Extend the Reach of eForms

by Adam Throne

Each year, An estimated $12 billion is spent in the United States entering and validating data through forms, according to Gartner. Many companies want to shift that burden to customers and business partners by using online forms. Variations in browsers and Web forms software, however, leave gaps that make eforms difficult to implement.

Electronic forms leader Jetform, of Ottawa, has attempted to address these compatibility problems by introducing ReachForm, a tool for designing and distributing Web forms that will operate on any browser. ReachForm supports multiple versions of forms from a single XML-based template. ReachForm version 2.0, introduced in April, adds client-side scripting and digital signature capabilities.

ReachForm lets you create XML form templates, preview forms in different browsers and deploy multiple versions of forms to any number of users. The product has three software components. The ReachForm Designer is a point-and-click graphical design tool that provides prebuilt elements, including list boxes, drop-down menus, radio buttons, check boxes and other commonly used form features. The Designer also lets you embed rules and validations, such as database lookups, calculations, automatic data formatting and automatic error checking, without coding or third-party tools.

Once the form template is completed, the Form Previewer lets you see how your forms will look on different browsers. Simply select the desired preview format, and the form appears as it would in a particular browser version. This is important because older browsers might only support HTML, while newer versions can handle DHTML and/or Java. For example, a Mac running Netscape Navigator will receive a Java applet version of the form, whereas a PC running Internet Explorer 5.0 will receive DHTML.

Once you are satisfied with the appearance of your forms, the ReachForm Publisher utility distributes the forms on the ReachForm Server. When a user clicks on a form link, the server automatically detects the visitor's browser type and delivers the appropriate format. The company claims the software supports almost any browser, including those used in wireless devices employing Pocket HTML or compact HTML (CHTML). ReachForm operates through a Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) interface that transmits form data to Microsoft IIS or Unix-based Web servers such as Weblogic, iPlanet and Apache.

ReachForm not only creates and delivers the appropriate form, but also manages data collection. While the user fills out a form, the rules built into the templates validate the data. ReachForm ensures that errors are corrected and unanswered mandatory fields are filled in before users can submit their data. When the form is finalized, fields are locked and cannot be changed. Depending on your needs, you can configure the data to be sent to a single database or multiple destinations.

For forms of legal or regulatory importance, ReachForm lets you publish electronic forms in either PDF or HTML that can take the appearance of paper forms. Forms completed electronically can be archived in PDF format, with downloadable copies available to the end user. Users can also print out their filled-in forms.

One of the largest users of ReachForm is The California State Personnel Board, which posts job information and collects five-page employment applications on the Web. The agency was among the first in the state to bring its business processes online when it placed employment applications on the Web using FormFlow 99. However, this software required users to download a proprietary plug-in before they could fill out an application.

An upgrade to Jetform's Reach-Form 1.0 eliminated the plug-in problem. However, according to John Determan, the Personnel Board's staff information analyst, users had to fill out and submit the rather long application forms in a single session, or the data would be lost. Once the agency implements ReachForm 2.0, users will be able to store partially completed applications and call them back up to complete them at a later time. Once the application is complete, users will be able to print out the results for their records.

"53,000 people signed up with us through ReachForm [1.0]," says Determan, "[yet] we have only three people actually posting these applications."

The Personnel Board's reliance on Web-based forms is expected to grow. Determan notes that ReachForm allows him to create forms for an unlimited number of end users.

In addition to integrating with Unix-based Web servers though SOAP, ReachForm 2.0 has added performance-enhancing features including client-side scripting for browsers supporting Java. The Java scripts download automatically and speed the forms completion process by performing calculations and validations as users moves from field to field. ReachForm 2.0 also supports digital signature technologies from Entrust and Sonera.

ReachForm competes with electronic forms solutions offered by long-time competitors PureEdge, Victoria, BC and Shana, Edmonton, Alberta. The offering also competes with the recently introduced LiquidOffice eForm Management System from Cardiff Software, Vista, CA. LiquidOffice incorporates a forms designer and server as well as a workflow system for routing complex forms requiring multiple inputs and approvals. The software is priced at $15,000 for a 100-user system, $45,000 for an unlimited-user system and $1,000 per form designer seat. The current 1.0 version of LiquidOffice supports only PDF-based forms, although HTML support is expected in the fourth quarter.

ReachForm 2.0 is priced at $30,000 per server, with no limit on the number of users, and $1,495 per seat for the Form Designer. The Web Output Pack is an additional $30,000 per CPU, and workflow is supported through the optional InTempo module, which is priced starting at $30,000.

Compared to earlier generations of Jetform products that required proprietary-filler clients, ReachForm 2.0 provides a welcome advance that opens up eForms to just about anybody with online access. The printout and partial fill capabilities meet common user demands. For anything but the most complex forms requiring multiple input and/or approval stages, ReachForm offers a complete, effective way to replace paper forms with electronic transactions.