1) FRED is a desktop application that provides an easy interface for interacting with Alfresco, including browsing, searching, and drag-and-drop functionality.
2) FRED version 1.2 includes improvements like editing categories, improved search capabilities, and multi-language support.
3) Planned improvements for version 1.3 include creating new documents from templates, advanced search features, and full Thunderbird email integration.
Alfresco Day Warsaw 2016: Advancing the Flow of Digital Business
Boost Alfresco Use with FRED Desktop App
1. FRED has arrived
Boosting Alfresco at the
end-users
December 2, 2010
Peter Morel – Director S&M
Toon Geens – Fred Development Principle
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2. Have you used the richness of the Alfresco
application?
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3. Would you like some of these functions to
be available through your explorer?
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4. Would you like to be able to use an
explorer like interface from anywhere?
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6. Who’s FRED?
• Or rather what is Fred?
– A desktop window to Alfresco
– An assistant making ECM easy for the users
– Fun to work with
It’s your ECM buddy
FRont-EnD
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7. How does make your ECM work very easy?
• Looks like explorer Sort documents on
metadata values
• Acts like Alfresco
Show metadata in columns
• HTTP based: Works the same
both in LAN and WAN!
• Drag and drop from and to Pre-defined
desktop applications: documents column sets
and e-mail (outlook, thunderbird)
• View/Add/edit metadata
Edit off-line with sync to local drive Create, save and
in only two clicks remove
own column set
Versioning
Copy links in stead of content
Jump to Share of web explorer
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8. How helps you find back documents and folders
Sort by meta data value
Select meta data columns
Containing text or you want to see
meta data you
are looking for
Search All or for
specific field
values
Group by metadata
Open the folder in which values
the document resides
Filter by metadata
values
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9. Fred supports
• Multiple Alfresco repositories
• Single Sign-on using NTLM
• Working via a Proxy
• Personalized settings
• Remember last view per repository
• Company policy
• Automatic upgrade (click-once)
• WIN XP, Vista, Win7 (32 & 64bit)
• Outlook 2003, 2007, Thunderbird, ...
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10. New features in Fred 1.2
Fred 1.2 – nov 2nd 2010
• Editing categories
• User interface enhancements: date picker, tab
controls, Indication on downloading file, ...
• Performance improvements
• Extended search capabilities: on property and
aspect level, date ranges
• Metadata: Multi value, additional constraints
• Document preview
• Multi language support: available: English,
French, Dutch, Spanish. Other languages on
request.
• Improved drag and drop
– More robust
– Support of CTRL and Shift keys to move or copy files
from desktop to Fred.
• Show folder access rights settings
• Admin function: show security rights on file level
• Showing the document model, aspects, ...
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11. … and there is much more to come!
XeniT believes ECM can be
Easier
Faster
Better
for the daily common user
Create more value through
more intensive use
of the ECM environment
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12. Benefits
For the user For the company
• Brings ECM closer to the user • Guides the input of the users
• Very easy to use • Increased quality of the input
• Intuitive: looks like explorer, acts
like Alfresco • Corporate guidance on the
• Fast to browse and search
document metadata
• Supports your day to day work • Helps to make the documents
• Assists in adding intelligence to more uniform
documents • Supports company policies
• Displays the information you work • Focus shift from C:/ to
on Fred/Alfresco ECM
• Avoids confusion and double work
• Easy way to gradually introduce
• Works from anywhere and in the
same way new functionalities to the end
• Raises your personal productivity users
• Close to zero training installation!
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13. What to expect in Fred 1.3
Fred 1.3 – Jan Feb 2011
• create new document in Fred
– > template driven, supporting MS Office & Open Office
– > Fred now fully covers the document life cycle: create, edit, revise,
find, move, delete
– > Synchronisation of metadata fields (author, path, version number,
etc) from Alfresco (master) to the document
• Advanced search
– More dynamic control
– Multiple criteria for searching
– Saved searches
– Example: search on categories
• Full Thunderbird email integration
• More usability enhancements : send document, ...
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14. Feature back-log … some of the idea’s …
• Desktop optimalisation:
– Off-line synchronisation, including meta-data
– Desktop ‘clean-up & housekeeping’.
– Bulk import of documents (from your desktop?)
– Desktop search in one click to Alfresco
• Browser integration: Seamless interaction with Alfresco Share
• Launch Fred from Share - like jumping to CIFS
• Handling of URL’s (drag into Fred)
• Searching: More advanced search (facet based, “find similar”, ...)
• Make the rich Alfresco model usable for “normal” end-users
– Richer model support: document associations, folder types, document links, ..
– Workflow integration
• Productivity:
– Intelligent automated and assisted meta-data extraction
– Usability: more flexibility in window handling (personalisation), mixing navigation, categories, tag view, time
view... : quicker navigation, switching views,
• Compliance: More business rules for corporate compliance (templates for specific departments,
meta-data integration with corporate back-ends ..)
• System:
–
–
Support for Mac / LINUX
No-intervention install & update
Tell us what
– Advanced caching
you are looking for
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15. Can you try out FRED?
• Do you
– want to know more about Fred?
– want to participate a webinar?
– have any suggestions on features?
– want to be informed about new versions?
– want to try out FRED?
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16. … making document
management easier
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