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Products turn paper forms into intranet applications
Financial and insurance institutions are among the companies that rely on information they receive from completed forms to conduct commerce. For this type of business, a library of electronic forms available on a Web site or intranet can increase personnel productivity, lower telephone charges, and provide added convenience for customers. Products that take existing form libraries and convert them or that design Web-ready forms can substantially increase the Web site's value as a business tool-especially when coupled with database connectivity and design function.
I looked at two recently released products that, when used in tandem, can create such applicationsCaere Corp.'s Omniform Internet Publisher Version 2.0 and WebBase Web Server with ExperForms by ExperTelligence. The InformationWeek Labs testbed for this review was a Micron Millenia MXE running Windows 95 with a P200 processor, and a Micron 17FGx color monitor.
Omniform Internet Publisher
Internet Publisher creates Webready forms in HTML, PDF, and Open Forms Markup Language file formats. OFML, a text-based format developed by Caere, lets you create forms that look just like the paper original when viewed in a supported browser. You can also add calculating and parameter validation functions to an OFML form.
Internet Publisher's manual includes four tutorials that walk you through loading and filling a form, editing and designing an existing form, designing your own form, and working with a database in Omniform. A Form Assistant wizard is also available to prompt you through six basic procedures.
There are three ways to load a form into Internet Publisher: with any TWAINcompatible scanner; by fax machine and your PC's modem; or by importing an image file. OmniForm recognizes PCX and TIFF...