Ganaka DMS User Guide
This guide explains how to install, access, and use the Ganaka Document Management System. It includes live portal screenshots and a practical walkthrough of the main modules used by administrators and end users.
Getting Started
Use these credentials to access the portal immediately after installation in the current XAMPP setup.
Login Details
- Portal URL:
http://localhost/dms/ - Username:
admin@example.com - Password:
password123
First Login Advice
After signing in, change the administrator password and update the portal branding, SMTP settings, and OpenAI settings from the Settings module.
User Roles and Permissions
The portal supports four main user roles. Their access levels are defined below based on the current system permission rules.
Admin
- Full administrative access to the entire portal.
- Manage users and role-based access.
- Manage categories and portal settings.
- Upload, edit, assign, approve, and archive documents.
- View email logs and audit logs.
Manager
- Manage categories.
- Upload and edit documents.
- Assign documents to users.
- Approve and archive documents.
- View email logs and audit logs.
Editor
- Upload new documents.
- Edit document metadata and document versions where permitted.
- View assigned and permitted documents.
- Cannot manage users, categories, system settings, or audit/email logs.
Viewer
- Read-only access to documents allowed by role or direct permission.
- Can view document details, previews, metadata, and FAQ content.
- Cannot upload, edit, assign, approve, archive, or manage portal settings.
Contents
1. Installation on XAMPP
Use these steps to run the portal locally on Windows through XAMPP.
- Install XAMPP and start Apache and MySQL.
- Copy the project into
C:\xampp\htdocs\dms. - Create a MySQL database named
dmsin phpMyAdmin. - Import the SQL files from the
databasefolder. - Open
.envand confirm database values,APP_URL, and mail settings. - Make sure
storage/documentsis writable. - Open
http://localhost/dms/. The root folder now redirects automatically to/public/index.
pdo_mysql, mbstring, curl, fileinfo, openssl, xml, and zlib.2. Installation on cPanel / Others
Use this method when publishing the portal on shared hosting or a cPanel-based server.
- Create a MySQL database and user from cPanel, then assign full privileges.
- Upload the project files to your hosting account using File Manager or FTP.
- Import the SQL files into the hosting database using phpMyAdmin.
- Update
.envwith your hosted database name, username, password, and portal URL. - Point the domain or subfolder document root to the
publicdirectory if your host allows it. - If document root cannot be changed, keep the project in a subfolder and use the supplied clean URLs through the
publicfolder. - Upload logo, SMTP, and OpenAI settings from the portal after first login.
3. Login Page
The login screen is the secure entry point for all users. Authentication checks user status and role before allowing access to the portal.
- Accepts registered email and password.
- Redirects authenticated users to the dashboard.
- Invalid logins stay on the page with an error message.
4. Dashboard
The dashboard gives an operational summary of the document library and indexing activity. It is the fastest place to review volume, workflow, and recent updates.
- Status cards for total, draft, pending review, approved, and archived documents.
- Analytics block for indexed documents and monthly uploads.
- Category distribution with visual progress bars.
- Latest 25 documents table with direct access to the document detail page.
5. Documents
The documents module is the main listing screen for the repository. It supports metadata search, workflow filtering, and direct access to individual document records.
- Searches title, reference number, department, description, and indexed content.
- Filters by workflow status.
- Shows title, reference, department, category, status, and latest version.
- Uses pagination with the latest 25 records per page.
6. Assignments
The assignments page tracks document handoffs and review work between users. Managers can use it to follow due dates and current assignment status.
- Searches by document title, assignee, assigner, and assignment note.
- Filters by assignment status.
- Displays due date, assignee, assigner, message, and current state.
- Links each row directly to the related document.
7. Upload
The upload module creates a new document record and stores the first file version. PDF documents are indexed automatically with metadata and extracted text when available.
- Captures title, category, reference number, department, type, retention date, tags, and description.
- Accepts the document file during creation.
- Moves directly to the document detail page after successful upload.
- Supports category-driven organization and searchable metadata.
8. FAQ
The FAQ module provides a searchable knowledge section inside the portal. It is useful for policy notes, support questions, and quick technical references.
- Searches question, answer, and category.
- Filters FAQs by category.
- Supports add, edit, and delete actions for authorized users.
- Uses categories from the main category table for consistent structure.
9. Settings Menu
The top navigation groups administration screens under the Settings menu. These screens help maintain categories, users, branding, mail activity, and audit visibility.
Categories
Create and maintain document categories used in upload forms, document records, and FAQ classification.
- Add category name and description.
- Delete categories when they are no longer required.
- Paginated category list.
Users
Create users, assign roles, and define account status for portal access.
- Add users with password, role, and status.
- View current user list and role assignment.
- Paginated user management view.
Settings
Control portal branding, theme colour, font size, default language, SMTP, and OpenAI settings.
- Portal name and logo upload.
- Theme, font size, and language selection.
- SMTP sender and server configuration.
- OpenAI API key and model storage.
Emails
Review email notification history recorded by the system.
- Recipient, subject, related document, and status.
- Helpful for troubleshooting SMTP setup.
Audit
Track login events and key management actions across the portal.
- Date, user, action, entity, IP address, and details.
- Useful for accountability and compliance review.
Categories
Users
Settings
Emails
Audit
