Making The Transition from Paper Forms To Electronic Forms Business Forms Management Association May 16, 2001

“The newest innovations...have begun to alter the manner in which we do business and create value, often in ways not readily foreseeable even five years ago.” Alan Greenspan Chairman, Federal Reserve Board May 6, 1999

What Is A Form?  the basic business tool (whether printed or electronic) for collecting and transmitting information,  the catalyst for getting things done, and  the record of what was done. Copyright Business Forms Management Association, Inc

Forms Analysis the systematic execution of those steps necessary to assure that  productivity is increased in preparation, use, filing, and retrieval;  the total number of forms within the system is minimized;  data element relationships are apparent through consistency and adherence to standards;  the effectiveness of the entire system, as well as the individual form, is enhanced; and  the resulting business tool communicates. Copyright Business Forms Management Association, Inc.

Design Analysis in addition to resulting in the design layout,  increases productivity by creating a basic business tool which is self-instructive,  encourages cooperative response,  provides for easy entry of data,  reduces the potential for error,  facilitates use of the information, and  enhances the organization's image. Copyright Business Forms Management Association, Inc.

Forms Management the systematic process of  increasing productivity and minimizing errors in information capture, transmission, and recovery through the use of workflow analysis and graphic design techniques;  providing administrative control;  reducing procurement, storage, distribution, and use costs through standardization; and  ensuring the adequacy, business as well as legal, of all historical records. Copyright Business Forms Management Association, Inc.

Why Do People Use Forms?  to keep an organized record of the work they perform while doing their jobs  to communicate to others new information and ideas status of accomplishments-to-date  to be able to recover information about work that has already been completed

Where Do Forms Requests Originate?  new requirements and/or revisions  areas within the organization requiring assistance to realize potential savings and/or to increased efficiency  areas where problems are known to exist  regularly scheduled operational form reviews

Production Process  Analysis  Design  Layout  Proof  Negative  Production  When does the form go digital?

Five Levels of Electronic Forms  Desktop print on demand  Desktop fill and print  Intelligent form  Enterprise form  Automated form application

How does one determine whether a form should be Paper or Electronic?... or both?

There are Similarities and there are Differences  Paper Forms Materials Manufacturing techniques Storage & distribution Filing & Archiving Version Control  Electronic Forms Platform Access Interfaces Routing Storage & Archiving Version Control

What impact will Automation have on a form?  Need  Usage  Interfaces  Effectiveness  Distribution  Filing  Archiving  Legal Issues

Analysis For Electronic Forms  Same basics as for paper forms  Additional considerations: computer platform(s) network configurations interface to other system(s) routing requirements printer(s)

Design For Electronic Forms  User comfort level  Graphic standards  Color  Screen resolution  Information availability  Help screens  Information suppression  Database interface  File size  Printer constraints  access  Security

The Internet impact  E-commerce an undeniable business strategy a critical component of our economy growing exponentially automating the supply chain automating customer interactions

U.S. e-commerce Source: Forrester Research

Business-to-business  Transaction processing  Customer service  Changing roles  Cohesive strategies Does your company have an e-business strategy? How about an e-forms strategy?

Designing For The Internet  What is an Internet “Form”? Visual Basic forms Database forms HTML forms Lotus Notes forms Java forms One Form Plus, and other “true” forms

Internet Forms Design  Separate the “form” into two parts Container Data collection  Consider the needs of the container Must function as a form for ease of use Life cycle may be short, or permanent Legal requirements Functionality, Corporate image, versions

Internet Forms Design  Principles are the same  Tools are quite different Graphics requirements Software used Interaction with databases  Consider print requirements PDF ( Acrobat 4.0 or 5.0)

Web Site Design  Structure of the site  Use of plain language  Make it conversational, less formal  Use hyperlinks to related sites  Goals are different from forms Encourage readers to return Make it easy to find additional information Navigation

Web Site Design  Consider marketing needs above technical needs  Avoid large amounts of text  Focus changes from cost management to revenue generation  Newer technologies - Cold Fusion, Javascript, XML

Two Truths...  Words still drive most of a web site  People do not read material on the web the same way they read print

Two Principles...  It’s a pull medium  People don’t go there to read

Pull Medium  You have no audience - all you have is readers who find you  It’s not like surfing on TV - you only click on what interests you. It’s more like “diving.”

People Don’t Read On The Web  They scan the page, looking for what they want  Research shows: 79% scan the page instead of reading People scan first to the center, then to the left, then right Reading “light” is tough (less blinking) Scrolling through text can induce nausea

Tips For Web Writing  Write short - average visitor gives you 11 seconds  People will scroll when they know the information is there  Write more like you talk - even adopt a persona  Be active - use strong active verbs  Use hyperlinks effectively - use a call to action

Web Commerce Development  Generating traffic to the site  Establishing goals  Channel conflicts  Advertising  Combining with digital printing  Lower cost of orders

Forms Management On The Web  Forms requisitions  Reorder management  Order status queries  Desktop Print-On-Demand  Electronic proofing  Forms specification control  Forms analysis

Now You’re Thinking Electronic Forms  Don’t view paper as the “enemy”  Develop Web-based solutions for end users  View forms in their entirety  remember - ROI!  Learn the technology HTML, Java, Visual Basic, XML, Javascript, Cold Fusion, CGI

Partnering With IT Professionals  They understand the data requirements, we understand the container requirements  Revision control, user access, archiving, design - these are our areas of expertise  Work with IT to establish mutual respect  Be a visionary- focus on results

Future Print Procurement Model  Production of most print products will be digital  Requisitions will be Internet-based  Digital asset management will be essential  Inventories of printed products will become obsolete

Future Print Production Model  Offset production will become irrelevant  Requisition systems will, in reality, become production order systems  The real opportunity will be in service, not print  Premium will be on distribution

Digital Production  Technology continues to improve  Costs continue to decline  Access to users continues to improve  Requirements continue to tighten Faster More flexible Lower costs Eliminate obsolescence

Digital Production  Run lengths can be very small  Production can occur when each user requisitions  Producing at requisition means inventory can be eliminated  Elimination of inventory means no obsolescence risk or cost

Enablers  Digital asset management will continue to improve giving immediate access to file worldwide  Document management will be vital  New digital technologies will emerge, such as electrocoagulation  Order management systems will be developed

Predictions  Offset production facilities will become increasingly specialized and eventually irrelevant  Requisition systems will become, in reality, production order systems  Pre-press systems will become pre- flight systems and will be pushed to the user level

Predictions  Print demand will grow - users want it  Bindery requirements will be very important, but options will tend to standardize  For print providers, the real sale will be in the service not the product  Product production will be a commodity

Interesting Sites  demandprint.com/demo  collabria.com  amgraf.com  iprint.com  webprint.com  mediaflex.com  httprint.com