Alfresco DemoCast

This demo shows you how to install Alfresco on a Mac and get started with Alfresco Document Management, Web Content Management and Collaboration.

Introduction

This is the first demonstration in the DemoCast series. One of the goals of this blog is to share demonstrations on how Alfresco can be used in: Document Management, Records Management, Image Management and Web Content Management

This demonstration uses the Alfresco 1.4 ECM suite and focuses on Document Management. Specifically the demonstration shows how a document lifecycle can be managed within Alfresco. The document lifecycle goes through a classic “Draft, Review, and Approval” cycle. This is often associated with compliance documents such as “Quality documents” – as are used in the demonstration. These cycles are equally applicable to:

• Marketing – Press Release, case Studies
• Legal – Contracts
• Sales – RFI
• HR – Job Offers
• Software Engineering – New Product Development
• Others

The demonstration also gives an update on 1.4 showing:

• jBPM
• MyAlfresco
• Auditing
• REST Architecture – Portal interface

BPM

This part of the demonstration shows the JBPM interface – which is new in Alfresco 1.4. What is key here is that the workflow drives the document lifecycle and approval process. This is a sophisticated process where the location, status, security and format of the document changes as it moves through the lifecycle.

Alfresco jBPM

CIFS

This part of the demonstration shows the CIFS, shared drive interface of Alfresco. The quality document is dragged into the Alfresco repository and subsequently updated.

Alfresco CIFS

Web Client

This part of the demonstration shows access to the Web Client through a single sign-on. Each Alfresco Space now has a simple description, stating what the space is used for and how to use it – New in 1.4. Automatic metadata extraction is then shown. The document then has the “Quality Document” business process applied to it by selecting it from a simple pick list. The document is then transparently moved from the “Draft? area to the “Pending Approval Area” and its status is automatically updated to “Pending Approval”.

Alfresco Web Client

MyAlfresco

This part of the demonstration shows the MyAlfresco portal – New in 1.4. This displays on one screen: your documents, checked-out documents and images. More importantly, for this demonstration, it also displays access to your tasks that are driven from the business process. The “Quality document” is driven through review to approval. On approval the initiator is told of successful completion. Also, within this lifecycle, the business process changes the location, status, security and format of the document.

MyAlfresco

Portal

Many users want a very simple interface that requires no training at all. This part of the demonstration shows access through a very simple portal. The approved document is moved to the guest/public area and is transformed into the PDF format for universal access.

Alfresco Simple Portal

Alfresco Rules

Some of the key design principles were to make Alfresco simple to install, simple to use and simple to scaleout. This part of the demonstration shows how easy it is to configure rules in the Alfresco server – as simple to configure as email rules. The rules in the demonstration – “Update Status Property”, “Transform Word to PDF”, “Move PDF to Published Documentation”, “Delete Published PDF’s” and “Notify Users via Email” are displayed. The demonstration then shows how to create a rule in a space that transforms content to PDF and places it in another space.

Alfresco Rules

Try Alfresco

If you are interested in trying Alfresco the simplest way is to go to:

www.alfresco.com

Where there is a button “Try Alfresco”.

This allows you to select from:

Instant Trial

• Instant Hosted Trial of Alfresco Enterprise
• Shared Repository
• Content Regularly Removed

Company Trial

• Dedicated 30 Day Hosted Trial of Alfresco Enterprise

Enterprise Trial

• In-House 30 Day Trial of Alfresco Enterprise
• Often selected so that for example internal data and authentication system can be used

The advantages of the Alfresco Trial are:

• Work with Alfresco
• Support for Trial (subject to approval)
• Access to demonstration spaces such as the Quality Document Lifecycle shown in this demonstration

My name is Ian Howells and I am the Chief Marketing Officer of Alfresco. I host the Alfresco Open Source Talk podcast series which is very popular with the Alfresco community.

Alfresco DemoCast is intended to be a complementary video blog to Open Source Talk. If you are interested in submitting a demonstration please email ian dot howells at alfresco dot com (spam free email format)

Alfresco can be used for many content centric applications and DemoCast is designed to:

1. Share demonstrations of how Alfresco can be used in: Document Management, Records Management, Image Management and Web Content Management
2. Show technical examples of aspects of the product such as for example RSS, Email Notification, Search
3. Show examples of new features available in the latest version of the product

DemoCast is also intended to be a showcase for Alfresco demonstrations developed by the Alfresco partners and the Alfresco Community.

For more details please go to:
http://blogs.alfresco.com/democast/?page_id=2