MAIN FEATURES — Alphinat SmartForms make it easy to complete even the most complex forms. And easy for your organization to achieve the benefits of automating your forms-driven processes.

Web-based management console
Using a simple web browser and with minimal training, workers will be up and running in a flash. No client software or plug-in is required for them to start creating user-friendly forms.

Multi-step, multi-user forms
Complex forms can be broken into a series of wizard-based steps — ensuring maximum usability by only displaying sections that are relevant to a user's context — and allowing end-users to easily navigate back and forth between pages. A progress indicator informs them how much of the process they have completed. Alphinat SmartForms also allow any number of persons to fill out parts of the same form.

Alphinat SmartForms remove all usability barriers — making it easy to complete even the most complex forms.

Separation of presentation, business logic and data
Optimal usability occurs when the people creating forms can concentrate on their core competencies. Designers can create templates that can be used across multiple forms or they can design special templates for certain pages. The people you put in charge of form content and logic can then simply select the appropriate template from a drop-down menu.

Global field repository
Fields you create can be used in multiple forms. This reduces the number of fields you need to create and allows you to use the same information to dynamically populate multiple PDF forms. Workers can customize a field label, change its appearance or use only certain field values in a particular form while leaving the field core intact. It also makes it possible to update fields and their values across all your forms in one operation.

Easy field maintenance
Fields and field groups can be duplicated in one click — a real time-saver when creating the fields you will use in your forms. For example, you can create a shipping address block and then duplicate it for use as a billing address block. All labels and validation rules will be copied as well.

Contextual help
Assist end-users every step of the way by adding help balloons and help pages to forms, pages, fields, and even field values. Content can be entered via the online interface or optionally sourced from external systems.

Advanced error handling
You can select from different pre-set data validation rules or create your own to ensure data accuracy. You can also display different messages depending on the type of error that occurred. End-users will never be at a loss as to what they have to do.

Form pre-population
Fields can be pre-populated with data from a variety of sources using XPath functions and extensions. These can also be made available to non-technical workers — providing them with familiar controls such as drop-down menus — to map form fields with data from external systems.

Once collected, the data can serve to automatically populate all applicable PDFs, saving valuable time and greatly increasing compliance rates

Rules engine
An online rule generator allows workers to easily define when a field should be displayed, what page to branch to, when a field is mandatory, when to perform certain validations and under which circumstances PDF form fields should be populated. Any field you create can be used as a trigger. For example, you could display a field called "Spouse name" only if the user is married. Or you can send users along different paths based on the information they provide.

Dynamic PDF population
Fields can be mapped with those contained in existing PDF forms via a simple online interface. You no longer have to ask users for the same information twice as a single field can be used to populate any number of PDF forms.

Form portability
The same form can be made available through standard web browsers and hand-held devices such as PDAs and even cell phones. And you don't have to worry about maintaining different versions for different devices. Alphinat SmartForms will do that for you automatically.

Multiple integration options
Alphinat SmartForms offer different ways to integrate with your existing systems — including web services, remote procedure calls, API calls or through connectors for relational and XML databases.

Flexible deployment options
Alphinat SmartForms seamlessly integrate within your web environment. They can be deployed as a portlet on any JSR 168 compliant portal server or as a servlet on java application servers like IBM Websphere, BEA Weblogic, Oracle Application Server or the open-source Jboss.

2D barcodes
When end-users do not wish to send completed forms over the Internet or when you require a handwritten signature, form results can be embedded in a 2D barcode — allowing you to quickly extract information from mailed-in or faxed forms with 100% accuracy.

Configurable reports
This module allows you to select the type of report to generate and what it should include. Reports can be displayed within a standard web browser, stored in a database or content management system or sent by email.

Email router
Form results can be sent in different formats to different recipients. You can define who will receive what information under what circumstances. End-users can also elect to receive their form results by email.