FAQ

General

What is the beA Desk used for?

The beA Desk is a desktop application for managing electronic legal communications via the beA system. It allows you to send, receive, edit, and archive messages, as well as integrate with downstream systems like LEXolution.DMS or Input Management.

Does the beA Desk work without a connection to the beA system?

Yes, the beA Desk can be used offline.
However, sending and retrieving messages and selecting recipients from the directory require an active connection to the BRAK server.

In offline mode, the following applies:

• ❌ Recipient search not possible
  
• ❌ Cannot retrieve new messages
  
• ❌ Cannot send messages
  
• ✅ Drafts can be created and edited

Is the beA Desk an archiving system?

No.
The beA Desk is not designed for long-term storage.

Messages should be regularly: - exported
- archived (e.g., in LEXolution.DMS)
- and removed from the beA Desk

Mailboxes & Setup

Can the mailbox owner be changed later?

No.
Once a mailbox has been created and saved, the owner cannot be changed.

What should be considered before setting up a mailbox for the first time?

Before using a mailbox in the beA Desk:

• make sure the Inbox and Sent folders in the beA Web Client are empty
  
• or move existing messages to subfolders

Otherwise, existing messages will be imported into the beA Desk.

Why are changes to user roles not immediately visible?

Changes in STP User Management can take up to 5 minutes to take effect in the beA Desk.

Messages & Sending

Why can't a message be sent?

Possible reasons:

• missing required fields (e.g., recipient, subject)
  
• invalid recipient (e.g., wrong Safe-ID)
  
• missing permissions for the selected mailbox
  
• missing structured data (e.g., file reference, if required)

For details, check the Send Errors folder.

What does the validation status mean?

The validation status checks technical requirements such as:

• Number of attachments (< 100)
  
• Attachment size (< 60 MB)
  
• Required fields

⚠️ It does not prevent sending. Messages can be sent even if there are warnings.

Why does a message stay in the Outbox?

A message remains in the Outbox until:

• the BRAK server has accepted the message
  
• a delivery timestamp is available

Only then will the message be moved to the "Sent" folder.

Should the beA Desk be closed immediately after sending?

No.
It is recommended to wait until a Message ID is displayed.
Closing the application too early can interrupt the sending process.

What does the Message ID mean?

The Message ID is assigned by the BRAK server and confirms that:

• the message was successfully transmitted
  
• delivery has been initiated

Note
Do not close the beA Desk before the Message ID is displayed.

eEB (Acknowledgment of Receipt)

What do the eEB symbols mean?

• Open envelope → eEB requested
  
• Closed envelope → Response draft available
  
• Blue checkmark → eEB sent
  
• Green label → Response received

Why can't I respond to an eEB?

Make sure:

• the message contains an eEB request
  
• you are logged in to the BRAK server

Signatures

Why isn't a document shown in the signature folder?

Only documents of the type "Schriftsatz" (pleading) or eEB responses are shown in the signature folder.

Why can't a document be signed?

Possible reasons:

• no signature component installed (SecSigner / beA Desk Signer)
  
• document not marked as "Schriftsatz" (pleading)
  
• missing permissions for the certificate

Synchronization & System Behavior

How often does synchronization occur?

The beA Desk synchronizes with the BRAK server every 10 minutes.

During this process:

• new messages are retrieved
  
• sending status is updated

Why are messages still marked as unread in the beA Web Client?

The read status in the beA Desk is independent of the beA Web Client.

Due to technical limitations of the BRAK interface:

• messages in the Web Client cannot be automatically marked as "read"

Why are there delays between the beA Desk and the Web Client?

Synchronization occurs periodically (every 10 minutes).
This can lead to temporary differences between the systems.

Limits & Performance

Is there a limit for messages?

Yes.

For optimal performance:

• max. 300 messages per mailbox (Inbox + Sent + Trash)

Across all mailboxes:

• 1,000 messages should not be exceeded

Why is performance limited?

Possible reasons:

• too many stored messages
  
• large attachments
  
• insufficient memory (especially on terminal servers)

Errors & Special Cases

What does error "F001" mean?

This error means:

• the message could not be delivered to the recipient's intermediary

Solution:

• move the message to the Drafts folder
  
• send again

Additionally:

• delete the failed message from the Outbox in the beA Web Client

Why is a message in the "Send Errors" folder?

The message could not be sent due to:

• invalid data
  
• missing permissions
  
• technical problems

Open the error log for details.

Why can't I select a recipient?

Recipient search requires:

• an active connection to the BRAK server

Integration

How are messages transferred to the DMS?

Messages are transferred as:

• .beamsg archive
  
• plus attachments as separate files (optional)

How are messages processed in Input Management?

Messages are:

• transferred as .beamsg
  
• attachments extracted and processed
  
• automatically classified and assigned

Are all contents processed in Input Management?

No.

The following contents are not processed:

• digital signatures
  
• certificates
  
• encrypted attachments
  
• delivery receipts

Technical Notes

Why is more memory needed?

A separate KSW interface instance is started for each active user session.

Typical memory usage:

• about 500 MB per user
  
• can exceed 1 GB depending on message size

Can the beA Desk be used on a terminal server?

Yes.
The beA Desk is fully supported in terminal server environments.

What happens when the beA Desk is closed?

Closing the window does not completely exit the application.

• The beA Desk continues running in the background (tray)

To fully exit:

• use the tray icon → select "Exit"