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A Better Review Process: File Management Software with Workflow

November 28, 2011
File management software like TINA from AwareBase has many benefits. Workflow management is one of the best reasons to purchase software like TINA for your company. Here’s why.

E-mail is a Poor Way to Move Documents and Files Around

Email reviews of documents, files, or anything else that requires changes from multiple users are extremely inefficient. Several users may suggest the same changes at the same time, duplicating workload where it doesn’t need to be. Others may not be suggesting the changes to the correct version of the file, and still others may overwrite everyone else’s work. It’s a project manager’s nightmare to sort out which user performed which revisions and at what time.

Efficient, Flawless Reviews with TINA

TINA makes the review and release process easy. Only certain users can check out a file, and nobody can overwrite it. Also, every version that is created during the review and approval process will be preserved in Tina providing a clear unambiguous record of who recommended what changes to the document or file. In an engineering firm or anywhere else that manpower is your main cost centre, this is a huge improvement over the email review process – no more inadvertent overwrites and absolute version clarity.

How TINA Helps You Manage Your Review Process

Once you have a document that you’re happy with which you want to be reviewed and approved, you can create a custom workflow process, or load one up from a workflow template that is harmonized with your business processes. You can track your document’s progress all the way through to its eventual release and have clear insight into exactly where it is at any point in the process. Every time it advances, you’ll get an e-mail advisory and the next person in line will receive an e-mail notification that their attention is required. Comments and feedback can be provided both directly through Tina and in the document itself.

Another important part of the review process is to ensure that each owner of the document approves all changes to the file. An owner may be the head of a department, such as a director of marketing who needs to send through final approval for marketing collateral, or a chief engineer who needs to sign off on a blueprint. This way files do not get released into production without approval of their owners, by accident or otherwise. And with Tina, you can control which groups will be able to access specific versions – this means that engineers can make sure that the shop floor will always have access to the latest approved engineering data.

What Will You Do With TINA?

You are probably already imagining how much better your review process will speed along with the adoption of TINA. If you would like to find out more and hear about how other businesses have successfully implemented TINA in their review process, contact AwareBase today.