We recently had a chat with an organisation about how they handle their project data and media files. Let’s just say… we could see plenty of room for improvement in their workflow!
Org N: “We’ve got this custom database system that we built a few years back. It’s supposed to be our central hub for all project stuff and files.”
“So here’s how it works—We get about 10 new projects every month on average. When we start a new project, we first create a shared folder in SharePoint through Microsoft Teams. Then we dump all our images, videos, and documents in there.”
DIW: “Wait, why don’t you just create a new record in your database system right from the start? That way, your team can enter data and upload files as they go.”
Org N: “Ah, here’s the problem—our database system can only handle small files. So all our high-res images, videos, and bigger documents have to live in those shared folders, and we access them through Teams. Plus, there’s a limit on how many files we can attach to each project record.”
DIW: “Okay, so when do you actually create the database record?”
Org N: “Only after we close the project! Then someone from the team goes in and enters all the project details—site name, location, description, when we started and finished, who was involved, that sort of data.”
DIW: “So basically, your database is just for showing completed projects, like a portfolio website? Your active projects aren’t even in the system?”
Org N: “Exactly! And that’s because there’s no proper access control in our database. Everyone in the organisation can see everything. We definitely don’t want people poking around in work-in-progress projects or downloading files they shouldn’t have access to.”
DIW: “Are there any other problems you’ve noticed?”
Org N: “The whole system is getting really slow now.”
DIW: “Yeah, we saw that coming! Based on what you’ve told us about the file size restrictions, we can tell your system was built like an email system. It’s trying to store everything—all your files and data—directly in the database. However, It was never designed to handle big media files or large number of files. So naturally, the more stuff you upload, the slower it gets.”
“After hearing all this, we’re pretty confident that a Digital Asset Management system is exactly what you need to sort out this mess.”
Org N: “We’ve heard of Digital Asset Management before, but we always thought it was just for photographers.”
DIW: “That’s what everyone thinks! It’s a really common misconception that stops organisations from finding the right solution for their media and data management needs. The truth is, modern enterprise Digital Asset Management systems—like the one we’re about to show you—have evolved way beyond just managing media files. They actually work as full project or product databases too.”
So here’s what the new workflow would look like compared to what you’re doing now:
-
-
- One system for everything—no more juggling between your database and SharePoint!
- Upload anything you want—high-res images, videos, documents, whatever file type you’ve got. No more size limits, no more file number limits, and definitely no more splitting your files between different systems.
- Automatic previews—the system will create smaller versions of your images and videos automatically for quick previews and downloads when needed.
- Proper user permissions—people only see what they’re supposed to see. No more worrying about everyone having access to everything.
- Project status control—you can set project statuses so only the right people can access ongoing work.
- Approval workflows—when an unauthorised user wants to download a file, they’ll need to request it, and the designated approver will approve or deny the request.
- Full audit trail—see exactly who changed what, who uploaded what, who downloaded what, and when they did it.
-
