It's going on nearly a year now since we created a central image library using only Adobe Bridge CS4 and so far, so good. There have been a few issues to be sure -- trying to modify metadata in the search results window is frequently of the more exasperating and seemingly irresolvable.
Right now we have more than 130,000 images -- still images only -- in the central library, which is accessible to our designers and writers.
There is, of course, the ongoing challenge of keeping up with re-caching (re-indexing) each machine. In other words, every time metadata is modified or added to any existing image in any folder, that folder has to be "re-cached" in order for the new metadata to be searchable.
This can be a challenge to be sure but is certainly not an overwhelming one. Each week I keep a running log of the folders where image metadata has been modified and the following Monday I send out an email noting those folders that need re-caching. It's then up to the designers and writers to make sure their machines are up-to-date.
If someone leaves on vacation or, as happened recently in our office someone is out on maternity leave, I make a point of re-caching that particular machine myself.
It's really that simple.
Next: Using the Collections Panel will streamline your workflow.
