Mobile Client for Document Workflow System
Retail company
The largest retail company in Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
KEY ISSUES
The goal of the project was to develop a mobile client to simplify processing and approving of documents at a large–scale organization. The client should be closely connected with a backend document workflow system based on IBM FileNet.
In addition, it should bring to end users new instruments for working with corporate documents, including operations in offline mode, a flexible business process model, and a comprehensive commentary mechanism.
Solutions Highlights
IBA developed a solution that performs the following functions.
- Online and Offline Modes
Synchronization of documents and tasks between a server and a mobile client when internet connection is available. Users can work with documents on the mobile client even without internet connection
Integration with the server backend based on IBM FileNet
Encrypted data transport between the server and the mobile client
Intelligent document downloading mechanism with a possibility to download only a header or an entire document.
Background synchronization and synchronization on demand.
- Documents and Tasks
Flexible integration with DMS Business Processes. Updates in the document flow path automatically reflected on the mobile client without code changes
Downloading of new documents from the server and uploading of user updates to the server during synchronization
Embedded viewer for attachments: MS Office , iWorks, PDF, RTF, and graphics
Support for linked documents.
- Comprehensive commentary mechanism
Voice and printed comments
Comments as PDF annotations in the document body
Commentary history from previous users/iterations
Possibility to cancel decision before synchronization
- Search
Real time search across documents on a mobile device
Advanced search on a mobile device and on the server.
- Settings
The number of documents to store on a mobile device and the background synchronization frequency are configured in settings.
Environment
- iOS platform, the target device being iPAD
- xCode development environment (Objective C, C/С++, XML)
- Custom PDF annotation library.
Key results & benefits
The mobile client is integrated and synchronized with the corporate information system that is built on IBM FileNet. The user can download to his or her mobile all documents that require reaction and work with them anywhere, including in offline mode. It is possible to view the attached files or give comments, record audio comments, insert graphic comments in the document body or add handwritten notes. For graphic notes, a standard PDF annotation mechanism is applied.
In addition, the mobile client provides quick search across documents that are kept on the mobile device or server, allows users to mark documents as favorite, and provides quick access to them.