Document Library Setup for a Newbie

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willrs

Hi Guys

Currently, weve been using SharePoint in house as a quite simple "store documents and access them from anywhere in the world" type system. We are looking at replacing SharePoint, as we find it quite clunky to manage and we have to move servers soon anyway.

So, firstly, Im not a developer.. but I am a tech person and have been for quite a long time… but programming and messing around in code is not my expertise (unless at a quite basic level). What we would like, as an ideal solution, would be a simple interface for people to log into over a web page, perhaps have an windows explorer type view on the left hand side of the screen to expand folders, and on the right, documents. Something like

- Top Level
      - Customers
      -       - Customer A
      -       - Customer B
      -       - Etc…
      - Human Resources
      - Marketing
      - Etc…..

Basically, something thats a mix between a document repository/management system, and a virtual online web page based hard drive……

Where Im getting stuck, is the point at which I log onto Alfresco….. (

So a couple of questions… (happy to look at web links etc)

1.   Whats the difference between the SHARE and the EXPLORER area?
2.   Can what Im asking for be done simply within Alfresco?
3.   How on gods green earth can point 2 be done?
4.   Is it possible to clean down the interface just so that any new users get just this document browser area?
5.   If Im looking at the wrong product for a solution… is there anything else anyone can recommend.. that would suit what I want to do, and in a simple way? (preferably a solution we can host & manage ourselves).

Thanks in advance for any help.

Will

jpotts

Share and Explorer both put their data in Alfresco's "DM" repository, so from a repository perspective, there is no difference. The big difference is in the user interface and how that user interface is built (and what it is used for).

The Alfresco Explorer interface is built for the type of generic "basic document management" use case you describe. If the Explorer client is too overwhelming for your users, you might want to look at a streamlined alternative UI that gives you a subset of what Explorer can do in a simplified interface. There are several of these alternative UI's out there. The one my company built and offers as freely-available open source is called DoCASU (http://docasu.sourceforge.net/).

Alfresco Share is a team collaboration client. Each "team site" you create contains a set of configurable tools such as a blog, wiki, and a document library. The document library supports folders and documents, just like Explorer does, but the experience is much more AJAX-y (fewer full screen refreshes). Plus, Share has stuff like commenting, tagging, multiple file upload, and flash-based preview which are all things you don't get with Explorer.

Alfresco Share is definitely where Alfresco is investing their energy right now. In the future, Share may become more Explorer-like and Explorer may no longer be needed. If you are looking to replace Sharepoint, I imagine Share is probably going to be more similar to what you're already used to. (And, BTW, Alfresco implements the Sharepoint file protocol so your users can continue to use Office's Sharepoint integration, but instead of pointing to those old Microsoft boxes, you can point them to your open Alfresco stack).

So I feel like your high level requirement (folders on the left, documents on the right) is met by both clients out-of-the-box. Of course, the devil is always in the details. Both the Explorer client and the Share client can be customized to meet your needs, or you can use one of the "alternative clients" that's out there, or you can build your own client that gives you pixel-level control over the user experience.

So there's my general pro-Alfresco marketing spiel. Maybe you have specific questions about setting up folders that I didn't address. If so, please say so.

Jeff