Which vendor to use for printing forms

LBurroughs

Member
I am looking for feedback about forms. What are you guys using. We have been recommended 3 different vendors.

Create Form
Jetform Central Pro
Optio DCS






Larry Burroughs
Dewberry & Davis
[email protected]

XE, JAS, SQL7, SP15.0 Windows 2000, Update 1
 
RE: Which vendor to use for printing formsLet's please not start this =
thread again. Everyone has a preference and none are better than the =
other. JDE has certified ALL 3 vendors - Optio is not the package of =
choice. We prefer FormScape (our clients say it is much, much easier to =
use than Optio), but I would say either is a good choice.

You just need to evaluate each, as with any software purchase. Ask to =
see a demo, ask for references and then you can decided.

Please, please, please, let's don't get 100 replies from everyone saying =
which one they want to sell. I'm sure input from actual end users would =
be appreciated however.

Tom Messer - Vice President
Terillium, Inc.
JD Edwards Business Partners
Product Certified Professional
513.621.9500 Corporate Office
513.621.9514 Fax
678.428.1341 Cell / VM
www.terillium.com
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Brent Fudala=20
To: 'LBurroughs '=20
Cc: '[email protected]'=20
Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2001 8:58 AM
Subject: RE: Which vendor to use for printing forms


Larry,=20

I would suggest Optio, it has been selected by JDEdwards as the =
preferred vendor for document solutions. I have personally worked with =
all of the solutions and Optio in my opinion is the best fit for =
OneWorld, for ease of installation, integration, and development of =
forms.

If you would like more detailed informations, you can contact me =
offline.=20

Brent Fudala=20
Broughton Systems=20
Certified Consultant=20
JDEdwards/Optio=20
804-677-3817=20
[email protected]=20
 
For OneWorld .pdf output, Enterprise Resolutions .pdf Wizard product uses
the JetForm engine in combination with .pdf Wizard. It is a very good
product as well. Enterprise Resolutions will design and maintain your forms
for quite a reasonable price so you don't need to have internal knowledge of
the design program if you don't want to invest in that.

Good Luck,
Kimberley Bohn
QNX Software Systems Ltd., Canada
B73.3.2, NT, SQL7.0, SP10
WTS W2K
 
Hi

I am going through the same process at the moment.
Two products that are very impressive are Formscape and streamserve.

AS400 Model 720, B7332,

Mark Jarvis
IT Manager
Jack Allen Limited

[email protected]
Tel : +44 (0)1922 742015



LBurroughs
<LBurroughs@dewbe To: [email protected]
rry.com> cc:
Sent by: Subject: Which vendor to use for printing forms
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delist.com


31/05/01 13:05
Please respond to
jdelist





I am looking for feedback about forms. What are you guys using. We have
been recommended 3 different vendors.

Create Form
Jetform Central Pro
Optio DCS






Larry Burroughs
Dewberry & Davis
[email protected]

XE, JAS, SQL7, SP15.0 Windows 2000, Update 1
--------------------------
Visit the forum to view this thread at:
http://198.144.193.139/cgi-bin/wwwthreads/showflat.pl?Cat
=&Board=OW&Number=11867
 
These comments are from a user/ERP team member and shouldn't be taken as
first hand knowledge of hands-on use of any forms software.

We started our go live with Resolutions; however, due to some issues with
detail line formatting and being able to reprint or view a print job after
processing we changed to Create Form. Though we have also hade some of the
same issues with Create Form we've been able to work around most of them.
Output wise they seem to be equivalent. To my knowledge we haven't use
Jetform or Optio.



Walt Sellers
Heil Environmental Industries, Ltd.
OW B733.2 SP10, Citrix, Windows NT TS2000, Oracle 8.1.6
 
Larry,

We use Optio with our B733.1 environment, and have tested it with OneWorld XE with good results.

Applications in which we use Optio are: A/P Checks, Purchase Order print and fax, Sales Order Acknowledgment, and Supplier Analysis reports (faxed or e-mailed).

Both Larry Jones and I support Optio, and took a week of training from Optio, which has proven sufficient for maintaining and developing fairly complex Optio reports.

One thing you do need to watch for is that when JDE changes service pack levels, your .pdf file format can shift, which can force you to re-map your .pdf fields for Optio to use.

Overall, we're very happy end-users of Optio.

Don Sauve
Wagstaff, Inc.
Production: OW B733.1 & SP11.3, HP-UX 11.0, Oracle 8.1.6
Prototype: OW XE & SP15
 
Thanks to all who gave me feedback. We will be going live very soon and this is a slightly overlooked area that we need to decide on.

Larry Burroughs
Dewberry & Davis
[email protected]

XE, JAS, SQL7, SP15.0 Windows 2000, Update 1
 
Hi Brent,
Do you have any documentation on the 3 forms packages, maybe some sort of
comparison or evaluation would be great.
Thanks in advance for anything you can offer.
Cheers
Antoinette Ienco
JDE Consultant
 
Basically they are all niche products and base functionality is very similar. We debated over Optio and FormScape and chose FormScape. For everything we needed, both companies offered the same thing:

1) Forms processing from OneWorld XE
2) Archival/Storage

Basically our decision came down to price. While both made their pricing the same, Optio wants to charge you down the road for additional facilities and printers whereas FormScape does not.

I have not seen the development behind Optio but I have seen the FormScape and to a non-programmer, it is confusing.

When you start your project, make sure you try to do the following:

1) Allow plenty of time per document. We allocated about 25 hours per document of development.
2) Make sure that you have all your JD Edwards reports and versions squared away before forms development
3) Make sure you test many, many samples of each document with different combinations (ie: single PDF with a single page, single PDF with multiple pages, single PDF with multiple reports with multiple and single pages, multiple PDF's of same combinations, max out fields, make sure all fields are populated for initial programming, etc.). Basically, hammer it when testing.

Good luck with your selection.

Danny Mc?




---
Danny Mc?
ES = AS/400 v4r5
DS = Win2000 / SQL v7.0
CO = WinNT / Win2k
CT = Fat & Citrix
FP = FormScape
 
My answer to that would be Create!print...all the way.

Let me know if you have any specific question about it.

Javid
----- Original Message -----
From: "DannyMc" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, November 30, 2001 3:17 PM
Subject: Re: Which vendor to use for printing forms


similar. We debated over Optio and FormScape and chose FormScape. For
everything we needed, both companies offered the same thing:
the same, Optio wants to charge you down the road for additional facilities
and printers whereas FormScape does not.
and to a non-programmer, it is confusing.
document of development.
squared away before forms development
combinations (ie: single PDF with a single page, single PDF with multiple
pages, single PDF with multiple reports with multiple and single pages,
multiple PDF's of same combinations, max out fields, make sure all fields
are populated for initial programming, etc.). Basically, hammer it when
testing.
http://198.144.193.139/cgi-bin/wwwthreads/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=OW&Number=2
4604



Win NT 4.0, SQL 7.0,Xe sp 16.1
 
Round three - go with OPTIO!.

In our situation they were the best bang for the buck... and no, they aren't
exactly inexpensive, either.

A previous Form Tool that we used was, from a creator's side, real junk. We
looked for a tool that would allow non-programmers to develop the forms.
Optio had, from a simpleton Idaho perspective, the easiest interface to
building the final.

What you really need to do is - have each vender come in and give you the
dog and pony show. During that show, force them to train at least five of
your employees how to use the tool. Then have those five provide the
feedback and decision support.

Don't make your choice based on dollars. Make your decision based on ease
of use, service and other customer feedback. Since each client is different
- Make the Big 3 train your staff then, have your staff determine which
provides the most benefit. If they are unwilling to provide some
'simplified pre-sales training', then they will - probably - not be your
vendor of choice.

Best wishes!



Daniel Bohner
[email protected]
www.existinglight.net
JDE - XE & AS/400
JDE - B7331 & MS SQL 7x
 
Hi Larry,
Have you had any other feedback on this question. I would be very interested
in anything you have.
Thanks a million
Antoinette
 
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