Your MyDesk area is your workspace.  From within MyDesk, you can access your Materials, set up methods of Collaboration, access Tools (such as your PlanBook and Reports), and view References. 

Materials

MyDesk features a Materials menu which consists of three label types - special labels, standard labels, and smart labels.  Special labels (My Work, Inbox, Sent, All, and Trash) cannot be edited, but you can create, edit, or delete both standard and smart labels.  With standard labels, you simply assign or "tag" your documents with a label that you've created.  Smart labels are based on specific criteria that you choose.  Documents which meet that criteria will dynamically align with the smart label.

Special Labels

The special labels set (My Work, Inbox, Sent, All, and Trash) are permanent; they cannot be removed or edited.  However, the documents associated with these labels can be removed (with the exception of documents in Trash).  Each of these special labels will provide you with quick access to your documents.  My Work will include any new document that you create (provided that you haven't moved that document to another label).  Your Inbox includes documents that others have shared with you.  Sent includes only those documents that you have shared with others.  All comprises all of your untrashed documents (whether they are associated with other labels or not).  A document that has no other label will still be accessible from the All folder.  Trash stores documents that you have moved to the Trash label.  Documents cannot be deleted from Trash, but they can be restored.

Standard Labels

Create a standard label (or folder) to associate specific documents with that label.  For instance, you might create a label for a particular course or subject and tag related documents with that label.  Remember, documents are not bound by one label; you can tag a document with as many labels as you want.

Smart Labels

Smart labels are dynamic.  You create smart labels to organize your documents based on criteria.  For instance, you might create a smart label called "Recent Docs" with the conditions that a document must have been created or modified within the past two weeks.  Any document that meets those criteria will show up under that smart label.  Documents that have not been modified or created within the past two weeks will not display under the "Recent Docs" label.  Remember, you cannot apply a smart label to a document, and you cannot remove a smart label from a document.  The only way a document will appear under a smart label is if it meets the criteria.  For a document to be disassociated with a smart label, it must either fail to meet the criteria or be moved to Trash.

Applying Labels to Documents

Associates a document with a standard label.

1. Check the boxes that correspond with the documents that you would like to label.
2. Click the Apply button and select the label that you would like to apply.  note that you can also create a new label by licking the [New Label] option.

Moving Documents to a Label

Moves a document from one label to another label.

1. Check the boxes that correspond with the documents you would like to move.
2. Click the Move button and select the desired label.  Note that you can also create a new label by clicking the [New Label] option.

Moving Documents to Trash

Moves a document from all labels to Trash.

1. Check the boxes that correspond with the documents that you would like to Trash.
2. Click the Move button and select Trash.
3. Confirm that you wish to trash the selected documents.

Note the important distinction between the Trash and Remove function buttons.  Trash will essentially delete your document (while still rendering it recoverable from the Trash bin located under the Materials menu).  Removed documents will disassociate documents with certain labels.

Restoring Documents from the Trash

1. Under the Materials menu of MyDesk, click the Trash link.
2. Mark the checkboxes that correspond to the documents you want to restore.
3. Click the Restore button.

When documents are restored, they will still appear under the All label section.

Removing Documents from a Label

Disassociates a document from a label.

1. Check the boxes that correspond with the documents where you would like to remove a label.
2. Click the Remove button and select Trash.
3. Confirm that you wish to remove the label from the selected documents.

When all labels are removed from a document, it will still appear under the All label.

Creating Standard Labels (simple tags that you assign to a document)

1. Click the edit labels... link located under the Materials menu.
2. Click the Create button and choose the Label option.
3. Enter a Title and optional Description for your label.
4. Click the Save button, and your new label will appear within your Materials menu.

Editing Standard Labels

1. Click the edit labels... link located under the Materials menu.
2. Click the edit link that corresponds with the label you wish to edit.
3. Edit the Title and Description as needed.
4. Click the Save button to save your changes.

Creating Smart Labels

1. Click the edit labels... link located under the Materials menu.
2. Click the Create button and choose the Smart Label option.
3. Enter a Title and optional Description for your Smart Label.
4. Select your match method.  If you want your query results to match any of your search criteria (which typically generates more results), choose Any from the dropdown menu.  If you want your query results limited to only documents that match all of the search criteria, choose all from the dropdown menu.
5. Set your Smart Label criteria.  For example, if you want to create a list where the document type is a portfolio, you would select Document Type from the dropdown menu, select the condition is and then select the Portfolio document type.
6. To add additional query criteria, click the + button.
7. From the dropdown menu, choose your sort method.
8. Click the Save button.

Editing Smart Labels

1. Click the edit labels... link located under the Materials menu.
2. Click the edit link that corresponds with the label you wish to edit.
3. Edit the Title, Description, and the conditions which comprise your Smart Label.
4. Click the Save button to save your changes.