Best Way to mimic a complex paper form?

[ottograham]

I have about 20 insurance applications ( 8.5" x 11" double sided reports with many many irregular text boxes, lines, boxes, etc.) that I want to duplicate. Its a time intensive task I am finding. Does anyone have suggestions for the best way to proceed.

I've tried scanning the forms and overlaying the fields. The .bmp format is supported but the files are enormous. Access is telling me the .gif and .jpg formats are not supported, even though I've done the install routine and added the file converters.

Are there utilities that speed up the report design?

Any suggestions are most welcome. Thank you.

 

[MichaelRed]

I do not generally even attempt to "Replicate" complex forms, but rely on the functionallity approach. e.g. Have the computer 'form' include the information, not the detail of layout, font ...

A convenient option in this approach is the 'Tab' control, which permits the grouping of the data in logical units (often - but not always - directly from the 'Form'.

From this, there are two ways I approach the report (printed version). First - easiest in my opinion - just position and size the DATA fields on a report to 'mimic' the paper version of the form and print to a printer with the paper forms in the paper tyay. It is often necessary to set the Font for different controls on the Ms. Access 'report' to be able to include the info entered in hte Ms. Access Form, as many "Forms Designers" in the paper world feel that their verbage is more important than user input, and therefore do not provide adequate space for the information. This approach is almost REQUIRED for some applications - where the "Forms Designers" feel like the form itself is a legal/contractual instrument. They will generally not accept even a variation in the font size or the 'registration' of the printed text.


The alternative - and probably more attractive - approach is to also re-do the report layout to accomodate the capabilities of report generation. Here, you would take the original paper form and inclde the printed material in a similar format, including the fields from the data entry (Ms. Access) form. You will almost always need to adjust the layout somewhat, as you will not be able to get the EXACT fonts and sizes. Even if you can, some other issues will cause problems. Even the "printable area" of most PC Printers will not allow you to match the paper form. Before attempting this approach, you should discuss and get WRITTEN agreement from the 'higher ups' that they will accept your form as a 'real' document at some level of correspondance to the original. Also, you should get a good idea of the degree of correspondence necessary (e.g. all preprinted info on same 'page' as original with a similar layout | must be almost exact in layout, some latitude allowed in font / font size but overall visual impression is that of a dulpicate | as long as it has all the info (preprinted and fill-in) and loks like a similar thing | ...)

If you need to reproduce the original, the use of the various bitmap images is USUALLY just to get various elements aligned properly. After creation of hte Ms. Access form, these are generally deleted, so the "HUGE" size is really only a problem fo the design cycle.


MichaelRed
redmsp@erols.com

There is never time to do it right but there is always time to do it over

 

[ottograham]

Dear Michael:

You hit the nail on the head when listing the challenges.

Your suggestion in the first paragraph (loading the actual forms in the printer) is difficult to do, as there are times when 2 different forms would be used, or 20 different forms with multiple copies of some. I'm trying to simplify the process, and this seems unwieldy.

You're right about getting the forms perfectly (legal/contractual issues). I was hoping you've have a way to scan the form and overlay the input items. I didn't understand what you meant about the size not being an issue at runtime. The .bmp files are about 8meg each. Are you saying the file will shrink at run time?

Thanks... Scott

 

[MichaelRed]

Scott,

No, The [.BMP | .Jpg | ... |.any] won't shrink. I was refering to using the bitmap as the "Guideline" for positioing and sizing report controls on a "REPORT". You would then replacate the bitmap information within the controls with Ms. Access text / graphic information (using mostly labels and text boxes for the verbage on the original report and - perhaps one or two small bitmaps for Logo(s). After you have done the overlays, you cah delete the original scanned bitmap. The total size of the bitmap will 'disappear' from the form. This only works if you can 'replicate' the fonts on the original form "closely enough" for it to pass the tests necessary for use in your org. It CAN be done, but it is NOT for the fain of heart! You may need a third party font or program to make your own fonts. You may also need to check the actual printable area of your p[rinter(s). If the forms you are replicating use area outside of this, you may also need to find a different (and probably not cheap!) printer.

MichaelRed
redmsp@erols.com

There is never time to do it right but there is always time to do it over