Online Document Management

There are several different ways My Docs Online can be used for Online Document Management, but they all typically involve the following important components.

Capture and Upload

My Docs Online customers using the product for document management purposes usually focus on one of two main approaches - using MDO as a repository or using our sharing and collaboration tools.

One example of document repository use is by real estate firms, who typically scan documents for each property as they are created, and organize them in the My Docs Online account by property address, thus allowing quick and convenient access to all documents related to a property, by agents, buyers, sellers, attorneys, etc.

Scanned documents can be uploaded into My Docs Online through a variety of means, including email attachment or WebDAV support built into a high-end scanner or multi-purpose scanner/copier, or via tools like our MDO Transporter, which can upload entire "folder trees" from a PC conveniently and quickly. Adobe Acrobat (pdf) files are the file type of choice.

When the focus is on sharing and collaboration the files are best saved as Microsoft Office (Word and Excel) files, which makes them editable once online using web folders. The same upload tools can be used to get the documents online initially.

Storage

Once a file has been uploaded to a My Docs Online Enterprise Edition account it is stored in three separate locations on three separate file servers, to guard again interruption in document availability in the case of hardware failure.

Files are in a shared, pooled storage, so that a file takes up the same amount of account storage quota regardless of how many users can access it.

Retrieval

Once in the My Docs Online system a file can be retrieved in a number of ways, depending on need and preference, including:

• Web Folders / WebDAV on a PC or a Mac
• The basic web browser interface
• The MDO Transporter

Users can be defined as having "view only" access so that they can download a file but not modify ir or delete it. They can also be given "full control" so they can edit a document, rename it, or upload documents.

Distribution

Universal distribution is easiest when the file is converted to an Adobe Acrobat pdf file before upload, as virtually all recipients will be able to open and view a pdf file. Using the pdf format also provides the most control over reliable formatting regardless of the recipient's hardware and software.

Security

ALL files in a My Docs Online account are stored and transferred securely, including file and folders uploaded to an account for document management purposed.

Collaboration

For Office files (Word and Excel) Web Folders is the key enabling technology, offering convenient viewing and accessing using familiar Windows or Mac methods. File locking during update is included. Other file types can't use the file locking and update features that MS Office provides, but can use the file transfer features of Windows Explorer or the Mac Finder.

Searching

Enterprise and Transcription Edition administrators can use the file search and undelete feature included in Group Administration. Searching is also possible using Web Folders.