Installing and Managing Vault Applications

You can manage vault-specific client and server applications in M-Files Admin. These applications allow you to modify and extend the behavior of your M-Files Desktop and M-Files Server. This way you can choose to give priority to the functions that are the most important for the efficiency of your organization.

The application can be either a client application or a server application:
  • Client applications run on M-Files client computers and affect the behavior of M-Files Desktop and the classic M-Files Web.
  • Server applications run on the M-Files server computer and affect M-Files server behavior.

Creating applications requires advanced programming skills. Instructions for the programming are available from the M-Files technical staff for a separate fee. For more documentation and sample applications, refer to M-Files Developer Portal.

Important information

  • The maximum size for extracted files of a client application is 10 MB.
  • A vault can have a maximum of 100 applications.
  • The file format of a vault application to be installed must be MFAPPX. If the vault application has been given to you in another format, please contact the supplier.
  • Signed applications have been validated by M-Files.
    • In a shared M-Files Cloud environment, vault administrators can install signed applications only. For more information on installing vault applications in M-Files Cloud, refer to Who can install vault applications in M-Files Cloud? in M-Files Support Portal.
    • To install a signed application in an on-premises environment, the server machine must use M-Files June '22 Update or later. Additionally, the server operating system must have the latest root certificate authority (CA) certificates. If you cannot install the signed application, try to install an unsigned version of the application if one is available.

To manage the applications of a vault:

  1. Open M-Files Admin.
  2. In the left-side tree view, expand a connection to M-Files server.
  3. Do one of these:
  4. Select Applications.
    Result:The Applications dialog is opened.
  5. Do one or more of the operations listed here. Take note that, in most cases, it is necessary to restart the vault for the changes to take effect. Taking a vault offline should always be done in a controlled manner and the vault users should be notified beforehand.
    If you want to...Do the following steps:
    Install a new application
    Warning: Do not install applications from untrusted sources.
    1. Click the Install button.
    2. Browse for the application package and click Open.
    3. Click Yes to restart the vault.
    Uninstall an application
    1. Select the application that you want to uninstall in the applications listing.
    2. Click Uninstall.
    3. Click Yes to confirm uninstalling the application.
    4. Click Yes to restart the vault.
    Export an application
    1. Select the application that you want to export in the applications listing.
    2. Click the Export button.
    3. Select the location and the file name for the export package and click Save.
    Disable an application and uninstall it from all users
    1. Select the application that you want to disable in the applications listing.
    2. Click Disable.
    3. Click Yes to confirm uninstalling the application.
    4. Click Yes to restart the document vault.
    Enable a disabled application
    1. Select the disabled application in the application listing.
    2. Click Enable.
    3. Click Yes to restart the vault.
    See the license status, or install or change the license of an application
    1. Select the application in the applications listing.
    2. Click the License button to open the Application License Management dialog and to view the license status and information of the selected application.
      Note: In M-Files Cloud, you get the license automatically for official M-Files add-ons. If necessary, click Refresh to activate the license.
    3. If necessary, click the Install License button, browse for the license file, and then click Open.
  6. Click Close once you are done.
The changes you have made to the selected document vault should now be effective.
For information on enabling the applications in M-Files Desktop, see Managing Vault Applications in M-Files Desktop.