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Print-out: Go to "File - Page setup" of your e-mail client, set all margins on 1cm, or copy to WinWord.

September  2007

 

 

 

  A lot of development projects and programs have a lack of
an efficient document management system !

Contents:

     -  Document and picture management and file compression

     -  Start your own virtual library

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The following software is freeware for non-commercial purpose, you will find it for download
on www.bds-forum.net/freeware.

   - Document management

   - Picturemanager "Irfan view"

   - PDF Creator for conversion to pdf-files and file compression

   - PDF Reader

 

How to avoid "horror-big-size" documents by using picture compression,
pdf-file conversion and file compression

Even experienced experts often create big-size Winword or Powerpoint files of 3-8 Megabyte or more due to non-compressed pictures included. These files create problems for e-mail and Internet users in developing countries with insufficient Internet connections. The hereafter presented freeware avoids big-size files and helps you to create slim files for e-mail and Internet use.

 

1. Document management  [top]

 

Never split one document in different files
(1 file for the title, 1 file for the main text, 1 file for annexes etc.)
this is extremely user unfriendly !!!

Avoid whenever possible zip files on your website:
researchs show that 80% of the users refuse zip files

Template for project documents: Use and change the following document template with your own project logos.
All consultants have to use your standardized project document template. Write it down in their terms of reference and hand out the template in the beginning of the consultancy. Change the template for your purpose.
download template : 1-template.doc

 

2. Picturemanager (irfanview)  [top]

on www.bds-forum.net/freeware/index.html   878 KB for download. easy installation

Before you insert pictures into Winword, Powerpoint or Webpage files you have to treat them with a picturemanager in order to compress the picture size. Pictures - scanned or digital ones - are about 300 KB to 1,5 MB. Compressed pictures are about 20 KB to 200 KB. After compression, pictures can be included in documents and webpages or sent by e-mail without unreasonably blowing up the respective document. However, compressing pictures brings a certain loss of quality, but must be accepted if you want that your documents shall be downloaded or used by other Internet users. Winword and Powerpoint documents with compressed photos can go down from from 2 MB to 0,2 MB only!

 

Instructions: Download the picture manager file from www.bds-forum.net/freeware/index.html and doubleclick it. Extraction and installation is automatic and without problems. Picture treatment is eaysy.

 

  • Open the picturemanager and go to "file - open" and open your picture file.

  • Go to "image - resize" and set new size at 50% (for width only - heigth is automatically adapted) - "ok".

  • Go to "file - save as", select "jpeg files" and set jpeg save options compression on 30%. By saving give a new name and "ok".

60% is medium compression with high quality, 30% is high compression with acceptable quality. Pictures to be included into Winword or Powerpoint documents should not exceed 100,000 bytes (resize to 50% and then save and compress with 30%-60%). Pictures for webpages should not exceed 30,000 bytes (resize to 50% and then save and compress with 30%).

 

This photo has been compressed from 1.200.000 bytes to 27.000 bytes !

(resize to 50% and compress to 30%)

 
3. How to create PDF-files  [top]

PDF files are often used in Internet and for documentation because with the Adobe Acrobat Reader; everybody can read them for free and pdf documents cannot be modified easily. PDF producing software normally is very expensive and only few freeware available with good performance. "PDF-Creator" is a freeware for pdf file production with good performance. The software for download is a big file of 13,3 MB. Once downloaded, installation and pdf-file production are easy.

PDF-creator also is good for compressing files, example: a winword file of 10 MB
has been compressed to 1,7 MB only with pdf-creator !

  • Download PDF-Creator from www.bds-forum.net/freeware/index.html  13,3 MB with the right mouse button.

  • Double-click for installation.

  • To convert a Winword file, open the winword document and then under
    "Printers" choose pdf-creator for printer.

  • "Printing" the document is not really printing but will convert the document automatically into a pdf-file.

   

4.  PDF - File Reader  [top]

If you cannot read PDF files then you have to install a PDF-File reader. A small-size pdf-file reader is the "Foxit Reader for download on www.bds-forum.net/freeware/index.html with 1,2 MB (instead of 12 MB for Adobe Acrobat Reader).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Create your own virtual Library  [top]

Everybody knows the standard document management comprising of folders and sub-folders on your computer. With more than 100 documents using this "amateur-system", every day you will try to trace missing documents.

The following Excel-sheet based library system has the following advantages:

   - Documents are classified in one list, the system is very easy to handle.

   - All documents open directly if you click on the hyperlink

   - All documents can be filterd by key words.

   - Other persons involved (project staff, partners, your successor, external evaluators) cannot easily handle
     your folder management system, but the Excel sheet based library is easy to follow for everybody.

   - You may even publish a restricted version of your library with documents of public interest. This will be
     a service of your project (see example on www.senegal-entreprises.net/download.htm#adepme).

   - No research any more for missing documents!

 

Example of virtual library of the SME Development Agency Senegal

 

Using the following template library-template.xls, your virtual library will be ready in one day. One day of work and no more research for missing documents in future.

 

How to initiate the virtual library:

   - Create a folder for all your documents.

   - Stock your documents (if you like it, you may create sub-folders for certain categories).

   - Open the Excel sheet template and fill the table with the respective documents and key words.

   - Create hyperlinks: Highlight the document name and go to the menu bar "insert - hyperlink...".
     Look for the respective document, click on it in order to create the hyperlink.

   - You may change the template for your purpose.

   - One of the project staff should be the responsible for the library update and management.

 

Don't be lazy - take one day to initiate this very efficient document management system
and you never have to look any more for missing documents !

 

Print out:

For print-out on A4 go to: "File - Page setup" of your Email Client
and set all margins on 10mm. If problems, copy to Word.

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