Kordil EDMS Support and User Guidence
An induction of a good start with Kordil EDMS
Download and install the Kordil EDMS (Electronic document management software/System) the free document management software from this link. Go through the menu and log in to use it. Check if it meets your requirement. If the answer is yes, never stop. Kordil EDMS is a really flexible and smart which you can rely on managing and publishing your documents. A prompt note: You can use any database tool to enter data into Kordil EDMS “the free document management software”, you do not have to enter them 1 by 1 using the interface. The entire document data is kept under a single table to avoid complexity, for that you can open this table with MS Access or similar tools.
Plan what information you want to add into the database and take some notes and try to cover as much document types as you can. Make it clear what types of documents you have, what purpose of documents will serve to the users.
Use/create a document numbering system: Document number is very important identity of a document which can contain a lot of information like project name, location, category, discipline, purpose etc if well designed. If you have no a document numbering system, first what you need to do is to create one. Well organized companies uses a document numbering system based on a document numbering procedure. You should have a one as well.
Document number and revision number together are the main identity of a document. Consider, in a family, it is very unlikely there are 2 person sharing same name and surname. From this point of view, the document number is the family name (surname), while the revision number is the name of a member of that family. Each document with various revisions can be treated an individual family in a town. Very unlikely, you will have same name and surname shared by 2 person which you cannot distinguish. Same as document number, it can be an unusual coincidence you have documents with the same numbers from different source, and you pick the wrong one and you are not aware of it. We believe this can be risked.
Based on this idea, we presume you have a document numbering system now:
- Plan and decide a main category of your documents considering all upcoming documents which are likely to get in the system. The main category is recommended to be maximum 5. If you are a large scaled company, name of projects can be a good main category. Such case, when main category is well distinguishable, the list can be extended.
Classify all documents you have and may have for the future using technical category of documents. For example, letters, procedures, construction drawings, technical specifications, contracts etc. This list can contain items around 5-20. More (up to 100) is possible but not quite convenient or you are doing something wrong.
Add all relative companies/organizations who are providing, making, and issues documents including your own company and and add them to originator, issuer, receiver, copyright. This list can be names/departments if used internally.
- Decide if you have revision numbers like C01, or 2.2beta, which contains specific signs at left or right of the number. This depend on the document numbering system you use. If you have those kinds of prefixes or suffixes just add them.
- Add all document data types by adding their file extensions (PDF, DOC, TXT...). There are already a few added, but you can improve it further more.
- If important for you, add paper sizes as well.
Adding Data
Start adding your document data now, one by one. Go back when needed and make all changes which suit your purpose. When you start entering the data, a lot of thinks you will want to be changed and improved. Continue until you are happy with the data entered. Once you see no more requirements of improvements in the data section, learn how to enter data using excel, access, open office etc. Having some proper data entered is very important, because, you will need to enter data similar the one you add manually. This is much more convenient and flexible to enter data in your database. Such case, the files which are renamed to contain Document No and Revision No can be copied under the program folder “documents” will be accessible from the web. With this way, once you have your document data in table sheet, it can be placed in Kordil EDMS in minutes.
Deleting old documents
Sometimes obsolote documents would like to be taken out of the databse, because, no longer needed. Deleting is a dangereous operation. Such case, you just change 1 to 0 at "show column" of the document table. It will no longer be listed and shown.
Management of user access levels
User access levels for Document Management, Power Tools, and Admin sections
0 No protection (new users to sign-up to create an account)
1 Guest (view user face-book and basic contact info)
2 Limited user (access notebook, and daily progress report and all above
3 Power user: Access documents and all above
4 EDMS Officer: Add and edit document data and all above
5 EDMS Administrator: Import document data and all above
6 Department Heads: Add, review lesson learned of the department and all above
7 Superiors: Review and assigns lesson learned, and all above
8 Administrator: No restriction yet
9 Network admin: No restriction
Special access to manage document preset data where you enter document attributes which are generic and applies to most of the document group.
4 level grants user to add data under document preset data menu. Document controllers, managers, department heads can be a lever 4 users for the beginning, until the data is fully entered and covered. Do not give access to people who is likely mess up this section although has higher position in organization. Mistakes will be propagated. That is the reason it has special protection.
File Name
File names must be unique as (brackets to be excluded only): [DocumentNo]-[RevPrefixRevisionNoRevisionSuffix].[FileExtension]For that reason, for bulk data upload, files are recommended to be renamed as mentioned for highest performance and efficiency. The original file names can also be used, but there will be risk of new files be overwritten to the existing one. This applies to bulk data entry. Normally files are renamed to be unique.
Useful utilities for Kordil EDMSMyODBC can be used in Windows or other platforms to access your Kordil EDMS database which is a MySQL database. More...Use microsoft access, microsoft excel or open office to connect your database to edit, add and modify your data using the flexibility of open office and Microsoft Office products. It is free and open source. More...
How to import bulk document data in Kordil EDMS
There are several possibilities to upload document data, but we will present only one of them which is easiest and most convenient way. Since Kordil EDMS is free, we will refer to the free tools as much as we can.
Tools needed:
· We will not be explaining Microsoft office, because, MS Access can directly open and edit MySQL database using ODBC connection, from FILE-OPEN dialog.
· Open Office, Base (http://www.openoffice.org/), download and install one suit your OS.
· MyODBC driver (http://www.mysql.com/products/connector/), install one suit your OS.
Connection to the Kordil EDMS Electronic Document Management System Database
Server: localhost
Database: kordil_edms_v2
User: root ; this may be asked in 2 place
Password: {EMPTY} ; this may be asked in 2 place
- Now pres to test if connection successful.
· Successful connection means you are connected to the database, and next to open the table.
Uploading documents and document attributes into the Document Control System Database
The table “documents” table is where all documents attributes are kept. Enter all document attributes in those cells. File names, are recommended to be renamed to be unique. As {DocumentNo-RevprefixRevnoRevsuffix.FileExtension}, watch the dash and dots. What you need now, upon renaming the files, files can be copied to the folder “kordil_edms/documents/”. The file and data entered will meet each other. If you do not want your files be renamed, just copy and paste the file names in the data cells (due to overwriting risk, this strictly not recommended). The perfect way, write the file names as renamed. Select the file type attributes (like PDF, DOC…) and use it. All links will be much better.
For assistance to setup ODBC, refer to windows or MyODBC help. Any other questions, please post it to the Kordil EMDS’s forum if no answer available there.
