Stand alone data management system for facilitating sheet metal part production

A computer readable medium for storing a database related to sheet metal part production, the medium comprising:

• a plurality of data files associated with sheet metal parts;
• and
• a plurality of identifiers representing the sheet metal parts, each identifier created by obtaining and linking a sheet metal part name with a virtual folder for the sheet metal part, the virtual folder defined within a virtual folder hierarchy, each identifier being linked to a plurality of data files associated with the represented sheet metal part by associating the virtual folder with the plurality of data files associated with the represented sheet metal part,
• wherein the identifier is stored in an index;
• wherein, when the identifier is operated on, the selected linked data files are substantially simultaneously subject to the same operation, and
• wherein the index is updated when an operation is performed using the identifier.

A stand alone data management system for managing data files relating to sheet metal part production, the system comprising:

• a network;
• and
• a database connected to the network, the database storing the data files and a plurality of identifiers representing sheet metal parts, each identifier created by obtaining and linking a sheet metal part name with a virtual folder for the sheet metal part, the virtual folder defined within a virtual folder hierarchy, each identifier being linked to a plurality of data files associated with the represented sheet metal part by associating the virtual folder with the plurality of data files associated with the represented sheet metal part,
• wherein the identifier is stored in an index;
• wherein, when one of the identifiers is operated on, selected linked data files are substantially simultaneously subject to the same operation, and
• wherein the index is updated when an operation is performed using the identifier.