Need help with automatic import of scanned documents

DEVONthink Scenarios
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Hello dear DevonThinkers

I need a little help on how to set up a sync between my NAS, two Mac Computers and my iOS devices.

I use an iX500 Scanner to digitize all our documents. These documents are saved into a folder structure on my Synology NAS, e.g. Job, Finance, Projects etc.

I know that it would be much easier to keep the document inside Devonthink from the beginning, but I need to maintain a visible folder structure on a network drive, because my wife is not friends with DevonThink (yet) :frowning:

I would like that the files on the NAS get automatically synchronized/imported when I start DevonThink on one of my computers. The databases then should be kept in sync between the two Macs. Furthermore, I want to access the database with DevonThink to Go and also add documents from my iOS devices.

I think I have figured out the basics, but I am still struggling with the details:

  • Is it better to do an import of the documents or to index them?
  • How do I automate the import/indexing?
  • Is it better to use WebDAV instead of iCloud as a sync store or does it not matter performance wise when I am in the local network?

… or … can I export documents I put into specific DevonThink folders somehow automated to the folder structure on my NAS? Would it maybe make more sense then to organize the documents with the DevonThink rules and then regularly export them into a folder structure to the NAS to make them visible for those in the family who do not work with DevonThink?

I know these are a lot of questions, any help on one of these is very much appreciated.

Thank you,
Uwe

PS: I also have a Hazel license, so a possible solution could also include Hazel rules?!

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Since your question is (mostly) not about sync, I modified the title. Also, the questions you are asking (import vs. index, automating import, and WebDAV vs. iCloud for sync) have been discussed thoroughly in the forum. The search function will deliver a lot of information on that.

I suggest that you read what has been said about those issues before and then ask specific questions that may still remain. Also, I suggest using different threads for different subjects. Sync has nothing to do with import/index, for example.

What a “visible folder structure on the NAS” means, is not clear to me. Do you just mean “folders”, or do you mean “files stored in a particular folder structure and accessible at all times in these folders”? In the latter case, importing them is obviously out of the question because then they’d not be available on the NAS anymore. And indexing comes with its own challenges …

1 Like
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Hello chrillek

Your are right, I will split my questions into different categories and post again. Can you please delete this thread?

Thank you and sorry,
Uwe

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