Project Types

TIMS3 created a new concept in project definition called project type. TIMS3 can implement two project types Secure and Open. The use of Open projects is important for two reasons: it allows existing server directory access to be mimicked inside TIMS3 for quick and easy setup to start using TIMS3 document management; strategically placed Open projects interspersed within TIMS3 Secure projects can provide a way of logically organizing all Corporate data so it is easily accessible through one interface, Project Navigator.

Secure projects are no different than the TIMS3 projects you have come to understand if you are a previous TIMS user. Secure projects include a server disk/directory location and hold data that is only accessible using the check-in/out methods provided in TIMS3.

Open projects are non-secure disk/directory locations that are accessible to all users using mapped network drives. TIMS3 allows access these files directly without check in/out. The disk/directory named when the project is created is expected to be mapped and available to all TIMS3 users. An alternative to the commonly mapped drive letter is to specify the project directory as its full UNC path. This new facility is available without database update because TIMS3 uses the project server field to identify the location of Open projects as a server named $Local$.

Project Attributes

Projects can be listed as one of three attribute types: Replicable, Archived and Template.

Project replicas are read-only copies of remote TIMS3 projects stored on a separate site. These projects are typically used across WANs or Internet VPNs. The purpose of a project replica is to provide fast reference access to read-only copies of remote project files. During the nightly cleanup process TIMS3 ensures that project replicas are kept in sync with the files stored in its original remote project.

In order to setup a project replica the remote TIMS3 site must mark the properties of the project to replicated as 'replicable' i.e. allows replication. Once this is done the local TIMS3 Manager can create a new project as a replica of the remote project.

Project Archiving is performed on past projects by marking the project folder (contract number) and subproject properties attribute to Archived. Once marked, the administrator can back up the physical records from the file server to a storage medium - usually to compact disk, deleting the files off of the file server. The corresponding document database records are however retained on the system. The reason for leaving the database records and removing the physical files is to free up file space on the project server, and allow users to search and locate any old documents that have been removed from the system. If the archived documents do need to be retrieved at a later date, the user can easily identify the correct document by viewing the stored meta-data, and retrieving the physical document from the backup CD. The proper CD is identified from information stored in either the project folder or document's "Comments" field. The document meta-data information takes up a very small amount of space on the server so there is little impact on system performance or storage in maintaining the database records of Archived projects.

Document Templates are used to ensure standardization across documents by allowing users to create new documents from stored template files. Template files can easily be entered into the system by adding the new templates into a project folder that is marked with the Template attribute. All the documents within this Template folder will be available to users, who can create new documents from the stored templates. When creating new documents from templates, users can identify the correct template by using various meta-data filters to narrow or broaden their template search. Companies typically use template documents to standardize: faxes, letterhead, letters, CAD drawings (size, dimensions, border etc.), quotes and various reports. Once selected, the user can associate new meta-data properties with the file or to accept the default document template information.