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FYI Desktop App

Jann DiPaolo
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The FYI Desktop App is a purpose-built desktop app that is used to edit any FYI document independently of OneDrive.

When documents are edited in FYI using FYI Desktop, files are downloaded through FYI Desktop and opened locally on your computer, not OneDrive. Once finished, the files are re-uploaded to FYI automatically via FYI Desktop.

For example, opening a Word Document will download and automatically open Microsoft Word using the desktop app, not a browser window. 

Note: FYI Desktop will not open when downloading/uploading files, and you will not need to interact with the app. 

The benefits of using FYI Desktop include:

  • Being able to edit PDFs using your default PDF editor.
  • Improved performance for large sites that use their OneDrive heavily and may be experiencing issues with opening documents from FYI via their OneDrive.
  • If you would normally use OneDrive when editing at the office and when working from home, you can switch to editing using FYI Desktop.

This article is suitable for deployment to individual devices. Where deployments for shared workstations, terminal servers, etc are required, the MSI version found in Installing the FYI Desktop App for MSI installation should be used.

The article contains the following sections:

Note: We highly recommend that the practice's proxy and firewall settings and group policies are configured to ensure users experience optimum results using the FYI Desktop App. Refer to Configuring proxy and firewall settings for FYI Desktop App and A group policy is preventing the FYI Desktop App versions from automatically updating.

Overview

Using FYI Desktop, a temporary copy of the document is opened in a dedicated local folder - not your OneDrive. FYI Desktop sits in a user's taskbar and does not open a new browser or window when used. While a "Downloading document..." pop-up may appear, the App simply opens the document for editing. 

The main difference between using the FYI Desktop App and editing a document via OneDrive is that the FYI Desktop App bypasses OneDrive. When documents are opened for editing via the FYI Desktop App, a temporary copy of the document is opened in a dedicated local folder and it is not opened in your OneDrive. The document will therefore not show in the FYI - Processed folder in your OneDrive after you have clicked I am finished editing.

Note: At the moment the FYI Desktop App will not work on Apple/Mac computers

Step 1 - Enable the FYI Desktop App

To be able to use the FYI Desktop App, it first needs to be enabled.

  • The FYI Desktop App can be enabled by individual users from their My Settings - Profile (see below).
  • The FYI Desktop App can also be enabled for users by an FYI Admin.
    This is done using Bulk Edit in the Users list and setting Use FYI Desktop in Bulk Edit as "Yes" for all or selected users. Refer to Changing Filing Defaults and Settings with Bulk Edit in Managing Users.

Enabling the FYI Desktop App from your My Settings - Profile

Individual users can enable the FYI Desktop App from the user's Profile Settings. Refer to Setting Defaults and Filing Defaults for your Own Login - My Settings.

  1. From FYI, click Settings in the top right-hand corner.
  2. Select My Settings.
  3. On the Profile tab, set Use FYI Desktop to "On".

    1694_My_Settings_Enable_FYI_Desktop_App.gif

When Use FYI Desktop is enabled, you will be able to select your default for Open Office Using as "FYI Desktop". This will set FYI Desktop as the default for when you click the Edit button. Refer to Opening, Editing and Finish Editing Documents with FYI Desktop.

When Use FYI Desktop is enabled, this will also display FYI Desktop as "Enabled" in your Status tab. Refer to Individual Settings and Status.

Step 2 - Download and Install the FYI Desktop App

The FYI Desktop App needs to be downloaded and installed on each computer on which it will be used. You do not need to have administrator rights to the computer to install.

When Use FYI Desktop is enabled in your Profile, you see an additional option Download FYI Desktop in Settings.

1607_Settings_with_Download_FYI_Desktop.gif

  1. From FYI, click Settings in the top right-hand corner.
  2. Select My Settings.
  3. Click Download FYI Desktop.
    The Setup.exe file will download. Depending on your browser, this will display at the bottom of the browser window.
  4. Run the Setup.exe (by clicking on the file at the bottom of your browser or from your default download location, for example, C:/Downloads).
  5. If a message about Windows Defender displays, click the More info link, then click Run anyway.
  6. A progress bar for the install displays.
    Then the FYI Desktop Settings displays.

    1608_FYI_Desktop_Install_Settings.gif

  7. The Document Path is where the documents will be stored temporarily when they are opened in FYI Desktop.
    - FYI recommends that the FYI Desktop folder is used in combination with OneDrive being installed,
    - This enables Autosave when editing Office documents. 
    - Therefore, when OneDrive is installed, the Document Path defaults to the folder FYI Desktop within your "OneDrive\Documents".
    - If OneDrive is not installed locally, the file path defaults to C:\Users\yourname\Documents\FYI Desktop.
    You can leave this as set or change it using the Browse if required.
  8. You are prompted to log in.
    Note: During the installation, you need to log in using your Microsoft 365 login. 
  9. The following message displays in a new browser window:
    "Authentication complete. You can return to the application. Feel free to close this browser tab."
  10. FYI Desktop is installed and you are logged into it.

Important Note: If the same computer is used by more than one person, FYI Desktop needs to be individually installed by each person who will log into the computer.

Step 3 - Using FYI Desktop to Open, Edit and Finish Editing Documents

For information on how to open, edit and finish editing documents with FYI Desktop, refer to Opening, Editing and Finish Editing Documents with FYI Desktop.

Other functions

FYI Desktop Icon in your Windows Taskbar

FYI Desktop icon displays in your Windows taskbar at the bottom of your screen as the following icon.
1609_FYI_Desktop_Toolbar_icon.gif

If you do not see this, click the Show hidden icons tool in the Windows taskbar and the drag the FYI Desktop icon onto the Windows taskbar.

1695_Show_Hidden_Icons.gif

FYI Desktop Window

Clicking the FYI Desktop icon in the taskbar displays a window. When you edit documents using FYI Desktop, this will display the files currently being edited.

1610_FYI_Desktop_Window.gif

Note: If you need to use FYI Desktop on an additional computer, for example, if you are working from home, you will need to install it on that computer.

If you need to uninstall the FYI Desktop, this can be uninstalled in the usual way from Settings - Apps & Features.

Logging into FYI Desktop

When you start your computer, you would normally be logged in automatically.

If you are not logged in automatically, you are prompted to login.

1613_FYI_Desktop_prompt_to_login.gif

If the token expires, you will be logged out. When you are not logged in, the FYI Desktop icon displays as follows.

1614_FYI_Desktop_not_logged_in_Toolbar_icon.gif

Click this to display the FYI Desktop window. Click the link to login. You can login with your Microsoft 365 login or with your Xero login.
  • You would usually click Login with Windows to login with your Microsoft 365 login.
  • You can alternatively click Login with Xero to login with your Xero Practice Manager login. This can be used, for example, if there is an issue with Microsoft.

1616_FYI_Desktop_Choose_Login_Method.gif

Exiting FYI Desktop App and Restarting

To exit FYI Desktop App:

  1. Right-click on the FYI Desktop icon
  2. Select Exit.

    1859_FYI_Desktop_App_Exit.gif

To restart FYI Desktop App:

  1. In the Windows Search bar, search for "FYI Desktop".
    This will find the App FYI Desktop
  2. Press Enter to start the App.

Updates to the FYI Desktop App

As of version 1.0.69 of FYI Desktop App, if there is an update to the version of the FYI Desktop App, the icon in Windows taskbar at the bottom of your screen displays as follows:

1873_FYI_Desktop_Update_ready.gif

Hovering over the icon displays "FYI Desktop - An update is available"

1874_FYI_Desktop_Update_ready_Hover.gif

To update FYI Desktop App:

  1. Open the FYI Desktop window.
    A message displays in FYI Desktop Window.

    1860_FYI_Desktop_App_New_Update_Restart_Now.gif
  2. Click the restart now link.
  3. This will restart the FYI Desktop App.

    Note: This also applies to users who have had FYI Desktop App originally installed using the MSI.

Logging Out of the FYI Desktop App

There may be occasions where you need to log out of the FYI Desktop App, for example if you are on a shared computer login, or if you have access to more than one FYI instance with different emails, or if you are asked by our Support team to log out of the app.

If you need to log out of the FYI Desktop App, refer to Logging out of the FYI Desktop App.

FYI Desktop Apps FAQs

For FAQs on FYI Desktop App, or to troubleshoot installation issues, refer to FYI Desktop App FAQs.

 

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