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HistoryEdited Mar 28, 2011 10:41 AM by Joel Anderson…

iPad Document Management Strategies Overview

Personal Productivity Strategies > iPad > iPad Document Management Strategies > Overview, Definitions, Goals


I've covered many initial issues and considerations regarding document management on the iPad. So knowing what we do today, what are some strategies?

What does an iPad Paperless Eco System take, and where are we?
Requirement Status
Method to synchronize documents between desktop & iPad MobileMe iDisk Syncing and DropBox are almost there:
• Auto-sync desktop to cloud: check
• Auto-sync iPad to cloud: almost: iDisk will download latest version if connected to network; DropBox indicates that an updated version is available. Not all documents are stored locally on iPad unless you download them each at least once
Ability to find and organize documents on iPad Sort of:
• Using iDisk/DropBox simply mirrors the folder structure of the main folder you are syncing to the cloud
• There is no method to grab a subset of folders randomly strewn about your desktop computer, and say "sync these files"
Ability to edit documents on iPad Not there yet:
• While apps like AirSharing and GoodReader can open documents in other iPad apps for editing, there is no way to send them back
• and AirSharing/GoodReader cannot sync to a cloud service (they can only manually connect and download).
• On the other hand, iDisk/DropBox can sync documents, but cannot send them to another app for editing
• Editing documents in iWork apps is limited to basic formatting: "advanced" features such as headers/footers, table of contents, expanded fonts, lists in tables, merged cells, etc are lost in the conversion to iWork iPad edition

Knowing the limitations, we must design a workflow around them:
  1. Define which documents you want to have synced to your iPad
  2. Create a folder structure on your main computer that places those documents into an organized structure within the folder you are syncing to the cloud.
    1. This will keep your working documents synced between main computer and iPad
    2. There will be some gray areas and kludgy-ness here: For example, you may have a project that you are working on that contains some documents that can't be read on the iPad by your syncing app or any other app. OmniGraffle or OmniPlan for example. While OmniGraffle has an iPad app already, your "cloud" disk app will actually see that "file" as a "folder" and so you can't upload it. Facing that reality, do you separate the file from the project folder, because it would serve no purpose other than clutter on the iPad and wasting valuable online storage space (and if so, where do you store it instead), or do you keep it there so that everything related remains together?
    3. Consider the types of files you want on the cloud versus local only. Here are some things I found as I started moving data:
      1. Some filetypes simply can't be read on an iPad: FileMaker, NoteBook, The files used in your websites, etc
      2. How many years worth of data are important? I decided to bring over last year's data and this year's data. But even this can get bifurcated. Consider a batch of documents regarding a product purchased three years ago. Following the two-year rule you wouldn't bring it over, but you may very well want those files, because there is nothing newer, and the info is still relevant. Of course every time you break your rules, document management gets more complicated in your mind.
      3. Raw Support Files vs Final Production Documents: Often times many of my documents contain snippets of info and content. For example, a "How To" document might include several screenshot images, and logos. Do you really need all of those pieces on the iPad, or just the final document?
  3. In order to manage documents bifurcated between local and cloud storage, I create mirrored Folder hierarchies on the local and cloud storage. If data is separated between the two, they will have a matching folder structure, so you can find related information.
  4. Change your workflow habits so that day-to-day working documents are saved to your "cloud" disk
  5. Knowing the limitations of editing on the iPad today (potential loss of formatting, klutzy document versioning), work with the assumption that the iPad will be used primarily for reading/referencing materials. This means that your documents will primarily live in the iDisk/DropBox application (the syncing app), as opposed to AirSharing/GoodReader (the document manger/reading app).
  6. Come up with a method for keeping track of files that you do create and edit in the iWork apps and keeping them in sync.

Comments

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Try my iPad Quick-St...Falsejoel2011-10-27T05:51:48+00:00joelJoel Anderson2010-05-01 02:22:25+00:002010-05-01 02:22:25updated11Changed the name from Personal Productivity to Personal Productivity StrategiesjoelJoel Anderson2010-05-01 02:14:34+00:002010-05-01 02:14:34updated10Added text descriptors to each categoryjoelJoel Anderson2010-05-01 02:05:53+00:002010-05-01 02:05:53updated9Added tag - paperlessjoelJoel Anderson2010-05-01 01:46:35+00:002010-05-01 01:46:35addTag8Added tag - mainjoelJoel Anderson2010-04-05 20:17:08+00:002010-04-05 20:17:08addTag7joelJoel Anderson2010-04-05 20:15:34+00:002010-04-05 20:15:34updated6Added tag - hotjoelJoel Anderson2010-04-05 20:15:11+00:002010-04-05 20:15:11addTag5Added tag - ipadjoelJoel Anderson2010-04-05 20:11:26+00:002010-04-05 20:11:26addTag4Added tag - gtdjoelJoel Anderson2010-04-05 20:11:21+00:002010-04-05 20:11:21addTag3Added tag - productivityjoelJoel Anderson2010-04-05 20:11:16+00:002010-04-05 20:11:16addTag2First createdjoelJoel Anderson2010-04-05 20:10:54+00:002010-04-05 20:10:54created1wiki2010-05-01T02:22:25+00:00groups/tech/wiki/56867FalsePersonal Productivity Strategies/groups/tech/wiki/56867/Personal_Productivity_Strategies.htmlJoel Anderson11 updatesPersonal Productivity Strategies This section of the site will focus on personal productivity, and will include topics such as Getting Things Done (GTD), OmniFoucs, paperless wor...Falsejoel2010-05-01T02:22:25+00:00joelJoel Anderson2010-05-01 02:22:25+00:002010-05-01 02:22:25updated11Changed the name from Personal Productivity to Personal Productivity StrategiesjoelJoel Anderson2010-05-01 02:14:34+00:002010-05-01 02:14:34updated10Added text descriptors to each categoryjoelJoel Anderson2010-05-01 02:05:53+00:002010-05-01 02:05:53updated9Added tag - 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