DMS: Traditional (non-image) Document Management System

[ccclapp]

I am beginning the process of creating a "Traditional" Document Management System using iMatch.  I have investigated numerous pre-packaged DMS systems and none meet my need.  In a nutshell, they are either too rigid and bulky (geared toward Enterprise businesses) or too basic (geared to low level users).  I am hopeful that a customized iMatch configuration with carefully thought out workflow can yield a powerful, yet flexible DMS.

Initially, I will likely ask for clarification/guidance on questions/issues I have as I work to develop this.  When I pull it all together I intend to write is up and share my configuration with other users.  Also, I expect iMatch to be the backbone of the system, but anticipate using other programs in tandem e.g. scanning SW, Windows Browsers, etc.  Thus, while this will be iMatch centric, not everything I write will be about IM.

This post and the few below are simply placeholders for my write-up of this system and workflow to edit later to keep the final write-up at the top of this string...

[ccclapp]

PLACEHOLDER

[ccclapp]

PLACEHOLDER

[ccclapp]

Mario:

If I understand the Help file correctly, the following two conditions are true:
1) Attribute sets cannot be renamed
2) If one imports attributes with the same name sets as existing, the existing is overwritten and fully replaced with the import

The problem here is, if one has created a database using Attributes and then wants/needs to import/re-import attributes (eg from another db or a backup), all existing data would be lost because sets cant be renamed.

This makes me very leery of using attributes.

Further, even without the import issue, the fact that sets can never be renamed prevents an evolving structure and locks one into first-use names.

Am I correct about my read of the help file? 

[ccclapp]

Mario or Others:

If one wants to add tags to files e.g. accounting bills/receipts, etc do you anticipate this is best done through Categories, Attributes, XMP or do we need to use all of the above?

-- Some tags will want dedicated lists e.g Project, Vendor, Type.  Am I correct lists only exist in Attributes?

-- Some need to reference metadata, e.g. Scan Date.  This would be built-in metadata such as XMP or "smart categories" that reference built-in metadata, is that correct?

-- Some need manual dates e.g Transaction Date from a scanned bill/invoice (where scan date is not the same as transaction date).  This could be Attribute or a user defined blank XMP field (such as "date taken" for a PDF file)

Am I correct there is no single panel in iMatch where one can quickly tag files from these isolated metadata sources?  If not, do you have any guidance on adding this number of individually changing variables which vary file-by-file?

Thanks

[ccclapp]

Mario

When using Attributes that reference global sets and thus offer drop-down lists, can the drop-down be activated via keyboard commends?  Not meaning to be critical, but they are cumbersome/slow to use.  Several mouse clicks and some delay to implement.

Also:  Do you prefer I ask questions like the above few here or in another more general section of the forum?

Thanks

EDIT 12-18-13
I see the drop-down list can be activated by:
Tab to cell ->f2->Alt+Down Arrow

[Photon]

My placeholder:-)

[sinus]

My placeholder:-)

Sorry, I wondered already when CCClapp did this.
What does this mean? 

[ccclapp]

My placeholder:-)

Sorry, I wondered already when CCClapp did this.
What does this mean? 

Hi

Sorry I have not updated this topic.  I am sill developing my doc mgt system and have been busy on other fronts.

But, to answer your question:  The reason I made "Placeholder" posts, is so I can add to the system description and keep all info current at the top of this thread.  That way if this turns into a long thread, readers will not have to weed through pages of discussion to have the most up to date summary / workflow.  Nothing fancier than that ;-)

I hope to resume work on this project in a week or two...

[Mario]

Placeholder posts currently work because I handle the user privileges very loosely during the Beta.
When the forum opens for everybody I may have to take certain measures, e.g. only allowing normal users to edit their own posts only for a couple of hours. This would make placeholder posts useless. Admins and moderators can then still update all posts.

It depends if and how users abuse such features. Or how much SPAMMERs we need to fence off. Over Christmas we had between 10 and 50 SPAM members from China, Korea and the US (via hacked servers) who registered for the IMatch user forum and made one post, full of links to web sites for which they are paid. They don't recognize that all their posts are not visible to other users or search engine unless a moderator approves them. Which I don't do, I immediately delete their accounts and all posts they made.

But it was quite a bit of extra work over the holidays - I finally had to enable a registration queue in order to delete new members before they can even post. Luckily these guys are all morons and you can tell by their IP address and the random user and email names they use. Other spammers use meaningful user names and emails (based on dictionaries) and this makes it hard to tell. Only when they do their first posts you see that they only want to post "search engine bait" to drive traffic to web sites which pay them. Nobody on the IMatch user forum is interested in shoes, handbags, kitchens, furniture, currency for online role games etc. SPAM is a real pest these days. I've seen communities like this which had to go off-line because they could not handle the SPAM anymore.

I have to run a very tight ship to keep these folks out.

[ccclapp]

...I feel your pain

...sounds like I better get moving on my DMS write-up ;-)

[Richard]

sounds like I better get moving on my DMS write-up

I would not worry about it much. Here is what I would suggest. Copy your original post, make any changes needed and post it. Send me a PM to tell me what needs to be done and I will do it for you. Like copy your most recent post and paste the text in your first post, then delete your most recent post, or part of it as you direct. I check Community several times a day most days so I should catch your PM fairly quickly.

[Mario]

Hi, Richard

this will be the way we do it if I remove the right to "endless edit" from normal users. If a user has a real reason to update one of his older posts, he can ask a moderator or me for assistance. Of course this means an extra step and a bit of work for the moderator. This is why I enable the endless edit for now. I will keep it that way if users don't abuse it and if it poses no problem with SPAMmers.

[Richard]

Of course this means an extra step and a bit of work for the moderator.

I hope that it will never become necessary but if it becomes necessary to limit editing, I am more than willing to do a bit of work to help make things better.