Menu – Custom Links

Module Overview

Purpose

The Menu - Custom Links module allows administrators and authorized users to add custom links to the eIntranet application's main menu, pointing to external websites, internal applications, or PDF documents. This allows you to customize the menu to your organization's needs and provide quick access to frequently used tools and documents directly from the eIntranet environment.

Key Features

Creating custom links with any URL address or by uploading a PDF file
Choice of link opening method: in a new window, as an iframe in the application, or in the same window
Organizing links into groups for a clearer menu structure
Selecting an icon for visual differentiation of links in the menu
Detailed access rights settings for individual users
Detailed access rights settings based on job positions
Encrypted transmission of logged-in user information using AES256
Easy editing and deletion of created links

Target Audience

The module is primarily intended for system administrators and department heads who have the right to manage the menu structure. Created links can then be used by all users according to the set access rights.

Settings and Configuration

Accessing the Module

You can find the module in the application's main menu under the path: Settings → Menu - Custom Links

Interface Description

After opening the module, an overview table of all created custom links is displayed. The table contains the following columns:

ID - Unique identifier of the link in the system
Group - Name - Name of the group the link belongs to (if specified)
Name - Name of the link displayed in the menu
Link - URL address of the link or name of the uploaded PDF file
Icon - Visual preview of the icon assigned to the link
Users Who Can See - List of users who have access to the link
Users in Positions Who Can See - List of job positions with access to the link
Actions - Buttons for editing (pencil icon) and deletion (cross icon)

User Rights

Rights to individual links are set separately for each link during its creation or editing. These are not global rights to the entire module.

Types of Rights

No Access - The user or position does not see the link in the menu and cannot use it
Can See (Can Use) - The user or position sees the link in the menu and can click on it

Setting Rights by Users

When creating or editing a link, you can set access rights individually for each user in the system. The table will display all users with toggles for setting rights.

Setting Rights by Positions

Alternatively or simultaneously, you can set access rights based on job positions. All users with a given position will then gain access to the link.

Note: If a user has access either as an individual user or through their position, the link will be displayed in their menu.

Basic Operations

Creating a New Link

You create a new custom link with the following procedure:

Open the page Settings → Menu - Custom Links
Click the Add Link button at the top of the page
Fill out the form:
- Group - Name (optional) - Enter a group name if you want to group multiple links under one parent item in the menu. Leave blank for a standalone link.
- Name (required) - Enter the name that will be displayed in the application menu
- Link (including http://) - Enter the complete URL address including the protocol (http:// or https://)
- ...or file (.pdf) - If you don't want to enter a URL, you can upload a PDF file. Choose one of these two options.
- Open - Select the link opening method:
  - in a new window - The link will open in a new browser window
  - iframe - The link will be displayed within the application in a frame (iframe)
  - in the same window - The link will replace the current window content
- Icon in Menu - Click on the field and select an icon from the list of available icons
- Add Encrypted Part to End of Address (optional) - Check if you want to automatically add encrypted parameters with logged-in user information
- AES256 Password - If you checked the previous option, enter a password for encryption (must be the same in the target application)
- Link Rights by Users - In the table, set for each user whether they should have access to the link. You can use the search field to quickly find a user.
- Link Rights by Positions - In the table, set for each position whether users with that position should have access to the link
Click the Save button at the bottom of the form
The system will automatically return you to the list of links and the newly created link will appear in the table
The link will immediately appear in the main menu for all users with the appropriate rights

Editing a Link

You can modify an existing link as follows:

In the list of links on the page Settings → Menu - Custom Links, find the link you want to modify
Click on the pencil icon in the Actions column for that link
An editing form with pre-filled values will open
Modify the required data as needed
Click the Save button to save the changes
Changes will immediately take effect in the application menu

Deleting a Link

You can delete a link in the following way:

In the list of links, find the link you want to remove
Click on the cross icon in the Actions column for that link
A confirmation dialog will appear asking if you really want to delete the link
Confirm deletion by clicking the OK button
The link will be immediately removed from the database and will stop appearing in the menu

Warning: Deleting a link is irreversible. If you delete a link by mistake, you must create it again.

Searching in Tables

In the tables with users and positions when setting rights, you can use the search field:

Enter a user's name or position name in the search field above the table
The table will automatically filter and display only matching records
This allows you to quickly find the needed user or position without scrolling through a long list

Advanced Features

Creating Link Groups

Purpose of Groups

Link groups allow you to logically group multiple related links under one parent item in the menu. This improves clarity and facilitates navigation, especially if you have a large number of custom links.

Procedure for Creating a Group

Create the first link and enter a group name in the Group - Name field (for example "Company Documents")
Create additional links that should belong to the same group
In the Group - Name field for each of these links, enter exactly the same group name
All links with the same group name will be displayed in the menu as subitems under the group name

Usage Example

If you want to create a group of documents, proceed as follows:

Create a link "Document Archive" with group "Company Documents"
Create a link "Photo Gallery" with group "Company Documents"
Create a link "Video Gallery" with group "Company Documents"

In the menu, a "Company Documents" item will appear, and after hovering over it or clicking, the subitems Document Archive, Photo Gallery, and Video Gallery will expand.

Important Notes

The group name must be exactly the same for all links, including uppercase and lowercase letters
Links without a group name will be displayed independently in the menu
You can create any number of different groups

Parameter Encryption (AES256)

Purpose of Encryption

The parameter encryption feature is used to securely transmit information about the currently logged-in user to another application or website. Thanks to encryption, no one can misuse the transmitted data or modify its content.

What is Encrypted

The system automatically encrypts and adds to the end of the URL address the following information:

Current time (timestamp)
Email of the logged-in user

Procedure for Activating Encryption

When creating or editing a link, check the option Add Encrypted Part to End of Address
In the AES256 Password field, enter a strong password for encryption
You must use the same password in the target application for decrypting the parameters
Save the link

Technical Details

The encrypted parameter is added to the end of the URL address. Data is encrypted using the AES256 algorithm. The following modifications are made to the resulting string for URL compatibility:

The + character is replaced with the - character
The / character is replaced with the _ character
The = character is removed

Use in Target Application

The target application must:

Read the encrypted parameter from the URL
Perform reverse character conversion (- to +, _ to /, add =)
Decrypt the data using the same AES256 password
Process the time and user email information

Uploading a PDF File

Purpose

Instead of a link to an external URL address, you can upload a PDF file that will be displayed directly in the application. This is useful for documents that you want to always have available in the menu.

Procedure for Uploading PDF

When creating or editing a link, leave the Link (including http://) field blank
Click on the ...or file (.pdf) field
In the dialog box, select a PDF file from your computer
The system will automatically set the opening method to iframe
Complete filling out the remaining fields and save the link

Displaying PDF

After clicking on the link in the menu, the PDF document will be displayed directly in the application as one of the modules. The user can view the document, browse through pages, and print, but cannot edit it.

Supported Formats

The feature supports only files in PDF format. Other document formats (Word, Excel, images) cannot be uploaded this way.

Bulk Rights Setting

Purpose

If you want to set the same rights for all users or all positions at once, you can use the bulk setting feature instead of individually toggling each row.

Procedure

In the Link Rights by Users or Link Rights by Positions table, find the row with the column name
Under the column name No Access or Can See (Can Use), you will find a Mark button
Click the Mark button under the desired column
All toggles in that column will be set to the selected value
You can then individually adjust rights for specific users or positions

Usage Examples

Link for everyone: Click Mark under the Can See (Can Use) column in both tables
Link only for selected: First click Mark under the No Access column, then manually check Can See (Can Use) for specific users or positions

Integration

Connected Modules

The Menu - Custom Links module is connected to these parts of the system:

Settings - This is where custom link management is located
Main Menu - Created links are automatically displayed in the application's main navigation menu
Users - List of users for setting access rights
Job Positions - List of positions for setting access rights by roles

Data Flows

After saving a new link or editing an existing one, changes immediately take effect in the application's main menu. Users with the appropriate rights will see the link when they next load the page or refresh the menu.

Link Groups → Expandable Sections

Links with the same group name are grouped in the menu under a common parent element. After clicking or hovering over it, a list of all links in the group is displayed.

Changes to access rights take effect immediately. A user from whom you remove access will stop seeing the link in the menu. A user to whom you grant access will start seeing the link in the menu.

Dependencies

Necessary Prerequisites

Users in the System: To set individual rights, users must be created in the Users module
Defined Positions: To set rights by positions, positions must be defined in the system and assigned to users
Administrator Rights: To manage custom links, the user must either be an administrator or have explicitly assigned rights to this module in settings

Optional Dependencies

External Applications: If you use parameter encryption, the target application must support AES256 decryption
PDF Viewer: To display uploaded PDF files, the user must have a browser with PDF display support

Tips and Recommendations

Organizing Links

For a clear menu, use link groups. Group related links under a common parent element.
Choose concise and short link names. Long names are difficult to read in the menu.
Don't add too many links at the top level. Instead, create several groups.

Icon Selection

Choose icons appropriately for better visual orientation. The icon should match the purpose of the link.
Use the same icon for all links in a group, or conversely different icons for easy distinction.
Don't choose random icons. Consistent iconography improves user experience.

Opening Method

Some websites (especially with HTTPS) cannot be opened in an iframe due to security restrictions. In this case, use the in a new window option.
For internal tools and applications, prefer opening as iframe so the user stays in the eIntranet environment.
Use the in the same window option carefully. The user may lose context and not know how to get back.

Security and Rights

For sensitive links, set access rights only for specific users or positions.
Regularly check who has access to individual links. Remove access for users who no longer need to use the link.
If you use parameter encryption, choose a strong and unique password for each link.
Do not share the AES256 password through unsecured channels (email, chat).