:

Hierarchical Folder Structure

Create a multi-level folder hierarchy to organize documents logically:

  • Main Categories (Academics, Athletics, Administration)

    • Subcategories (Math Department, Football Team, HR Documents)

      • Specific Collections (Calculus Resources, Game Schedules, Employee Handbooks)

Special Purpose Folders

Consider creating these specialized folders:

  • Featured Documents: A collection of your most important current documents

  • Archives: Store older documents that still need to be accessible

  • Templates: House reusable document templates

  • Department Folders: Dedicated spaces for each department or team

  • Grade-Level Resources: Organized by student grade or age group

Optimization Techniques

Document Compression

Optimize file sizes for better performance:

  1. For PDFs:

    • Use PDF optimization tools before uploading

    • Consider "Save as Reduced Size PDF" options in your PDF editor

    • Aim for web-optimized PDFs (typically under 5MB)

  2. For images within documents:

    • Compress images before adding them to documents

    • Use appropriate resolution (72-150 dpi for screen viewing)

    • Consider JPG format for photos and PNG for graphics with text

  3. For Office documents:

    • Compress any embedded images

    • Remove unused styles and formatting

    • Consider saving as PDF for distribution

Accessibility Considerations

Make your documents accessible to all users:

  1. Use accessible document formats:

    • Create PDFs with proper tagging for screen readers

    • Ensure adequate color contrast

    • Include alt text for images

  2. Follow accessibility best practices:

    • Use proper heading structures

    • Avoid relying solely on color to convey information

    • Include table headers for data tables

    • Provide text alternatives for charts and graphs

  3. Test documents with accessibility tools before uploading

Push Notifications for Documents

Configure push notifications for important document updates:

  1. In the admin panel, insert document(s) for select push notifications

  2. When sending notifications:

    • Keep messages concise

    • Clearly indicate the document name

    • Explain why the document is important

    • Include a direct deep link to the document

Best Practices for Specific Document Types

Forms and Fillable PDFs

Tips for interactive documents:

  1. Use PDFs that users can download to complete

  2. Include clear instructions at the beginning of the form

  3. Test forms on both iOS and Android devices before distribution

  4. Consider using the Forms feature for proper submission

Policy Documents

Managing official policies effectively:

  1. Include version numbers and effective dates in the filename

  2. Maintain a changelog document tracking policy updates

  3. Use consistent formatting for all policy documents

  4. Consider creating summary documents for lengthy policies

  5. Use access controls to ensure policies reach the appropriate audience

Instructional Materials

Optimizing educational resources:

  1. Organize by grade level, subject, and unit

  2. Include clear learning objectives

  3. Make materials visually engaging

  4. Consider accessibility for diverse learners

  5. Link related materials together

Advanced Security Considerations

Document Watermarking

Add watermarks to sensitive documents:

  1. Use the watermarking feature to add:

    • The recipient's name

    • Date of access

    • Confidentiality notices

    • Your organization's name

  2. Watermarks can help:

    • Discourage unauthorized sharing

    • Track the source of leaks

    • Emphasize document status (Draft, Confidential, etc.)

Advanced Access Controls

Fine-tune document access:

  1. Implement role-based permissions with custom roles

  2. Set up temporary access for time-limited needs

Conclusion

By leveraging these advanced features and tips, you can transform the Documents feature from a simple file repository into a powerful communication and resource-sharing platform for your school community.

Remember that the most effective document management system balances organization, accessibility, and security while focusing on the specific needs of your users.

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