Overview: HowNow Records are used to store various types of documents, such as those related to clients (letters, completed checklists, workpapers), employees (HR files), or general firm administration and finance. This guide explains the different ways to add these documents and how to profile them correctly within HowNow.
Understanding the HowNow New Profile Wizard
Most methods for adding documents to HowNow will activate the HowNow New Profile Wizard. This wizard is a crucial step that guides you through categorizing and saving your document correctly.
Here’s how to navigate the New Profile Wizard once it appears:
Step 1: Destination and Contact Details
Job (If Workflow Module is Installed):
Search for and select the relevant Job.
The Contact (if applicable) may prefill automatically.
Area:
Choose the appropriate area to save the record (e.g., Contacts, Team, Admin).
Note: The names of these areas will reflect your firm's specific HowNow setup.
Contact Selection:
Automatic Contact Matching (Emails): When adding an email, HowNow attempts to automatically find the correct contact using the email address or domain. (Note: Your firm may have excluded common domains like @gmail.com from this automatic search).
Automatic Contact Matching (Files): When adding a file, HowNow tries to identify the contact by assuming the first word of the filename is the client's code.
If you selected Contacts or Teams as the Area, select a specific contact or person from the drop-down list.
Location: Choose the location for the record(s).
Link Code (If Record Linking is Enabled): Optionally, enter a link code.
Click Next to proceed to profile information.
Step 2: Record Profile Information
Title:
Enter a descriptive Title for the record.
Alternatively, select a suitable title from the drop-down list of standard record titles.
Description and Keywords (Optional):
Enter a Description for the record.
Add any additional Keywords to improve searchability.
Employee Roles (Optional):
Assign roles such as Partner, Manager, Reviewer, Preparer, and Signatory.
These roles will default in the following order:
Details from the contact's tab for that client.
Employee defaults as set up in the employee's profile.
The last selections made by the current user.
Record Status:
The default status is Draft.
To change this, select a different status from the drop-down list.
Assign a Task (Optional):
Check Assign a task for this record to create a follow-up task upon completion of adding the record.
File Operation:
By default, the file will be moved into the HowNow Records database.
If you wish to keep the original file in its current location and save a copy to HowNow, select Copy in the File Operation area.
7. Click Next to proceed to record visibility.
Step 3: Record Visibility and Finalizing
Record Visibility:
If the document is confidential or should only be accessible to certain Teams, select the relevant Teams.
Note: You can only select Teams that you are a member of.
Click Finish to complete the process of adding the document to Records.
Methods for Adding Documents to HowNow Records
HowNow offers several ways to add documents. Most methods will launch the HowNow New Profile Wizard (detailed above) to help you categorize and save your document.
Adding Documents via Drag and Drop
You can easily add one or more files by dragging them from Windows Explorer or an Outlook email attachment into HowNow.
Select your file(s) in Windows Explorer or from an attachment in a Microsoft Outlook email.
Click and hold the left mouse button on the selected files.
Drag the documents over the HowNow icon on your Windows start menu or taskbar (do not release the mouse button yet).
When the HowNow main screen appears, move the cursor to the middle of the screen and release the left mouse button.
The New Profile Wizard will appear. Follow the steps outlined in the "Understanding the HowNow New Profile Wizard" section.
[INSERT IMAGE: Illustration of dragging a file into the HowNow application window]
Adding Documents via Copy and Paste
Copy a document from a location on your computer or from HowNow Knowledge.
Click anywhere on the HowNow records grid.
Press
Ctrl+Von your keyboard, or right-click and select Paste from the context menu.The New Profile Wizard will appear. Follow the steps outlined above.
Important for Data Files: If HowNow detects that the incoming file is a data file (e.g., one with an extension like .myo, .dat, .qbw, or .zip), it will ask if you want to convert the file to a Data Record. If you answer Yes, the Import Wizard will appear.
Adding Documents via the Right-Click Menu
In the HowNow records grid, right-click to open the context menu.
Select New and then choose to add a document. You can browse to select the document and click Open.
The New Profile Wizard will appear. Follow the steps outlined above.
You can also use the right-click menu to Duplicate a record, add a File Note, or Paste a document from the clipboard.
Adding Documents from Knowledge Templates (Merge Documents)
When you open certain documents from HowNow Knowledge that are flagged as "merge documents" or are set to "automatically file," HowNow initiates a filing process.
The Merge Document Wizard or Filing Wizard will appear. These wizards are similar to the New Profile Wizard but may include additional screens specific to merge documents.
For further details about the information required for merge documents, please refer to the following article: Knowledge - Running Merge Documents
Adding Documents via Microsoft Office Add-ins (Word & Excel)
The HowNow Office Add-in allows you to save documents created in Microsoft Word and Excel directly to HowNow.
Installation: The Office Add-in can be installed from HowNow via **File > System Tools > General > HowNow Add-in Manager**.
Usage:
Once installed, a HowNow toolbar or ribbon button (e.g., Add to HowNow) will be available in Word and Excel.
Click the Add to HowNow icon.
You will be asked to confirm the import of the document.
The New Profile Wizard will appear. Follow the steps outlined above.
After the document is saved into HowNow, it will reopen, allowing further editing as a document filed within HowNow.
Updates: If your Office Add-in needs updating, you will receive a message prompting you to update it.
Adding Emails and Attachments via the Microsoft Outlook Add-in
The HowNow Email Manager is an Add-in for Microsoft Outlook that simplifies adding emails to HowNow.
Installation: The Email Manager Add-in can be installed from HowNow via File > System Tools > General > HowNow Add-in Manager.
Features: By default, the HowNow Email Manager adds:
A HowNow Add button in the Outlook Ribbon.
A HowNow menu option under File in the Outlook menu bar.
A HowNow folder under your Outlook Inbox, with Sent and Received sub-folders.
An Add to HowNow button on the ribbon of each Outlook Message window.
Usage:
The Email Manager can prompt you to save your email into HowNow each time you send or delete an email.
The email will be saved with attachments included as part of the email.
Attachments can also be saved to HowNow independently.
When prompted, the New Profile Wizard will guide you through saving the email.
Adding Documents by Duplicating an Existing Record
This method creates an exact copy of a selected record, which you can then modify.
Right-click the record you want to duplicate in the search results list.
Select Duplicate.
The Duplicate Record dialog appears. Change any of the fields as needed.
Click OK to create the duplicate record, or Cancel to exit without creating it.
Adding Documents via Scanning
HowNow can receive scanned documents and records through several methods:
Scanner Direct: Most scanning software allows a "Send To" button to be configured. In the field that asks for the application to send to, enter the path to the
HowNow.exefile.Scan to Email: If your scanner creates emails, these can be automatically captured by the Email Manager or by dragging and dropping them into HowNow.
Scan to Folder: If your scanner can save to a specific folder, HowNow can be configured to automatically monitor this folder and capture files added to it. (Folder monitoring must be enabled in Options and Employees).
In all scanning cases, the New Profile Wizard will appear once the document is received by HowNow. Follow the steps outlined above.
Adding Multiple Documents with Echo Profile (HowNow X Only)
The Echo Profile feature allows you to add multiple documents at once, applying the same profile information to all of them.
This feature is most commonly used with the drag and drop file method.
Note: The Echo Profile function will not work with the Windows "Send to" menu.
Adding Weblinks as Records
You can add a weblink (URL) as a record in HowNow. This is useful for tracking web-based information (like a OneNote file) using HowNow's record features (e.g., status, audit trail, linking) when you don't have a physical document.
Right-click on the records grid.
Navigate to Actions > New > Add Weblink.
Enter the Title of the record.
Copy and paste the web address (URL) into the designated field.
The New Profile Wizard will appear. Complete the profile as you would for any other type of record, following the steps outlined above.
Creating and Adding File Notes
File Notes are text files automatically created and filed as a Client Record. They typically contain the date and time of creation, elapsed time, contact details, preparer details, and the File Note title and content.
How to Create a File Note:
Right-click the Records (or Contacts) search results list and choose File Note.
Alternatively, press
F9anywhere in HowNow.
File Note Dialog Fields:
Contact and Location: These will be pre-populated but can be changed if needed.
Title: The title of the file note becomes the name of the resulting record. A standard title can also be selected from the drop-down list.
Link (Optional): Select a link code for this record.
Note: This is the main text area for your note. Use
F3to insert the current date and time into the text.Timer: This automatically records the time the file note dialog is open. Click the Stop button to pause the timer. The button will change to Start to allow the timer to be resumed.
Partner, Manager, Reviewer: Select the appropriate people in these roles for this file note.
Status: This is set to Final by default but can be changed if necessary.
Additional Features:
File notes can be minimized, allowing you to use other areas of HowNow or create an additional file note while still working on the original.
If a file note is still open when you close HowNow, you will be prompted to save it.
Adding a Quick Record Note (No Document Created)
A Record Note is a small amount of text attached directly to an existing record's profile, rather than being a separate document.
Right-click on a record in the search results screen.
Select Add a Record Note or press
F8.The note field automatically populates with the current date, time, and your initials.
Add the details to the note. This information is stored against the profile of the record; no separate document is created.
Press OK to save or Cancel to discard.
Visibility: If a record has a note against it, an icon will appear on the search results screen. You can hover your mouse over this icon to view the note.
Important: If the first line of the record note is blank, the note icon will not be displayed.