Annual Webware Conference at PROTO Discovery Factory

Even though some time has passed since the last Info Day, we wanted to revive this format under the name of the Annual Conference.
This year’s Annual Conference
 will take place on 21. September at the PROTO Discovery Factory in Tallinn.

The aim of the conference is to meet WebDesktop users after a long time, to introduce Webware’s company developments and new people, and to talk about new developments in WebDesktop.

Secure and risk-free storage of information assets

 

Webware’s ambition is to become an internationally recognised information management platform in the region. We have been operating mainly in the Estonian market for more than 21 years and have established a strong position. More than 120 organisations trust our platform to manage their information and, apart from Estonian companies, WebDesktop has also been adopted by multinational companies in various European countries.

Our aim is to help you store, manage and process information assets securely and risk-free. We’re not just talking about document management, but the entire organisation’s information assets, because WebDesktop has already grown to be more than just a document management system.

Main updates to the WebDesktop information system

 

Technology has made some important innovations over time. Some examples include the DHX migration, e-invoicing XML and the reworking of the cloud service. We’ve upgraded PHP, and the WebDesktop platform received a new version 6 this year.

We also wrote about WD6 updates in a previous post,
which you can read here
.

 

 

WebDesktop 6. Apart from an update to the interface design and look, the most important updates in the new version include:

  • Dokobit Gateway and PDF signing, which is an important innovation especially for international companies, as internationally PDF signing is more accepted.
  • Direct editing has made working with documents much easier and more convenient, as you no longer need to download a file from the download page, but can make all changes to a file directly in the WebDesktop environment.
  • We have drawn attention to security issues. It is now possible to manage the LIVE and TEST environments on separate servers.
  • ADR and intranet sharing functionality is also a major innovation. In addition, there is also a UVK or connector.

The new version of the long-awaited information system, which we have currently code-named WDX, will also be presented at the annual conference. Let’s revisit what WDX is and why we are developing it. What value does WDX offer and when and how can you start using it? Let’s explain the whole process in more detail.

Interfaces, cross-country WD solution, some use cases

 

EIA, internationalism, public server and cybersecurity

 

We are also delighted that WebDesktop users and our own customers are taking part in the discussion panel to share their real-life experiences. In this panel we will discuss interfaces in more detail. We are also paying attention to the transnational use of WD, as many companies in Estonia have also grown to become international, which is why the information system originally introduced must also be able to meet cross-border requirements.

Many thanks to the representatives of the University of Tartu and Magnum AS at this annual conference for their willingness to share their experience and discuss narrow and broader issues together.

Major changes to the WebDesktop platform

During the summer months, we mainly focus on software maintenance and technical issues. Preparations are underway to introduce the latest Debian 12 operating system and PHP 8 programming language. This will ensure more future-proof, faster, safer and higher quality software. There will be a lot of extra work involved in these updates.

As to what exactly these additional works mean and when they can be carried out, it is our practice to contact our customers ourselves to make arrangements for the upgrades.

WebDesktop colour schemes get an update

 

 

In WebDesktop, it has been possible for a long time to choose the colour combination of your choice from the settings, offering ready-made themes such as “Blue sky”, “Green forest”, etc. For some customers, we have also created a custom look to suit them. But now we’ve made the choice of colour combination both easier and more flexible.

Related to this, at the end of this year, we will stop supporting the older themes, i.e. the colour combinations (“Blue sky”, “Green forest”, “Sweet orange”, etc.), as well as the themes created as special solutions. By the end of this year, there will be only one design theme left, called “WD6”, and as an extra option, you can choose your own colour combination by entering a colour code. In this case, WD users will no longer be limited to a specific theme, but will be able to choose the colour of their choice.

If you have an older issue that needs support, please contact us to find a solution.

WebDesktop standard code will be adapted to PHP 8 version.

 

 

The WebDesktop platform is built on the PHP programming language. Upgrades and patches also create situations where some systems are incompatible or cause other technical problems. For systems to work reliably, quickly and securely, you need to keep up with their innovations.

In connection with the PHP upgrade, please note that support for the current version of PHP will end this year. Upgrading to a new version of PHP requires a large amount of rewriting of existing code. We have planned to adapt the standard code in August. The PHP 8 upgrade will not be implemented before the end of the year, and the upgrade work can be planned separately.

In the case of the PHP 8 upgrade, it is important to know that the migration of special developments to the new PHP version is a separate paid project, and we can negotiate the price and schedule of the work separately with the customers who have special developments. For customers who do not have any special developments in place, the migration to the new PHP 8 version is free of charge.

The benefits of PHP 8:

  • Several safety improvements
  • Faster and more efficient
  • More robust

PS: Regarding the PHP 8 upgrade, keep in mind that in order to upgrade to the WebDesktop platform in the future, you will also need to rewrite the code for special developments. We will contact our clients ourselves to schedule work for upgrades and special developments.

Upgrading the Debian operating system

WebDesktop servers run on the Debian operating system. In June, a new version of the Debian operating system called Debian 12 was released. In this context, we have planned to start migrating customer servers to Debian 12 in the fourth quarter. It is important to note that this migration requires the migration of special developments to PHP 8.

Debian 12 benefits:

  • Several safety improvements
  • Better performance
  • Updated software strategies

PS:We will contact you ourselves for any work on upgrading the operating system.

The annual Webware conference will take place on 21. September

 

 

We are announcing well in advance that the Webware Annual Conference will take place on 21. on September. We will publish a more detailed agenda and open registration in August.

If you have any further questions about these updates or would like more information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

EKIS migration to CAF in 2024

The EKIS product development will end on 01.01.2024 and the EKIS product support offer will also end on 31.07.2024.

Therefore, a new solution has to be found to replace the EKIS, and here we offer you to use the familiar EKIS environment in the new edition – kaustik.ee. EKIS is based on WebDesktop, the most popular information management software in Estonia, and as its developers we have created an environment with exactly the same look and feel as EKIS, called kaustik.ee.

When the folder is adopted, we will migrate the necessary data free of charge, and nothing much will change for you except the address of the information system, staff can continue to work in the familiar system and the current user support will continue. This is certainly the easiest and most convenient way to continue with a familiar solution.

We offer different packages for using the Folder, depending on the resources you use.

All packages include data backup and storage, and the familiar user support via email and phone.

We advise you not to leave the decision to the last minute and to sign a contract in good time. The date of the introduction of the system may be fixed at a later date.

Webware developments and the launch of WebDesktop 6

It’s been several months since the last newsletter, so it’s a good time to talk about Webware developments and the launch of the new version of WebDesktop. As early as May, we will make available to our customers the new WebDesktop, the 6th in a series. version. What are the new developments in Webware and what is included in the new version of WebDesktop can be read here.

We would be very happy if you could find two minutes of your time and.

to complete the questionnaire

to share your expectations and feedback on WebDesktop.

New breath for webware

Over the last six months, the Webware team has grown considerably. Six new employees have joined the company, bringing the total number of talent in the Webware team to 30. By consistently developing one of the most powerful information management systems, we aim to create value in terms of time saved, visibility, risk mitigation, manageability, transparency and cost savings.

Alongside the development of WebDesktop 6, we are already working on the launch of the next generation solution, code-named WDX. A new product takes the service to a new level of quality, which we will tell you more about.
at an information day in September
.

WD6 main innovations

Innovations in design and user experience

The visual side of the WebDesktop 6 user interface has been updated. The new design is clearer and easier to use, yet more modern and attractive. In terms of navigation, we have made the menus user-friendly.

We’ve made improvements and improvements to the Mobile View interface. For example, the reliability of signing and authentication has been improved, the desktop view has been made more intuitive and a number of views have been improved where the design did not adapt as expected on some devices.

The classification of access restrictions has been updated. We’ve added DOCX file support to the file preview, which means users don’t have to download a file, but can display the document directly next to the document view. We have added a new filter for referrals and a group limit for the “Show all” referrals option. Browsing functionality has been added to several built-in types, allowing users to find the information they need even faster and more conveniently.

 

Direct migration solution

For the user, the new solution means that there is no need to download additional software to edit a document directly in WebDesktop. The new solution works according to today’s standards and is more secure.

Direct migration works on Windows with Microsoft Office programs and the freeware Libreoffice. How exactly does it work? In WebDesktop, you have to press the corresponding button behind the file, after which you are first asked which office software you want to open the file with. The file is then edited in the same file, saved, and any changes are automatically reflected in WebDesktop. The solution supports opening files in Word (.docx, .doc, .odt), Excel (.xlsx, .xls, .ods) and PowerPoint (.pptx, .ppt, .odp) formats.

 

Log management system updates

Among other things, we are introducing a new central log management system.

What will change? Currently, error messages are sent to the corresponding email address. In the future, however, error messages will be logged in a database. We use special software to display the logs. The software is hosted on the same server as WebDesktop and data is securely protected.

The advantages of this innovation are that error messages become more detailed, there is a broader context for problem solving, and it is easier to repeat errors. This would allow us to get to the bottom of problems more quickly and give us a better picture of the weak links in the system.

 

When will the updated WD arrive on your organisation’s desktop?

The time for setting up the new version will be agreed with each client individually.

Good use and see you soon!