Re: [discuss] GROUPWARE - what is it, anyways?

[Thomas Aeby]

On Thu, 8 Feb 2001, Sander Vesik wrote:

> On Thu, 8 Feb 2001, Thomas Aeby wrote:
> 
> >         * document management (in contrast to mere shared file access)
> >     * workflow management
> >     * knowledge databases
> >     * telephony integration
> > 
> > Less general applications:
> > 
> >     * call tracking
> > 
> > ...
> > 
> 
> Maybe. Could you write up a spec by what each is and how it fits within
> the framework? I'm just not sure I'm familiar with all the terms...

There's not enough time to write complete specs, but...

document management: stores arbitrary documents, indexes them in different
   ways (classification, full-text, etc.), archives, maybe converts them
   (so that a non-MS-Office user can view/print MS-Office files for instance),
   revision control

workflow management: example: an online order has to be filled in by a user,
   then it must go to a project leader for comments/signature, then must be
   signed by at least two department leaders, then go to the logistic 
departement,
   ...

knowledge database: ?????
   some means of modelling know-how - haven't yet seen a good solution for
   this

telephony integration:
   1. => Unified Messaging: Access voice mailbox like you access your E-Mail
         mailbox, get announced, who called you when, etc.

   2. => complete control over telephony: configure call forwarding ("if I'm
         not at my desk forward any calls for me to my co-workers"), invoke
         calls by clicking on address book entries, call distribution ("forward
         incoming call to whoever seems to have time to answer")

call tracking:
   As Heinz-Josef Claes pointed out this is probably just a special case
   of workflow.

   (call tracking: example: Bugzilla, Remedy, Support Manager at 
Sourceforge,...)

Kind regards,
Tom
   

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