Disclaimer: This walkthrough describes only already-extant INDI features.

What is INDI?

INDI (Integrated Digital Special Collections) is a web-based, database-driven archival management system designed to automate and manage archival workflow for large institutions and consortia. As an open source and standards-compliant application, INDI allows archivists to manage projects and tasks across multiple locations. It is being developed at the L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Brigham Young University.

INDI encapsulates the archival workflow in a single, digital system, making it easier to streamline work and see it all in one place, without the space burden of a paper trail.

Getting started

Logging in

To create a user account on a local installation of INDI, contact the person with administrative rights to the system.. For the purposes of this walkthrough, however, log in as a test user on the INDI sandbox:

1. Go to the INDI Sandbox page on the INDI project website, at http://www.lib.byu.edu/indi/sandbox-access/.
2. Complete form and wait for e-mail verification.
3. Follow e-mailed link and log in to the system with the user name and password provided.

INDI Desktop

After logging in, the INDI Desktop may be launched from its dock icon at the bottom of the screen (map and compass icon). The INDI Desktop tool allows users to search for and access existing accessions.

The left pane includes simple Search and Advanced search options, and search results appear in the right pane. Accessions listed in the search results may be viewed by double-clicking on the accession number, and may be printed by clicking on the print icon at the top of the window.

Additional functions are provided in the INDI Desktop menus at the top of the screen. Tool preferences are available in the INDI Desktop dropdown menu, allowing users to modify the search result display. Associated projects will be launched from the Accession and Collection dropdown menus as that functionality becomes available.

MyProjects

The MyProjects tool is also available through the INDI dock, and may be launched by clicking on its icon (the clock and pencil icon). The tool allows users to access all the workflows that INDI manages. MyProjects workflow information is displayed in four tabs: the Dashboard, Discussion, Tasks, and Files.

The first, and default, tab is the Dashboard. The Dashboard is divided into two main sections: Upcoming Items and Latest Activity. A calendar listing due dates is provided in the right pane. To access a task from the Dashboard, click the task name and MyProjects accesses the selected task.

The Discussion tab allows users to see and contribute to discussion threads associated to the projects they are working on. The Discussion tab facilitates communication among project team members.

The Tasks tab displays tasks associated with a project. To complete a task, users click on the check box to the left of the task and INDI will launch the appropriate forms or actions to complete the task.

Finally, the Files tab allows users to manage files associated with INDI projects.

MyProjects also allows users to search for projects through a search pane. The pane is hidden by default, but can be accessed through the MyProjects menus by clicking on View–>Search. Simple and advanced search functionality is available.

MyContacts

The MyContacts tool allows users to manage donor, creator, and vendor contact information, and to link these records to workflows that are managed by INDI. The MyContacts tool may be accessed by clicking on its icon, or through associated forms in MyProjects forms.

The MyContacts window is divided into three panes: two navigation panes on the left side, and a record, or “card”, view pane to the right. Additional navigation buttons are available on the top of the window, and the tool’s file menus are at the top of the screen when the window is active.

The left-most navigation pane displays groups, which are used both to organize INDI contact records, and to show associations made between these records and MyProjects workflows.

The right-hand navigation pane provides an alphabetical listing of MyContacts records, which can be browsed. When a name is selected it will display in the card-view pane to the right. Records may also be searched by clicking on the magnifying glass icon above the names navigation pane.

Navigation buttons along the top of the MyContacts tool window include buttons to refresh content, restrict the interface to a card-only view, generate a new card, print a card, create a new group, subscribe to a group, or to view your own card. These actions, as well as others, are also available using the file menu system.

The file menu also provides access to the MyContacts tool preferences, which includes options for sorting and displaying name information. The default view is designed only for contact management, so additional options will need to be selected for documenting relationships between entities, or recording dates.

To add a new contact, click on the new card button at the top, or select “New Card” from the card dropdown menu. When accessing MyContacts from a MyProjects workflow using a “New” link, MyContacts will be launched, and a new card created. The new card will appear in the card-view pane to the right, and will be opened in editing mode. Click in any of the boxes to enter information about the contact. When all information has been entered, click on the “save” link at the top-right to save the card information. If the new card is created through a MyProjects workflow, this will also associate the card with the workflow.

When a card is first created, only the card-view will be accessible from the card-view pane. Once it has been saved, however, the INDI tab will appear in the card-view pane. Reentering the card using the “edit” link at the upper-right corner, users can then enter additional information about the contact, such as ethnicity, political affiliation, name authority, and biographical or administrative histories.

A third tab will also appear, labeled “INDI Donor/Creator”, which tracks associations between the MyContacts records and MyProjects workflows. Associated records are accessible through the links in the MyContacts record, but the associations themselves must be made through the MyProjects tool.

Help

The INDI Help tool, available through the Help menus within other tools, also provides a useful reference. It may also be accessed interactively by clicking on information icons within MyProjects forms.

Creating a new collection

In order to prevent anyone from adding a collection that already exists, INDI requires that users verify that the collection has not been entered previously. Users should use the search box to ensure that materials are not an installment to a previously accessioned collection using terms typically found in collection titles and click Search.

1. Enter the name of a creator or subject term (e.g., “Westwood Architectural Firm”)
2. Double-click on result to verify that previously accessioned collection does not match institutional holdings
3. Open the MyProjects tool by clicking on its icon in the dock (the calendar and clock icon)
4. Using the menus at the top of the page, click on File–>New Project–>Appraisal

Creating a new appraisal

After initiating the Appraisal project, a MyProjects form will appear. Enter appraisal information using the following steps:

1. In the MyProjects form, enter the name of the project in the appropriate text box at the top of the window.
2. In the lower right hand corner of the MyProjects form, click the “Create project now” button. The project will then be created by MyProjects and the dialog window will close.
3. Click on the Tasks tab of the MyProjects tool to view the Appraisal project task list.
4. Expand the task list by clicking on the “+” sign located to the left of the “Collection appraisal” task.
5. Next, click the check box to the left of the “Enter material information” task. A MyProjects form will appear.
6. Complete all required fields and click on the “Save and Complete Task” button.
7. Click on the check box to the left of the “Collection appraisal” task, then click the “OK” button on the confirmation dialog that will appear. Additional tasks will then be added to the task list.
8. Expand the task list by clicking on the “+” sign located to the left of the “Appraisal decision” task.
9. Click on the check box to the left of the “Accept or decline collection” task, then select the appropriate button and “Confirm and Complete Task”.
10. Click on the check box to the left of the “Appraisal decision” task, then click the “OK” button on the confirmation dialog that will appear.
11. Expand the task list by clicking on the “+” sign located to the left of the “Complete appraisal” task.
12. Click on the check box to the left of the “Provide appraisal disposition” task, provide disposition information, then “Confirm and Complete Task”.
13. Click on the check box to the left of the “Start accessioning for the appraisal” reminder task.
14. Click on the check box to the left of the “Complete appraisal” task, then click the “OK” button on the confirmation dialog that will appear.
15. The Appraisal project is now complete; no additional tasks will appear. Close the project by clicking the check box to the left of the project name.

Creating a new accession

Once an appraisal is complete, users may begin an Accession project. Accession projects may be started through the MyProjects menu using File–>New Project–>Accession. Once the project is started, accession information will be entered through the following steps:

1. In the MyProjects form, indicate using the buttons whether the materials are an installment to an existing collection and whether there is an associated Appraisal project. For this walkthrough, select “No” for both of these options. When finished, click on the “Next” button at the bottom-right corner of the window.
2. Enter the name of the project in the appropriate text box at the top of the window, then click the “Next” button again.
3. Enter a summary of the Accession project in the text box provided, then click on the “Create project now” button.
4. Click on the Tasks tab of the MyProjects tool to view the Appraisal project task list.
5. Expand the task list by clicking on the “+” sign located to the left of the “Create Collection Record” task.
6. Next, click the check box to the left of the “Enter collection information” task. A MyProjects form will appear.
7. Complete all required fields and click on the “Save and Complete Task” button.
8. Click on the check box to the left of the “Create Collection Record” task, then click the “OK” button on the confirmation dialog that will appear. Additional tasks will then be added to the task list.
9. Expand the task list by clicking on the “+” sign located to the left of the “Create Accession Log” task.
10. Next, click the check box to the left of the “Enter acquisition information” task. A MyProjects form will appear.
11. Complete all required fields and click on the “Save and Complete Task” button.
12. Next, click the check box to the left of the “Enter descriptive summary” task. A MyProjects form will appear.
13. Complete all required fields and click on the “Save and Complete Task” button.
14. Click on the check box to the left of the “Create Accession Log” task, then click the “OK” button on the confirmation dialog that will appear. Additional tasks will then be added to the task list.
15. Expand the task list by clicking on the “+” sign located to the left of the “Review Accession” task.
16. Click on the check box to the left of the “Start accessioning for the appraisal” reminder task. An accession report is available by clicking on the Files tab, and clicking on the file name. In a standard installation of INDI, this report would also be e-mailed to the user.
17. Returning to the Tasks tab, click on the check box to the left of the “Create Accession Log” task, then click the “OK” button on the confirmation dialog that will appear.
18. The Accession project is now complete; no additional tasks will appear. Close the project by clicking the check box to the left of the project name.