What’s New - Oracle WebCenter Capture 11.1.1.8 (PS7)

Oracle has rolled WebCenter Capture (formerly Oracle Document Capture) into the Fusion Middleware Suite with the release of WebCenter Capture 11.1.1.8 (PS7). This release comes packed with a new document lifecycle, redesigned look & feel, and other notables sure to make this revision more robust and appealing.

Document Lifecycle

With this release, Oracle has not only redesigned the implementation, they have also put a new spin on terms long accepted in the Capture products lifecycle like file cabinet, scanning, importing, indexing, and committing.  Instead, Oracle has opted for a new lifecycle coined:

Capture

• Documents can be manually scanned or imported from file into batches using the Capture client.  Settings for the capture of documents are defined in client profiles, similar to file cabinets;
• An Import Processor, formerly Import Server, can monitor a file system, email, or use a list file to automatically import documents.

Conversion

• Non-image document formats like PDF and DOC can be reformatted to TIFF of JPEG using a Document Conversion Processor.

Classification

• Formerly known as indexing, classification involves separating batches into documents and assigning metadata to them.
• Documents can be automatically classified using a recognition processor.

Release

Batches have several states that can be assigned including:

• Locked to User
• Locked
• Unlocked
• Processing
• Error

Commit

• A commit processor, formerly Commit Server, persists a document and associated metadata to WebCenter Content, Imaging, or to a text file for consumption by another system or process.
• Batches can be output to TIFF, PDF, Searchable-PDF, or retain their original format.

Look & Feel

Capture is now a predominantly Web-based application with an ADF UI that Fusion Middleware practitioners and users alike will recognize. No more is the Windows-only thick client that had to be installed and patched on individual workstations. Distributed Document Capture (ODDC) has also been relieved of its duties. Instead, Oracle has opted for segregated applications for the Capture interface - one for management and the other for end-user consumption. Welcome the Capture client and console.

Client

The Capture client application is employed by end-users to capture documents, review and associate metadata, and release them for further processing. Scan profiles and index profiles are no longer segregated into separate windows in favor of an all-in-one Capture workspace.

Console

The Capture console application is used by workspace managers to administer Capture workspaces, sort of like file cabinets of yesteryear. Workspaces contain:

• Client profiles;
• Processor jobs for importing, conversion, recognition, or committing;
• Metadata;
• Pick lists;
• Database lookups;
• Customization, and,
• Security.

Other Notables

Processors

Processor jobs for individual workspaces have replaced the previously known Import, Recognition, and Commit Servers. The available processors are:

• Import processor;
• Document conversion processor;
• Recognition processor; and,
• Commit processor.

Customization

Previous Capture versions employed VBScript or Jscript macros for customization. In this release of Capture, customization is accomplished using the Rhino JavaScript engine. Behavior can be executed during capture, input processing, or recognition processing.

Security

WebCenter Capture security is now fully integrated with Oracle Platform Security Services (OPSS). User credentialing is trusted to the identity store defined in Weblogic. Capture security has also been revamped into roles that users can be assigned to using Enterprise Manager. These roles include:

Capture Workspace Managers

• Users administer workspaces, client profiles, and processor jobs.

Capture Workspace Viewers

• Users have read-only access to workspace configuration, client profiles, and processor jobs.

Capture Users

• Users have access to the Client only.

Recognition Server

Recognition Server capability remains a Windows-only installation. Previous versions of Capture had built-in recognition of bar codes and patch codes; however, in this release, all recognition is the responsibility of a Recognition Server.

Metrics

Processing metrics are available via Enterprise Manager for determining Capture efficacy.

What does it all mean?

Capture is more integrated with Fusion Middleware

• Deployed as a managed server on WebLogic;
• Can be installed on Linux;
• Security defined by Weblogic.

New features

1.   Browser-based client

• Caters to earlier ingestion of content;
• No longer have to maintain a desktop client application.

2.  Scripts written in industry standard language

3.  Graphical presentation of conversion metrics

Caveats

• Recognition capability is available from a Windows-only installation;
• No longer includes built-in recognition of bar codes and patch codes.

Bill Wallen
Mythics Consulting