Alfresco Document Comparison (Compare Documents & Images)

What is Alfresco Document Comparison?

The Alfresco Document Comparison addon allows users to execute a side-by-side comparison of two documents or images, providing a detailed rundown of every addition, removal, replacement, and modification between the two items. Using smart technology to digitally review the documents, our module scans for differences in text, image, and layout. The module then highlights each difference for easy viewing. The differences are indicated visually on the documents, in list form, and via a diagram showing the concentration of differences and similarities using color-blocking for easy navigation.

Why is Alfresco Document Comparison so important?

• Avoid risk– ensure signed contracts and agreements are identical
• Increased security –close the window for human error
• Save time– review high-volume documents in seconds and get to the final draft stage
• See clearly – notice every addition, removal, replacement, and modification at a glance
• Edit quickly– navigate to issues with a single click

The Benefits of Alfresco Document Comparison

The Alfresco Document Comparison addon is developed to help document handlers within an organization move faster. Using smart technology to digitally review documentation, our module allows managers to clearly see every single difference between two document or image files without having to visually scan or search for tracked changes in MS Word. Processed in seconds, all changes are easy to see and managers can navigate with a single click to make decisions about future drafts or edits. The Alfresco Document Comparison addon is versatile, supporting both document files (.DOC, .DOCX) and image files (.PNG, .JPG, etc.) Finally, when the computer digitally captures each and every minute difference, the window for human error disappears. Managers can know without a doubt that the document review has been completed effectively. With the Alfresco Document Comparison addon, nothing slips through the cracks. This module is available on its own and via plug-in to the Alfresco Advanced Version Control addon, allowing for a document comparison option within the versioning feature. This optional functionality is especially great for users that work with documentation that changes subtly over time such as contract managers, regulation compliance officers, and legal documentation handlers.

How Does It Work?

The Alfresco Document Comparison addon exists as an integrated feature to the system user in the Alfresco Document Library. For systems with the module, a “Compare Documents” option appears in the dropdown Skytizens menu for file activity after selecting 2 documents or images at a time. In the case of Advanced Versioning Control plug-in, the option appears in the document versioning list after ticking the box next to two versions of the same document.

After ticking both boxes and selecting the option to “Compare Documents”, Alfresco Document Comparison processes the two documents. The user sees the two documents presented side-by-side and a progress bar that tracks the digital review. For short documents, the action is completed within seconds. For documents with hundreds of pages or more, the action can take up to a minute. Once completed, the user sees the side-by-side view with color-coded highlighting indicating the detected changes (full addition/removal, replacement, or simple modification) throughout the document. The highlighted areas are linked visually with line so that similar portions of the document are easily recognizable despite vastly different layouts. The differences are represented in 3 ways:

• visually on the document – with color-coded highlighting (red/orange/green)
• list view – with numerical count of differences and point-and-click navigation
• concentration sidebar – diagram view with color-blocking that gives an overview at a glance

A “0 Difference” result indicates within seconds that a contract or legal document has undergone no changes and can be approved for signatures.

The numbered differences can be used to proceed with edits. The comparison results are also available for export as a PDF for internal system communication or can be downloaded out of the system for email or external sharing with non-Alfresco users.

Main Features

File Support – The module supports documents (.DOC, .DOCX) and image files (.PNG, .JPG, etc.)

Side-by-Side View – Compare two documents side-by-side and visually track all visual and textual differences. Toolbar navigation provides parameters of how the analysis is carried out.

1. Type of Review – Select the level and style of review
   • Text only – Compares continuous text and ignores the text styles
   • Text with styles – Continuous text and its styles
   • Continuous document – Completely compares continuous documents
   • Page by page comparison – Compares documents page by page, checks line and image positions
   • Verify identity – Compares documents page by page, checks positions of all elements as well
2. Differences –Detailed List View with color-coding filtering options
3. Zoom – Fit Screen Width, Zoom IN/OUT
4. Replace Documents – Replace one or both of the documents and re-process the review from within the module without having to start over.

Color-Coding – a 3-color weight scheme is used to show what type of difference has been detected

1. Red – full addition or removal of indicated content
2. Orange – replacement of content
3. Green – minor modification

Difference Indicators – Three styles of reviewing detected differences.

1. Visual Indicators – Highlighted text or images in both documents, linked visually by a line so that viewers can decipher which portions coincide.
2. List View – A dropdown list
   1. Numerical Count – number of differences in the full document
   2. List of Differences – small description and single-click link to navigate to that portion of the document
3. Concentration Sidebar – a diagram appearing in sidebar format to the right of the side-by-side documents in which areas with differences are represented
   1. High Concentration – shown via color-blocking that coincides with 3 designations (red/orange/green)
   2. Low Concentration – areas without differences are represented by lack of color

Export to PDF – The side-by-side comparison with highlight and color-coding can be exported to PDF for circulation within Alfresco after specifications have been selected.

1. Page Format
   • A4, A5, etc.
2. Orientation
   • Landscape
   • Portrait
3. Documents
   • Both
   • Only Left
   • Only Right
4. Add Header or Footer
5. Scale Page to Height
6. Only Pages with Differences (toggle ON/OFF)
7. Comments (toggle ON/OFF)
8. Difference Market (toggle ON/OFF)

Download as PDF – Download the PDF as described above from the Alfresco system.

Plug-In for Alfresco Advanced Version Control Addon – Capable of integrating this module as a feature of another Alfresco system module to enhance the functionality of version tracking

Permissions Control – Access to this addon is managed by Group and Role.

1. Group Access – Permission to use the module is given by the client’s administrator by designating members of a group.
2. Role Access – Permission to use this module on certain files is given by file managers based on role access in the system.

Conclusions

Don’t waste time looking for a needle in a haystack. Stop the endless scrolling and use smart technology to digitally analyze and compare documents in seconds.

The Alfresco Document Comparison addon was developed by Skytizens to give document handlers a break. No more tired eyes and endless scrolling. No more missing the important details. No more risk on human shoulders. This addon uses smart technology to digitally analyze two documents or image files. It records every single difference and similarity and shows them to the reviewer with easy-to-read color-coding, side-by-side view of the changes, and easy navigation for sharing the process with colleagues. This module allows document handlers to skip the tedious step of document comparison and jump immediately to content work. Contracts get approved faster, legal paperwork is reviewed in seconds, and versioning remains strict. Even if changes haven’t been tracked, this addon gets a precision comparison done in seconds so you can move forward with the real work.