X-ref
Organize, search and present metadata

Database system for all organizations

X-ref is a web-based database system for storing, searching and presenting all kinds of information. X-ref can be used in any organization that handles metadata. In X-ref's archive, a document record can correspond to anything; an application, a report, an image, a person etc.

The system is fully configurable and can be adapted to the organization's specific needs. Through the web interface, the system administrator can easily create, modify and delete fields and control how they should function and be presented. Fields can be configured with various properties, such as data types, validation rules, indexing and display formats, which provides great flexibility without the need for programming.

Views

Document records may need to be searched and presented in different ways. In X-ref, it is therefore possible to divide the database system's document records into subsections. These subsections are called views in X-ref. In the view, you specify which of the database's documents and/or fields should be visible when the view is selected. Each view has its own search fields, registration forms, and its own presentation of documents.

X-ref's view concept also makes it possible for the system administrator to determine which of the database system's documents and fields should be available to a specific group of users.

Edit

Authorized users can modify/create new document records directly in the document editor. There are powerful editing tools that help you quickly and consistently build up your database. The system administrator has the option to implement controls before a document can be saved; fields can be mandatory, fields can have a filter that specifies exactly how the information in the field should look, fields can have duplicate checking etc.

X-ref's database system supports handling digital files. Digital media such as; images, PDFs, audio files, video etc can be uploaded to the system so that these can be shared with other authorized users.

It is possible to modify multiple documents at once using global change. Global change means that authorized users can change one field for all documents in a result set. It is possible to replace, add words/phrases or delete the field's content using global change.

All changes to a document can be logged so that the system administrator can see who changed which fields and when.

Search

Example of search functionality::

• Structured search/free text search
• Index search
• CCL (Common Command Language)
• "Wildcard" search and "proximity" search
• Search results can be combined and sorted according to the user's wishes

Search results are presented nicely on desktop, tablet and mobile. Search results are first presented in a short overview presentation. To see all fields, the user can switch to the full presentation.

The date when the document record was created/last modified and who created/modified the document is stored automatically and is searchable information.

Import/Export

It is possible to import/export document records from/to files in CSV or XML format. There is also the possibility to import/export document records automatically and regularly via background jobs.

Permissions

The system administrator can create an unlimited number of user groups. For each view, the system administrator can specify what permissions users in this group have when the view is selected. Permissions can include viewing documents, editing documents, deleting documents, using loans, making global changes etc.

Register loans

X-ref's database system can be extended with add-on modules to manage loans in many types of organizations.

A loan can be registered for a book, a report or any physical item. The system keeps track of who has borrowed what, monitors return dates and manages reservation queues. There are functions for sending reminders, viewing loan history, printing reports, inventory management, SRU/SRW etc. As a whole it becomes a complete library system with all the functions a modern library needs.

X-ref's loan module can also be used by organizations that handle classified information. By creating an information registry in X-ref, you can easily register and track who has accessed which information.

Share your data with the outside world

X-ref's public web can be fully customized according to needs and brand profile.

X-ref's public web is suitable for businesses that want to publish information for a wider target group. In the public interface, visitors are guided via search menus, help texts and links to the information they are looking for. The solution is used both for external websites and intranets.

The public web can include features such as search, viewing loans and reservations, orders, search history, forms, exports and personal pages. There is an option for users to subscribe to newsletters and thus receive information about new document records registered in the system. There is a web publishing system for the public web so that authorized users can easily update its content.

Data can be shared with the world through OAI-PMH (OAI Protocol for Metadata Harvesting) which is a standard for sharing metadata between different organizations' databases. By using OAI-PMH, local systems can easily and automatically make their metadata visible in large international search services and catalogs such as Europeana.

APIs for everything

X-ref is developed following the API-first principle. All functionality in X-ref is available via APIs.

There are APIs for searching, editing, creating and deleting document records in the database system. There are also APIs for administration such as managing users, permissions, views etc. X-ref's APIs are well documented and follow REST principles, which makes it easy to integrate X-ref with other systems and platforms.

Chat with your metadata

X-ref follows the MCP standard which makes it possible to chat with your metadata.

With support for the MCP standard, there is a possibility in X-ref to "chat" with the database system. Using natural language, users can ask questions, request summaries and retrieve the information they are looking for.

A selection of our customers

Swedish Defence Research Institute FOI
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR)
SAAB
Royal Dramatic Theatre
Nobeli
Odd Fellow
Swedish National Archives
Småland Music Archive
Swedish Ballad Archive
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
TNO - Dutch Organisation for Applied Scientific Research
Supreme Court of the Netherlands
BAE Systems
Berga Agricultural Gymnasium

Contact

Xref Datakonsult AB
+46 8 599 00 240
info@x-ref.se