Setup Users

You do not have to setup users in order to run a Case.

However, some functions require the user to be an Administrator and you will need to run the Setup Users function to give users these and other rights.

Introduction

Openlaw is designed to run out-of-the box with the bare minimum of setup and configuration. By default, anyone who has the relevant network rights can access and run an Openlaw Case, including Case Setup which, by default, sits in the Case directory.

Although there are references in this manual and in certain messages to an 'Administrator', many firms do not have a person with this role. Where there are several users of a Case it is often helpful to nominate one of them as Administrator. Often, there is a single user who alone is responsible for every aspect of the Case.

Sometimes, however, it is critical to ensure that only known users can gain access to a Case and that only one of them has Administrator access for the functions which require this. Openlaw provides a mechanism for controlling this, with a button <Setup Users> in Case Setup, shown below.

Note: whilst Case Setup is needed for certain functions, it does not have to sit in the Case directory. It can be removed after use or run from the local drive of the person responsible for the Case and thus be out of reach of other users.

Setting Up Users

To access Setup Users, run Openlaw Case Setup and pick a Case by selecting its licence file (ending in .lic) from the Case directory. The screen shown below appears.

A new Case will have one entry - a user entry 'Allow All' which is set to 'Yes'. This means that anyone who runs the Case executable (eg MyCase.exe) will be allowed to use the Case. Their User name will be added to the list with the status 'Allow'.

Note: the names used here should be the name given by users when they log in to their PCs. One of the options in Set Licence Options is to prevent users from changing their login name when they run Openlaw. The default Openlaw login name is the same as the Windows login name. It follows that Openlaw must know the users by the same name.

The options are as follows:

Add User	A new row appears. Click in the Name field and enter the User's Windows login name. The default status is 'Allow'.
Remove User	Click on a name and then press this. The name will be removed. You cannot remove 'Allow All'.
Administrator On/Off	There are certain rights reserved to 'Administrator' (see below). You can have more than one person with these rights. Highlight a name and press this to toggle the status between 'Admin' and 'Allow'.
Allow all new Users except barred Users	The default is 'Yes' (see above). Press this button to deny access to all except names on this list marked 'Allow'. Press it again to restore the default
Admin Plus On/Off	Admin Plus is a special function used when setting up Soft Labels. It should not be used in most situations. It does not give any extra Administrator authority.
Allow or Bar selected Users	Highlight a name and press this. The options toggle between 'Allow' and 'Barred'
Save Changes	None of your changes are saved until you press this.
Close	If you have unsaved changes you are asked if you really mean to close the screen. If you say 'Yes' you lose your changes. If you say 'No' you can make further changes and then save before closing.

Taking these options together, it is clear that if 'Allow All' is set to 'Yes', it does not matter if a name is in this list unless you want either to bar the user or give him or her Administrator rights.

Administrator Rights

The most fundamental right is access to Case Setup since that can be used to alter other rights. As suggested above, it can be kept out of reach of general users.

There are several functions which can only be performed by a user with Administrator rights. These include the deletion of Paginated Bundles and the deletion of the last-used Bundle of another user, and any change which may affect several Items at once. An attempt by a non-Administrator to use a function for which Administrator rights are required is barred.

Note that Administrator rights can be given to several or all users. The function is provided for protection and if the person with conduct of the Case is content to allow several users to exercise Administrator rights, then that is easily provided via this screen.

Note: The protection given by these restrictions applies only to data access from within Openlaw. The Access databases themselves (files ending in .mdb) can be accessed by any user who can reach the Case directory using Windows Explorer. These files should be protected at network level or by restricting users' access via Explorer.

Admin Plus

This will rarely be needed. It simply allows a user who is implementing Soft Labels to set up new soft labels. It requires special instructions for use and is not documented in this Manual.