Which file preview service is the best? Deep review of Filez Document Center

The "pain point" of enterprise document preview: not "seeing", but "seeing smoothly and safely"

In digital office, document preview is the "first door of content flow", but 80% of enterprises are encountering the "hidden obstacles" of preview services. These problems go far beyond the basic requirement of "whether to open" and directly affect the collaborative efficiency and data security:

· Format compatibility "bottleneck": half of the files "can not be opened, can not be viewed"

Modern enterprises routinely handle diverse formats including CAD drawings, PDF scans, Office macro files, and PSD design files. However, traditional preview services only support 200+ common formats, requiring users to download specialized software like AutoCAD or Adobe Acrobat for special formats. A manufacturing company faced delays when an engineer received a STEP 3D model from a supplier. Due to incompatible preview software, the engineer had to download a 2GB modeling program and wait an hour for installation before accessing the file, disrupting production coordination. Similarly, an advertising agency encountered issues with their PSD layered design files during preview – only merged images were displayed, preventing designers from verifying layer details and resulting in three rounds of back-and-forth communication.

· Preview experience "lagging behind": slow loading, clumsy operation

Traditional preview services predominantly rely on "local rendering + file transfer" technology, where loading a 100-page PDF contract takes over 30 seconds. Cross-regional previews frequently stutter due to network fluctuations. More critically, they lack essential features like annotation, zooming, and navigation. For instance, a law firm lawyer spent 15 minutes annotating a draft contract's "liability for breach" clause – first downloading the file, annotating it with PDF tools, then resubmitting. Similarly, construction companies previewing CAD drawings can't zoom in to view dimension annotations, forcing them to print paper versions for verification, wasting both time and materials.

· Security protection "leaves vulnerabilities": Preview is "running naked"

Some preview services prioritize speed by uploading files to third-party servers for rendering, exposing risks of data leakage. A financial institution employee accessed a client's credit report through an external preview tool, where the platform's failure to implement desensitization directly exposed sensitive information including ID numbers and asset details. More critically, preview links are easily shared. At an internet company, unapproved PRD documents for a product launch were leaked when unauthorized access to these links was obtained by external personnel.

· Collaborative linkage "chain break": preview and follow-up operations "two separate skins"

Traditional preview services function solely as viewing tools, lacking integration with subsequent processes like editing, approval, and archiving. For instance, when employees at a group company review project proposals, they must exit the preview interface, open the OA system for approval, and manually upload files across three platforms. Similarly, when e-commerce operators modify price lists in promotional PPT previews, they must download files locally, edit them, and re-upload them, resulting in version inconsistencies where "Preview V2" and "Edit V1" appear simultaneously.

II. Evaluation framework: A good document preview service needs to pass the "five dimensions"

To judge the merits of a document preview service, we should not only look at the "number of formats", but also start from the actual needs of the enterprise and build five evaluation dimensions of "broad compatibility, depth of experience, security intensity, collaboration density and deployment flexibility", which are also the core standards of this in-depth evaluation of Filez Document Middle Platform:

3. In-depth evaluation of Filez Document Mid-Platform: More than "Preview", but also "Improve efficiency and ensure safety"

As a professional content center under Lenovo, Filez's file preview service is not an "independent function", but integrated into the core link of "content life cycle management", showing differentiated advantages in five dimensions of evaluation:

1. Format compatibility: 1200+ full format coverage, industrial/design files "no dead corners"

Filez relies on "self-developed rendering engine + third-party professional plug-in integration" to support preview of more than 1200 file formats, especially solving the "industrial design, professional office" format that is a prominent pain point for enterprises:

· Industrial Manufacturing: The system supports CAD (DWG/DXF), STEP/IGES 3D models, and SolidWorks assembly drawings. During previews, users can "rotate to view 3D structures, unfold assembly exploded views, and check part properties." A certain automotive parts manufacturer uses Filez to preview DWG drawings, allowing engineers to confirm "pore dimensions and material annotations" without opening AutoCAD, resulting in a 60% improvement in drawing coordination efficiency.

· Design & Creative Tools: Supports layered PSD previews (showing individual layers), AI vector graphics (maintains clarity at any zoom level), and Adobe Illustrator project files (previews animation keyframes). When a game designer reviewed character designs in PSD, they could instantly identify "skin texture layers" and "weapon detail layers" through layer-based previews, eliminating redundant image exports and cutting communication time by 80%.

· Special Office Applications: Supports Office macro files (.docm/.xlsm), OCR recognition for PDF scans (image-to-text conversion), and Visio flowcharts (with connection line properties display). When a financial company previews Excel reports with macros, the preview service automatically preserves macro logic while blocking execution risks, ensuring content integrity while preventing virus attacks.

2. Preview experience: 3-second load time, more intuitive than "local software"

Filez uses "cloud-edge collaborative rendering + progressive loading" technology combined with "lightweight operation interface", making the preview experience far beyond traditional services:

· Fast loading: 100-page PDF contracts and 20MB CAD drawings can be loaded in less than 3 seconds on average. When previewing across regions (such as Beijing-Guangzhou), the loading speed is increased by 70% through edge node caching. After being used by a law firm, the contract preview waiting time was reduced from 30 seconds to 2 seconds, saving 1 hour of idle waiting time daily.

· Full-scenario operation: Supports "text annotations (highlighting/underlining/comments), drawing zooming (1:1 scale restoration), page navigation (direct access via page number input), and format conversion (one-click conversion to PDF/image during preview)". A construction company used the "partial enlargement" feature to view reinforcement bar spacing annotations and "text annotations" for construction precautions when reviewing construction drawings. This eliminated the need for paper printing, saving 500 yuan in monthly material costs.

· Multi-device compatibility: The platform supports "adaptive preview" across PC, mobile, and tablet interfaces. When viewing CAD drawings on mobile devices, users can zoom in/out or swipe to explore full details. During client visits, sales teams can preview product solution PPTs on their phones. When clients provide real-time feedback, sales representatives can directly annotate on the preview pages and synchronize these comments with backend teams, effectively preventing "memory bias" in documentation.

3. Security protection: no leakage risk from "rendering to viewing"

Filez embeds "security" into the whole preview process to address the core risks of "data going out and control of permissions":

· Localization Rendering: The system supports "private/hybrid cloud deployment", where file rendering is completed on the enterprise's own servers without uploading to third-party platforms, complying with the "Data Localization" requirements under China's Data Security Law. A financial institution deployed Filez via private cloud. When reviewing customer credit reports and loan contracts, all data remains within the corporate intranet, effectively eliminating data leakage risks to zero.

· Refined permission control: Preview links can be configured with "validity period (e.g., 24 hours)", "view count (e.g., 5 times)", and "watermark (including viewer's name + timestamp)". When a tech company was previewing a PRD for an unlaunched product, they generated a link labeled "For Product Department Only, Valid for 24 Hours" with a dynamic watermark. This ensures traceability of data leakage sources even when screenshots are captured.

· Sensitive information desensitization: automatically identify the "ID card number, bank card number and mobile phone number" in the preview file, and hide the middle characters with "*" during preview. When a human resource company previews the employee resume, the candidate's ID card number is only displayed as "110101********1234", which does not affect the view and protects privacy.

4. Collaboration: Preview is the "starting point of collaboration" and one-click access to subsequent processes

Filez's preview service is not the "end point", but the "starting point for content flow", seamlessly linking editing, approval, and archiving:

· Edit during preview: When previewing documents, click the "Edit" button to modify directly in Filez (such as Office documents and online spreadsheets). The modified content is synchronized in real time. After a marketing staff member discovers a price error while previewing a promotional plan, they can initiate editing directly on the preview page. The changes are then synchronized to the team without downloading and uploading.

· Initiate approval during preview: Select the "chapter requiring approval" in the preview document (such as the payment clause in the contract) to directly initiate the approval process. The approver can view the document and comment on it directly on the preview page. After a purchasing department previews the supplier's contract, it can initiate the "Legal Affairs → Finance → CEO" approval with one click, reducing the approval cycle from 3 days to 1 day;

· Automated Archiving After Preview: Approved documents can be archived immediately by clicking the preview page's "Archive" button. The system categorizes them into designated directories according to predefined rules, linking preview records and approval comments. When a project team completes a task and generates a summary report, they can simply click to archive it. Future searches will directly display "Who previewed and who approved", boosting audit efficiency by 90%.

4. Scenario Test: How can different industries use Filez Preview service to solve pain points?

1. Manufacturing: 3D model preview, open up the "design-production-supplier" collaboration

Traditional pain points of a heavy machinery manufacturing enterprise:

· The STEP/IGES 3D model sent by the supplier needs to be installed with professional software to view, and engineers spend 2 hours every day to deal with format problems;

· When checking the CAD drawings in the production workshop, it is impossible to enlarge the size annotations, so it is necessary to print the paper version, and the monthly cost of consumables exceeds 2000 yuan.

Filez in action:

· Support STEP/IGES 3D model preview, can rotate and disassemble to view the structure of parts, engineers open files in 10 seconds, supplier docking efficiency increased by 80%;

· CAD drawing preview supports "dimensional annotation display and local magnification". The production workshop can preview through Pad without printing, and the cost of consumables is reduced to 0.

2. Internet industry: Product PRD preview, anti-leakage + fast collaboration

Traditional pain points of an Internet company:

· The PRD document of the product that has not been launched can be viewed with external preview tools, and the link is easy to forward, which has the risk of leakage;

· After preview, you need to download the file to modify it. The version is chaotic, and the rate of requirement change is over 40%.

Filez in action:

· Dynamic watermarks are generated and preview links with a validity period of 24 hours are generated to trace the source after disclosure, so that the risk of product solution leakage is reduced to zero;

· The PRD was edited directly during preview, and the modified content was synchronized in real time. The rate of requirement change decreased from 40% to 15%, and the product iteration cycle was shortened by 20%.

3. Law firm: Contract preview, efficiency + compliance

Traditional pain points of a law firm:

· The preview of multi-page PDF contracts loads slowly, and the annotation needs to be downloaded before operation. It takes 15 minutes to process each contract;

· The ID card number and bank card number in the customer contract are directly displayed, which has the risk of privacy leakage.

Filez in action:

· The 100-page contract was loaded in 3 seconds, and the annotation "modification suggestion" was directly annotated during preview, and the processing time was shortened to 3 minutes;

· Automatically desensitize sensitive customer information and hide key privacy data during preview to improve compliance rate by 100%.

V. Conclusion: Selecting document preview service is actually selecting "the efficiency and security of content flow"

When enterprises choose document preview services, they are fundamentally selecting infrastructure that enables efficient and secure content circulation rather than tools that "can open multiple files." Evaluation results demonstrate that Filez Document Mid-Platform's preview service has transcended basic "format compatibility" requirements. Through "full format coverage, lightning-fast performance, end-to-end security, and collaborative integration," it transforms document preview from an "isolated process" into a "collaborative starting point."

For industries with specific formatting requirements or high security standards—such as manufacturing, internet, and legal sectors—Filez demonstrates a distinct competitive edge. —— It not only ensures "visually appealing and secure content" but also streamlines the entire workflow from "editing, approval to archiving" through preview features, effectively reducing costs, improving efficiency, and mitigating risks for businesses. When selecting document preview services, Filez's Document Mid-Platform stands out as one of the most optimal solutions for enterprises.