Form processing

[Pirate]

I need to set up a service on my works intranet where forms can be filled out and sent to people for processing.

Now this may sound simple, but it needs to flow like this

Form filled out ----> Sent to manager who approves ----> sent to finance for processing etc

This is just an example, but some forms will need to be sent to multiple people and follow different paths. So it needs to be pretty flexable.

I could probably built it, but I have been given the option of purchasing something to do this. Which I'd rather do. So does anyone know of any software that does this?

[druid]

You need to look into document management, or product data management software (terms vary). The keyword what you are after is workflow support.

[Enthalpy]

There are plenty of Open Source options that provide Content / Document Management capabilities which include the sort of functionality you require, however unfortunately they're not really* capable of managing form data throughout such a process.

The commercial products that I've seen that can do similar come from companies such as Oracle and cost $x0,000's for a license and probably still wouldn't meet your needs fully. Better off building it yourself, or "purchasing" the services of someone else to build it if you're flat out with other tasks they give you.

Would also assume they'd want to keep track of changes made at each level so keep that in mind if you do find anything out there.

That said though, if you do find something that's Open Source or commercial and relatively cheap post back so we can all take a look.

* By really I mean they are normally designed around the publication of documents / web pages not form data with several fields of info.

[locust]

Could always use forms printed out onto paper.

[druid]

What sort of forms are they? If you use Exchange at work, that and Office might have something for you.

[BoB tHe PlUmBeR]

Could always use forms printed out onto paper.

What is this 'paper' of which you speak?

*edit*

Actually you could put a few of these (http://www.interroll.com/?wm=s(3)m(623)) in the office. It would be damn COOL if you ask me :cool:

[Spingo]

I could probably built it, but I have been given the option of purchasing something to do this.

You could always "purchase" someone else to develop it! ;)

[dwarfthrower]

Lotus Domino... expensive, but made for that sort of thing.

[Pirate]

The forms will vary so the software needs to be flexable. I've seen some like quask which are exactly what I need, but they charge like wounded bulls. $15,000 for a bit of software.. gotta be fucking joking.

Unfortunately we don't have exchange.. we maybe switching to that. At the momment we are using a linux box and associated software as our mail server.

[Pirate]

fark anyone that sells this software is asking around $15,000 to $20,000... man thats so wrong. I think I'm going to have to code this one. If I do, I am going to release it for free and fuck them :)

[ewe2]

pirate why dont you have the form emailed to the manager who can forward it to finance?

[Spingo]

You wouldn't beleive it, but I just got handed a very similar project at work today.

I don't know why I didn't think of this before - MS Infopath and Sharepoint Services. That's what I'm going to implement here at any rate (hell, it's all free here since it falls under the clauses of our MSDN Universal subscription). If it works, I shall let you know... ;)

[locust]

Remember MSDN gets you licenses for development and testing purposes only; you can't use the software licensed to you under the MSDN agreement in "production" that's not related to dev/test.

[druid]

You also can't use them for 'entertainment' so uninstall those games now!

[glarbnaught]

I am not 100% sure on exactly what you need without more information. But from what I gather the easiest and cheapest solution for you would be to find a piece of software that manages forms (Like Adobe Form Manager) which can also convert/save the completed forms to PDF so you can quickly send them via your email system, as thats probably the best format to be sending documents to finance in (I know it is in our company).

I can't see how you would make something yourself without a fuckload of work... and do you really have that much time to develop/implement it? Also, how many staff we talking here? Few 100+.... Few 1000+?

EDIT: I guess anything that uses an XForms based system would do huh...

[glarbnaught]

If you want a really really bodgy version you could get everybody to complete Forms created with MS Word and then get them to "print" the completed forms to a PDF printer s they can mail them off.

Somthing like PDF Creator:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator/

Would do perfectly :clap:

[locust]

You also can't use them for 'entertainment' so uninstall those games now!

I think they cite that as an example too :)

[Spingo]

Remember MSDN gets you licenses for development and testing purposes only; you can't use the software licensed to you under the MSDN agreement in "production" that's not related to dev/test.

Yeah, this is something we have to develop for a client of ours, hance why the MSDN licensing scheme covers my installation of it internally.

Anyway, I've had a play with Sharepoint Services, Infopath, Altova Authentic and a few Sharepoint Services add-ons overnight and it's not quite powerful as Pirate would like. It's great for filling in a form and getting them sent to one person, but the relay scheme that Pirate needs isn't handled.

In any case, my solution doesn't need said relay scheme, so I'm set at any rate :)

[Pirate]

The amount of users for the forms is going to be in the hundreds. And from what I see there are at least 20 forms to be done. Each will need to have their own custom work flow. I'm thinking of using email, but that doesn't allow good tracking of the forms and I think thats really needed, especially in a company like this one.

I have a meeting on monday with the boss, I might see if I can sell them the quask form system. After all, once we have it. Its there for good and we can use it to make all the company forms. I sure as hell don't want to code it :)

[Pirate]

Yeah, this is something we have to develop for a client of ours, hance why the MSDN licensing scheme covers my installation of it internally.

Anyway, I've had a play with Sharepoint Services, Infopath, Altova Authentic and a few Sharepoint Services add-ons overnight and it's not quite powerful as Pirate would like. It's great for filling in a form and getting them sent to one person, but the relay scheme that Pirate needs isn't handled.

In any case, my solution doesn't need said relay scheme, so I'm set at any rate :)
I looked into MS solutions too, but that would mean purchasing more gear for the server room and they aren't keen on that. Bah to that.

[Spingo]

I looked into MS solutions too, but that would mean purchasing more gear for the server room and they aren't keen on that. Bah to that.

Actually, my solution has ended up being really cheap. Sharepoint Services is free with Windows 2003 Server (leveraging off the clients already-existing infrastructure). And you really only need one license of InfoPath to create the forms to take advantage of Sharepoints "nifty" features. All the clients will use Altova Authentic to fill in the forms, which is freeware ;)

Total cost to the client will be a couple of hundred dollars plus a couple of extra thousand, considering we did the work in putting together the solution, plus labour, plus nise-picking tax. Muahahahah!

[glarbnaught]

I have a meeting on monday with the boss, I might see if I can sell them the quask form system. After all, once we have it. Its there for good and we can use it to make all the company forms. I sure as hell don't want to code it :)

If your Companies employs a few hundred strong I really can't see why they wouldnt go for it (I know they would with that amount in my company cause we make 100's of thousands a week with that many employee's), I mean a few thousand is nothing for something that, as you said, will be there for at least another 5yrs (if maintained well).

If you can, make sure you Test/Trial the fucker first cause you don't wanna be stuck with some fucking thing that you "thought" would do the job but turns out stuffs up with every fucking thing you have :light:

[Iceman]

Lotus Domino... expensive, but made for that sort of thing.

Bad, evil, nooooo!

Very powerful product.. shit to use, to learn and to manage.

Don't inflict this on your users..

[Iceman]

Actually, my solution has ended up being really cheap. Sharepoint Services is free with Windows 2003 Server (leveraging off the clients already-existing infrastructure).

If you like sharepoint, check out WISDOM by Macroview (http://www.macroview.com.au/) I saw a presentation by these guys.. it makes getting documents in and out *gob smackingly easy*

Like boss.. you want to email me something from sharepoint? Open outlook, click the wisdom button, pick your file, done.

Pirate, something like this could be done with WISDOM's clausebank. Although that's more writing the forms from scratch I think..

[Tintin]

How about something simple using HTML and PHP? You've got skills & experience with that, and both things are well-suited to such a project.

[astro]

has a few options. I did a quick search for 'document management' and found a few web-based solutions that you may consider.

One that I looked at was [url=http://www.kiwimanager.com/web/index.php?p=index]Kiwi Manager (http://www.hotscripts.com). It's free, runs on a stack of different platforms and is really powerful.

Edit: damn, sorry, it's a commercial license. But i'm sure there'd be something similar that's free :)

Edit2: scroll down till you see the gray ones. (http://www.hotscripts.com/PHP/Scripts_and_Programs/Groupware_Tools/index.html)

[dwarfthrower]

Well out of your price range, but it's my baby - so:

http://www.enableapps.com.au