Inbox Folder (DMS Inbox)

The inbox folder enables automated import of files into the Document Management System. Files placed in configured directories are automatically detected and assigned to the matching inventory items.

How It Works

File in inbox folder → Check naming convention → Assign to device → Import into DMS

1. A file is placed in a monitored inbox folder.
2. The system registers every file as an inbox entry and checks the filename against the configured import patterns.
3. Upon successful matching, the file is automatically imported into the DMS as a document.
4. The original file is archived in an audit-proof way after import (subfolder _archive, collision-safe) instead of deleted; the inbox entry remains as a permanent processing log.

Naming Convention

The assignment is based on the filename. Typically, the filename contains the device number or inventory number, e.g., INV-2024-0042_CalibrationCertificate.pdf. The exact pattern is configured by the administrator.

Configuration

The inbox folder function must be activated by the administrator.

Setting	Description
DMS_INBOX_ENABLED	Enables/disables the inbox function
DMS_INBOX_ARCHIVE	Archiving after import (default: on; false = delete as in v1)
Inbox Path	Directory path of the monitored folder
Naming Convention	Import pattern per file category for automatic assignment

Prerequisite

The environment variable DMS_INBOX_ENABLED must be set to true for automatic processing to be active.

Processing

Inbox folder processing is performed via the Artisan command:

php artisan dms:process-inbox

This command can be run manually or set up as a cron job:

# Process inbox folder every 5 minutes
*/5 * * * * cd /path/to/laravel && php artisan dms:process-inbox >> /dev/null 2>&1

Automation

For a fully automated workflow, it is recommended to set up a cron job that runs the command at regular intervals.

Administration Interface

Under /v2/admin/files, tab DMS Inbox, administrators manage the inbox with a full status model (the second tab, Konfiguration, maintains the inbox file types):

Status	Meaning
New	File registered, not yet processed
Imported	Successfully filed into the DMS (with a link to the created document)
Unmatched	No import pattern matches or no matching record found — the exact reason is stored on the entry
Failed	Import error; retried on the next run (attempt counter)

Manual actions in the UI:

• Read folder — registers all files of a folder as inbox entries
• Process folder / Process all — triggers pattern processing manually
• Save to DMS — imports an entry manually, optionally with an explicit record link; the entry logs who imported it (cron or user)
• Upload — places a file directly into the selected inbox folder

Unassigned files

Unmatched files stay with status Unmatched including the reason and can be filed manually; alternatively adjust the import patterns and process again.

Audit trail

Imported inbox entries cannot be deleted — every delivery of the same file creates its own log entry, and source files move to the archive.

Permissions

Configuration and management of the inbox folder requires administrator rights. Imported documents are subject to the regular DMS permissions.