One source for all

[dwag]

With each software release, our help is merged with the software. Customers install the software on their own servers; consequently, they don't see the latest help until they've downloaded and installed the latest software. In the field, we have trainers who often write their own instructions or training materials on the fly using Word. Back in the office, the tech writers primarily use Framemaker and Flare and are the only ones with licenses to those products.

Over time, documents have been saved and posted in every conceivable location, and God only knows how many duplicates and triplicates of slightly varying versions of the same documents exist in disparate locations.

Is there a way to use Flare--or any other tool, for that matter--to make the following scenario possible: Source document/content sits in one location. Tech writer updates it. Trainer in the field accesses same document/content (with all the latest changes in place), makes more changes, saves, and source document/content is updated as well. Phone support person brings up document/content (with latest changes in place) to help caller, sees a change he wants to make, makes it, saves, and source document/content is updated, etc., etc.

Long-winded way of asking, with only so many licesnes of various authoring tools to go around, how do you make it so that everyone who works for the company and all customers are opening or working with the latest version of a document at any one time?

[RamonS]

So what you are looking for is a content management system? Could use any of the popular CMS for that and have them contain Flare output either as PDF or Word docs. As far as not having dozens of slightly different versions floating around and getting people to go with the system, well, that is a management issue and no software in the world can fix that (many try anyway).

[dwag]

Thank you for the reply. Yes, essentially looking for a content management system, but I don't feel smart enough to get off to an efficient start in the quest. As regards the second half of your reply, amen.

Thanks, again.

[RamonS]

Dare I say it, you might even want to look at SharePoint. Other than that, any source control system with an easy to use front end might work as well. Your source is not application code, but something regular humans can actually read. And Flare can be a client to some source control systems.

[dwag]

Indeed, my language is regular humans. Thanks, again.