FOIAXpress PAL System Configuration Manual

Overview

FOIAXpress PAL facilitates the submission of FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) requests over the internet and allows information to be published to the Electronic Reading Room. FOIAXpress PAL is only supported on SQL Databases.

Getting Started

Before proceeding with the installation, it is necessary to do the following:

• Install and setup the FOIAXpress application and related components

• Install the PAL application and related components

• Configure the SMTP Server to relay email to the email server while using FOIAXpress PAL. The SMTP server must be configured to relay email messages to other domains

FOIAXpress Online Manual

Enabling PAL Options in FOIAXpress

To configure PAL for use, it is necessary to enable PAL and its associated options (Action Offices, Request Types, Custom Fields, Requester Categories and Miscellaneous Fields) in the FOIAXpress application. By doing this, the information displays in the PAL application.

NOTES: The information in this section expects the FOIAXpress application to be installed and configured for use. You must be a member of the Admin group to enable PAL options. For further information concerning PAL options, please refer to the FOIAXpress Online Manual.

Follow the steps below to enable the FOIAXpress PAL:

1. Log in to the FOIAXpress application as an Administrator

2. Click Administration > System Configuration > PAL Configuration. The PAL Configuration screen appears

3. Select the Enable PAL (Public Access Link) Options checkbox

4. Select the Show Add to Reading Room Prompt When Closing Request checkbox

5. Select a Default Document Publishing Format

6. Click Save to retain your modified settings, and then click OK within the confirmation window

NOTES: An option to Show in PAL becomes visible for all PAL objects.

Action Offices

An Action Office is a location (region or department) that shares your instance of FOIAXpress for receiving and responding to FOIA/PA requests. Complete the steps below to configure Action Offices for the PAL:

1. Select Administration > Organization Setup > Action Offices. The Action Offices screen appears

2. In the list, click the Office Code you want to configure to Show in PAL, and then click the Show in PAL (Public Access Link) checkbox, as shown in the image below

1. Click Save

2. Click OK to retain your settings

3. Click OK

4. Repeat steps 2 through 5 for each Action Office to show in PAL, or click Close when Action Offices are fully configured

Custom Fields

Custom Fields are user-defined fields that can be used as an index for search and retrieval of records, as filter criteria in a custom report or used to include information specific to a request, requester, or document that is not covered elsewhere in the application to avoid

redundancy. By default, FOIAXpress provides built-in Custom Tabs for Request, Requester and PAL Reading Room, that can be renamed and customized.

1. Select Administration > Document Management > PAL Reading Room Custom Fields. The PAL Reading Room Custom Field Groups window appears

2. In the list of PAL Reading Room Custom Field Group names, click the row of the group containing one or more field names you want to configure to Show in PAL, and then click Fields

3. You can also create a new custom field group, or add fields to an existing custom field groups within this screen

4. In the list of field names, click the field Name to configure, and then select the Show in PAL (Public Access Link) check box, as shown in the picture below

NOTE: You can click the Move Up and Move Down arrows to configure the order of the Custom Fields that displays in PAL.

1. Click Save

2. Click OK

3. Repeat steps 3 through 5 for each field to configure to Show in PAL (Public Access Link), or click Close

Lookups

Lookups are pre-defined fields configured for most drop down lists in FOIAXpress. Of the different types of fields, the following are used in PAL:

1. Appeal Sub Types

2. Delivery Modes

3. List Options

4. Payment Modes

5. Requester Prefixes

6. Requester Suffixes

Within the Appeal Sub Types and Delivery Fields menu options, you can create, edit or enable lookups to appear in PAL.

NOTE: List Options are values used in conjunction with Custom Fields in FOIAXpress. For the purposes of these instructions, Requester Prefixes will be the type of Lookup used.

Follow the steps below to configure Lookups for PAL:

1. Select Administration > Lookups > Requester Prefixes. The Requester Prefixes screen appears

2. In the list of prefixes, click the Prefix to show in PAL, and then click the Show in PAL (Public Access Link) checkbox, as shown in the picture below

1. Click Save

2. Click OK

3. Repeat steps 2 through 4 for each prefix you want to Show in PAL or click Close

Request Types

FOIAXpress provides you with default request types such as FOIA, PA, or FOIA/PA. Your agency can create new request types, edit existing request types, and delete request types based on their needs.

1. Select Administration > Request Management > Request Types. The Request Types

screen appears.

2. In the list of Request Type names, click the Name you want to configure, and then click the Show in PAL (Public Access Link) checkbox, as shown below.

3. Click Save

4. Click OK to retain your modifications

5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 for each Request Type you want to show in PAL, or click Close

Requester Categories

A requester must be classified in a specific category, known as a Requester Category. The category to which a requester belongs is a qualifying factor for granting a request for waiving the fee and/or expediting a request. FOIAXpress provides default requester categories. Your agency can create new requester categories, edit an existing requester category, and delete requester categories based on their needs.

1. Select Administration > Request Management > Requester Categories. The Requester Categories screen appears

2. In the list, click the Name of the Requester Category you want to configure to show in PAL

3. Click the Show in PAL (Public Access Link) checkbox, and click Save

4. A verification message appears. Click OK to retain the settings

5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 for each additional Requester Category to show in PAL, or click Close

Setting Up the PAL Application

Once the PAL objects have been enabled in FOIAXpress, are synchronized and you can begin setting up the PAL environment.

NOTE: Users must be a member of the Admin group to log into the PAL Configuration application. Users must reboot the server once the configurations are completed to reflect the settings in the application.

Database Configuration

The information presented on this screen is automatically populated with data taken from the PAL installation. Updating this screen is unnecessary unless a new PAL database needs to be configured.

General Settings

The information provided on this screen is specific to your agency.

Enter general information details based on your agency’s requirements as outlined in the table below.

1. Click Save

2. A verification message displays. Click OK to retain the settings

Enterprise

The information on this screen represents the agency’s mailing and contact information. Administrators can upload the agency’s logo if one exists. By default, the Enterprise Configuration screen appears when PAL Configuration is launched.

1. Enter enterprise details, as outlined in the table below:

1. A verification message appears. Click OK to retain the settings

2. Click Save

3. A verification message appears. Click OK to retain the settings

Modules

PAL has two modules: Requester Interface and PAL Reading Room. The Requester Interface allows requesters to submit requests, check the status of a request, create a profile and receive documents. The Electronic Reading Room allows FOIA Specialists to publish documents for searching and viewing by the public from within FOIAXpress. The Dashboard module allows requesters to generate reports and graphs of data based on pre-configured queries and filtered criteria configured by the PAL administrator.

1. Enter the locations for Delivered and Electronic Reading Room Documents

2. Click the Enable send message to office option, if required. This option displays the Compose Message link in the submitted request which allows requesters to send messages to the FOIA office

3. Enter the web address for the Dashboard Administration and Dashboard modules

4. Click Save

5. A verification message appears. Click OK to retain the settings

6. The Dashboard Administration link appears in the left panel of the PAL Configuration application and the Dashboard link appears in the Main Menu of the PAL application

NOTE: The Dashboard option in Main Menu Links Configuration must be enabled for the link to appear in the Main Menu of the PAL application.

Web API

By August 31, 2023 all agencies with automated systems must achieve full interoperability via an API to the National FOIA Portal. Casepoint released the API as an add-on to the FOIAXpress Public Access Link (PAL) as part of its v10.3 release. The API integrates with the FOIAXpress Public Access Link to seamlessly receive a FOIA request from the National FOIA Portal into your Public Access Link, which then populates the request into FOIAXpress where it is processed by your staff. As the request is processed in PAL the requester receives automated status updates and is notified the response is posted for viewing in their private reading room and/or available for download.

Since the API is an add-on, it must be purchased along with PAL if your agency is not currently using PAL. Once purchased, Casepoint provides the agency with the API submission details to populate in the fields below within your agencies Portal Submission Option configuration. Please remember that you may also need to make some changes to your National FOIA Portal profile when you enable this submission format to ensure requesters submitting their requests through the National FOIA Portal are informed of the new process.

Use the Web API screen to configure settings for Web API integration. The Web API screen is shown below:

The fields on this screen are described in the table below:

After the fields have been completed, click Save to save the Web API configuration. Alternatively, click Export End Points to export the configuration as an XML document.

Map Requester Categories

The Web API configuration allows for mapping requester categories to sync with the NFP. The map these categories, navigate to the Web API screen, then click Map Requester Categories at the bottom of the screen. The NFP Requester Category Mapping screen appears as shown below:

The NFP Requester Category corresponds to categories used in the NFP. You can also add Internal Name and select a PAL Requester Category to map. There is also a button to Delete a mapping if needed.

Click Add to create additional mappings. Click Save to retain any changes made to this screen.

View NFP Log

The View NFP Log option allows you to view a log originating from the National FOIA Portal. To view the NFP log, access the Web API configuration screen, then click View NFP Log at the bottom of the screen. The National FOIA Portal Log screen appears as shown below:

Select a date range to display in the log using the (A) Received From Date and (B) Received To Date fields. Also select a (C) Status from the drop-down list. Click (D) Search to show the results. The log displays as shown in the sample below:

Security

Since PAL is accessed by the public sector, it is necessary to provide requesters with a secure environment. The Security Configuration screen allows the PAL administrator to establish a Password Policy for requesters accessing PAL information and data.

To change default values, enter the following information outlined in the table below:

Authentication

The Authentication configuration allows users to enable SAML SSO authentication with Identity Provider for login, as well as form authentication using OTP. Please see the SAML Login and Proof of Identity Configuration manual for more information on integrating SAML SSO Authentication in PAL.

The Authentication Configuration is shown below:

To enable login using Forms Authentication, select the Forms option. There are additional fields to configure OTP Settings, and you are required to select an OTP Notification Type (select None to disable OTP), as well as the OTP Expiry Time (in minutes).

To enable Login with SAML Authentication, select the SAML SSO option, then use the fields on this screen to complete the SAML configuration process:

NOTE: To configure the SAML SSO from PAL Configuration, the PAL configuration application must have permission to the PAL application folder with full control. If this is not applicable, use the PAL SAML Configuration Tool.

See the SAML Login and Proof of Identity Configuration document for steps to configure PAL for SAML SSO.

Authentication Configuration & Identity Validation

Identity Validation (i.e., Login.gov or ID.me) integration is used to authenticate a requester’s proof of identity when submitting a request through PAL. There are two methods of authentication which can be utilized by FX PAL: Identity Assurance Level 1 (IAL1) and Identity.

Assurance Level 2 (IAL2). IAL1 authenticates via standard Username and Password entry, whereas IAL2 leverages an additional Identity Validation Solution to provide proof of identity.

IAL1 authentication is recommended for general login to PAL to ensure requesters are not required to submit proof of identity, unless they are submitting a request type that requires it. The second level of configuration, IAL2, is enabled only when a request type requiring Proof of Identity is selected.

To configure the SAML authentication method for requesters, see the SAML Login and Proof of Identity Configuration manual.

Identity Validation Options

If a request type within FX is configured to require proof of identity, requesters are forced to submit a proof of identity form. A Proof of Identity and Consent form can be found on every submitting Agency website. A hyperlink to the Agency’s Proof of Identity and Consent form can be hosted within the request submission form. Per OMB M-21-04, Agencies must be willing to accept this form in electronic format as sufficient proof of identity. Once completed and saved, this authentication form can be uploaded in the Proof of Identity attachment workspace in the PAL Submission Form.

If the Digital Authentication radio button is selected, a link appears and redirects the requester to Login.gov to login with existing credentials or to create a new user profile. An IAL1 (Username and Password) login is not sufficient to authenticate a requester identity. To provide digital authentication, Login.gov will require an IAL2 profile and will assist the requester with the process of providing their user authentication information. After the requester submits their information, they receive a security code via email or authentication via phone. After successfully completing their validation, the requester is returned to the request submission page, which now has the Proof of Identity validated and will share the validation with the agency upon request submission.

If one of the above Proof of Identity methods is satisfied, the system permits the requester to complete submission of a request.

After a request is received from PAL, the Request Information tab features the Proof of Identity/Consent workspace, which displays the date the requester’s identity validation was received, as well as any attachments provided during request submission. If the request is received via any other submission method, the proof of identity section in FX can be manually updated with the received date and required attachments. If the required information is not provided, the FX requester can use PAL Messages, Email, and/or Letter Templates to request this required information from the requester and stop the clock until Proof of Identity validation is received.

Typically, organizations will satisfy identity requirements using Username and Password or IAL1. If an organization will only be using the application to process FOIA Requests and they do not require proof of identification, they only need to utilize IAL.2.

NOTE: For more information about how proof of identity solutions authenticates a requesters identity or how to partner with an identity proofing solution, visit the solutions providers website (Login.gov or ID.me)

Email Templates

Certain events in PAL trigger an email notice sent to a requester or the FOIA office. These email notices are created from email templates, which represent the automated messages that are sent from PAL. Users with sufficient privileges are able to update the subject and body of the template to suit their agency’s requirements.

1. Click Email Templates

2. Select the type of template from the available list. For an explanation of each template, click the Question Mark button

3. Make any necessary modifications to the subject or body of the template using the available tools provided by the Editor program and preset fields found on the Insert Fields menu

4. Click Save to retain the edits to the template

Email Log

The Email Log tracks messages sent from PAL and is used for reporting and administrative purposes. Administrators can view and print a report of all messages sent based on search criteria.

View & Export

Follow the steps below to view and export items from the email log:

1. Navigate to Administration > Jobs

2. Click Email Log

3. Enter search criteria based on the available fields, as described below the following image:

4. Click Search. The system executes the search and the screen refreshes to display records that satisfied the search criteria

5. Click a link in the Date & Time column to view the message, or double click the desired search result. The screen adjusts to display the sent message

6. Click Back to return to the previous screen or click Print to send a copy of the message to the local or network printer

7. Click the Resend link to a corresponding message to send the message to the requester again

8. Click Export to download a copy of the report to the local or network drive using one of the available formats (Export Options radio buttons)

NOTE: Users are not able to download the Email Log if they are using a secured environment.

Clear Log

Follow the steps below the clear the email log:

1. Navigate to the Email Log Information screen and click Clear

2. The system displays a confirmation message, asking if the user would like to export the log prior to clearing it

3. To export the log, click OK and follow the steps as outlined in the previous section

4. Click Cancel to proceed without exporting

5. After clicking Cancel the system displays a verification message, confirming you’d like to clear the log. Click OK.

6. After clicking OK, the log is automatically cleared. If you selected to export the log, it is automatically downloaded after starting the clear process.

Users

Provisioned PAL users are managed from the Users screen, as shown below:

Administrators can use the New, Edit and Delete buttons to manage PAL users. Follow the steps below to create a new user:

1. Click New. The Create User screen appears

2. Complete the required fields and click Create. The new user is created

NOTE: Fields with a red asterisk (*) are mandatory and must be completed.

Audit Log

FX PAL maintains a record which tracks information for requests where payments are made, and requests are not submitted through sync. The Audit Log allows authorized users to complete audit queries based on their desired search criteria, displayed in the images below:

To execute an audit log search:

1. Login to the PAL Configuration page using the administrator account. Click Audit Log

2. The Audit Log page appears. Select the desired Activities radio button

NOTE: Selecting an Activities radio button may change the Audit Objects listed in the workspace.

3. Select the desired Audit Object from the list

4. Select the Administrator(s) from the drop down list

5. Select the Requester Login Date Range radio button

NOTE: The Requester Login Date Range radio button selection may change the type of Date Range inputs. This procedure uses date picker fields.

6. Complete the Select Date Range inputs

7. Click Search. The page refreshes to display results matching the search criteria. Within the search results page you can print or export the results

After a search has been executed, the application returns results in the format below. The pictured search has returned search results to display the following information:

• Action Taken By

• Action Time

• Workstation

• Comments

Requester Fields

The Requester Fields screen allows administrators to control which fields are presented to a requester when creating a profile. Fields with a red asterisk (*) are mandatory and must be completed. These fields are not editable and are read-only. Fields with a drop down list can be configured to have a standard value.

1. Click Requester Fields

2. Indicate the Required and Visible fields and Default values based on your agency’s requirements.

3. Enter Tooltip information, if required

NOTE: Tooltip information are prompts that users can view when seeking additional information about a field or selection.

4. Click Save

5. A verification message appears. Click OK to retain the settings

6. Click Refresh to reload information on the screen

Request Fields

This screen allows administrators to control which fields are presented to a requester when creating a request. Fields with a red asterisk (*) are mandatory and must be completed to successfully submit a request. These fields are not editable and are read-only. Fields with a drop down list can be configured to have a set of standard values.

1. Click the Request Management link on the left panel. The Request Management screen appears

2. Use the checkboxes to indicate Required and Visible fields, and select any Default values based on your agency’s requirements for the General Information, Shipping and Billing Addresses, Request, Appeal, Fee Information and Other Information sections

3. Click the Elipses (…) button to enter Notes, where applicable. Notes provide a brief explanation of information to the requester

4. Select options for the Attachment Permissions as outlined in the table below. PAL can accept document uploads from requesters in the formats specified, but only if the options are enabled

5. Click Refresh to reload the original settings

6. Click Save to retain the settings. A verification message appears

7. Click OK to accept the settings and close the message window

Appeal Fields

This screen provides administrators the ability to control which fields are presented to a requester when creating an appeal. Fields with a red asterisk (*) are mandatory and must be completed to successfully submit an appeal. These fields are not editable and are read-only. Fields with a drop down list can be configured to have a set of standard values.

1. Click the Appeal Fields link on the left panel. The Appeal Fields screen appears as shown below (a sample portion of the fields are shown):

2. Use the checkboxes to indicate Required and Visible fields, and any Default values based on the agency’s requirements for the General Information, Shipping and Billing Addresses, Appeal, Fee Information and Other Information sections

3. Click the Elipses (…) button to enter Notes where applicable. Notes provide a brief explanation of information to be provided by the requester

4. Select options for Attachment Permissions as outlined in the table below. PAL can accept document uploads from requesters in formats specified only if the option is enabled

5. Click Refresh to reload the original settings

6. Click Save to retain the settings. A verification message appears

7. Click OK to accept the settings and close the message window

Other Settings

Some settings are shared between both Requests and Appeals submitted via PAL. Use the Other Settings screen to adjust these shared settings. The Other Settings screen contains settings Request Status Information, Payment Information and more. The Other Settings screen is shown below:

1. Select the desired options for the Request Status Information. This section allows administrators to control which fields are available when checking the status of a submitted request if the requester is registered or not. Fields that are grayed-out cannot be modified and are the default fields displayed on the Request Status screen. The total width of the displayed fields must equal 100%

2. Indicate whether to Enable Non PAL Requests Status Information. This option allows requests submitted to the FOIA office via mail, email, or fax to be tracked online by PAL users that do not have registered profiles

3. Indicate whether to display Verification Fields while checking the Request Status information without registering. This option allows requests submitted to the FOIA office via mail, email, or fax to be tracked online by PAL users that do not have registered profiles, by requiring the case tracking number, requester last name and characters displayed in the distorted image to ensure the request was not submitted by a computer. Non-registered users will have restricted access to fee information and responsive records

4. Indicate whether to Show Requester Details on Request Submission Form. This option displays the Requester Details section with contact information of the registered requester

5. Indicate whether to Send Email Notification to Requester. This option enables automated notifications sent to the requester when the request is updated to the selected status (es)

6. Click Refresh to reload the original settings

7. Click Save to retain the settings. A verification message appears

8. Click OK to accept the settings and close the message window

Reading Room

Reading Room Fields Configuration

To access documents in the reading room, requesters must first perform a search. The Reading Room screen contains the searchable fields requesters need to complete to retrieve documents.

1. Click Reading Room

2. Indicate the Reading Room Fields you want to be visible in the application

3. Enter any Tooltip information, if required

4. Accept the default value for the Number of Views Constitutes a Popular Document or enter a value. This value represents the number of times a document is viewed before it is considered popular or a frequently requested document

5. Indicate whether you want to Display PAL Reading Room Search Screen for popular documents. This option displays the search screen for the Reading Room Popular Documents section in the application. The search information displayed is the same as the information configured for the Reading Room. To view the search screen, the Reading Room Popular Documents label must be enabled in the Main Menu Links Configuration screen

6. Indicate whether you want to Enable Content Search. This option displays the Content Search field in the reading room and popular documents search screens. This feature allows users to find a specific string of characters, words, or phrases

7. The PAL Reading Room can be configured to display custom fields in the search screen. These fields are created and activated for PAL in the FOIAXpress application

Remote Content Search

The Content Search for the PAL Reading Room can be configured to exist on a separate file repository from the application server. Follow the steps below to enable remote content search:

1. Enable content search per the instructions in the previous section

2. Create a share folder (UNC path) for PAL Reading Room documents

3. Add the PAL application pool account to the UNC path created in the previous step, including Modify permissions

NOTE: If the PAL website is running with the Network Service account, add the system account (domain/computer name$) to the UNC path, including Modify permissions.

4. Update the path in the Reading Room tab under PAL Configuration

Reading Room Documents

Search Reading Room Documents

The Reading Room Documents search configuration allows you to search for documents added to the Reading Room. To search existing Reading Room documents:

1. Click Reading Room Documents. The Search for Documents in Reading Room screen appears as shown below:

2. Use the fields on this screen to locate existing documents. You can refine your search using the Refine Your Search fields

3. Select Reading Room Filing Cabinet(s) to search from the list

4. Use the Folder Name field to locate a specific folder name

5. Use the Published Date fields to search using a specific date range

6. Search document content using the Content Search field

7. Click Search to locate any documents matching the search criteria. The Reading Room Documents screen appears as shown in the following example:

8. You can select any of the results from the list and use the buttons to add New documents, Edit the selected documents, or Delete the selected document

Add Reading Room Documents

You have the option to create and save Reading Room document searches for later use.

1. Click Reading Room Documents

2. Click New. The Add Reading Room Documents screen appears

3. Enter the required elements outlined in the table below

4. Click Save when completed

Display Order

This screen allows administrators the ability to determine the order for Request, Requester, or Reading Room section headers and fields in the application.

1. Click Display Order

2. Select the desired Module from the drop down list

3. Accept the default option to Configure Headers or select Configure Fields

4. The Headers Display Order list updates to display only headers based on the selected module

5. The Fields Display Order field is revealed when the Configure Fields option is selected and automatically adjusts to display fields based on the selected module and header

6. Use the Up and Down arrows to reposition the headers and/or fields

7. Click Refresh to reload the screen with the default settings

8. Click Save to retain the settings

Dashboard Administration

This link launches the Dashboard Administration application. Please refer to the PAL Dashboard User Manual for further information concerning this link.

Online Payment

The online payment option is used to configure the integration between the PAL and an agencies’ existing online payment solution (i.e., Pay.gov). When the Enable Online Payment option is checked, the drop down list includes the name of the integrated PAL online payment solution and, upon selection, displays the configuration fields required to communicate between PAL and the payment solution.

The online payment integration provides the ability for agencies to require payment prior to accepting a request submission and/or providing requesters a method of submitting payment for charges billed to them related to their record request.

In addition, the information the requester sees on their receipt (as triggered by the application) is also configured here. Follow the steps below to configure Online Payments:

NOTE: Each PAL integration is different, so different fields may be available for configuration purposes.

1. Click Online Payment

2. Select the Enable Online Payment checkbox to enable the online payment option for your PAL

3. Under the Payment Option drop down list, select the Payment Option to enable for PAL. These options are based on the integrated payment solution(s) you have connected to your FOIAXpress application

4. After selecting an available Payment Option, additional configuration fields appear to configure the selected payment method

NOTE: The screen below is presented as an example. The fields shown here may not apply to your online payment configuration.

5. After configuring the desired fields as needed, click Save

Main Menu Links

This screen is used to configure the links available to the requester in the left panel.

1. Click Main Menu Links

2. Click the checkboxes next to the options to enable in the Main Menu of the application

3. Accept the default Display Name and Access Key or modify the information based on your agency’s requirements. The Access Key is the keyboard combination used to select a link

4. For example, <Alt> + <R> will select the Request Status link

1. To access additional options to open a link

2. Select the checkbox next to a label name. The Open In drop down list becomes available

3. Click the drop-down list and select Right Panel to display the link on the right panel or New Window to launch a new window when the link is selected

NOTE: Although Administrators have the option to specify an alternate location for opening links, it is not recommended to do so. Keeping the links in the main menu makes it easier for users to navigate within the application.

Enabling Links

Administrators can determine whether a user must be registered in order to submit a request or an appeal and when the Submit Request, Submit Appeal, Request Status and Appeal Status links should appear in the application.

1. Select the desired options based on the information outlined in the table below, as per your agency’s requirements

2. Click Refresh to load the screen with the default settings

3. Click Save to retain the updated settings

Layout Settings

This screen provides guidelines for administrators to customize the appearance of the PAL application theme. Administrators can select one of several predetermined themes, or they can customize their own theme using a custom style sheet.

Standard Theme

The PAL configuration offers several out-of-the-box themes to easily select and apply. Follow the steps below to use a built-in theme.

1. Click Layout Settings

2. Select the theme to apply from the Select theme for Application drop down list

3. If satisfied with the selected theme, click Save to apply the changes to the application

4. A confirmation message displays. Click OK

Custom Theme

You have the option to customize your own theme using a Cascading Style Sheet (CSS) file. You’ll first download the Custom.css file, then edit the contents as needed to customize the look and feel of your application. Follow the steps below to design a custom PAL theme.

NOTE: You will need a working knowledge of CSS in order to create a custom PAL theme

1. Click Layout Settings

2. Select Custom from the Select theme for Application drop down list

3. After selecting Custom, buttons will appear with options to Save or Download. Click Download to save the Custom.css file to your local drive

NOTE: This file must keep the name Custom.css. If the name is changed, PAL will not be able to read the file and apply custom settings.

4. Open the Custom.css file and edit the style sheet file as needed to apply a custom theme. You will need a working knowledge of CSS to fully customize the style, however a basic guide is included on the Layout Settings screen with examples of where and how the CSS file should be edited to produce the desired results. A sample of the Main Menu customization options are shown below.

5. When you have configured your Custom.css file and are ready to apply the layout updates, navigate to Layout Settings and select the Custom theme from the Select theme for Application drop down list.

6. Click Browse and navigate to and select the Custom.css file to upload

NOTE: This file must be named Custom.css. PAL will not accept a custom theme with any other name.

The file path for the selected file appears. Click Upload to upload the custom CSS file.

NOTE: After a custom theme has been uploaded, you can download this custom style sheet file by clicking Download.

7. Click Save to apply the customized theme to your PAL application

8. A confirmation message appears. Click OK to close this window and complete the updates to the layout settings

Messages

Messages Configuration provides a means for administrators to customize content on various screens within the PAL application. Additionally, the header and footer can be customized to suit your agency.

1. Select a Message Type from the Message Type drop down list

2. Add or modify content based on agency requirements using the available tools provided by the Editor program

3. Click Save. A verification message appears

4. Click OK to accept the content and/or settings

5. Repeat steps 1 – 4 for each message to configure

NOTE: The Help message displays the PAL Configuration online manual, and is used by administrators as a reference. The information on this screen is provided by Casepoint and should not be altered.

You must reboot the application server or reset IIS to update the content and settings reflected in the application.

If your system is configured with more than one server, e.g. load balancing servers, make sure messages are configured on both servers.

Change Password

There may come a time when it is necessary to change the Administrator’s password. The Change Administrator’s Password screen allows authorized users to create a new password for the PAL Configuration application.

NOTES: The Password Policy created in the Security module must be followed to successfully change the password.

Changing the password will affect access to the Dashboard Administration application.

Follow the steps below to change the Administrator password for PAL:

1. Click Change Password

2. Enter the Old Password in the Old Password field

3. Enter the New Password in the New Password field

4. Re-enter the New Password in the Confirm Password field

5. Click Submit

Reset a Requester Password

If a requester has requested a password reset, complete the following:

1. If you have received requester password reset request, log in to the PAL Configuration page

2. Log in using the administrator login and password

3. Click Reset Requesters Password. The Search Requester to Reset Password screen appears

4. Using the available fields, enter available search information that will help locate the desired requester

5. After locating the desired requester within the search results page, click the Reset button in the Action column for the desired requester

NOTE: You can click an entry in the search results table to highlight it.

6. The screen refreshes, and the banner indicates that the password reset was successful and the desired requester will receive a password reset email. From this point the user will be prompted to reset their password information.

7. The requester must now access their email and complete the password reset process, using their login and temporary password. If password verification questions were set up during account creation the requester will need to answer them to verify their account complete the password reset.

Disclaimers

Administrators can provide disclaimer information to notify requesters of their agency’s policy

for collecting personal information.

1. Click Disclaimers

2. Add Requester Privacy Disclaimer text based on your agency’s requirements using the available tools provided by the Editor program

3. Select the position for the text to appear on the screen (Top or bottom)

4. Select which screens you want the text to appear on (My Account, Request, and Appeal)

5. Select the display options for the Login Page Disclaimer (Banner, Organization Name, or both). Selecting any one of these items automatically populates the Priority Order field

6. Enter Login Page Disclaimer Text based on your agency’s requirements. The Disclaimer option automatically appears in the Priority Order field once text is entered

7. Use the Up or Down arrows to select the Priority Order of the items to appear on the Login screen

8. Select the option to Show Warning Banner, if required

9. If the Warning Banner is displayed, enter the Warning Banner text based on your agency’s requirements using the Editor program

10. Click Save to retain the settings.

Error Log

The Error Log provides details to help identify problems and for troubleshooting issues that may arise while using the PAL application.

1. Click Error Log

2. Click Clear to remove the Error Log contents. Make any desired alterations to the Error Log display

3. Click Save to store a copy of the Error Log to your local or network drive

Manuals

The information presented on this screen is the PAL Configuration online manual. Administrators can utilize this information as a reference when configuring the PAL application. This information is provided by Casepoint and should not be altered.

National FOIA Portal

The procedures below describe the two halves of the National FOIA Portal Integration with PAL. First, users must generate the XML file, which determines values which are useful in the later stages of the configuration process. Next, users must use the information contained in this XML file to complete the National FOIA Portal Configuration.

NOTE: Only users with Administrator access to the PAL Configuration portal can perform this work.

Integrating PAL with the National FOIA Portal

If your agency purchases a National FOIA Portal integration license, it can perform the integration using the procedures described below:

1. Navigate to your organization’s PAL Configuration portal

2. Enter the Login ID into the field

3. Enter the Password into the field

4. Click Sign In

5. Click Web API. The WebAPI Configuration screen appears

6. Complete the fields described in the table below:

7. Click Save.

8. Click Export Service. An XML file is generated.

NOTE: This XML file contains information such as service end points, action office details, secret key, etc. This content is required for National FOIA Portal Configuration.

National FOIA Portal Configuration

Administrators must use the information contained in the XML file generated in the Integrating PAL with the National FOIA Portal section to complete the National FOIA Portal Configuration. To complete the National FOIA Portal Configuration:

1. Login into National FOIA Portal Configuration page using the Administrator profile

2. Within the left navigation panel, click Web API. The WebAPI Configuration screen appears as shown below

3. Click the National FOIA Portal Integration Module checkbox. The page refreshes and the WebAPI Configuration fields are now enabled

4. Ensure the National FOIA Portal radio button is selected

5. Enter the Security Header Name in the field

6. Click Generate to create a new API Secret Key. Copy this key to your clipboard

NOTES: The Submission API URL is generated in the PAL Configuration page for each action office. You can locate this information within the XML file exported from PAL configuration.

The API Secret Key is used by National Portal to submit FOIA requests securely. Enter the key in the Submission API Shared Secret field in the Portal Submissions Options page of the National FOIA Portal.

1. Enter the five IP Addresses provided by DOJ in the Allowed IP Addresses field

2. Select the desired Request Type from the drop down list. Selections in this field permit ingestion of additional non-FOIA request types

3. Enter any desired Notes in the field

4. Enter any Custom Fields for the Portal in the Custom Fields for Portal workspace

NOTE: This can only be performed after the custom fields are configured in FX.

5. Configure the End Points by selecting the Action Office, Request Type, and End Point URL. Click Add to enter new End Points within the workspace

6. If desired, click Export End Points to export an XML file containing the shared secret key and end point URL required to complete the configuration

7. Click Save. The configuration information is updated

NOTE: The above process needs to be completed for each action office.

Sign Out

Click the Sign Out link on the left panel to exit PAL Configuration application and return to the login screen. A verification message appears. Click OK to continue signing out or Cancel to abort exiting the application.

NOTE: It is necessary to sign out and reboot the server or reset IIS to have the configurations reflected in PAL.

Release Notes

Release notes are communication documents shared with customers and clients of Casepoint, and they detail the changes or enhancements made to the features of PAL. The number of documents varies depending on the type of installation performed. If you have a new installation of PAL, release notes for version 10.1 and above are displayed. However, if PAL was upgraded from one version to another, users may see earlier versions of release notes. Click the document link to open or save a copy to your local/network drive.

The instructions in this section assist administrators in the event images must be inserted into messages such as in the Header. The recommended file type for images are JPG or JPEG.

1. Add the image(s) to the C:\inetpub\wwwroot\PublicAccess Link\Pal\images folder

2. Click Add Image within the Editor’s toolbar. The Picture window appears

3. Enter the URL for public use in the Picture Source field. (This is not the PAL Configuration URL.)

4. For example, https://hudpal.efoia-host.com

5. Add a forward slash and the word “images”

6. For example https://hudpal.efoia-host.com/images

7. Add a forward slash and the name of the image to insert into a message. This must be one of the images copied into the location in Step 1

8. For example, https://hudpal.efoia-host.com/images/testimage.jpg

9. Click OK. The image is inserted into the message