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FlowFile Pro
10 HARD Questions to Ask Before Writing the BIG Check TECHBLDRS FLOWFILE PRO
TRADITIONAL DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
1) Do you need proprietary licensed software to retrieve the documents? TechBldrs Flowfile stores documents in a standard Adobe Acrobat PDF file. All you need is Windows Explorer and the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to look at documents. Go ahead and upgrade, you just need version 5.0 or higher.
Almost every document management system requires licensed software so that you can retrieve the documents you stored. That’s why they’re sold as a “per seat” license. If you want your whole company to start storing documents electronically, you’d better have a big check book. Also, think about how you’re going to update all those desktops every time a new version comes out.
2) Are you going to keep this software forever? It’s just a PDF. If you stop using TechBldrs Flowfile, so what! Use any PDF reader and search tool to find the files and open them.
If you invest into a document management system or use one built into a package, like accounting, project management or customer services, and you change it later on, how will you get to your documents? You’d have to keep the system going and pay for licenses so you can retrieve the documents on an old system you don’t even use!
3) How do you fix the document index database when it breaks? TechBldrs Flowfile embeds indexing information in the folder, subfolder and name of the document file. Additional information is stored inside the Document Properties of each PDF file. In other words, there is no database to repair.
Most document management systems use a database to hold all the index information and a link to the actual document file. When you have to move your documents for any reason, your links break. When the index database becomes corrupt and is restored from backup, index records that have no corresponding linked files are created. Every time this happens you have to repair the database.
4) Do you need special software to archive your documents offline? Ever burn files to a CD? That’s all it takes. The PDF files are self-contained. There’s no expensive utility to purchase to archive the files.
Eventually, your going to need to archive the documents to some offline storage. That means you need to archive the index and the document. Most document management systems sell you a utility so that you can move the documents off-line. Other packages, like accounting systems haven’t even thought that far.
5) How much training does it take to search for documents? Most users know how to access a network folder, subfolder and file using Windows Explorer. Free search tools like Google Desktop Search, Windows Search, and MSN Search Toolbar can be used to find any document.
Using a proprietary application to retrieve documents requires installation, configuration, separate security access, and training. Your users must learn a whole new filing scheme to search for documents. Every new user needs to get training on how the system works.