Making the Transition From Paper To Electronic Forms
Ray H. Killam, CFSP, CFC
Essociates Group, Inc..
You probably are already somewhat familiar with electronic forms, Internet forms and eCommerce, so this
presentation will provide a brief overview of what’s happening now in this important growth area, what it
means to our businesses, and most importantly, how it will change your lives, if it hasn’t already.
This paper should give you the basics for planning and making the conversions from paper to forms. It is
based on Amgraf’s OneForm Designer Plus forms development software (don’t be surprised – that’s what I
know), but it generally applies to any program.
“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.” This quote,
attributed to Alan Greenspan, Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board in May 1999, is
talking about the information technology revolution we are in. It can’t be ignored – it is
having such a tremendous impact around the world in such a short time period it can be
really mind-boggling. I’m going to give you some information that will put it into
perspective, but keep in mind what he is saying – predictions of the future are just
educated guesses.
In 1995, Fortune Magazine published an article on business technology spending. It
stated that over the past 30 years, American businesses spent over $1 trillion on
technology – computer hardware, software, communications and consulting. For all this
money, white-collar productivity improved less than 1% annually. Management was
getting surly. Well, since then white-collar productivity surged to more like 3-4%
annually. As businesses reached critical mass on infrastructure, standards evolved, and
integration became easier, the returns showed up. Even though our current “mild
recession” seems particularly painful in the technology sector, it is just a brief pause on
the long-term landscape. It will not stop. Improved productivity keeps inflation in check
and the cost reduction imperatives are just too great to ignore. Electronic forms are just a
part of this, but I believe they can be an important part.
Business runs on forms. Forms provide structure to business processes. Every business
uses forms. Every major software vendor provides “forms” as a part of their offering.
Most don’t do it well, because they don’t really understand forms.
The forms industry, as we have known it for the past 50 years, is experiencing major
changes. The macro trends are well documented. Continuous forms production and use is
declining in favor of sheeted output. Multi-part forms are becoming rare. Paper forms are
giving way to digital documents. Print and store processes are being replaced by print-ondemand. Networked computing is losing market share to the Internet and intranets. But
the “Paperless Office”? Well, that’s just a dream shared by out-of-touch technologists.
It is important to remember that paper is not the enemy. Inefficient processes are. Paper is
just another technology that is available to the process designers. It has a place, but it
isn’t the point.
Good forms begin with a thorough analysis and understanding of the business processes
they serve. Process analysis should always be the first step in forms design. Process
analysis considers all steps required to complete the entire process, from data capture to
records retention. Process analysis is primarily a logical evaluation of all steps required,
how long each step takes, where delays or problems occur, and user considerations. It
includes an analysis of forms design and production requirements, warehouse and
distribution requirements, obsolescence risks, and more. The analyst should talk to each
person involved in the process to understand their role and what it is exactly that this
person does.
While performing this analysis, the analyst should keep in mind how the application of
technology could impact the process. I like to use a process analysis flowcharting
procedure and software developed by Dr. Ben Graham. For information, go to
http://www.worksimp.com.
Once the business process is understood and rationalized with the process owners (an
important step that results in process improvement, simplification, and cost reduction –
but that’s another presentation!), you’re ready for the forms design. This definition, from
BFMA, outlines the goals of the design process.
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.
Again, forms design is an entire body of knowledge that considers how users interact
with the form, what functions the form must serve (data capture, display, image, error
reduction, legal record, etc.), and how the form must be processed.
Let’s clear up a common misconception that frequently exists, particularly in today’s
Internet environment. Forms are not the simple documents they appear to be. It is
testimony to effective forms design when a form appears simple and easy to use for the
User. One function the form serves – it front–ends a database or business application – is
not the only or even the primary function in most cases. Forms present your company to
the public, to employees and to other third parties. The image they present is the image
these users will have of your company.
Forms provide structure to transactions. Without forms, we would have to resort to free
filling, such as email, and data capture would be very difficult. Users would make errors,
omit needed data, and become frustrated in the process. In short, business just wouldn’t
work very well.
Forms design must also consider the needs of the production process. The design file
(usually an electronic file) has to be made available to the users such that they cannot
change it. The design file needs to be approved (proofed) by the form owner, process
owners, legal, marketing, administration, and any others that have a vested interest. For
paper forms, it then goes to negative (or direct to plate), plate and press. For electronic
forms, the design file must be compiled into the User version (PDF, EXE, HTML, or
other format).
Today, most forms are already digital at some point in their life cycle. A laudable goal is
to keep it digital throughout the life cycle. However, users generally want to print the
form at some point. That’s the reality. It may change someday, but not now.
However, many forms remain digital at least until they are deep in the usage cycle.
Digital documents are faster, more flexible, convenient, cheaper to use, and can do more
than paper forms. However, that isn’t always the case. Remember, paper isn’t the enemy
here. Think of the business process and how users want to use the form. Think of the
legal requirements for retention, re-creation and use as evidence in a future lawsuit. Paper
has its advantages – its flexible, portable, user-friendly, cheap and easy to use.
Generally speaking, there are three levels of electronic or Internet forms:



Desktop print on demand is a digital form file that can be found, selected and
output to a printer when a single copy of the form is needed. These forms are very
useful for low volume, transactional forms where the workflow is not automated
or where the users are remote. Examples are time sheets, expense forms, tax
forms, applications, etc.
The next step is to add some mapping that allows the user to find the form,
display it on their screen, fill it out from the mouse and keyboard and print, save,
route, email, or perform any other processes the form needs.
Intelligent electronic forms support automated business processes. The form is
mapped to interact with databases, automatically route, perform calculations,
perform validations, interact with other forms, and more.
So, how does one determine whether a form should be paper or electronic? Good
question. It is not uncommon today for a single form to be available in paper, electronic
and Internet versions and made available to multiple users in their favorite format.
Usually, the process analysis helps determine what format the form should be made
available in. It really depends on how it is to be used, where and by whom.
For paper forms, materials are a key consideration. Special papers, label stock, inks,
security features, etc. all help determine if the form can be electronic. Manufacturing
considerations (multiple plies, sizes, perforations, substrates, etc.) determine elements of
the form design. Usage and economies of scale can dictate storage, shipping, pick ‘n’
pack, obsolescence risk and more. Filing and archiving requirements must be understood
and considered. Multiple versions can complicate the entire process.
For electronic forms, the same considerations apply, but platform requirements replace
materials, access requirements replace manufacturing needs, interfaces to other systems
and routing requirements replace storage & distribution, and electronic storage, routing
and version control are different, but remain very important.
Pre-production analysis is the same for paper and electronic forms. Skip this process at
your own risk. However, electronic forms have additional requirements that will affect
the analysis process. The goal, after all, is to use the capabilities of digital documents to
improve the process.
One of the most important considerations is how the users get access to the form. Do they
use PCs (what models?), Windows OS (what versions?), browsers (which ones and what
versions?), Macs (what OS?), intranets, Internet, high security, low security, no security,
eCommerce applications (credit cards), and more.
The general rule is to keep it as simple as possible. Don’t try to stretch the technology
beyond what the users will have a comfort level with. Digital signatures are a good
example. Just because it is possible doesn’t necessarily mean it is practical.
Users always want to print and save locally. This is a very good rule of thumb. If they
cannot save while filling it out, there will be a high level of abandonment and user
frustration. If they cannot print whenever they want, many users will be uncomfortable
using the electronic form. One can argue that neither of these functions should be
important, but you will lose this argument. How many times have you been interrupted
while filling a form, saved it and came back to it later? Do you ever keep a copy in a file?
It happens very often today.
All of these elements are important considerations. Users must be able to find the form,
understand how to fill it out, know where to find help, be able to save, print and send
easily, not have to scroll a lot (particularly horizontally), and generally get a positive
impression of your organization.
Use fonts, colors, and other graphical elements carefully. Forms are not a good place to
use a lot of graphics, music, sounds, videos, animated gifs, and the like. Used sparingly,
these features can add value, but don’t overdo it.
Remember that users will have different screen resolutions and what looks good on your
screen may not appear the same on your customer’s screen.
One of the neat features of electronic forms is that information can be selectively
presented. This means unneeded information can be removed, conditional data can be
presented, and hidden fields can be used. Drop down menus and field-by-field help can
be made available. All this makes it easier for persons filling the form.
One of the most powerful features of electronic forms is their ability to easily interact
with databases. The form can partially fill itself out, saving the user keystrokes and
reducing errors. Data collected can be presented to the database or other applications.
Data can be shared between pages on a form, or between forms.
Forms sizes can become an issue for both response time and storage. Use of graphics in
particular can be a concern and care must be taken to minimize file sizes.
Security issues are another entire paper in itself. Secure transaction, secure access, secure
environments and secure data are all important considerations. Here, let’s just point out
that one shouldn’t engage in overkill. Ask yourself “How secure is the current paper
transaction? How secure does it need to be? Many security techniques and technologies
exist to provide virtually any level of security required.
Also, it is important to preserve your current investment in artwork and existing forms.
Today, most business forms already exist in some electronic format. The issue is
compatibility. In those cases where the form only exists on paper, scanning may be the
answer (avoid bit map scans – they usually result in large files that cannot be easily
altered). The first step is to understand the native application used to create the form file.
If it can be saved as an EPS or PDF file, you can usually easily import it into another
program. This saves considerable time and effort.
The goal is to build your form files in a software program that allows you to add the
mapping requirements, connectivity, scripts development (Internet forms) and other
features that enable the form to be usable as an electronic form.
The Internet Impact
E-commerce is an undeniable business strategy. It is a critical component of our economy
that is growing exponentially. Businesses are attempting to automate the supply chain
and are automating customer interactions.
So this is what the Internet has done for e-commerce. Businesses who don’t recognize the
potential of e-commerce will fall behind as this way of doing business becomes more and
more prevalent.
While e-commerce won’t replace traditional ways of doing business, it is a critical piece
of our economy right now, and its impact will increase. The U.S. Department of
Commerce said in June 2001 that e-commerce and IT industries together accounted for
one third of the United States’ real economic growth between 1995 and 1998. That’s onethird, and most e-commerce sites weren’t even profitable during that time.
US e-Commerce
1400
1200
1000
800
B2B
B2C
600
400
200
0
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
Another interesting part of this chart is the growth in business-to-business (B2B) versus
business-to-consumer (B2C). That is largely because of the size of the transactions, not
the number of transactions. Over 50 percent of the B2B transactions today are worth over
$1,000, while 60 percent of the B2C transactions today are worth $500 or less. The
average online transaction across all industries is about $4,600.
***July figures released by ActivMedia, from a study performed by the group.
Designing Forms For The Internet
Unfortunately, many people see Internet forms as simply a way to capture data. They use
a “caption-blank” arrangement and call it a form. Well, sometimes that is all that is
needed, but not generally. As a Marketing professional, I am always concerned with how
the form leverages my investment in branding and image building. I want to know about
user satisfaction and ease of use. I am interested in being able to prove the transaction.
An Internet form must eventually be an HTML page. It can contain JavaScript, be
generated from a script, or use any number of other technologies, but HTML is the
language of the Internet that is universally recognized by all browsers. Visual Basic
forms work in the eforms area, but not on the Internet. The same is true for Lotus Notes
“forms”.
I use OneForm Designer Plus because it generates the HTML and the server scripts. I am
not a programmer. Even though I understand the technology, I want the forms design
software to generate the code for me.
It is useful to think of an Internet or electronic form as four separate parts. The container
is what we, as forms professionals, are expert in. The container is static and reusable. It
has very specific needs and requirements, depending on the workflow. It is the “lines,
boxes, text and graphics” part of the form.
The data are the fill-able fields information that the user or the database adds. It is
variable for each instance of the form.
The Intent is the workflow aspects of the form. It justifies the need for the form and
enables the business process to be efficient.
The Image is the way users interact with the form, the marketing image generated, and
important considerations such as accessibility.
The principles for Internet forms creation are essentially the same as for electronic forms
but the tools are different. As previously discussed, the resultant form is an HTML page.
This page is “stateless” in itself, and is lost each time the user leaves the page.
Internet forms generally require server scripts, or small programs that control and
monitor the user interactions. They reside on the Internet server and communicate with
the browser and any resident databases.
PDF documents, which can be added to an HTML page, can generally be output to any
printer. This technology has become the standard for document printing. To print, the
user needs Acrobat Reader, a free software download from Adobe Corp. To do much
else, the user must buy a version that provides the capability. This can get expensive for
companies with thousands of users. That’s why most PDF forms today don’t allow local
save and email functionality.
Web Site Design
Web site design is related to Internet forms design. It is essentially a matter of
understanding the business process the site must serve, the goals of the site, and how
users will interact with the site.
There are three general kinds of structures.
 Home page centric. All actions link back to the home page. Home page
contains full site map, instructions and links.
 Many to many. All pages act independently, with links to all other pages.
User can enter site on any page and go anywhere.
 Horizontal structure. Pages generally have a “back” and “next page”
button. Used to process most transactions.

Hyperlinks are what make the Internet useful. Use them liberally. Minimize the use of
graphics. They should add to the user experience.
Remember to consider the marketing needs over the technical needs. What’s most
important- promote the site and “they will come”. Stop promoting, and they will stop
coming. It’s different in that users choose to go there for there own reasons.
Most forms are viewed as a necessary cost – and the goal is to minimize this cost. As the
form becomes more of a selling tool, or an enhanced customer service tool, the focus
shifts to revenue generation. This always gets more attention from management (and
more budget dollars!).
Technology is constantly changing. As forms professionals, we must keep up. Take the
time to learn about each technology – not to actually do it but to understand what it does
and why it is used (plus its limitations). It’s not that hard. There are plenty of classes
offered from a variety of sources. There are many tutorials available free on the Internet.
When a new term appears, write it down and do some basic research on it. Don’t get
“snowed” by the technologists!
There are two “truths” for web sites.


Words still drive most of a web site
People do not read material on the web the same way they read print.
Two principles to remember:


It is a pull medium
People don’t go there to read
Just try to push information to any audience through the Internet. It doesn’t work. They
will go to your site only if, and when, they want to go there. For announcements, send
email. You can direct people to more detail on your site – but they will go there if they
choose. They will generally read email or a printed memo or letter.
It’s not like surfing on TV. With TV, you “click” through channels until you find
something you want. With the Internet, you jump around via links to follow a specific
topic. You don’t just browse from site-to-site to find something interesting.
People don’t read on the web. They scan the page, looking for what they want. Research
shows that 79% of people scan the page instead of reading the page. They scan first to the
center of the page, then to the left, then to the right. They scroll only if the believe they
will find what they want.
Remember, reading “light” is tough. You blink less often, putting more strain on your
eyes. And excessive scrolling can actually induce nausea!
Put important information in the center of the page. Put navigation on the left side. Put
less important information on the right side. Put information you don’t expect people to
use (unless they really want to!) on the bottom of the page. Use hyperlinks to minimize
the need to scroll. Try to never use horizontal scrolling. It’s better to use more pages and
link them. Spend a lot of time on your site map. Make it easy to navigate and to know
where you are at all times.
Tips For Web Writing
Here are a few tips to follow when developing web pages:





Write short – the average visitor will give you about 11 seconds.
People will scroll when they know the information is there. Provide an index.
Write more like you talk – even adopt a persona. Language is less formal in this
environment.
Be active – use strong, active verbs.
Use hyperlinks effectively – this is what makes the web so different!
When you want your web visitors to buy, they must first find your site, be encouraged to
come back often, and enjoy their experience. Your site must have specific and
measurable goals (number of orders, number of hits, number of requests for information,
etc.).
Channel conflicts are a reality. It has been claimed that the Internet, and eCommerce, is
the ultimate dis-intermediator. Who needs a middleman if you can buy direct from the
manufacturer? On the web, you can provide detailed product information, show the
product, provide customer service, ship immediately and communicate directly with large
numbers of consumers. This is particularly true with business-to-business, where personal
interaction, “touch-and-feel”, and payments are all facilitated.
Combining the Internet with digital printing capability has the potential to completely
revolutionize the printing and advertising businesses. Again, this could be the subject of
another paper.
The cost reduction opportunities are significant and create automation imperatives. Your
ability to compete could be at stake! Expand your role from forms design to include web
design.
Forms Management On The Web
This is a fascinating subject – and one that provides considerable opportunity – and
challenges – to forms professionals. Most of the user interactions, forms tracking and
reporting, proofing, and ordering functions can be moved to the intranet or Internet or
both.
For large organizations, a “forms portal” should be developed that provides users with all
the information and access they need for all forms available from the organization.
Business rules, such as who can order what, can be built into the portal’s security.
Information regarding who uses the forms can be tracked and reported.
The Portal would contain an index page, listing forms by category and providing a search
function. Once the form is located, a thumbnail of the form is viewed for confirmation
and the user can see if the form is available for print-on-demand, fill-and-print, Intelligent
form processing, or physical form requisitioning. Information regarding version control,
form owner, and retention requirements would be available.
For paper forms, full replenishment and storage information would be available. Order
status, product availability, specification control, etc. could also be available.
Forms in progress could be tracked, proofed, and ordered from the catalog. This topic is
the subject of another presentation, Developing a Forms Portal, given by Franklin Garner.
Now you are thinking about electronic forms! I once again must point out that paper isn’t
the enemy – it is just another available technology to use when it best serves the
workflow requirements. Using browser technology whenever possible will reach more
users and customers, simplify distribution, and make everyone happier. Using a Portal,
including a complete, one-stop catalog for all forms will get people to keep coming back.
Use of icons, thumbnails, short descriptions and drill-down to more detail will make it
quite usable.
Each form, individually, and the program collectively, must meet Return On Investment
criteria if it is to be sustained across the enterprise. Don’t go electronic for electronic sake
– justify the cost, including workflow analysis.
Again, learn as much about the technology as is comfortable for you.
Partnering With IT Professionals
It’s true. Forms people are not generally IT professionals and IT people are not generally
forms professionals. A successful, effective and vibrant electronic forms program
requires the skill sets of both groups, as well as cooperation and involvement of the
process owners. In the paper forms world, IT folks were just another user department. In
the electronic forms world, they are vital and valuable allies.
I find most organizations, at least at some level, tend to focus on bottom line results. Save
them money, help them get and keep customers, shorten time-to-market – these are the
things that sell programs to senior management.
Here is something to avoid. I read somewhere that there seems to be two distinct camps
in many organizations between the:
“CAS” – Customers Are Stupid
And
“SVAM: - Software Vendors Are Morons
Groups. What a major mistake!
Vendors (and IT) lament that customers spend a lot of time and waste technology trying
to make new solutions look and act like the old ones customers are used to because “they
don’t want to change”
Customers complain that vendors (and IT) always try to make things too complicated,
take too long to do it, and charge way too much.
This doesn’t have to happen. Business process owners should direct specifications, but
they should listen to how the technology can be used more efficiently. IT (or vendors)
shouldn’t get too carried away with the technology – they should do what best serves the
business need.
It’s really about working together.
Software vendors for electronic forms need to develop products that are easy for nontechnical people to use. They should use technology to create technology, if this makes
sense. One of the nice things about many Microsoft products is that non-technical users
can use their products to accomplish tasks without knowing how the technology actually
works. We need forms tools that do the same thing. I think OneForm Designer does this.
(Sorry, but that’s my one commercial I get for doing this presentation!).
Selling Electronic Forms
Okay, let’s admit it right upfront. Forms sales people have not been successful selling
electronic forms solutions. They just haven’t. It isn’t for lack of trying. Forms companies
have spent millions on electronic forms technology, training, and support. Their
customers want, and are using, electronic forms. So, where is the breakdown?
Electronic forms must be sold. They don’t just “happen”. They don’t threaten
commissions from paper forms sales. But, like anything else, a complete business plan is
required. Make sure you consider all the needs of your customers and their constituents –
Customers, Employees, Stockholders, Community, and Regulators. Sell total solutions.
For distributors and forms manufacturers, there is an emerging business opportunity.
Customers want electronic forms. Most don’t have the internal staff to do all the required
work. Most are willing to pay for electronic forms if there is a ROI that is acceptable (and
there usually is!).
Set up an enterprise program. Don’t try to sell one form at a time. Charge a monthly
management fee that covers your basic time, expert knowledge, and services. Charge for
each project, including reasonable scope and time estimates. Charge for all revisions.
Develop the expertise that, when coupled with your in-house technical support, can do
any and all projects. Outsource what you cannot do in-house, but do not leave your
customer short.
Finally, distributors and manufacturers must change compensation structure to eliminate
any disincentives sales representatives may have to sell proper customer solutions – such
as loss of commission when a paper form is converted to an electronic form. Align sales
compensation to customer satisfaction, and customers will reward you with more
business of all kinds.
Conclusions
Opportunities for eforms and iforms will grow rapidly over the next few years. It is
important for forms professionals to embrace the technology and keep current with these
evolving requirements.
In the next ten years, virtually every large company, government organizations, nonprofit organizations, and many small companies will convert over half of their forms to
electronic or Internet format. Paper forms will not disappear, but they will change. More
focus will be on value-added features such as security, combination documents, and
specialty use.
Begin the learning curve today. You will be glad you did.