Transcript Forms, Supplies, & Services

Making The Transition from
Paper Forms To Electronic
Forms
Business Forms Management Association
October 10, 2002
“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?
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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 1986 - 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 1986 - 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 1986 - 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 1986 - Business Forms Management Association, Inc.
Why Do People Use Forms?
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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
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to be able to recover information
about work that has already been
completed
Where Do Forms Requests
Originate?
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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
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Analysis
Design
Layout
Proof
Negative
Production
When does the form go digital?
Five Levels of Electronic
Forms
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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?
A Form Has Four Elements
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The Container
The Data
The Image
The Intent
Return On Investment
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Not all forms should be electronic
Look at conversion costs
How does this save money?
What are elements of ROI?
Selling the project
There are Similarities and there
are Differences
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Paper Forms
• Materials
• Manufacturing
techniques
• Storage &
distribution
• Filing & Archiving
• Version Control
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Electronic Forms
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Platform
Access
Interfaces
Routing
Storage &
Archiving
• Version Control
What impact will Automation
have on a form?
Need
 Usage
 Interfaces
 Effectiveness
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Distribution
 Filing
 Archiving
 Legal Issues
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Analysis For Electronic Forms
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Same basics as for paper forms
Additional considerations:
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computer platform(s)
network configurations
interface to other system(s)
routing requirements
printer(s)
Design For Electronic Forms
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User comfort level
Graphic standards
Color
Screen resolution
Information
availability
Help screens
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Information
suppression
Database interface
File size
Printer constraints
E-mail access
Security
The Internet impact
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E-commerce
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an undeniable business strategy
a critical component of our economy
growing exponentially
automating the supply chain
automating customer interactions
U.S. e-commerce
1400
1331
1000
800
643
600
499
400
Business-to-business
76
20
03
52
20
02
33
20
01
0
109
18
8
20
00
43
19
99
200
251
19
98
US dollars in billions
1200
108
Source:
Forrester Research
Business-to-consumer
Business-to-business
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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
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What is an Internet “Form”?
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Visual Basic forms
Database forms
HTML forms
Lotus Notes forms
Java forms
OneForm Plus, and other “true” forms
Internet Forms Design
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Separate the “form” into two parts
• Container
• Data collection
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Consider the needs of the container
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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
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Principles are the same
Tools are quite different
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Graphics requirements
Software used
Interaction with databases
Server Scripts (CGI)
Consider print requirements
• PDF ( Acrobat 4.0 or 5.0)
Web Site Design
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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
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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...
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Words still drive most of a web site
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People do not read material on the
web the same way they read print
Two Principles...
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It’s a pull medium
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People don’t go there to read
Pull Medium
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You have no audience - all you have
is readers who find you
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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
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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
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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
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Generating traffic to the site
Establishing goals
Channel conflicts
Advertising
Combining with digital printing
Lower cost of orders
Navigating the jargon
Forms Management On The
Web
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Forms requisitions – catalogs, views,
“more than paper forms”
Reorder management –remembering the
past
Order status queries - instantaneous
Desktop Print-On-Demand
Electronic proofing
Forms specification control – keeping
order
Forms analysis – efficiency still critical
Now You’re Thinking
Electronic Forms
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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
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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
The Forms Conundrum
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Two camps:
• CAS
• SVAM
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The “non-technical, technical” product
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Automated layout sheet
Draw wizards
Workflow wizards
Mapping wizards
Management tools
The OneForm Tool
Future Print Procurement
Model
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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
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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
Eforms and Iforms will coexist with
paper forms
Digital Production
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Technology continues to improve
Costs continue to decline
Access to users continues to
improve
Requirements continue to tighten
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Faster
More flexible
Lower costs
Eliminate obsolescence
Digital Production
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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
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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
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Offset production facilities will
become increasingly specialized and
eventually irrelevant
Requisition systems will become, in
reality, production order systems
Pre-press systems will become preflight systems and will be pushed to
the user level
Predictions
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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
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demandprint.com/demo
netdelivery.com
amgraf.com
iprint.com
webprint.com
mediaflex.com
httprint.com