Hi all,
I am relying on your combined brain power and years of experience for the
solution to the following question:
*Problem*: People complain they can never locate a document.
Therefore two possible scenarios exist which require two solutions.
(1) Where they know the filename
(2) Where they don't know the filename
*(1) Where filename is known (ie reference is made to the printed doc):*
Currently a minimum of 5 document repositories are in use!..these range
from using the mapped network drives
to store files to placing them in Software Request Management systems to
Test Management systems to Development Tracking systems etc.
Past Solutions tried but failed:
The following file naming convention was put in place but there were
several flaws with the solution:
PrimaryProject.SecondaryProject.TertiaryProject.SubProject.Software
Release.SoftwareVersion.DocumentRelease.DocumentVersion.
DocumentType.extension
*Flaws to the solution:*
It doesn't always give you the location of the document as it sits in say
Perforce, DevTrack or Test Director for example.
The filenames are WAAAAY too long...
The filenames become nonsensical in that you could have:
TRAIN.TRAIN.TRAIN.TRAINDEV.R1.03.V03.R1.00.V02.PIR.doc
Most of the documents generated are a snapshot particular to a project
A document can span multiple projects (up to 3/4 at the most complex)
The developers have expressed an interest in keeping all documents in the
Perforce Software Request Managment tool as this allows for versioning and
tracking of differences etc. but not everyone uses/likes to use Perforce,
especially the testers who use another Test Management tool.
*(2) Where filename is unknown*
In this instance, I was thinking of using a table that sits behind the
title page (can even hide it if it freaks people out) that details all the
possible path/owner/author/developer etc information that can be inserted
via docproperty fields. Then if someone needs to search, they can enter a
text string and the document should surface.
The last thing management wants is to introduce yet another document
management tool so I am a little perplexed by the situation.
Any ideas?
:)
Cheers
Nikki
