Access Database for Engineering Document Management and Control

[sushilkadam]

Hello Everyone



I need to develop a access database for managing my engineering documents and drawings

Kindly help me please

Regards
Sushil

[NoellaG]

Hi, basically you first need to analyze your needs:
- what data do you need to store? Example: DocName, creation date, date last changed, DocType, description, ... .
- what criteria do you want to use to find your data?
- what data do you want to see as output?
- than you can start to draw the table structure for these data, use the normalization rules to distribute the fields to the correct tables and create the correct relationships between them. There is plenty information on the internet regarding this topic.
Once you have the data structure, you can start to build the front-end:
- how do you want to insert new data, update existing data, show search results?

So first get your analysis done. If you need more specific help on one of the topics,you can always ask.

succes

[orange]

See these links for info on Document Management at Barry Williams' site

General requirements (sample)
Related data models

but you really need to identify and refine your requirements; analyze these with sample outputs and inputs and business process info to build a data model; test it on paper.....

Good luck with your project.

[Micron]

Exactly what does manage them mean? It can mean anything from storing attachments (including marked up copies sent for approval) or just storing the database records that document revisions/approvals, tool calibrations and record archiving was handled in a timely fashion.

In conjunction with someone else I developed a system called Envisotrak (quality systems document, record and calibrated tool management system) but it was back in Access 97 I think. Everything was migrating to web based software at the time and we didn't feel like learning that curve so we abandoned it. There were a few sales, so it wasn't a total loss. I could probably dig up an old PowerPoint on how it worked if you're interested, or you might be more inclined to start from scratch and develop your own. Depending on what you need from it, it can be a really big project - take it from me.

[sushilkadam]

Exactly what does manage them mean? It can mean anything from storing attachments (including marked up copies sent for approval) or just storing the database records that document revisions/approvals, tool calibrations and record archiving was handled in a timely fashion.

In conjunction with someone else I developed a system called Envisotrak (quality systems document, record and calibrated tool management system) but it was back in Access 97 I think. Everything was migrating to web based software at the time and we didn't feel like learning that curve so we abandoned it. There were a few sales, so it wasn't a total loss. I could probably dig up an old PowerPoint on how it worked if you're interested, or you might be more inclined to start from scratch and develop your own. Depending on what you need from it, it can be a really big project - take it from me.

Hi
Thanks for your response

Manage means i mean including attachments and storing the database records

Can you please help me to develop this system
You can also contact me on sushil.k.kadam@gmail.com

[sushilkadam]

can you please help me to prepare this database

Hi, basically you first need to analyze your needs:
- what data do you need to store? Example: DocName, creation date, date last changed, DocType, description, ... .
- what criteria do you want to use to find your data?
- what data do you want to see as output?
- than you can start to draw the table structure for these data, use the normalization rules to distribute the fields to the correct tables and create the correct relationships between them. There is plenty information on the internet regarding this topic.
Once you have the data structure, you can start to build the front-end:
- how do you want to insert new data, update existing data, show search results?

So first get your analysis done. If you need more specific help on one of the topics,you can always ask.

succes

[sushilkadam]

Thanks for your response

can you please help me to develop this database

See these links for info on Document Management at Barry Williams' site

General requirements (sample)
Related data models

but you really need to identify and refine your requirements; analyze these with sample outputs and inputs and business process info to build a data model; test it on paper.....

Good luck with your project.

[sushilkadam]

Hi All

Please refer the attached screenshot of the form i require

Referring to point no.01, i need it as combination of several other details as mentioned in the screenshot. Request your expert advise for doing this

[mike60smart]

Hi

Your example Form has both an option for "Upload" and "Download".

Are you planning on using this on the Web??

[sushilkadam]

I will uploading documents when i creating new documents and submitting it to client

Later on after few days, same documents will be returned from client (approved or comments) and than files received from client will be uploaded

It's a cycle like, Rev 01 submitted to client than after few days Rev 01 will be returned by client (approved or comments). This completes the one lap of submission.
If document is to be resubmitted again than revision will be updated to Rev 02 and again the same cycle will be started

Thanks
Sushil

[orange]

Sushil,

Mike asked specifically
Are you planning on using this on the Web??

[sushilkadam]

No, currently I am not planning to use it on WEB

[Micron]

If I had the time to take on a job right now (assuming you are talking about a paying job) you would have to be much more forthcoming in your responses. They are too general.
This is not a small task and it requires that you outline the entire process - unless what you are really saying is that you have most of this done and only require help with a certain part of it. Even your post is a bit confusing to me because at first it seems you're starting from scratch, then you show a form you have. If your situation is the former (starting from scratch) I suggest that you need to sit down and write out a synopsis of what are the elements of your process and the detail the flow of your process.

Secondly, if you intend to store documents, you should be using something other than Access as a back end (where tables are kept) otherwise you will quickly bloat your application.

Not trying to tell you how to run things, but I don't see the point in recording each revision that is made to a document while it is in revision status. Once it is approved, the revision number is typically indicated on a document (be that in the document numbering format or whatever) and is made available for use. When it requires revising, it goes through the process again and the revision number isn't updated until it goes back into approved status. I doubt there is any ISO type systems standard that requires you to record every edit between approved version 1 and approved version 2. Is it important that you can distinguish between attempt 4 and attempt 5 that there was a minor grammar correction for example? It must be a requirement at your business level, but it seems misguided to me.

[sushilkadam]

Hi Micron,

Thanks for your clarification. First of all i would like to say that i need to star from scratch. I have manged to twist one db but failing to get success in it

Obviously i have the complete process as i am working in this field only. But the thing is if i do not explain in step by step than you will not understand the exact requirement (as what i have noticed in your last paragraph)

Whatever process i have mentioned fro revision is correct. Each revision shall be tracked in terms of its issue and status also. Revision number will change on each issue to client and not on the status of document.
As per ISO standards, each revision shall be tracked and controlled (approved or comments). Revision number is not always indicated on a document (depends on project specification).

Exactly, to distinguish between two revision we shall have first proper records to understand the workflow of the document

Lastly, First let us design the forms and table and than later i will explain you with example how each field is related to each other and how it needs to be linked

Thanks for your precious time

Regards
Sushil

[rpeare]

What is your document numbering system. I agree with micron on most of what he's said. For ISO documents everything I've seen is a document number and a revision number, they don't (didn't?) care about the internal revisions the last time I knew anything about it, only what revision was currently in use.

If you are using internal 'sub revisions' and want to track them I would think you'd need another level

Document number ---> Revision Number ----> Revision Step

so you could contcatenate these to be something like 123456.5.1

After reading this entire post there are also a bunch of undefined things which I would think critical:

How are you getting the files to and from the clients? If you are using an FTP site are you using a naming convention that will help you locate files? For instance if you were to name the files you're sending your clients with the internal document number and a tag like

123456_5_1_Outgoing.pdf

and they would respond with their changes in a word document (or other document) with a file labeled similarly:

123456_5_1_Comments.docx

it should be trivial to connect your individual documents/revisions/revision steps to your data. But getting that kind of cooperation from your clients might be difficult.

Secondly as previously mentioned, if your intent is to actually store the documents in your database, do *not* use MS access as your back end. If your business is of any size at all the documents will quickly make the database unusable as MS access tends to start having problems around 2gb in size.

Also like Micron said, I do these sorts of projects for payment and what you're after is *not* a simple one asking someone to do it for you without paying them, which seems to be the gist of some of your posts, is not reasonable. if I've misinterpreted your posts to be asking for someone to do it for you I apologize just giving my 2 cents worth.