Lexmark CX923 Forms and Bar Code Card P4.4 Users Guide - Page 14

Creating and managing forms 14 Creating and managing forms Forms overview Electronic‑forms solutions integrate both electronic and hard‑copy documents, and let you create custom forms to create a dynamic document workflow for any business. The forms can be either printer based or server based. You can quickly design electronic forms, store them on a printer, or automatically merge them with text files, and then print, fax, e-mail, or archive the output. The electronic‑forms solutions contain different modules that automate workflow processes. These modules include Forms Composer and Forms Manager. Forms Composer and Forms Manager Note: Forms Composer and Forms Manager are required software programs that can be purchased separately. Forms Composer is a design tool that offers the following features: • Easy-to-use graphical user interface to create forms and map data to the forms • Importing of existing PDF documents for compatibility • Creation of documents for printer-based and server-based technologies The Data pane of Forms Composer allows mapping variable data that comes from the host system. You can set the paper size and input text before downloading the form to the printer flash memory or printer hard disk. After a form is designed and is in the printer, data can be sent directly from your host computer over a TCP/IP network, through a USB connection to the printer, through a parallel card to the printer, or through a serial card to the printer. Forms and Bar Code Card then merges the data with the correct form using predefined activation conditions. Activation conditions are defined as triggers that let you select the correct formset on the printer memory or printer hard disk. You can define activation conditions when designing your form in Forms Composer or creating a forms directive. Every time you create a new form for a data set, you are creating a project which you must upload to a printer with both flash memory and Forms and Bar Code Card installed. Forms Manager downloads and manages formsets on printers where Forms and Bar Code Card is installed. You can add formsets to printers, retrieve printer information, and view saved files on the printer. Using Forms Manager, you can also upgrade the Forms and Bar Code Card firmware on the printer. Forms and Bar Code Card has firmware that automatically merges the data with the correct form design (formset) and prints the completed form. The host data stream can be SAP RDI, ASCII, or double‑byte data encoded in GBK, UTF-8, or UTF-16. Forms and Bar Code Card uses TrueType fonts and Adobe Font Manager (AFM) to generate PDF output. Forms Card menu After the Forms and Bar Code Card is installed, more menu items are added to the standard printer menus. These items can be found in the Forms Card menu on the Embedded Web Server.