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Our current project, especially the go-live has been a bit rough to say the least. One of the problems is effective document control. The boss decided to use OneNote which works ok, but has some shortcomings. For example, if someone updates the document you don't know what has changed.
So, I'd like some suggestions of a document control solution / software. Something that is easy to use, can categorize this, easy to search and has a feature to show you what has been updated / added.
Thx 
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how about a Wiki ? Ive also used Confluence & Sharepoint
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Confluence looks interesting, I'll check it out, thx.
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Confluence over sharepoint any time. Sharepoint is a great doc store, but it's wiki features are pants.
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We have Confluence, here - it sucks (on a good day). Besides horrid use of resources, it has asinine administrative control. E.g.: with full admin privilege I can't change a user's avatar/photo unless I change their password and log in as them (and now they don't have their password anymore).
It's "native" languages are horrid. It's so bad, in fact, that all but the most rudimentary wiki operations are run inside iframe's from a Vertrigo server. Basically, if you want to do anything useful on the wiki, beyond sharing text editing on pages, you'll be working elsewhere and making it appear to be part of the wiki.
Oh - yeah - it's derived from an open-source wiki, anyway. And, for the document editing concept, all the Wikis do that and many have wysiwyg interfaces (Moin Moin, for example).
| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "As far as we know, our computer has never had an undetected error." - Weisert | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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At my last place of work, we used Google docs. It worked really well - could even watch (and edit) on your screen as someone else updated from another location. Documents and folders could be open or restricted, and notifications could optionally be sent on updates.
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We use Google Docs and Sheets at my current place. The ability to see others who are working on a document/spread sheet and what they are doing is really helpful and you can see the revision history if needed. It works for us.
The one caveat is that for basic documents/spread sheets it works well but doesn't come near to MS Office products for functionality.
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Here is what we use:
- SharePoint for document management and version control etc.
- OneNote (shared one on network) for noting down meeting minutes and other details agreed upon on phone or other communication measures (here too you can see real time updates with who updated what)
"You'd have to be a floating database guru clad in a white toga and ghandi level of sereneness to fix this goddamn clusterfuck.", BruceN[ ^]
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Jacquers wrote: The boss decided to use OneNote ... if someone updates the document you don't know what has changed. ... I'd like some suggestions of a document control solution
Shoot the boss.
«The truth is a snare: you cannot have it, without being caught. You cannot have the truth in such a way that you catch it, but only in such a way that it catches you.» Soren Kierkegaard
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Smite the heretic!
Software Zen: delete this;
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You got me laughing but when I look at the alternatives, it isn't so bad at all. However, LotusNotes has lost me long time ago. 
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As a document database with version control it isn't that bad at all actually.
People think it's a mail system, it isn't. It really sucks big donkey balls at handling mail!
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TFS? I create every solution with a _Documents folder and just add any pertinent documents, something like...
_Documents
_DataBase (scripts, ect)
_Includes (external files and assemblies)
ProjectX etc., etc.
Seems to work well, everything project related in one solution.
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That could work, but it would still be a bit difficult to know what part of a document was updated or added, unless people have the discipline to add comments when checking them in.
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Jacquers wrote: unless people have the discipline
and therein lies the problem...
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Differencing or "blame" or "audit" usually work well to find out what changed and who changed it.
Decrease the belief in God, and you increase the numbers of those who wish to play at being God by being “society’s supervisors,” who deny the existence of divine standards, but are very serious about imposing their own standards on society.-Neal A. Maxwell
You must accept 1 of 2 basic premises: Either we are alone in the universe or we are not alone. Either way, the implications are staggering!-Wernher von Braun
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If you are using the full blown MS Office products, you can turn on revision tracking.
Whoever "owns" the documents can periodically "accept" all of the changes to reduce clutter.
You will still need SharePoint or some other (real) VCS for individual version tracking.
We also have some documents we store as PDFs, there are a few commercial products that produce nice diffs between two PDFs and output it as (of course!) another PDF. (Still need a VCS or some sort of store for the versions)
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It doesn't matter what you use as much as the fact that everybody uses it!
At a previous position, we used a shared OneNote and it was perfect. Everybody used it every time and things were great.
My current position uses Confluence. A few people use it, but its the company standard. So we end up with centralized documentation that isn't very complete.
So if you get a solution, get buy in from many people and highly encourage people to use it. If they don't, no system will work.
Hogan
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TFS + Diff Doc[^] ( See supporting file types)
TFS Integration step
Tools -> Options -> Source Control -> Visual Studio Team Foundation Server -> Configure User Tools
Extention - .doc,.docx
Operation - Compare
Command - [installation path]\DiffDoc.exe
Arguments - /M%1 /S%2
Very effective !
If you need more apps. Here you go.TFS diff apps[^]
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Thx, Diffdoc seems to answer my question about comparing Word Docs stored in source control.
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Discipline -- you can get it anywhere. Set up *simple* processes (a History list/table never hurts), and make sure that everyone understands the reasons for following them.
Oh, and if anyone even begins to mouth the letters X, M, and L, kick him in the teeth before he gets them all out.
I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!
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Jacquers wrote: For example, if someone updates the document you don't know what has changed.
Huh, what? I get a change bar and initials tag saying who made the changes.
Maybe you have that feature turned off?
Psychosis at 10
Film at 11
Those who do not remember the past, are doomed to repeat it.
Those who do not remember the past, cannot build upon it.
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