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GARGANTUA 5 is
both a very effective Electronic Document
and Folder Management System (EDMS) suite
and an Electronic Content Management (ECM) platform. GARGANTUA
5 focuses on the users’ needs. It
is the essential tool of new technological architectures
and offers public or private sector bodies the collaborative
and secured environment they need for knowledge management
and controlled distribution of all their strategic
or documentation contents.
Totally integrated, very powerful, GARGANTUA is
nevertheless very simple to use. For instance,
the commands are intuitive. Moreover, its ergonomic
graphical interface uses the classification of
the real world. GARGANTUA 5 is
a full software suite that does not need any external
subset to function.
GARGANTUA 5 uses the most famous
standards: Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000 and XP workstations,
Unix, Linux or Windows servers. GARGANTUA 5
is object-oriented, fully open and
it has been designed with the best database engines.
It allows the managing of virtually any content type
and enables local or distant users to quickly and
easily process what many companies now regard as
their new raw material: information.
GARGANTUA 5 is available in various
configurations: single-station, client-server, intranet,
Internet…
GARGANTUA 5 has been designed to
digitize, import, edit, index, secure, store, archive
and disseminate substantial volumes of information
and to retrieve, consult and restore the relevant
object(s). GARGANTUA can considerably improve information
routing within any type of organization by making
the documents available at all times.
Moreover, GARGANTUA 5 is a completely multi-base and multi-server product.
This feature makes it easier to use when the information
has to be shared out among various locations / departments
/ organizations or according to various criteria
(subject, classification, security levels, etc.)
1) Database
engines
GARGANTUA 5’s standard version
uses two different but nonetheless interlinked databases: a relational
database and a full-text database. Oracle, SQLServer, Informix, PostgreSql… are
used to manage and secure metadata, indexes, images, files... Searchtools is
the full-text indexing and search kernel. Searchtools has been
designed to store huge quantities of indexes (actually every word appearing
in the texts) and is now regarded as the fastest and most efficient
engine in the world.
2) User
interface
– filing data within a database
GARGANTUA’s originality
and simplicity stem from its ergonomic tree-structured
interfaces. With this user-friendly interface you
can organize within databases all kinds of documents
(scanned hardcopy documents, forms, text documents,
etc.) using folders, subfolders,…
Moreover, you can view the structure at first glance.
A folder can contain files and subfolders.
What makes GARGANTUA so powerful and easy to use is
its ability to manage and present many types of information: hardcopy
documents, text documents or other computer documents, forms, etc.
You can immediately view the general content of a database or the content
of a folder. You can choose, for a given format, the displays inside
one of the numerous viewers available or inside the native application
(that is automatically launched).
You can move any object of the database and consequently re-organize
the folders or the documents.
Exemple of a screen page
The standard interface can be completely personalized and other interfaces
can be used. A user having different rights within several databases
sees a different interface for each of them. This allows toolbars optimizing
and makes the software easier to use.
3) Pins
Between the folder and the file, you find another notion: the electronic
pin. An electronic pin enables you to gather under one name (as you
would do with a metal pin in the real world) several scanned pages (e.g.
an invoice with several pages), scanned pages linked with any type of
file (e.g. a scanned incoming letter pinned to the word-processed answer,
a form pinned to scanned photos, etc.) or various files. When you use
pins, you only have to index the pin object.
4) Managing
document versions
GARGANTUA enables versioning (document versions managing)
whatever the type of document (image or text file). When a document
has been edited by a user, he or she can decide if the new version must
replace the older one or if it becomes a major / minor version of the
document. Depending on the choice of the user, a number is automatically
given to the version. You can also decide to lock a document permanently.
According to their rights, users can view all the versions of the document
or only the most recent.
5) Multibase
mode
Within GARGANTUA, a base is the
set of folders and documents that a user can access when connected
to a server. In GARGANTUA’s multibase structure, each base is
totally independent, both regarding users and their access rights
and regarding the base structure and the objects hold. The various
bases can actually be seen as independent products installed on distinct
servers.
An authorized user can connect to several bases at the
same time and can perform various operations inside each of them.
For specific needs, you can use preestablished databases, with specific
functionalities. (example: press review).
6) Basket
and virtual folder
A virtual folder is made up of various documents and / or folders put
in a basket as a new object (structured or not). These virtual folders
can have a limited lifetime. The basket content can be transferred by
e-mail, put into a workflow decision process or copied to standalone
optical media (browsable media) to be disseminated or to be saved. You
can have a basket for each base or one basket for several bases. This
enables you to build complex temporary folders.
7) Data
types
Different types of data and documents can be stored within GARGANTUA:
- Data from computer files: images, texts or spools
(the two last-mentioned types may be stored in
the full-text database);
- Hardcopy documents, scanned and indexed manually or through
an automatic operation;
- Index cards and / or forms (i.e. index sets), to which you
will be able to link files and / or scanned documents;
- Other digital files such as video files, audio files, etc.
8) Indexing
folders and documents
GARGANTUA enables any authorized user to create any
type of index model that will be applied to documents, pins and folders.
Index models are dedicated to one database. You can choose to view them
as a list (whose length can vary) or as a form (that displays the same
list in a completely personalized shape). The number index models for
a database and the number of fields you can create in a model are not
limited.
The main types of fields are: character, integer, float, currency,
date, lists, Web address, link (between fields), field whose value is
controlled by algorithms, etc. You can choose to make them mandatory.
The values can also be linked to one or several thesaurus(es).
Indexing within GARGANTUA is very ergonomic: it can
be done really quickly and only with the keyboard. When you index series
of documents, some tools enable you to reuse the information that has
already been typed and to transfer it automatically from one index card
to another. In order to help users when they enter data using documents
displayed on the screen, GARGANTUA offers index loupes
that automatically position themselves on the areas corresponding to
the fields that must be filled out.
A document, according to its type, can be indexed via
index models and via full text.
9) List
types
Different types of list are available within GARGANTUA.
The main types are:
- Closed simple lists that contain a precise quantity
of keywords;
- Open simple lists that you can enrich on the fly;
- Multiple choice lists that enable you to select criteria from
open or closed lists;
- Hierarchical lists that are displayed in the shape of a tree,
showing the keywords and the “family” or inclusion
links between them. You can choose to use as index either the
whole chain or only one or several descriptor(s);
- Linked lists that use the “family” or inclusion
links of the hierarchical lists and put the values of the
various levels in different fields linked by the
hierarchy that was drawn up in these lists.
Example : the value you
choose inside a hierarchical list for an index field can be "Europe
/ Belgium / Brussels" (the whole chain) or "Brussels" or "Europe,
Brussels"… With linked lists, when indexing: you can
only view the list of the continents when you fill out the "Continent"
field; if the continent you choose is "Europe", you will only
see the list of the European countries; and the same occurs for the
next level ("City"): only the European cities appear on the
list.
10) Search
types
You can search one database only or several databases at the same time.
You can use many different types of search. The main search types are:
- Browsing in index fields, folders’ / files’ labels,
notes’
content, documents’ content, etc. This kind of
search can be restricted to one type of object.
- Fulltext search on text documents or documents resulting from an
OCR operation. With this search type, many options are available:
boolean operators, parentheses and any other classic logical function,
wild cards, truncation, "NEAR" option, etc.
As for documents resulting from an OCR operation, the initial image
is always linked to the document and you can instantly switch from the
initial image to the document. This enables you to search for an image
via its text content:
- Guided search with the use of Boolean or comparison
operators (AND, OR, =, <>, >, <, etc.).
This search type uses index fields;
- Complex Boolean search that applies classic operators and "CONTAINS"
or "DOES NOT CONTAIN" operators to index field contents.
It may be combined with (simple or Boolean) fulltext search.
Search templates can be created. They can be private or public. You
can choose to make them readily accessible through shortcuts or to assign
a function key to them.
An optional Thesaurus manager is available. It enables
you to broaden your search by using the functionalities of the available
thesaurus(es).
Search results depend on the rights that have been allocated
to the user who is carrying out the search. All the results can be directly
exported, sent by e-mail, transferred or saved on external media...
Furthermore, you can create standalone optical media with them.
11) Security:
object management
Within GARGANTUA 5 world, the notion of “object” is very
important since rights management relies on it. An “object”
is any item inserted into the database: it can be a document,
a note, a folder, an index model, an index field, a list,
etc. You can select permissions on any of these objects. The permissions
give distinct rights to each group or user wishing to access the objects.
11.1) Databases
When a database is created, a first general
security level must be chosen. There are three main
types. They enable you to define three security level
types: simplified, medium and complex.
Databases are protected and can only be accessed via identification.
A user can be allowed to connect to several databases (even at the
same time) and may have totally different rights on each of them.
11.2) Folders and documents
For every object (base, folder, document, index, etc.)
and at all levels, specific rights can be assigned. Only the objects
a user is allowed to view are displayed and thus accessible for
him / her. The objects over which a user has no right do not appear
on the list.
Permissions on folders, documents, notes… can be controlled
by the groups or the individual users who are responsible
for them, the owners or the administrator. If he or she has been allowed
to do so, a user can take ownership of an object and can make it inaccessible
for the other users. A user can also decide to assign
various rights on this object.
There are a great number of rights. Among these rights, you find:
View document, Modify document, Print, Index document, Modify indexes,
Add note, Create versions, View versions, Certificate, etc.
An object can be managed by its owner, by a group or by an individual
user.
Temporary rights can also be assigned for certain functions. Temporary
rights time limit can be 1 minute to a few days.
Example of temporary rights:
half an hour to delete or modify a document inserted in the system.
Beyond this limit, only a user with suitable rights can perform
an action on the document.
11.3) Users
Users are divided into individual users, owners, groups
and super groups. A user can be both an individual
user and a member of one or several group(s). By combining users’ and groups’ rights,
you get very precise permission supervision. Thus,
you can totally control the access to any object of the database.
12) Import
and data entry modules
Any file can be imported and stored within GARGANTUA.
It remains in native format and can generally be viewed in GARGANTUA without
the native application. Sound, video, etc. files, are run with a dedicated
application.
Files created with Microsoft Office or certain other office applications
can be sent to GARGANTUA directly from the application
and can be indexed on the fly.
GARGANTUA – Word™ linkage
13) Harcopy
document scanning
GARGANTUA directly drives a certain number of scanners,
from the simplest to the most effective ones. Consequently you can insert
the scanned documents into the database in one step only. Twain driver
is also available.
Each scanned document is stored and compressed with the mode and the
file format fit for its nature. The most famous compressors (CCITT G4,
JPEG, GIF, PNG, etc.) are available in GARGANTUA’s
standard version for black and white, color and gray
scale scanning. Whatever the type of input, decompression is instantaneous
and enables you to browse through a folder.
GARGANTUA IntelliScan: a full application! This
functionality is perfectly fit for entering and indexing large quantities
of data by scanning small or big folders. It brings efficient assistance
and optimum productivity to the users in charge of the digitizing and
indexing. IntelliScan allows the creation of one dedicated task for
each need and the number of these tasks is not limited. An initial
setting (actually the creation of a subprogram via a graphical wizard)
enables you to easily create the automated tasks you need to control
data entry, to index and to file.
14) Image
retouching tools
Another example of GARGANTUA’s original features
is the high performance of its retouching tools, which
are used by many big companies in the Electronic Document Management
branch.
You can use these tools to retouch the most commonly used types of
images (black and white, gray scale, color) and all the formats available
in GARGANTUA 5, compressed (CITT G4, JPEG, PNG…)
or not (BMP).
These functions can be applied automatically.
15) Recognition
systems, OCR, ICR…
GARGANTUA’s standard version offers an OCR system
based on a neural network. This OCR system allows the
transformation of image files into text files. The text files (or parts
of them) may be indexed in full-text mode.
A second OCR engine (optional) regarded as the most efficient engine
on the market, allows, thanks to dedicated scripts, the direct transformation
of image documents into rtf, pdf and Word formats. In some cases, this
enables you to delete the initial image.
You can find other recognition engines in GARGANTUA’s
standard version, especially bar codes reading engines
(for linear and two-dimensional bar codes). These engines enable GARGANTUA to
directly recognize the content of one or several bar code(s) printed
on the documents and to transform it into index information.
CMC7, ICR... recognition engines can be added in order to allow the
reading of areas containing particular characters, such as, for example,
handwritten texts in non-cursive writing.
Recognition
and automatic indexing:
 |
Thanks
to its powerful subsets, you can use GARGANTUA to
index automatically, after or while scanning, very
large quantities of documents presenting the same
architecture (e.g. forms).
In order to program automatic
indexing, you do not need to write any code line.
An internal module deals with process generating
and area - field linking.
GARGANTUA allows
the use of various recognition engines at the same
time. You just choose which engine reads the content
of each area.
All the operations (area selection,
area - field linking and recognition engine selection)
are done once and for all. When scanning, full
indexing is done in one step only.
|
16) Script
files
Script files allow the programming, through a simple
language, of external (simple or complex) subprograms generally dedicated
to repetitive tasks. These scripts can be written either in Visual Basic
or via an internal programming language called Script Designer and
the API delivered with GARGANTUA’s standard
version. A script library is also delivered.
Function keys can be assigned to scripts. Thus, you only
have to press a key to run a program. The number and execution possibilities
of these subprograms are not limited.
Scripts are an essential functionality of GARGANTUA because
they enable you to customize the product to meet your needs, to modify
its interface and its behavior (e.g. to define which functions have
priority, to change boot mode, etc.)
17) External
software automatic launching
When GARGANTUA displays a document, the "Edit"
function enables the user to launch the application
by which the document was created with a click of his / her mouse.
The file is immediately put inside the native application. GARGANTUA then
becomes transparent behind the native application. When you exit the
application, you find GARGANTUA in the state it was
when the native software was launched and you can decide to create
a new version.
18) Consulting
the documents
In order to consult a document, you only have to click on its name
on the list. When a folder has been opened and one
of the documents it holds is displayed, in the window that displays
the document you can browse the folder’s content thanks to “previous”, “next”,
“first”, “last”, etc. arrows. Whatever the
type of file, the proper viewer opens immediately and displays the
various functions available for this file in a tool bar.
When consulting several documents, you may see the interface change
according to the rights you have on each document displayed or according
to the type of document.
Other consulting modes are available: thumbnail sets, thumbnail sets
with one selected enlarged thumbnail displayed in the center of the
screen and offering some immediately executable functions. Scripts enable
you to launch these types of functions directly on search results.
19) Import-export
functions
Export, import and transfer functions are available in GARGANTUA. They
are very simple because wizards guide the user step by step. The main
functions allow:
- The exporting of all or part of the index set: for
some selection, for all the elements of a folder or
for all or part of a search result.
This function allows the transfer of automatic indexing results to
other software (accounting, invoice, statistics...)
for later processing. The files resulting from these data exports
are ".csv" or “.xml”
files.
- The exporting of a whole database, a whole folder
or a selection…
- The importing / exporting of all or part of the tree is used either
to re-organize folders or to transfer them to other
databases or other locations that work with GARGANTUA.
When the data are imported into the new database, everything gets inserted
within the new place: the whole content, all the pieces of information
and the initial structure.
These functions also enable you to transfer folders for permanent archival
storage and to merge or split databases.
When you transfer a folder to a recipient who does not have GARGANTUA,
the content is sent in several e-mails, whose sizes are user-controlled
and which are automatically numbered to enable the recipient to reconstitute
the initial order.
20) Document
storage
GARGANTUA enables you to store your documents in various
ways, according to your needs and according to specific security criteria.
The four main ways are the following:
- in shared directories on one or several server(s),
- in a database field,
- in .zpx format files. This GARGANTUA-specific
file format is an agglomeration of various different
encrypted files.
- on CD-ROMs or DVDs that may be stored in jukeboxes or not. GARGANTUA prepares
the image of these media.
21) CD-ROM
and DVD writing
GARGANTUA offers a CD-ROM / DVD writing module. This
module is presented in wizard form, with many options enabling you to
create: media containing only the documents; media containing the documents
and the indexes; standalone media containing the tree structure, the
selected documents, the viewers you need to consult the documents, the
indexes, the database and the search engine. A standalone medium is
like a mini GARGANTUA that you can use to
get an easily transportable archive or to enable users who do not have GARGANTUA to
consult structured data.
22) Printing
the documents
With GARGANTUA, you can print virtually all the
objects of a database: the tree, full folders’ contents, documents,
notes, the index sets of some selected folders or documents, etc.
You can select among search results the documents you want to print
in one operation.
Thanks to page and print setup tools, you can create specific page
backgrounds for each user or watermarks showing the storage location
of the documents (NF 42-013 and ISO 15489 standards).
23) Communications
In all its versions, single-station or client-server, GARGANTUA offers
communications interfaces such as:
23.1) Workflow
GARGANTUA interfaces with NORA, SIATEL workflow
software: inserting, taking out and sending of documents
or folders. Thanks to its API, GARGANTUA interfaces
with any other standard workflow software.
23.2)Fax module
Direct sending. Direct receiving of faxes in an electronic
inbox inside GARGANTUA.
23.3) Connecting to external networks: WAN structure
GARGANTUA offers a set of gateways
for external networks.
23.4) E-mail
GARGANTUA interfaces with MS Mail,
Exchange, Outlook and Lotus Notes.
You are connected directly from GARGANTUA. Thus
you can send documents / folders and receive / insert messages and
attachments directly, without manipulating external products. The
content of email can be also searched in full text mode.
GARGANTUA mailbox
23.5) Intranet - Internet
The web server uses GARGANTUA 5 as
a repository and allows the user to explore the information
via any popular browser.
24) Other
modules
GARGANTUA 5’s standard version offers other
modules:
- the administration module, used for creating the
databases, users and groups,
- the statistics module, used for controlling the volume of the
objects stored within each database,
- the log module, dedicated to the control and analysis of object
access with report issuing,
- the replication module, used for duplicating at regular intervals
the content of GARGANTUA servers, in order to get
greater centralization or maximum security,
- other administration modules are available, e.g. for automatic
database optimizing.
25) Add-on
modules
GARGANTUA 5 offers a certain number of add-on modules
enabling the user to customize the system. Among the main modules, you
find:
- the Web consulting and searching
module,
- the full Web module: consulting, inserting,
deleting, indexing, etc.
- the ADR / ADP module: automatic reading and
indexing of handwritten documents,
- the Push module, used for sending targeted documentation
to subscribers,
- the Thesaurus module,
- Nora, the workflow module, which enables you
to automate work processes.
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