GENERAL QUESTIONS

• What is CR?
  CR, or Central Repository, is an online facility for users to access and share files anywhere, anytime. CR provides you with three main functions.
  
  
  • Project Space - allows you to organize, classify and share files between project team members.
  • File Repository - creates a knowledgebase portal of files contributed by trusted contacts.
  • Remote Backup - you may recover your critical files from CR in case if your computers become inaccessible.
  
  You apply CR to create Project Spaces to store files according to your desired project structure, customer cases, organization infrastructure, subject matters, or any other ways that reflect how you would like to categorize your information. A Google-like search engine works continually on top of CR to return information to you either on demand or around-the-clock to discover the latest matching information for you.
  
  In addition to the Project Space, CR also enables you to handily upload folders and files from local machines to the remote CR servers. With a Web browser interface, you may access these files from anywhere as long as there is Internet access. CR has a sophisticated and easy-to-use security model that allows you to securely share files with friends, coworkers and between multiple offices. These upload folders also provide remote backup functions. You no longer have to concern about losing data or failing to find a file when it is needed.
  
  
• How do I get a user account on CR?
  Simply go to Central Repository Home Page and click Create a New User Account. With a few mouse clicks and you are ready to start using the CR service to put your local data for secure remote access. A Standard CR membership is totally FREE!
  
  You may also add your entire group or company to CR by upgrading to the Enterprise membership. To get more information and compare between different levels of memberships, please go to CR Memberships
  
  
• What do I need to have in order to use CR?
  CR is a Web browser-based service; all you need is a Web browser (IE6+ or Firefox) and access to the Internet in order to use CR. As CR is an online secured communication network and knowledgebase, you would need to establish a user account on CR to gain access. You must also have a valid email address as all of the alert notification and CR communications are done through email.

ABOUT PROJECT SPACE

• What is a Project Space in CR?
  A Project Space is an online storage space organized in the form of a project tree. Unlike a free-form directory tree, once you create a Project Space, you may save that structure in the CR template library so that when you start another project of a similar type, you can recall the same structure from the library and then customize it to suit your needs.
  
  Team members work collaborately on projects. In the life-time of a project, you and other authorized team members are free to upload files to different parts (task nodes) of the project tree. You may set up the attributes of different tasks such that when users upload files to certain task nodes, an email notification message is automatically sent to relevant team members.
  
  
• What kind of projects are appropriate in using CR to store files?
  You may work on any kind of projects in CR, either by yourself or coordinating a joint effort with a team of people. CR has a project space template library which includes various types of projects such as Administrative, Customer Service, Financial, Marketing & Sales, and Product Management. They are not exhausive and are there for you to customize. You may also create and store your project space templates private to you and your team members.
  
  
• Can other people see my Project Space?
  When you create a Project Space you may specify whether a project is a private, public project. A private project will only been seen by the project team - people who you invite to be on the team. If you are the only person on the project team, then you are the only person who will see the Project Space. A public project will be seen everyone. You create a Public Project and store files there if you want to distribute information to other people such that they will be able to search and find your information.

ABOUT FILE REPOSITORY & REMOTE BACKUP

• What is the difference betwen a file repository and project space?
  A Project Space is an online storage space organized in the form of a project tree. Authorized users upload and share files in the Project Space. Files are contributed by team members only and are classified and organized to facilitate the collaboration of the project team. Project space has a life span, it is active when the project is active, and can be archived as the project is completed.
  
  File repository is a central (usually remote) server allowing users to contribue (upload) their files to create a common knowledgebase. Note that your files are never shared in the public, only trusted contacts that you specify on a file-by-file basis would have access to your files.
  
  Another function of file repository is for file backup. It is a handy way to keep all files - past and present - in a single location. In an office environment, all employees may "dump" their files into the file repository. File repository doesn't have a lifecycle. It is a knowledgebase that just keep growing. And with CR Search Engine, you can find your needed information in seconds even when you are dealing with hundreds of thousands of files in the repository.
  
  
• How is a file repository solution different from a remote backup facility?
  Remote backup is a remote facility for a user to periodically upload critical files to avoid data loss. In case of a hardware failure or other types of disasters that result in loss of data, the user may go to the remote backup facility to retrieve the critical files back. The primary function of remote backup is to allow a user to recover the loss data. It is not for sharing of information between team members or to build up a knowledgebase for a company.
  
  File repository naturally provides the remote backup functions. But it is not practical to simply use a remote backup solution as a file repository, which is a technological solution that requires a collaborative environment, a security model, a search engine, a scaleable solution and many others.
  
  
• How does CR File Repository work?
  When you download the CR Remote Access module onto your laptop or desktop computer, you may run it to specify what are the folders and files you want CR to upload to the File Repository. CR remembers these critical folders and you may run CR Remote Access to upload the latest change to the CR File Repository.
  
  Now when you logon to your CR account with a Web browser, you will see those folders and files you uploaded under your machine name. You may decide to share any of these files with your friends, coworkers or team members by just entering their email addresses. CR will send them Email and provide them with a password and a link to access the file.
  
  The search engine also work on top of the File Repository just like in the Project Space. People who has authority to share your files will be able to search and access the files.
  
  
• Can I move files from my File Repository to my Project Space?
  This is a planned feature for a near-future release. The current version does not allow moving files between the two areas.

ABOUT CR SEARCH ENGINE

• Why do we need a search engine in CR?
  Users working as individuals and teams store valuable data in CR. Over time a large amount of useful information would be available for users. The problem is to find the relevant files when you need them. CR search engine allows users to search by matching contents and file names, making it easy for users to look up information even from hundreds of thousands of files in the repository.
  
  
• How do I issue a search in CR?
  On almost every CR page there is a search box on the top right-hand corner. Simply type in a string that matches what you are looking for, CR search engine will do a partial match for you on both filenames and contents.
  
  
• How do I use the Advanced Search capability in CR Search Engine?
  You may use the Advance Search funtion by clicking on the magnify glass icon next to the search box. Alternatively, after issuing a search, when you are on the search result page, click the "Show Filter" link, which is located right above the word "Keyword:", this would open up a panel allowing you to provide information for an advanced search.
  
  
• What is an Active Query (in advanced search)?
  Usually when you issue a search, the search engine finds the result and come back to you, and that is the end of that search session. With Active Query, you specify a search clause, e.g. "2005 financial report" and specify how frequently do you want CR Search Engine to look up the information for you (Daily, 3 times day or hourly). Once you submit the query, search engine will continually look for the latest information that satisfies your search criteria and return only the newest result to you. The active query continue to live until you tell it to stop.

ABOUT NOTIFICATION MESSAGE

• What are Notification Messages in CR
  Notification messages in CR are email messages that sent to users when certain signficant events happened. Typically a Project Space or task owner may set up the option to trigger notification message when user upload files into the task area within the Project Space.
  
  
• How do I trigger an alert message to people?
  If you own a Project Space or a Task within a Project Space, you may set up the option of that task (or of the whole project) to automatically send out a notification whenever user upload files to that area.
  
  In addition, you can send Email message to people whenever you see an email icon (). To send an alert, click the icon and follow the instructions.

For any other questions, please e-mail The CR Team