Advise: Is this the right tool for Data Management?

[ckelker]

Greetings-

I've read and read, and I can't determine if the platform would meet our needs.

We are a not-for-profit which manages medical reference codes.  At the core, we need to model a data content system with an assortment of tables.  As new codes are entered into the system, we need a workflow to manage the internal approval process.  Naturally, we publish our database in a several formats (and without approval internal fields), so need export abilities.

The shortcoming of our platform is the lack of "history/change management".  The system can house everything, but it can't show a lifecycle of a "code" nor handle workflow.

Can someone point me to some details regarding:

Table/Field management
Can we workflow a data entity (a single "code", it's x number of literary references, it's associated government forms, etc)
Reporting Capacities

I get concerned using a packaged solution because of a small business change causing a complicated migration to support something like "we need to now support multiple copyrights instead of one".

Thanks in advance,
CK

[mrogers]

Alfresco will manage the content related to your "code" very well.  

What it will do less well is the actual "Data Management" behind your code, for example if your application uses a large and complicated  relational model.   The crude rule of thumb is that if its data management then it goes into an RDBMS.   If its content management then it goes into a CMS.    And of course its not necessarily a choice of one or the other you can use both or either.

Assuming that part of your application is content driven.
What you need to do is model your "code" business object.     What attributes does it have, what workflows are associated with it what content applies to codes, what business rules apply to codes, and who owns the code ?  

That will get your thinking  started.

[jck]

Hi,
I suggest you read the following post, it may be of interest for you,

* http://forums.alfresco.com/en/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=23554

HTH

JC