Windream Electronic Document Management Software
Established since 1990, Quadtronix have amassed a wealth of knowledge that you can tap in to. As such, Quadtronix are now a leading supplier of Electronic Document Management Systems and archiving solutions, ulitising software such as Windream, Scanfile and FileDirector. We are here to advise, supply, install and implement a system in order to meet your exact requirements.
We don't expect you to know exactly what you need. All we need to know is what your problems and issues are, what is giving you a headache, what are you looking to achieve and gain from document management.
Because everyone's requirements are different, we offer a completely free audit and survey. We will visit you at your site, walk the floor, talk to you and your staff to obtain a clear understanding of your requirements. We won't pressurise you into making a decision, we will only advise you and ensure you have sufficient information on which to make your decision.
To book your free audit and survey where we will tell you the facts about Document Management and show you how YOUR organisation can save time, space and money. Simply call free on 0800 252 282 or email rsvp@quadtronix.co.uk and let us know your details.
Windream - Document Management Like Windows
DMS Archiving SAP COLD WEB Workflow Imaging Other
windream is fully integrated into the Windows Operating System, adding a "virtual drive" to your network. It is intuitive to use for even the less-skilled users.
With the choice of industry-standard database, it suits the needs of all sizes of organisations and with all ranges of IT skills.
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Now Document Management is as easy as using Windows
Would you like to run a Document Management System as easily as administering your other business applications? Would you like to extend the Microsoft Windows operating system to include extensive document management and archiving functionality?
Now you can - with windream.
Developed in Germany, windream is a revolutionary Windows-based document management and archiving system that, while new to the UK, is proven and well established at over 1,500 installations worldwide. The success of the software is largely due to its complete integration with the Windows operating system - in fact, if you can use Microsoft Windows Explorer, you can use windream.
Why Choose windream
- An out-of-the box, cost-effective solution
- Completely integrated with the Windows operating system
- Incorporates Records Management features
- Ease of use (due to Windows OS extension)
- Works with all Windows applications
- Mature and proven technology (over 500 systems installed worldwide)
- Runs on industry standard databases (Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle)
- Feature-rich, includes many modules to cater for all requirements
- Excellent price/performance ratio
- Low total cost of ownership (uses industry standard technologies and Windows conventions)
- Comprehensive Software Development Kit available for integration and customisation
Document Management (DMS)
DMS with VFS Technology
Existing DMS solutions are too expensive for small and mid-sized businesses. With licenses costing approx. Eur 1,000 per workstation, DMS applications have been out of reach for all but the big corporations. windream, with its patented VFS technology, changes this situation. The technical approach used in developing this system reduced the total cost of development, thus the saving has been passed on to the customer.
Document Management Systems can be divided into two basic categories: DM systems which run as separate document management applications alongside the document processing programs (non-integrated DMS) and those in which document management functionality is integrated into the operating system.
While information in a file-based system can be saved and retrieved directly from any application program, traditional DMSs required the DMS to be running before documents could be accessed. Document management then takes place in a separate DMS program, and not over a file system. An interface to each application program has to be individually programmed before the DMS program can communicate with them.
Both technical and commercial disadvantages are inherent in such technically linked DMS. For more information on this topic see the "Insight into DMS & Archiving Guide above".
Considering the disadvantages of both file management and technically linked DMSs, the logical solution is to augment the file management system: the second type of DMS adds DMS functions to the known operating system's file management capabilities. Document management functions are integrated into the operating system using a special file system driver. This file system driver behaves exactly like a normal file system in Windows, but it is logically based on DMS.
As with similar technologies, such as Sun's NFS (Network File System), this has been labelled VFS technology (Virtual File System). It is no longer necessary to have a separately installed DMS application running on the operating system.
Standard Business Edition (SBE) + Extension (SBX)
Windream isn't just a new DMS - windream is a revolution!
Windream holds all its Microsoft file system based DMS functions available in the background while users go about their daily business. The difference first becomes visible when functions are used, which go beyond Microsoft standards. Saving a new document opens an indexing window automatically. Documents are searched for using an extension of the Windows Find function. windream is compatible with all application software and doesn't need to be adapted to new applications or versions. windream is ready to face the future!
The system's three-layer architecture has been designed in accordance with latest technologies. Only the most modern methods and developments have been used. The user interface, the application server, and the database server all run as separate applications which communicate with each other via interfaces (COM/ DCOM, OLE-DB/ ADO, TCP-IP). The inclusion of Microsoft Windows Script Host allows you to carry out an almost unlimited number of changes and extensions to the system. The COM/ DCOM, OLE-DB/ ADO and ActiveX interfaces allow you to extend windream in almost any way you want and can easily be integrated into your IT environment.
Customisation to a user's special needs can be accomplished using simple VB scripts. In this manner indices can automatically be applied from Microsoft Outlook or Microsoft Office files - the user simply chooses the appropriate file template.
Naturally, windream also offers the same functions as traditional DM systems. Windream is modularly constructed, allowing you to assemble "your" system with existing modules. You pay only for those functions you really need.
The Standard Business Edition offers the following functionalities such as:
- history
- index search
- full-text search
- object type search (search via folder and document types)
- Versioning
- object store
- national language support (NLS) for German and English, and access authorisation concept
Windream's modular architecture allows you to choose successively those modules which best suit your company's needs.
Check-In/ Check-Out
The Check-In/ Check-Out procedure allows documents to be edited outside the windream environment and ensures that documents are always up-to-date. In addition to this function, which is familiar from other DM systems, windream with SBX allows documents to be protected against simultaneous editing without having to first check or export them. If you attempt to edit a protected document, a message will appear informing you that the document is currently in use, and by whom.
Lifecycle Management
A document lifecycle can be freely defined for each type of document, and can be further divided into editing and archival periods. Through connection to the windream archiving system, documents are automatically moved from the object store to a long-term archive and then archived to optical media upon expiration of the editing period. This ensures that the legal storage requirements are met.
Windream Management Console (WMC) + Extension (WMX)
Object management with a graphical user interface
The windream Management Console is used to manage object types. Based on the Microsoft Management Console, it provides the user with a user interface which corresponds to the Microsoft standard for administration tools.
In object management, we differentiate between document types and folder types. Not only can document types be created and modified, but the index mask layout can also be modified to suit the user's needs. When designing the masks, the administrator can choose from different elements such as input fields, text boxes, and self-defined select lists available for all object types. In addition to field type and size, the type indices can also be equipped with other preset characteristics. This allows an index to be defined as a mandatory field, write-protected, or as only editable once.
Additional functions for the windream Management Console
The windream Management Extension (WMX) is an extension of the windream Management Console and provides tools and resources for system monitoring, database control, database/archive replication, and the recovery of deleted documents or folders.
Furthermore, individual characteristics can be assigned to each document type. Therefore, it is possible to define a lifecycle, which in turn determines a processing period, after which the document is automatically moved to the long-term archive.
Archiving
Windream Archive System
The windream Archive System has proven itself through its use in large corporations (e.g. Swisscom AG, Thyssen Krupp Stahl AG, etc.).
Archive components allow not only comfortable access to archived objects, but also revision-free, long-term archival. Support for different jukebox technologies (DVD, CD-ROM, MO/WORM), ensures that all documents are available and researchable via the windream drive at any given point in time, no matter where they are stored.
Windream Archive System is suitable for SAP archives, mass data scanning, and COLD systems as well as for Microsoft Office applications. It doesn't matter whether it is being used on a single workstation or in a network.
A respected international audit company was engaged to verify the compliance of windream Archive System, in connection with SAP R/3 systems, with the recognised principles established within the Federal Republic of Germany. A corresponding certificate was issued.
SAP
Windream Direct Link
Windream Direct Link adds document management system (DMS) functionality to SAP® R/3®-applications. This integration with SAP R/3 connects SAP business objects with the documents of windream DMS in the respective SAP applications within a paperless IT infrastructure. These documents can be accessed directly from within the SAP application. Other users can also retrieve these documents in windream and access them.
Under the SAP GUI (Graphical User Interface), windream Direct Link offers hierarchical filing in the shape of a directory tree. Here the user finds the same filing structure as via the windream-drive in the Microsoft Windows Explorer. This means that documents which have been created for SAP can be used directly via the Microsoft Windows Explorer. This will be appreciated by all users who want to access the document storage from any workstation computer. Thanks to windream all users will be able to access documents which are connected with SAP business objects, even if the SAP GUI is not available on the workstation computer. The expenditures in SAP will be a long-term investment. Further on, the existing infrastructure is supported by windream with all office programs, mail applications etc. without integration efforts.
The Advantages of windream Direct Link
- Comprehensive DMS: Every application which is able to save documents can be used directly with windream
- Access to all documents even outside the SAP GUI
- High user-acceptance thanks to extensive integration into the Windows operating system
- Low costs for Customizing and Training
COLD
Electronic Filing of Computer Data
The option of easily integrating your own printer data into the DMS windream means that the ROI of windream can be achieved very quickly. Thanks to the quick availability of a large number of documents, even more sceptical users will soon be convinced that it makes sense to use this system. The fast, automatic availability of these data in the archive and access to documents within a matter of seconds enables ad hoc-reactions to customer queries. You will benefit from these commercial advantages within a very short period of time.
The transfer of the data can be automated.
The system responsible for the transfer of printer data is the windream PCL COLD System (Computer Output on Laser Disk), which allows for the convenient transfer of lists and vouchers from third systems.
Typically, these data originate from commercial applications (accounting, stock control) on a variety of systems such as PCs, mid-range systems and mainframes.
These print-jobs (invoices, etc.) are often carried out at night. They can be automatically taken over and archived by windream PCL COLD.
The spool files used by windream PCL COLD are analysed, tested for index data and divided into individual documents. The documents are transferred into a revision-safe format and will then be available in e.g. the customer folder along with all the other documents.
The determination of the index fields is handled by a graphical COLD editor. Thanks to additional modules, it also allows logical operations such as the resolution of the address or the preparation of index information.
From windream, these COLD-documents can be accessed in the usual manner.
To view the documents, a free PDF Viewer is sufficient which will display the document in colour.
WEB
Windream Web Portal
Access any time
The windream Web Portal allows users to work from remote locations via the Internet without having to install software components on their computers. They can access all of the company's documents using any browser - independent of where they are and which platform they use. The windream Web Portal offers users a view of their documents like in Windows environments (Windows Explorer tree structure). They can also take advantage of the convenient and familiar windream search functions (quick, full text and index searches) to retrieve documents. Once they are defined, search strings can be saved to use for later searches. Document characteristics (index data, history, version, access rights, etc.) are displayed with the retrieved documents.
In addition to the functions described above, the windream Web Portal also guarantees complete ASP capability and, with it, the use of windream functions via the Internet.
Workflow
Windream BPM - modern, powerful and flexible
Windream BPM supports the processing of different process types. These are e.g. a sequential and a parallel processing as well as ad hoc workflows which can be determined by users. It is also possible to generate subprocesses as derivations of standard processes.
Windream BPM also provides a modern graphical form designer. Among others, further features are a user-related work item list as a tree view, a viewer for document presentation, a viewer for the windream-specific document attributes with an optional filtering of the document volume according to the file properties as well as a process-related presentation of the windream workflow forms.
In order to design business processes, a special windream workflow designer is available which e.g. provides a scripting interface and which even allows users to create process versions. Additionally, the workflow engine will react dynamically on specific status changes.
Enterprise-specific roles can be started, supervised and edited. In this context, roles will act as so called containers of the windream user administration, in which windream users may also be workflow users simultaneously. Different roles for editing workflows can be assigned to all windream users as virtual groups which are registered in the user administration.
Development Tools
Integrating windream into any applications
The Software Development Kit (SDK) is designed primarily for our sales partners and for developers who want to extend the system based on the documented interfaces or to integrate it into other applications. The SDK consists of the documentation to the Microsoft COM/DCOM-based interface of the DMS core, the ActiveX Controls documentation, the object model description, a number of programming examples, and a description of the failure codes. This allows entire DMS modules to be integrated into any application or web page.
Imaging
Software
Kofax Ascent Capture
Ascent Capture is a capture software which combines three types of capture in one product
- document capture
- form-based data recognition/capture
- internet-based capture
Scalability
Ascent Capture offers comprehensive scalability and powerful batch control for sophisticated document capture environments. Initially, a smaller configuration can be selected. The capacity is then extended step by step. The various processing steps such as scanning, indexing, form recognition, quality assurance or transfer can happen at different locations.
Document captures
The form processing functions mean that the elaborate pre-sorting of the documents into forms and other documents is not necessary any more. The form processing module identifies and registers the various documents in a batch automatically, quickly and precisely. As soon as a form has been identified, the form processing module recognises printed characters (OCR), hand-written characters (ICR), selection-areas such as crosses and ticks (OMR) as well as bar codes and patch codes based on the type of the form and the topology. Furthermore, character recognition can be improved through image clarification in defined areas.
Further highlights:
- integrated quality control
- user-defined routines
TIFFCapture
Capture software for medium to high-volume scanners including bar code recognition, patch code recognition, OCR, ICR, electronic form recognition, manual indexing, retrieval and ON-CD-Viewer.
EASTMAN SOFTWARE Imaging for Windows Professional Edition
The Imaging Professional software converts paper documents and faxes into electronic documents with integrated OCR functionality and the option of adding annotations. With Imaging Professional, processes can be automated easily. An example of its powerful functionality is the fact that with a single mouse click the scanning, further processing, conversion, passing on and storing or documents and faxes can be initiated. Thanks to the high-performance ActiveX-Controls, individually customised applications with integrated imaging-options can be developed.
Imagenation Viewer
Imagenation is a powerful tool for the display and editing of data from the areas of CAD, scanning and text processing, offering the following functionality:
- Processing of all current standard file-formats: grid, vector and text from more than 150 different document types
- Different versions: View, Redline, Markup, Edit, Scan, CD-ROM and Internet-Plugin
- Hotspots: Initiating of any action via sensitive document areas
- Scanning and comprehensive post-processing
- Multilayer: Overlay technology with any number of layers
- Multipage: Organisation of multi-page documents
- Document processing with a variety of tools
- Conversion with automatic recognition of data formats
HARDWARE: Scanner
With the help of the appropriate scanning software (e.g. Kofax Ascent Capture, TIFFCapture etc.) all commonly used scanners can be used for scanning the paper documents. This applies both to scanners controlled via TWAIN (SCSI) and ISIS as well as to scan accelerators controlled via Kofax.
Fujitsu scanners have proved to be particularly effective as they cover the whole range of possible uses.
Selection of scanners:
Canon Fujitsu Bell+Howell Kodak Konica Minolta
Other
Third Party Products
Thanks to the architecture previously described and the interfaces used, windream can be enhanced almost any way you want and works with just about any soft- and hardware. windream provides the necessary basic technology. As a rule, further software components such as scan software or special viewers and hardware components such as scanner, jukeboxes are necessary to ensure that all of the user's needs are covered.
Here is a list of third party products recommended for use with windream.
Jukeboxes
The windream jukebox control unit supports the control of CD-ROM, DVD and MO/WORM jukeboxes. A further control software is not required for operating the connected jukebox.
Among others, we recommend the jukeboxes of the following suppliers:
- Plasmon (MO/WORM, CD, DVD)
- JVC (CD, DVD)
- DSM Terastore (MO/WORM, Blue-Laser-Disk)
- NSN Orion Series (MO/WORM)
We admit there is alot of information to absorb, and sometimes it is difficult to understand how you can benefit from the extensive features offered. This is why it is advantageous to have someone explain face-to-face what this all means and how YOUR organisation will benefit.
We are here to listen to you, find out your issues and challenges, talk to your employees, understand your processes and then use our expertise and knowlege to advise you. We only offer solutions which will meet your exact requirements, and resolves your issues and challenges.
We won't pressurise you into making a decision, we will only advise you and ensure you have sufficient information on which to base your decision.
To book your free audit and survey where we will tell you the facts about Document Management and show you how YOUR organisation can save time, space and money. Simply call free on 0800 252 282 or email rsvp@quadtronix.co.uk and let us know your details.
