The starting point
DocuWare is a standard product. It offers many functions, but it does not cover every requirement. A customer's request gave us the chance to test how far a browser plugin can take it.
The customer keeps their documents in another system, one they cannot replace and one that keeps receiving new documents. Moving every document into DocuWare is not an option, because the documents must not be duplicated. So DocuWare should hold only the index data, while the documents stay where they are. The staff should still work in DocuWare and reach all data and documents from there, regardless of where those documents are stored.
What we tested
We designed an extension that hooks into the DocuWare document viewer, developers call this "injection". When a record is opened, the plugin checks the index data. If the document is in DocuWare, nothing happens. If it is in the other system, the plugin fetches the file from there and shows it exactly where the DocuWare document would normally appear. Nothing is stored in DocuWare itself.
In practice you do not notice any of this. You click the record in the result list and the document appears, with paging, zooming, searching, printing and downloading as usual. If the plugin finds no matching file, DocuWare behaves as it always does.
In the video
A record without a file in DocuWare, the document comes from the other system.
The risk
The plugin builds on DocuWare's code. If an update changes something in the Web Client, the plugin has to be adjusted. You end up reacting to the vendor's changes instead of deciding for yourself. That does not rule out the approach, but you should be aware of it before a solution like this goes into production.
The alternative
The service could run as a standalone application outside DocuWare, with DocuWare simply linking to it. Since version 7.12, links in index fields are shown as clickable hyperlinks, a Ctrl+click is all it takes. That way you control behaviour, design and logic yourself, and a DocuWare update does not affect the function. This solution is less seamless, but cleanly separated.
How does it look at your end?
Would you like to extend DocuWare with functions it does not offer out of the box? We are glad to help, for example with an interface to another system. Tell us about it – let's talk.
Further information
- Clickable links in result lists – DocuWare Knowledge Center, what's new in 7.12
- Chrome Extensions – Google's documentation, how browser plugins are built
