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Contents 
Introduction
Objective
DocuShare
Hummingbird
DocBanq
Interwoven
SmartLibrary
Trim
Specifications
Sample scenario
Editor's choice
About RMIT |
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This review was conducted using the current version of Objective, however, the company is about to launch version 7. Objective can handle virtually any kind of information object from word processing to CAD applications. In addition, it includes features to create an electronic record to help track and control physical assets, such as software or legal evidence.
A wide range of modules are available that can be combined to provide integrated solutions. The Foundation module provides the system's infrastructure and includes user interface, security, audit trails, meta-data definition, user management and searching. Electronic documents can be captured manually, or automatically using ODMA-supported applications. Physical/paper documents can be captured, and further processed using imaging and/or optical character recognition (OCR), or through the creation of PDFs.
The electronic document management (EDM) module is used to manage the entire document lifecycle. Users can create and revise documents, send documents to peers or management for review and, once approved, can publish documents to the organisation, an intranet or the Internet. All objects are subject to version control, security and capture of metadata. This provides a comprehensive audit trail for evidentiary proof of compliance with industry standards and regulations. EDM allows the creation of an electronic record to help track and control other physical assets, letters, faxes, receipts, or legal evidence.
The server and client packages were easy to install and we were quickly into the Foundation first screen which was simple and intuitive. The interface is simple to use and is easy to customise for the individual user preferences.
For this review we were provided with the Windows Interface version which is designed to Microsoft Windows design standards. Users access information through their own personal workspace, much like an Explorer window and can store shortcuts to information they require within their own personal area. In addition, a portal interface delivered by a browser is available. Organisations can choose a preferred interface or a mixture of the individual interfaces may be used.
Search functionality was simple to understand and use. The basic search allows the selection of object type (ie folders, documents and so on) together with search criteria to define the information sought.
The Workflow module provides a graphical user interface that allows business process to be represented in a flow chart in order to automate work processes.
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While your reviews on EDMS options are solid they fail to take in to account the biggest users of these packages in Australia are Engineering biased.
Most of the packages reviewed I found found to be nearly useless in an Engineering Environment.
One, named after a bird, can not store more than one electronic file to a profile (essential for storing the native and a image file of the signed original) and can only manage one to one relationships in its database which is not good for correspondence let alone a drawing with say 100 equipment tag numbers to be related to it.
I suggest you also look at products such as Documentum, Filenet (both the McLaren add-on), ProArc and Assai to name a very few.
The other issue is that engineering is also moving rapidly away from CAD centric applications to datacentric design tools and your reviews make not mention of the future in this regard. Look at, for example, SmartPlant Foundation and Aveva products.