DOCUMENT TRACKING SYSTEM WITH INTENSIVE

ALGORITHM

SEMINAR PAPER

PRESENTED BY

AKPAN, ANASTACIA ANIEKAN

TO

THE DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE AKWA

IN PARTIAL FULLFILMENT OF
THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARED OF
HIGHER NATIONAL DIPLOMA (HND) IN
COMPUTER SCIENCE

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AUGUST, 2022

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 APPROVAL PAGE
This seminar paper is the original work carried out by AKPAN,
ANASTACIA ANIEKAN with Registration Number
AKP/ASC/CSC/ND2020/1322, of the Department of Computer Science,
Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua, Ikot Ekpene, under the
supervision of:

Mr. Benjamin Ubokobong

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 Abstract
Large volumes of data are usually generated in most institutions of learning
today. Locating Documents among tons of others can be tedious and time-
consuming process for administrative as well as academic staff of such
institutions. The aim of Document Tracking System (DTS) is to improve
productivity amongst Core administrative personnel. The system is an
application that is able to manage the creation, and movement of document
from desk to desk of personnel who work on them. Documents, such as,
reports, decisions, requests, reminders can be processed and tracked by the
system in real-time. Furthermore, the system helps in online tracking and
provides location information. The system is interactive and usable and able
to improve Document management and productivity in any organisation
administrative operations

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 Introduction

The need to keep track of Documents has become significantly important

today particularly in institutions of higher learning. However, little is being

discussed about this in literature. In most cases, Documents are transferred

physically from one desk to another within a department or between

departments. Document Tracking System offers clear visibility of the

Document movement throughout the Document processing channel (DMD,

2010). Sometimes there is need for a Document to go through several

personnel before it can be rendered acceptable. There are however drawbacks

in transferring these Documents from one desk to another such as getting

these Documents missing or forgetting to document the transfer. There is thus

need for a system that can provide solutions that will address such problems

while saving time and energy of administrative workers. Document tracking

systems offer a viable solution in this regard. Notable examples of such a

system are described in the paragraphs that follow.

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The Concept of Document Tracking System

A document tracking system (DTS) is defined as a system used to

create, store, manage, and track electronic documents and images of paper-

based documents through software. A DTS can be employed to capture,

distribute, and track documents. It can also be used to manage channel

workflows, output systems, and information retrieval systems.

A Document tracking and document tracking software was launched

by Karela, 2013 in 2013. The software is a user friendly barcode-based

tracking system. Information and Data Exchange Advanced System (IDEAS)

is a Document tracking system developed using Free and Open Source

Software (FOSS) by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) in Kerala, India

(KrasniQi, 2013). It is developed as a web application and its purpose is to

keep track of Documents coming into a government office (that is, citizens’

petitions). Due to its intuitive web interface, government officers are able to

easily record or query information about the petitions or Documents received

within their respective offices through the medium of the Internet. Also, users

which include both citizens and officers alike can track the movement of

Documents making the system a transparent one. The drawback of this

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particular system is that it is built to serve Documents in government offices

and not necessarily Universities or other institutions of higher learning.

The drawbacks may include: security - in any possible hacking

situation, all the Documents can be easily manipulated; also no activity log is

implemented for tracking Documents; the system is platform dependent –

runs on a Windows-based server (IIS) and requires proprietary databases as

backend. The implementation language is Active Server Pages (ASP).

Centralized Document Movement and Tracking Information System

(CDMTIS) is yet another Document tracking system based on Web as well as

Client Server Architecture and developed for tracking the movement of

Documents and papers in medium as well as large government offices

(Lifecycle, 2010). The goal of the system is to replace the manual record

keeping system for Documents/letters with a more efficient paperless

automated system. The system is platform independent, fully menu driven

and user friendly; the data entry is done once only and it ensures extensive

built in data validation checks; it has extremely powerful search capabilities;

it ensures acknowledgment to the sender about physical receipt of Document;

it notifies a receiver about incoming Documents; it also provides a facility to

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recall the Document if wrongly marked. It is highly secure providing:

centralized database, super user administrative control, better availability,

reliability, and multi layered security. Aside the aforementioned systems,

some Document tracking systems employ Radio Frequency Identifier (RFID)

technology. RFID technology allows you to track Documents like you would

using bar-coding (National information, 2013).

Putting it all in perspective, we identify that several tracking systems

exist that are being used outside the context of learning institutions like

Universities. Such systems despite their merits also have draw backs that

make them unsuited for tertiary institutions. A Document tracking system

that takes the identified drawbacks into consideration, while also targeting

tertiary institutions, is desirable. Companies need to control and manage the

life cycle of electronic documents. And one of the answers is to track and

trace electronic documents (Telepen, 2013).

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Key Features of Document Tracking Software

Security features such as customizable access restrictions: With any DTS,

the ability to customize access permissions is an integral part of protecting

your data. By controlling access, you also have a wider range of options in

the way you collaborate and use your DTS. You can set unique permissions

for different individuals, departments, teams, and even vendor or customer

access to particular files.

Without this flexibility, your DTS is much more limited and may not have

much value beyond some small business use cases. Yet, businesses of every

size and industry can leverage access permissions. That’s why the access

restriction functionality is a must-have for any DTS.

Ability to store various file types: Businesses use a variety of different files,

so document management systems need to have the flexibility to

accommodate various types of files in storage. If your DTS only supports a

small number of file types, you might need more than one DTS, potentially

creating more work for your team and duplicating your business information

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systems. Generally, the more a single system can do, the better — you can

put that flexibility to streamline your business processes.

Search functions for quick location and access to important files: Your

DTS is intended to improve your use and access to documents. Without the

ability to search your files, you may not be able to access the important

documents you need. Different document management systems offer

different search options. The DTS you choose may depend on which search

options are the most beneficial for your specific use case.

Document History for Auditing and Tracking:

By tracking your document changes and auditing them, you can manage your

documents more effectively and ensure that only authorized changes are

made to your files. This helps with compliance for documents as your

internal or regulatory rules require you to audit carefully. Hence, a DTS that

includes auditing and tracking features is essential (Telepen, 2013).

Ease of Use: Finally, your DTS must be easy enough to consistently rely on

it and train your team to use it. If your system is too complex, you run the

risk of the DTS failing to be fully adopted by your organization.

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Example of Document Tracking Systems

Sorting through rows of file cabinets is becoming a thing of the past as more

and more organizations and businesses are turning to digital solutions for

their everyday processes. With thousands of solutions to choose from, it can

be difficult to know which one is best for your business. Below are some

example of document tracking systems:

DocuWare: DocuWare, founded in 1988, is one of the leading document

and content management software (as of 2021). It is available in 16

languages and used by major companies such as IKEA and Sony.

DocuWare has an incredible administration tool, allowing you to create

multiple access profiles, with rules for viewing and writing. It allows you to

create several file trays for separation and organization, among other features.

However, the support leaves something to be desired. DocuWare’s own

support takes a long time to answer simple questions at times.

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DocuWare provides digital document management and automated workflow

solutions. It is best for organizations of any size and across all major

industries, from manufacturing and retail to healthcare and government.

Key features:

o Operates on Windows desktops, web browsers, or iOS/Android mobile

apps.

o Offers training in person and remotely, with customer support available

during regular business hours.

o Provides collaboration tools, compliance tracking, and eSignature.

o Offers features for document archiving, assembly, indexing, and retention.

o Offers optical character recognition (OCR), file recovery, version control,

and offline access.

o Enables integration with over 500 different applications.

Pros: The user interface is easy on the eyes, intuitive, and user-friendly. The

tool has an effective drag and drop functionality, and users can perform

multiple tasks in multiple documents without leaving the main console.

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Dropbox Business: Dropbox is a cloud-based file storage and collaboration

platform designed for the modern workspace to reduce busywork so that you

can focus on the things that matter. Dropbox Business helps your company

grow without limits while you maintain complete control over important

company information and user activity. Exporting documents can be a bit of

a challenge as the tool has a significant delay. Dropbox Business can benefit

from loading and unloading a heavy document faster. Dropbox Business is

best suited for collaboration across a team of users.

Key features:

o Operates on Windows/Mac desktops as well as web-browsers, iOS, and

Android apps.

o Provides live training with 24/7 support with live representatives.

o Offers collaboration tools, Signature, version control, and compliance

tracking.

o Offers features for document archiving, assembly, indexing, and retention.

o Offers file recovery, file type conversion, offline access.

o Enables administration with user and role management.

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Pros: Dropbox Business provides a good amount of storage space for a

business entity. It is a great collaboration tool for our team. Working on

common projects, revising documents, and creating system backups can all

be done with ease.

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Conclusion

The system is designed primarily to track files that are born digital thereby

reducing the use of paper to the barest minimum possible. Since the system is

used to manage the creation, and movement of document from desk to desk,

it should be adopted by many bodies.

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 References

DMD (2010), ‘File Tracking System, User manual”, A project of DMD. 1st
Edition, Revision: 00

Karela (2013), Know the status of your files and petitions online through
IDEAS. [Link]

(KrasniQi, 2013), ‘File Tracking System”, Epoka University, Thesis

Lifecycle (2010), [Link] File tracking and

National information (2013),” Centralized File Movement and Tracking

Telepen (2013), “File and Document Tracking System”,

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