Why would I need Dv TDM if I have SharePoint?

Microsoft SharePoint has become a vital tool for many organizations that need increased sharing and collaboration of vital business information. No doubt SharePoint collaboration software provides a simplified means for content management, search, and sharing of business information across a wide range of resource points. However, SharePoint has limited abilities to manage documents at the actual document level. It also lacks the ability to support real business case document life cycle events or advance distribution methods. Additionally, SharePoint does not have the ability to control the directory location of the document library which then limits the effectiveness of managing CAD files that depend on other associated files i.e. Reference file, xRefs etc.. This can be especially problematic for organizations that require the management of document files from their inception and all the way through to archiving. The engineering field is one such industry that requires their documents and drawings to be tightly managed along with the many associated subset of files.

Sample Network Diagram

Due to these known limitations of SharePoint, Practical Programs, Inc. (PPI) set out to ensure their highly functional electronic document management application (Dv TDM) could integrate fully within SharePoint and thus provide organizations the power of a true EDMS while being integrated within SharePoint. With this integration element we have combined the power of Dv TDM with Microsoft SharePoint. The integration of Dv TDM with Microsoft SharePoint serves to enhance your document management capabilities and serve to leverage the project collaboration features of SharePoint with the enhanced document management strengths of Dv TDM. More Sample Screen Shots

What is Dv TDM?
Dv TDM is a globally recognized solution for managing documents and drawings throughout their entire lifecycle. It is designed with an extensive set of configurable features that serve to address a wide spectrum life cycle business processes for almost any type of electronic file. Dv TDM provides document viewing capabilities for over 200 common file formats without the need for the native application to be installed on the accessing user’s machine. Dv TDM is packed with Workflow, Knowledge Group, Transmittals modules and much more to make managing documents and drawing files easy throughout their entire life cycle. More…

What is Dv SharePoint?
Dv SharePoint is an add-on for Dv TDM that integrates Dv TDM into MS SharePoint as a searchable collection. It allows SharePoint users to optionally include the Dv TDM managed documents in the search results queried from SharePoint. The Dv TDM documents that meet the search criteria will be displayed in the SharePoint search results page with a Dv TDM icon indicating to the user that the document is a Dv TDM managed document. The user can then select the Dv TDM document and SharePoint will launch Dv Web (and optionally automatically login the user) then present the specific document the user selected. The user can then act on the document within Dv Web with all the features of Dv TDM assigned to them. For more information on Dv TDM and/or Dv SharePoint please contact your PPI Sales Representative by clicking here.

What is Dv Web?
Dv Web is an add-on module that enables all Dv TDM licenses to be web enabled. This allows for uses to access Dv TDM though a web browser window (thin client) instead of from a desk top computer with Dv TDM installed (thick client). This component is required with the Dv SharePoint integration add-on. More…

What are the technical requirements for using Dv SharePoint?

• Windows Server 2003 or 2008 (32 or 64 bit) using MSSQL 2005 or 2008 required
• MS SharePoint MOSS capable edition 2007 or 2010
• SharePoint BDC (Business Data Catalog) Note: does not work with WSS editions
• Dv TDM 2010 with Dv Web option (does not work with Dv TDM v11 or older)

Click here to view a demonstration video