Layer 01 · Document repository
Document management services and enterprise repositories. Beyond folders and files.
We design, implement and support enterprise document repositories. For high-volume, regulated operations we implement, migrate and support Alfresco, an enterprise content management (ECM) platform. When the case calls for it, we use our own lighter layer, even on top of Google Drive or OneDrive. It is the foundation for everything else: without a good repository, no process, AI or agent can answer for your documents.
Example animation with fictitious data: a contract, its insurance policy, an amendment and its invoices, scattered across folders, are filed and linked in one case file with their metadata, and an agent queries the repository and answers with that evidence, inside a governance framework.
~15 TB
of documents under management: millions of files
18,000
users on the platforms we have implemented
Hundreds of thousands
of case files in mission-critical projects
11
countries with projects across the Americas and Europe, from our offices in Colombia and Taiwan
The difference
In folders, you find a file by its name. In a repository, by what it is.
A repository links your files to a database: every document has metadata, belongs to a case file and connects to other documents. That lets you ask business questions, not just open files.
“Which vendor contracts expire in the next 30 days and still have no insurance policy?”
CASE FILE EXP-0147
- Type
- Supply agreement
- Counterparty
- Example Supply Inc.
- Amount
- $1,250,000
- Valid through
- October 15, 2026
- Owner
- Legal · M. Ross
- Stage
- In execution
RELATED DOCUMENTS
- Signed contract· version 3 · current
- Amendment 1· extends the term
- Insurance policy· not received
- 4 invoices· linked from the ERP
3 versions
Role-based permissions
Retention and audit
Ask the question above and compare the answer in each mode.
What Alfresco is
An ECM platform, with open and commercial editions.
Alfresco is an enterprise content management (ECM) platform with an open-source edition and a commercial one. It stores documents and case files with their metadata, versions, permissions and audit trail, and it integrates with your business systems.
Organizations use it for document and records management, archiving and retention, customer, contract and vendor files, and as a mission-critical repository in government agencies and financial institutions.
Community and Enterprise
| Community | Enterprise | |
|---|---|---|
| License | No license fee. | Commercial license. |
| Support | Community support; no official vendor support. | Official vendor support and updates. |
| Best for | Testing, limited-scope projects and teams with in-house technical skills. | Mission-critical operations, regulatory requirements and high volume. |
| With Appropia | We implement and stabilize it; if it grows, we move it to Enterprise. | We implement, migrate, integrate and support it. |
What it enables
Six things a folder will never give you.
Case files
Every document for a case, customer, contract or vendor in one place, with its status and owner.
Metadata
Each document knows what it is: type, counterparty, dates, amounts, stage. You search by what it contains, not by what it is called.
Relationships
The contract with its insurance policy, its amendment and its invoices; the vendor with all of its case files. Questions that span documents.
One current version
Full version history, so no one works on the wrong copy.
Role-based permissions
Each person sees and edits what they should, document by document.
Retention and audit
Retention schedules, preservation and a record of who did what and when. Ready for the auditor.
It is also the foundation for the other layers: LuxFlow moves each case file through its process, Cortex fills in the metadata by reading the documents, and agents query and act on well-organized information.
Three ways to get there
The repository that fits your size.
Alfresco Enterprise
For high volume, regulatory requirements and mission-critical operations. This is where we have more than 12 years of experience.
For: Millions of documents, records management, MoReq, public sector and financial services
Our own lighter layer
Our repository with case files, metadata and traceability, without the complexity of a full ECM platform.
For: Mid-sized companies that need order and control now
On top of Google Drive or OneDrive
Your files stay where they are. We add the layer of case files, metadata, relationships and audit trails on top.
For: Organizations that already work in Google Workspace or Microsoft 365
Alfresco services
Already running Alfresco and it underperforms? We fix it.
Assessment and recovery
Review of architecture, database and indexes when the repository is slow, underused or ungoverned.
Migration
From folders, SharePoint or other document systems to the repository, and from on-premises Alfresco to the cloud (Docker, Kubernetes, AWS or Azure).
Upgrades
From Community or older versions to the current Enterprise version, with support.
Document model design
Document types, metadata, case files, permissions and retention: the model that makes the repository useful.
What a project looks like
From scattered documents to a governed repository.
- 01
Assessment
Which documents you have, how they are used, which regulations apply and what the repository must solve.
- 02
Document model design
Document types, metadata, case files, permissions and retention schedules.
- 03
Implementation
Architecture, installation, security and configuration on your infrastructure or in the cloud.
- 04
Migration and integration
Moving existing content and connecting the repository to your ERP, email, e-signature and processes.
- 05
Adoption and support
Training, go-live and ongoing support afterward.
In production
Mission-critical repositories.
GOVERNMENT CONCESSION · COLOMBIA
RUNT 2.0 concession
The concession’s official document repository, with more than 7,000 new case files a month, MoReq compliance and audits by Colombia’s Ministry of Transport.
FINANCIAL SERVICES
Finanzauto
Migration and development of the repository that serves as the back end for its transactional applications.
MULTINATIONAL GROUP · LATIN AMERICA
Ajover Darnel
A repository integrated with the ERP’s transactional modules, serving 10 group companies in 4 countries.
Frequently asked questions
What is Alfresco?+
Alfresco is an enterprise content management (ECM) platform for managing documents, case files, versions, permissions, metadata, document workflows and audit evidence.
What makes an enterprise repository different from folders and files?+
In folders, you can only find a file by its name and location. In a repository, every document has metadata in a database, belongs to a case file and is linked to other documents. That lets you search by content, cross-reference information, control versions, permissions and retention, and audit every action.
What do your document management services include?+
Assessment, document model design (document types, metadata, case files, permissions and retention), implementation, migration, integration with your systems, training and ongoing support. We deliver them on Alfresco, on our own lighter repository layer or on top of Google Drive or OneDrive.
Do you offer ECM consulting?+
Yes. Beyond implementation, we help you design the document model and choose the right option for your size and requirements: Alfresco Enterprise, our lighter layer, or a layer on top of Google Drive or OneDrive.
What does Appropia do with Alfresco?+
Appropia implements, migrates, stabilizes and supports Alfresco, including architecture, permissions, integrations, document automation and traceability.
Do I need Alfresco, or will something lighter work?+
It depends on volume and regulatory requirements. For mission-critical operations we recommend Alfresco Enterprise; for mid-sized companies, our own lighter layer; and if you already work in Google Drive or OneDrive, we can add the layer of case files, metadata and audit trails on top.
When should you rescue or migrate an Alfresco repository?+
It is worth reviewing Alfresco when the repository is slow, outdated, underused, lacks clear document governance or is disconnected from critical processes such as approvals, audits and request handling.
What is the difference between Alfresco Community and Enterprise?+
Community is the open-source edition, with no license fee and no official vendor support. Enterprise is the commercial edition, with support and updates, built for mission-critical operations, regulation and high volume. If you run Community today and the repository is critical, we can move it to Enterprise.
Can Alfresco work as an electronic records management system?+
Yes. Alfresco is the foundation of many records management projects: electronic case files, retention schedules, series and sub-series, and audit logs. It has to be designed around the regulations that apply to each organization.
How much does an Alfresco implementation cost?+
It depends on the document volume, the integrations, whether existing content has to be migrated, and the edition. We do not publish generic rates: we run an assessment and send you a proposal with scope and cost.
Can you migrate to Alfresco from SharePoint or shared folders?+
Yes. We migrate from folders, SharePoint or other document systems to the repository, keeping the structure that works and adding metadata and case files.
Does Alfresco replace LuxFlow or Cortex?+
No. The repository governs documents and case files; LuxFlow runs processes and approvals; Cortex reads, extracts and validates document data with AI.