Comprehensive Solutions for
Enterprise Document Management
Flexibility has been designed into Falcon, allowing you to take what has worked well in your current approach and maintain those processes within the Falcon ecosystem. Because it is so configurable, Falcon is easy to implement and administer — and with the extensions described below, 'You can do that!' often means you can do that immediately and without customization.
Falcon DocMan [Document Manager]
Falcon DocMan is the product suite's primary user interface. The DocMan is a Falcon DMS core product.
Falcon Admin [Administrator]
The Administrator is a browser-based application used by Falcon administrators to configure, implement, and define rules and procedures for Falcon DMS. The Administrator is a Falcon DMS core product.
The list of features the Administrator is used to define and manage includes:
Falcon Web
Falcon Web is fully integrated with core Falcon DMS — Web security and the user interface components (search forms, search results, document properties, etc.) are designed and maintained with the Falcon Administrator.
The Falcon Web comprises three Microsoft IIS-based applications:
Falcon Workflow
Falcon Workflow creates document workflow procedures to automate document tasks and provides a robust set of tools that institute repeatable and automated processes, including electronic notifications, review requests, and approval — resulting in reduced errors and increased productivity.
Falcon Transmittal
Falcon Transmittal makes creating, sending, and tracking transmittals easy and reliable and significantly reduces the opportunities for error inherent to any paper-based process.
Transmittal’s integration with DocMan makes selecting documents and sending transmittals fast and straightforward. From DocMan’s Transmittal interface, a user can specify and modify recipients and whether and how PDF versions of documents are delivered. Falcon API provides an operation to create a download link for a Web set and includes an API function to send a link to recipients via email automatically.
While facilitating document distribution, Transmittal maintains a permanent record of which, when, and to whom documents are sent.
Falcon FCS (Full Content Search)
FCS is Falcon's full-text searching extension. Initially, FCS scans the contents of all documents under Falcon's control and builds a database of the words found (an operation called "indexing"). At this point, the FCS database is available to DocMan and Web, and searching the actual contents of files is available to any document retrieval operation. From this point on, FCS indexes the content of files as they arrive in the system.
Falcon Publisher
Falcon Publisher is a Falcon Web extension designed to dynamically publish most file types in the Adobe PDF format, allowing users to view, on-demand, virtually any document available through SVP and Enterprise with the Acrobat's Reader. In addition to publishing myriad file formats to PDF, when deployed as a Web extension Publisher can merge those multi-format documents into a single PDF file.
Publisher extends beyond just Web:
The View function in SVP and Enterprise relies on browser plug-ins to display documents ‘pushed’ from a Web server to the client’s workstation. When the plug-in for a specific file format is not present, the browser offers to save the requested document to the client’s hard drive. This result defeats the purpose as a user naturally expects to view the document in what should be a seamless process — Falcon Publisher ensures the view process is seamless.
The published version of any in-process document is merely a snapshot of a moment in time. It's critical users see the most current version of such documents which, by definition, are subject to change at any time. The PDF format is perfect for such 'on-demand' publishing tasks.
Falcon Deliver!
Falcon Deliver! is a document ‘packaging’ application that overlays standard Falcon DMS and is used to define document sets, capture database information for those documents, and create customized searching and viewing interfaces. The complete ‘package’ is then transferred to a CD or DVD for distribution or archiving.
The unique aspect of Falcon Deliver! is the package itself. Each Deliver! package includes an integrated searching and viewing interface designed specifically for the target user.
The search component allows the packaged documents to be accessed through a database search function or from folders that replicate the original directory structure. (You can also opt to copy all documents into a single folder, something that is especially useful when distributing MicroStation or AutoCAD files to which reference files are attached.) Searches are performed from a customized search panel and document metadata is viewed from similarly customized property tabs.
Falcon Indexer
Falcon Indexer streamlines the process of creating database records for electronic documents with easy-to-use indexing and management tools. As a ‘heads up’ indexing tool, Indexer’s user interface integrates an image viewing area with data entry tabs, enabling a user to examine images as closely as required while entering the required descriptive information within the same application window.
Falcon API
Falcon API is Falcon's customization platform. Falcon API builds on the power of Falcon DocMan and Falcon Web with tools that integrate Falcon's document management functions with systems that range from Google Maps to the most advanced GIS applications. For example, with minimal coding, Falcon API facilitates the retrieval of Falcon-controlled documents associated with geographical features identified in real-time from GIS search criteria.
A Falcon API implementation can be enhanced further with Falcon API Connector utility, which facilitates the adding of new documents in an unattended, batch fashion from multiple 'watched' folders and queues.
Falcon API examples.