FYI Desktop app

Plan: Available: All plans 

Users: Available: All users

Practice Management Source: Available: All sources

FYI Desktop allows you to open and edit documents using applications installed on your computer, rather than editing through OneDrive. Once you've finished editing, FYI Desktop uploads the documents back to FYI.

FYI Desktop is available for Windows computers only and is not supported on Mac computers.

Installing FYI Desktop

These installation instructions are intended for individual computers. For shared workstations, terminal servers, and other managed deployments, use the MSI version described in Installing the FYI Desktop app for MSI installation.

Practices with managed IT environments should review the requirements for configuring proxy and firewall settings and group policies that may prevent FYI Desktop from updating automatically.

If more than one person uses the same computer, each person must install FYI Desktop separately under their own Windows user account.

Step 1 - Enable FYI Desktop

You can enable FYI Desktop in My Settings. An FYI Admin can also enable FYI Desktop for multiple users using Bulk Edit in the Users list.

  1. From FYI, select 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
  4. Select "FYI Desktop" as the default for the Open Office Using setting. 

    This makes FYI Desktop the default when you select Edit for an Office document.

Once FYI Desktop has been toggled on, the My Settings - Status tab displays FYI Desktop as "Enabled".

Step 2 - Download and install FYI Desktop

Download and install FYI Desktop on each computer where you intend to use it. You don't need Windows administrator permissions to install FYI Desktop on your own computer.

When Use FYI Desktop is enabled in your profile, the Download FYI Desktop option displays in the Settings menu.

  1. From FYI, select Settings in the top right-hand corner.
  2. Select Download FYI Desktop. The Setup.exe file downloads to your computer.
    730 Standard User Settings.gif
  3. Run Setup.exe from your browser downloads or the location where the file was saved.
  4. If Windows displays a "Windows protected your PC" message, follow the instructions for resolving the Windows installation warning before continuing.
  5. A progress bar displays during installation. Once complete, FYI Desktop Settings opens.
    1608_FYI_Desktop_Install_Settings.gif
  6. The Documents Path determines where documents are temporarily stored when opened using FYI Desktop. 

    FYI recommends using a synchronised OneDrive folder to enable AutoSave when editing Microsoft Office documents. When OneDrive is installed, the default folder is OneDrive\Documents\FYI Desktop. When OneDrive is not installed locally, the default path is C:\Users\yourname\Documents\FYI Desktop. 

    Keep the default location or select Browse to change it. If needed, you can review why AutoSave may be turned off when editing documents from FYI.
  7. When prompted, log in using your Microsoft 365 account.
  8. A new browser window displays the message:
    "Authentication complete. You can return to the application. Feel free to close this browser tab."

Using FYI Desktop

Windows taskbar icon

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

If the icon is not visible, select Show hidden icons in the Windows taskbar, then drag the FYI Desktop icon onto the taskbar.

1695_Show_Hidden_Icons.gif

Opening and editing documents

Once FYI Desktop has been installed, you can open and edit documents using FYI Desktop.

When you open a document for editing, a "Downloading document..." message may display before the document opens in the relevant desktop application.

FYI Desktop has a file size limit of 250 MB when uploading or checking in documents. Larger files can be uploaded directly to FYI as a new document version.

Displaying the document list

Select the FYI Desktop icon in the taskbar to display documents currently being edited, including documents that have been closed locally but have not yet been marked as finished editing.

1610_FYI_Desktop_Window.gif

If a document takes a long time to synchronise or does not open, follow the relevant FYI Desktop document synchronisation troubleshooting instructions.

Logging in and out of FYI Desktop

When you start your computer, FYI Desktop normally logs you in automatically. If not, you'll be prompted to log in.

1613_FYI_Desktop_prompt_to_login.gif

If your sign-in expires, you'll be logged out. When you're not logged in, the FYI Desktop icon displays a red circle.

1614_FYI_Desktop_not_logged_in_Toolbar_icon.gif

Select the FYI Desktop icon to open the window, then choose the relevant login option:

  • Select Login with Windows to log in using your Microsoft 365 account.
  • Alternatively, select Login with Xero to log in using your Xero Practice Manager account, for example, if Microsoft sign-in is unavailable.

1616_FYI_Desktop_Choose_Login_Method.gif

You may need to log out when using a shared computer, switching between FYI accounts with different email addresses, or when directed by FYI Support. FYI Desktop does not have a built-in logout function. Follow the dedicated instructions for logging out of FYI Desktop, which explain how to reset the saved settings and log in again.

Restart FYI Desktop

To restart FYI Desktop:

  1. Select the FYI Desktop icon in the system tray to open the window.
    1609_FYI_Desktop_Toolbar_icon.gif
    If the icon is not visible, select Show hidden icons.
    3353_Windows_Taskbar_Show_Hidden_Icons.gif
    If FYI Desktop is not included in the hidden icons, use the Windows search box or Start menu to search for "FYI Desktop" and open the app. The icon should display in the taskbar shortly afterwards.

    If FYI Desktop does not display in the search results, it may not be installed. Follow the instructions in Installing FYI Desktop.
  2. Select Restart in the bottom right-hand corner of the FYI Desktop window.
    3091_Desktop_App_Restart.gif

Alternatively, right-click the FYI Desktop icon and select Restart.

3092_FYI_Desktop_App_Restart.gif

FYI Desktop closes and reopens automatically.

Exit FYI Desktop

To exit FYI Desktop:

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

    1859_FYI_Desktop_App_Exit.gif

Updates to FYI Desktop

When an FYI Desktop update is available, the icon in the Windows taskbar displays an upward-pointing arrow.

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:

  1. Open the FYI Desktop window. A message displays when an update is available.
    1860_FYI_Desktop_App_New_Update_Restart_Now.gif
  2. Select Restart now.
  3. FYI Desktop restarts to apply the update. This also applies when FYI Desktop was originally installed using MSI.

Uninstalling FYI Desktop

To uninstall FYI Desktop, follow the instructions for uninstalling FYI Desktop.

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