OnBase has a number of different user interfaces available which are called Clients. There is variety in the functionality and some specific advantages to each one. The OnBase team will help each area select the appropriate interface for their users as part of the project discovery and requirements. One implementation area can use multiple different user interfaces.
Any use of OnBase requires that you have a user login set up inside of OnBase. Login accounts are created and administered by the User Manager in your area. User Managers can create new accounts, add accounts to existing user security groups in OnBase, and re-set OnBase passwords if needed.
How do I authenticate to OnBase?
In the past local OnBase passwords were used to authenticate. As of June 11, 2018, you will be prompted to login with your BU account (via Shibboleth) and then two-factor authenticate via DUO.
What if I am off campus?
In the past you needed to be logged into the BU VPN in order to login to OnBase. With the migration to Cloud Hosting in June 2018, this is no longer true!
You will still need to be on the BU VPN in order to access external forms which commit data to OnBase and are hosted on BU web sites such as the eCAP & GMS review / approval forms. This security is enforced by the web page the forms are hosted on and is necessary to prevent denial of service attacks against OnBase.
What browser should I use?
If you are using an OnBase Web Client you must have an OnBase compatible browser. Not all web browsers are compatible with our current version of OnBase. Here is a list of browsers that do and do not work with the OnBase web client most commonly in use at BU. Please also read the "What Client should I use?" section below for more details on which client you are likely using, browsers compatible with other OnBase web clients, and macOS vs. Windows platform considerations.
With OnBase hosted in the cloud we will conduct our upgrades in parallel which mean some individuals / groups may be on the later version and some still on the earlier version. This table also indicates which version of OnBase works with which browsers. We will keep this updated for all versions of OnBase currently in use at Boston University.
| OnBase Compatible Browsers | Platform | Evergreen | Notes - Updated as of August 2024 for OnBase Version 24.1 |
| Apple Safari 16.0.x+ | macOS | Yes | Supported by BU |
| Firefox 102 ESR and newer | macOS Windows |
No | Recommended for Windows. Recommended for macOS because version upgrades can be controlled. Supported by BU |
| Firefox 112+ (non ESR) | macOS Windows |
Yes | There is a bug in the chrome engine underlying Firefox which does not allow Portfolio type PDFs to be opened. We recommend not storing Portfolio PDF documents in OnBase. |
| Google Chrome 113+ | macOS
Windows
|
Yes | There is a bug in the chrome engine which does not allow Portfolio type PDFs to be opened. We recommend not storing Portfolio PDF documents in OnBase. |
| Microsoft Edge 113+ | Windows | Yes | OnBase Workflow may not be available in this browser. Supported by BU |
| Microsoft Internet Explorer 11 | Windows | No | NOT SUPPORTED BY BU
Performance may be an issue when applying complex filters to workflow queues with many documents. Use Firefox or Chrome if you encounter this issue. |
Any browsers not listed as supported in the above table are UNSUPPORTED for use with OnBase at this time. OnBase will automatically block logins attempted from unsupported browsers.
Check out the Boston University Browser Information and Trouble Shooting page if you need more information about how to determine what version of a browser you are using or how to downgrade to an earlier version.
If you are using another application, such as BUworks, which requires a browser version not compatible with OnBase, you will need to choose one browser to use with OnBase and another to use with the other application and maintain their versions appropriately.
EVERGREEN BROWSERS: Evergreen browser versions stated above are explicitly supported. This means that Hyland has certified that version of the evergreen browser as being supported. Subsequent versions of each evergreen browser will be implicitly supported but will not undergo extensive testing by Hyland. The solution to any issues encountered on an implicitly supported browser version is to downgrade to a version that is explicitly supported. We do not have any recourse to changing OnBase functionality and compatibility.
What Client should I use?
Which client you should be using depends on the OnBase application area that you work in. More information about each client appears in the Clients section below.
Enter a Help Desk ticket for your desktop support area to request an OnBase client installation.
Installation & access packages are available on the BU User Group. Most require desktop support assistance to install.
NOTE: Access to OnBase from mobile devices (eg. IPads, Black Berries, Android Phones, etc.) is not currently available at BU. Modules which will allow access through these platforms are available at additional cost and would require a project investigation through IS&T.
What client does my department / area use?
| Client | Areas | For Windows | For macOS |
| HTML Only Web Client |
|
See compatible browsers above. | See compatible browsers above. |
| DocPop |
|
||
| FolderPop |
|
FolderPop is an integration which allows you to click a link in another application and open a related folder of documents in OnBase. | See compatible browsers above. |
| Unity Client | All Scanning Stations
|
A Windows-like client installed on the desktop
Unity is now enabled with reduced sign-on via Shibboleth and DUO two-factor authentication and can be used in all departments & areas. |
Not for macOS |
| Unity Client via RDP Connection |
|
not browser based; RDP configured on desktop
Windows desktop users can opt to have Unity installed on their desktop instead. |
macOS / Linux Users with RDP access |
| Outlook |
|
Not browser based, per user installation. This is an Outlook add-in which must be enabled.
Outlook 365* - does not work with 365 Online, only w/ desktop version Requires .NET pre-requisite installation. Outlook 2013 - No longer supported |
Not for macOS |
| Reports | Individual users in various areas | Report Services (formerly available on the RDP server) has been deprecated with this version of OnBase. Reports have been converted and are available through the Unity or Web Client Reporting Dashboards. |
The OnBase Clients
OnBase has a number of different client interfaces available.
For each of the interfaces listed below there are notes about the interface and some important functional items:
There is a grid that shows what each different client can do on the OnBase User Group web page.
If you need to have an OnBase client installed, please send a Service Now help desk request requesting the client and specifying who needs the installation and which client. They should already have OnBase accounts issued to them by their User Manager and should be accessing an existing / known OnBase application.
Web Clients
Log in to web clients using your BU login and password. You must still have an OnBase account set up but access will be granted through a reduced sign-on process & DUO two-factor. Please work through the installation / access instructions provided to insure you have appropriate trusted sites and pop-up blocker exceptions.
Unity Client
This is a full featured client that uses a familiar windows ribbon menu interface. It can be installed on Windows desktops. Unity Clients are installed on all scanning stations. Installation requires assistance from desktop support, the installation package and instructions are available here.
Log in to the Unity client using your BU login and password and then DUO two-factor authentication. The Unity Client can be used for all OnBase functionality including scanning, document separation, indexing, importing and more.
This client is only available for macOS via connection to a remote server (see RDP Connection below).
Outlook Client
This interface offers the opportunity to quickly and easily commit emails and email attachments as documents to OnBase. You can also quickly send a document out of OnBase attached to an email if appropriate security rights have been granted. A desktop installation is required to use this interface. This interface is only certified to work with Windows platform Outlook installation. Installation requires assistance from desktop support, the installation package and instructions are available here.
The OnBase Outlook add-on must be enabled and should be set to always start. It may take some time to start up and Outlook will sometimes automatically disable it. You can manually re-enable it under add-ons.
Logging in to the Outlook Client is prompted the first time OnBase functionality is called for from the Outlook ribbon. Login with your BU login and password. You will stay logged in as long as you do not close Outlook or until an hour has gone by with no OnBase activity. Your OnBase user license will be consumed as long as you remain logged into Outlook or until an hour has gone by without activity, so concurrent licenses may be tied up.
Virtual Desktop Connection - Unity Client
The WVD Unity client is an alternate way to access the Unity client by connecting to a remote Microsoft Azure server rather than having a client installed on your desktop. This is an alternative suitable for macOS users.
To access OnBase via WVD you must have an OnBase account, be in the appropriate AD security group, and need to access it using the Microsoft Remote Desktop app (via the web or an installed client). The instructions are available here. You will probably need assistance from Desktop Support and you can also submit a ticket to the Document Imaging and Management team for assistance with this method.
Please be aware…
- You cannot scan into OnBase when accessing it via WVD.
Do not install or use the WVD Unity client on a scanning station computer! Scan stations should always use the Unity client directly installed on the computer attached to the scanner. - You can import a document from your desktop or a network share via an OnBase client using the default profile settings which are set to allow access to all disk drives.
All other functions available via the Unity Client above are available when you log in via Microsoft Remote Desktop.
OnBase Test Environment
In addition to multiple user interfaces, there are two different OnBase environments that you might interact with. If you are asked to conduct testing on new development or changes to OnBase configurations, you might need a login to our Test environment. User Acceptance Testing should always be done in the same OnBase client that will be used in Production.
OnBase user accounts are set up separately in Production and Test so you can not assume that if you have a login to one that you will have both. The Document Management & Imaging team will coordinate setting up accounts and granting access to Test as needed to validate and train on project and enhancement implementations.