Overview

This section gives an overview of the user interface for M-Files Web and the new M-Files Desktop. Select different parts of the screenshot below for a description of the areas.

Video: Introduction to the New M-Files Desktop

Home screen

In the new M-Files Desktop, select the Home icon () to go to a different vault from the Home screen.

The Home screen has two parts: the search field for Global search is on the left, and the vaults you have access to are on the right. If you are logged in to the vault, you can open it. If you are not logged in, you can log in and then open the vault. Select Show in File Explorer to open the M-Files drive in Windows File Explorer and see the vaults in a folder structure.

Listing area

When you select a view, the listing area shows all objects in it. When you select an object, its preview and metadata card are shown on the right side of the listing area. Select the arrow on the left of the object to see its related objects. If it is something else than a document or a document collection, you can also open the related objects in a separate view (double-click or select and press Enter).

Toolbar

When you move your cursor to an object in the listing area, M-Files shows a toolbar on the right side of the object title:

Show activity: Select the comments icon () to show the comments and activity feed for the object on the metadata card.
Copy link to clipboard: Select the link icon () to copy a link to the object to your clipboard. To copy a link to a previous version of the object, see Sharing links to previous object versions.
Three dot menu: Select the three dots () icon or open the context menu for the object name to show more options. For example, Check out and Check in, Pin, Follow, and Download.

Column settings

Open the context menu (right-click or press shift+F10) the listing area header to change the sorting order of the objects or to add a column. To remove a column, open the context menu for its name and select Remove this column.

Preview

When you select a document in the listing area, M-Files shows a preview of the document, unless the preview area is closed. Also, if the file is too large, M-Files cannot show a preview. Use the options at the top of the area to control the preview. For example, you can zoom in and out, do a search, enter the full screen mode, change between dark and light modes, and download or print content.

The document preview supports these file types:

Email files (eml, emlx, msg)
HTML and web archive files (htm, html, mht, mhtml)
Image files (tif, tiff, jpg, jpeg, bmp, gif, png)
Microsoft Word files (docx, docm, dotx, dotm, doc, dot)
Microsoft Excel files (xlsx, xlsm, xltx, xltm, xlsb, xls, xlt)
Microsoft PowerPoint files (pptx, pptm, ppsx, ppsm, potx, potm, ppt, pps, pot)
OpenDocument files (odt, ott, ods, odp)
PDF files
RTF files
Text files (txt)
Visio drawings (vsdx, vsx, vtx, vdx, vssx, vstx, vsdm, vssm, vstm, vdw, vsd, vss, vst)
Video files (mp4, webm, ovg)
Audio files (mp3, ogg, wav)

Metadata card

When you select an object in the listing area, M-Files shows the metadata card for the object, unless the metadata card is closed. Use the options at the top of the area to control the metadata card. For example, you can change to full screen mode or show the activity feed or metadata. Select the Analyze icon () and M-Files uses document content to suggest metadata.

With the metadata card, you can edit, add, and remove metadata for the object. To add metadata, select Add property. To remove a metadata property, select the cross icon on the right side of the value field. If you do not see the cross icon, it is not possible to remove the property from the object.

Comments and object activity

Select the comments icon () to show the comments and activity for the object. For more information, see Viewing Object Activity.

Select the metadata icon () to close the activity feed and see the object metadata instead.

Permissions

To change user permissions for the object, select the row that shows the object permissions. For more information, see Viewing and Editing Object Permissions.

Workflow

You can control the workflow of the object and do a workflow state transition with the workflow-related fields at the bottom of the metadata card.

Navigating between views

The navigation shows you the current view and all its parent views. Select a view name or one of the arrowhead icons in the path to move to a different view. Use the refresh, back, and forward commands of your browser to reload the view or to go back or forward.

These are the default tabs shown in a vault:

All: Contains all views available in the vault.
Recent: Contains all the content that you have used during the last month. For example, objects that you have kept selected for over 10 seconds, opened, or edited.
Pinned: Contains all the content that you have pinned.
Assigned: Contains all the objects that are assigned to you.
Checked out: Contains all the objects that you have checked out for editing.

To add a tab, open the context menu for a view or a folder in the listing area and select Make this a tab.

M-Files Help Center

M-Files Help Center is a great resource for new M-Files users. Select the M-Files Help Center icon () to get started.

Notifications

The notifications icon shows the number of your incomplete assignments and checked-out objects, unless you do not have any. To show the assignments or the checked out objects in the listing area, select the notifications icon and then a notification.

User settings

Select your initials in the top-right corner of the user interface to:

Change the page that opens when you log in to the vault.
Change the vault language.
- M-Files Web uses your browser language as the software language.
- To change the software language of M-Files Desktop, select the M-Files icon in the Windows notification area and select Settings > Change Language.
Open a list of the external repositories connected to this vault.
Use the vault with M-Files Mobile.
Open the about dialog.
Open this user guide and M-Files Help Center.
Log out from the vault.

Changing between the classic and new M-Files Desktop experience

In the new M-Files Desktop, the top area has a setting toggle for you to safely change between the classic and new user experience. All your changes and settings are safe in M-Files either way.

Changing the layout

To change the size of the preview area and the metadata card, drag their left border left or right. To hide one of these two areas, select its name on the right edge of the user interface or the Close tab icon () in the top-right corner of the area.

Tip: You can change the sequence of the preview area and the metadata card. First, close the two areas, and then open them so that you open the one that you want on the left first.