Software for enterprise file synchronization and sharing Document Management Solution
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Client:Software product development company, Sweden
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Request:To develop functionality for the main web app and to build a desktop app from scratch.
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Result:ROI over 100%, full automation of user experience.
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Technologies:
- Xamarin.mac
- UWP
Challenge
Our client was a large software development company from Sweden. Cogniteq has been cooperating with this company for two years already and has developed mobile and web apps of different types and complexity.
For a couple of years, our client has been building cloud-based ERP software for file synchronization and sharing. This product provides users with the possibility to securely store and jointly use corporate documents as well as sync the work across different devices.
The Cogniteq team participated in the development of some core features for the main web application and created a desktop extension of this product for Windows and Mac OS.
As the main goal of the app is to offer users a comfortable way to work with their documents on PCs, the company decided to expand the functionality based on users' inquiries. So, we had to make it possible to download documents and work with them offline. Moreover, we were responsible for building the functionality for monitoring updates introduced by different users.
Web application
The Cogniteq team developed the following functionality for the client’s B2B product:
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Secure document management.Each business user has a workspace in the app. Our experts created the functionality for saving documents in any file format, including ZIP and RAR. So users can create documents together and track all the introduced updates.
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Editing rights.Certain employees have editing rights. For managing this process, each workspace has an administrator who takes decisions on which documents can be available to the user.
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Document management workflow.The new functionality also allows business users to organize their joint work with documents. The editing rights are restricted when the user has finished making corrections.
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Update of document versions.Our specialists made it possible to update documents and their versions automatically. When the main assignee gets the file back for revision, the version of the document is updated on the server. Simultaneously, a chain of reviewers is built up again.
Desktop application
Our team created a desktop application for Windows and Mac OS from scratch. We were responsible for both the client and server sides of this app.
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Purpose of the app.The desktop app is an extension of the existing web solution. It tracks what changes a user made working with a document offline.
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Main idea.The main idea of the app was to ensure full automation of document management. Bearing it in mind, we developed a row of features, including functionality for automatic file download. This functionality is not presented in any other service of the product.
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The workflow of the app.The app should be installed on the user’s PC. When a file is downloaded to the hard disk drive, the desktop app is activated and a user is offered to open a document in the editor.
A user can introduce any changes to the document. When she/he finishes the work, the desktop app is activated again and the user is offered to save the doc on the server. If a user chooses this option, the file is deleted from the PC while the version on the server is updated. -
Tech hurdles.Operating systems imposed a number of restrictions. This is why some of the customer's requests were very difficult to implement. Our experts had to get over pitfalls and find compromises to create some features. As a result, we managed to ensure the smooth work of the entire functionality.
Result
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According to the company data, the ROI turned out to be over 100%. This figure goes beyond the expectations of our client. -
The desktop app makes the user experience of working with documents fully automated. -
Based on the reviews, the product is highly praised and well accepted by users.