About Collaboration

The FX Collaboration Portal provides a platform for FOIAXpress users to work together on requests with others outside their FOIAXpress environment, easily collaborating on requests for documents and document reviews.  

This document provides instructions for FOIAXpresssers to work in the Collaboration Portal. The following topics are covered in this section:

• Requests for Documents: Details on sending and completing a Request for Documents in the FOIAXpress application

• Consultation Reviews: How to send documents for consultation review using Collaboration

• Correspondence: Sending and receiving messages from the Collaboration Portal

Requests for Documents

Sending a Request for Documents

One of the main uses for the Collaboration Portal is to request documents from a source who does not have access to FOIAXpress. Follow the steps below to submit a Request for Documents to a contact using the Collaboration Portal.

1. Open a request that has been assigned. Requests that have not yet been assigned are not eligible for RFDs

2. Select (A) Request for Documents from the left-hand navigation, then click (B) New

The New Request for Documents screen, as shown below, opens. In the following sections, we’ll cover how to fill out each section.

Request for Documents Mode/Information

On the New Request for Documents screen, locate the Request for Documents mode field and select Send via Collaboration Portal.  

Next, use the File Cabinet Drawer field to select the folder in FOIAXpress where you’d like the documents to be delivered.

You can also include Comments, update the Request Date and Due Date, and set a Priority level in this section.

Select a Program Office/Consultancy

The next step is to select the Program Office/Consultancy that you’re sending the request to. In the Send to: Program Offices section, click Add Program Offices.

The Create/Search Program Office/Consultancy screen appears as shown below:

Here, you can search for and select from existing Program Offices/Consultancies, or create a new Program Office/Consultancy.  

NOTE: You can add multiple Program Offices/Consultancies if needed.

Select an Existing Program Office/Consultancy

To select an existing PO/Consultancy, locate it in the list and select the (A) checkbox next to its Name. Then, click (B) Select to add it to the RFD.

The Program Offices list will refresh with your selection(s). When you’re finished adding Program Offices/Consultancies, click Next to move on:  

Create a New Program Office/Consultancy

To create a new PO/Consultancy, click the (A) Create New Program Office/Consultancy tab.  

In the Category section, indicate whether it is a Program Office, Consultancy, or Both. Then, fill out the applicable fields in the Program Office/Consultancy Information section, including the PO/Consultancy title and Action Office. You should also include some Contact Information, including the PO/Consultancy point of contact’s First Name, Last Name, and Country.  

NOTE: You must select the (C) Collaboration Access Portal checkbox for the PO/Consultancy to receive the RFD via Collaboration Portal.

When you’re finished, click (D) Save.

The Program Offices list will refresh with your selection(s). When you’re finished adding Program Offices/Consultancies, click Next to move on:  

Configure and Send the Message  

After you’ve clicked Next, the New Request for Documents screen will move to step 2.  

1. First, you can use the Attachments menu to share any relevant documents with the RFD recipient, such as the original request letter for context.

2. After adding an attachment using any of these methods, the Attachments to RFD list will update with your attachment(s)

3. Next, configure the message the RFD recipient will receive with the request in the Collaboration Portal. First add a Subject for the message. You can also edit the (B) message body as needed

4. When you’re ready to submit the request, click (C) Send Message. A pop up message appears to confirm sending the RFD. Click OK to continue

5. The Job Progress window will appear. You can wait on this screen until the job is complete, or you can click Close Window

NOTE: If the job fails, you’ll receive an email notification.

5. The Request for Documents screen refreshes with the new RFD included on the list

Receiving Responses from Collaboration

When you receive a response to your RFD from a collaborator, the easiest point of access is via your Messages on the Home Page. Follow the steps below to receive records provided from the portal.

1. Click Messages from Collaboration Room link on the Home Page to access your Collaboration Messages

2. The Collaboration Messages screen appears as shown below. Click the message you’d like to open, then click View Message

3. The Message from Collaboration screen displays the message contents. You’ll see the message subject, body text, and, most importantly, the RFD documents in the Attachments list

4. There are three options for moving the attachments into FOIAXpress: Add to Review Log, Add to Correspondence Log, and Add to Document Management. Each is detailed in the following table:

5. Once you’ve moved the attachments, the action is reflected on the Message Details screen as shown below:

6. Click Close, then click Go To Request from the Collaboration Messages screen:

7. Click (A) Request for Documents, then select the request you just completed and click (B) Take Action:

8. On the Request for Documents Action screen, under Status select Completed

9. Check the Completed checkbox and enter the Completed Date

10. Click Save to save the action. The status updates to Completed, and the RFD will update on Collaboration Portal to let the portal user know the task is complete.

Consultation Reviews

Send Documents for Consultation Review

Another use for the Collaboration Portal is to send documents for Consultation Review to a collaborator who does not have access to FOIAXpress. Follow the steps below to send documents for consultation via the Collaboration Portal:

1. First, navigate to the folder with the document(s) you’d like to send and open it in Document Management. Once you’re in Document Management, locate the document/folder in the document tree and load any review layer you’d like to include

2. Right click the document/folder and click Send/Save for Consultation Review:

3. Next, select the page range you’d like to include. You can select All Pages, or include a Pages List. Then, click OK

4. The Send/Save Documents for Consultation screen opens. First, under Consultation Type, you must select Send via Collaboration Room. This ensures the request is sent to the portal for consultation review:

5. To associate this consultation with a Request, click the lookup button

1. To locate a specific request, fill out the Search Criteria, then click Search. To view a list of all requests, click Search without filling out the criteria fields

2. Scroll down to view the Requests list. Select the (A) request you want to associate with the consultation, then click (B) Select

6. The page will refresh to the Send/Save Documents for Consultation page, with the Request ID populated

7. Now, you can continue filling out the remaining fields. You can opt to include document review flags

8. In the Reviewers Information section, select an eligible Consultation Location

9. Under Email Template, use the drop-down menu to select a template for the consultation message

1. If you’d like to make edits to the template, click Customize. You’ll be able to customize the email Subject and Body on the Customize Email Template page.

2. When you’re finished editing the template, click Save

10. If the documents you’re sending contain redactions, you can pin review objects to hide sensitive information from collaborators. Use the Pin certain objects for the recipients section to select which type(s) of review objects you’d like to lock

NOTE: Locking notes, comments, ellipses, or opaque redactions will hide the content underneath these objects if moved when reviewed in Collaboration.

11. Next, you can configure the Redactions Fill Mode. Use the drop-down menu to select how the redactions are displayed in Collaboration Portal, including opaque, translucent, or transparent. You can also use the checkboxes to hide codes and/or redaction borders

12. Once you’ve configured all applicable details on the Send/Save Documents for Consultation screen, click OK to continue

13. The Job Progress window will appear. You can wait on this screen until the job is complete, or you can click Close Window

NOTE: If the job fails, you’ll receive an email notification.

14. When the job is finished processing, the consultation is sent to the portal. You can view the consultation from the My Work Summary section of the Home Page by clicking Pending Consultations:

15. Follow the steps in the Receiving a Consultation Review section for details on receiving a Consultation Review from the portal

Receiving a Consultation Review

When you receive a response to a consultation review sent via the Collaboration Portal, the easiest point of access is via your Messages on the Home Page. Follow the steps below to receive records provided from the portal.  

1. Click the Messages from Collaboration Room link on the Home Page to access your Collaboration Messages. The Collaboration Messages screen appears as shown below:

2. Select the new message and click View Message:

3. There are three options for moving the attachments into FOIAXpress: Add to Review Log, Add to Correspondence Log, and Add to Document Management. Each is detailed in the following table:

4. Once you’ve moved the attachments, the action is reflected on the Message Details screen as shown below:

5. Click Close, then click Home to access the home screen. Under My Work Summary, select Pending Consultations:

6. Select the request you just completed and click Take Action:

7. On the Take Action screen, under Status select Review Complete

8. Check the Completed checkbox and enter the Completed Date

9. Click Save to save the action

Correspondence

You can use the Messages feature to communicate with Portal users. Keep an eye on the Messages widget on the Home Page, where you can view Messages from Collaboration Room.  

1. From the Home Page, click the Messages from Collaboration Room link to view messages received from the Collaboration Room

2. The Collaboration Messages screen appears as shown below. The screen includes a (A) list of messages received from the Collaboration Portal, as well as (B) Actions you can take on the messages

View Message Details

To view contents and details of a message, select it from the list and click View Message:

The Message Details includes the message Subject and Body. If the message includes any (A) Attachments, you can (B) Add to Review Log, (C) Add to Correspondence Log, or (D) Add to Document Management.

Reply to a Message

To respond to the Portal message, select your message from the list and click Reply.

The (A) Original Message is present in the top portion of the screen. Enter your response in the Compose Message fields, providing both the (B) Subject and (C) Body, as well as (optionally) any Attachments. When you’re ready to send it, click (D) Send: