Lock Document

Introduction

The CloudFiles: Lock Document flow action password-protects a PDF from a Salesforce flow and saves the protected copy. The original file is left as it was.

Use it to protect a document before it goes out, for example a contract or a statement that is about to be emailed or shared with a client. The PDF can be a Salesforce File or a file in connected external storage.

What this action does

The action reads the PDF in Source, protects it with AES-256 encryption using the passwords and permissions you set, and saves the result as a new file. It runs synchronously, so its outputs are available to the next element in the flow.

• Editor Password is required. Whoever opens the PDF with it can do anything with the file. Without it, nobody can edit the PDF, comment on it or rearrange its pages.
• View Password is optional. When set, it is needed to open the PDF at all.
• Allow Printing and Allow Form Filling decide what people without the Editor Password can still do.

If the source PDF is already protected, the copy gets only the protection you set here. The source PDF's old passwords and restrictions do not carry over.

Input Parameters

In Flow Builder, add an Action element, search for “CloudFiles: Lock Document” in the CloudFiles category, and select it. Then configure the inputs below.

Source

The PDF to lock, as an Apex-defined variable of class cldfs__Resource. Create the variable in the Toolbox (New Resource, Resource Type Variable, Data Type Apex-Defined, Apex Class cldfs__Resource), set its values in an Assignment element, and pass it to Source. Parameter names are case sensitive.

To lock a Salesforce File:

1. library - salesforce
2. id - The ContentDocumentId of the file.

To lock a file in external storage:

1. library - The storage type, for example sharepoint or google.
2. driveId - The id of the drive the file is in.
3. id - The id of the file.

Editor Password

The password that lifts every restriction. Whoever opens the PDF with it can print it, fill it in and change it. This input is needed: when it is empty, the action returns INVALID_INPUT.

Passwords are used exactly as given, spaces included.

View Password (Optional)

The password needed to open the PDF. Leave it empty to let anyone open the PDF. The restrictions still apply either way.

Current Password (Optional)

Only for a Source that already needs a password to open: enter that password so the action can read the file. For a Source that opens without a password, this input is ignored.

If the Source needs a password and Current Password is empty, the action returns PASSWORD_REQUIRED. If the password is wrong, it returns WRONG_PASSWORD.

Allow Printing and Allow Form Filling (Optional)

What people who open the PDF without the Editor Password can still do. Set each to True to allow it. Empty means not allowed. Editing the content, adding comments and rearranging pages always need the Editor Password.

Destination (Optional)

Where the locked copy is saved, as a cldfs__Resource.

• Empty - The copy is saved next to the Source. A Salesforce File's copy is linked to the same records as the original. A file in external storage is saved in the same folder.
• A folder or a record - The copy is saved there. For Salesforce, set library to salesforce and id to the Id of the record the copy should be attached to. For external storage, set library, driveId and the folder's id.
• A file - Set type to file as well, and that file is overwritten with the locked copy. A Salesforce File gets a new version and keeps its links. Leave File Name empty in this case, or the action returns INVALID_INPUT.

To lock the original file itself rather than save a copy, pass the Source again as the Destination with type set to file.

File Name (Optional)

The name of the locked copy. Leave it empty to keep the Source's name. A name without an extension gets .pdf added.

If the folder already holds a file with that name, the copy is either saved under a new name, with Renamed On Conflict set to True, or not saved, with Error Code set to NAME_CONFLICT. Which one happens depends on the storage and its file conflict setting in CloudFiles. Salesforce Files can hold two files with the same name, so there the copy is saved alongside the existing file.

Context (Optional)

Any text you want back in the Document Locked event, and in the Error Event when a PDF fails, for example the Id of the record that started the flow. A flow that listens for CloudFiles Events can use it to tell which run the event came from. Read it with Get Event Details.

Output Parameters

The action returns these values to the flow:

1. File (cldfs__Resource) - The saved copy: its id (the ContentDocumentId for a Salesforce File), name, library and driveId.
2. File URL (Text) - A link to the saved copy. For a Salesforce File it opens the file's page in Lightning.
3. Was Protected (Boolean) - Whether the Source was already protected.
4. Renamed On Conflict (Boolean) - True when the copy was saved under a different name because the name was taken.
5. Error Code (Text) - Empty when the copy was saved. Otherwise one of the codes below.
6. Error Message (Text) - What went wrong, starting with the error code.

Each saved copy also raises a Document Locked event carrying File, Was Protected and your Context. A failure raises an Error Event with ErrorEventType document-locked, carrying the Error Code. Both can be read with Get Event Details.

See it in action

Here is a flow that locks a contract attached to an Account, so it can only be opened with a View Password and can be printed but not changed.

The locked copy appears on the Account next to the original.

Opening the locked copy asks for the View Password.