About Dynamic Forms

Administrators can provide users with the ability to print on demand forms by setting up a Print Dynamic Forms button on a device. Multiple resources can be used to collect the data needed to compose a form like job properties and databases. In addition, Prompts can be used to guide users and streamline workflows that require forms printing at a device.

Before you begin

Administrators must complete the following tasks.

Activate the Dynamic Forms license.

Note: Other licenses may be required based on your workflow requirements. Contact your Account Manager for more information.

Ensure your Device Client installation is complete, and devices are set up.

Determine which databases, columns and/or job properties will be used for the data collection.

Note: Databases and job properties must be configured before you set up forms.

Create the template you need to compose the form. Forms can be created with the AccuRoute OMTPL extension. There are several templates with this type of extension developed for other uses like routing sheets and cover pages that can be saved with a RTF extension, for example, and then modified as needed. Templates can be created in the following file formats: OMTPL, RTF, DOC, and HTML. Other formats are not supported.

Note: Templates must be saved to the DynamicForms default folder located in the ..\Upland AccuRoute\AccuRoute\Languages\ENU\ folder. If other languages are to be used, select the appropriate language folder, create a DynamicForms folder, and save the templates in the DynamicForms folder created. Default DynamicForms folders do not exist in other languages.

Determine which groups will use the Print Dynamic Form button at the device, all, or specific groups.
Set up Print Dynamic Forms.
Set up the device button.
Enable group members to use the device button.

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Setting up Print Dynamic Forms

You can set up forms by using Configuration > Dynamic Forms in the Server Administrator. Job properties, database lookups and prompts can be used to collect, retrieve data, and compose the form.

To set up dynamic forms

In the Server Administrator, expand Configuration and right-click Dynamic Forms. The Dynamic Forms shortcut menu appears.
Select New > Dynamic Form. The Dynamic Forms Properties dialog box appears.

Setting up General properties

In General Properties, type a form name in the Name box.

Note: This is the name of the form that appears on the device. Ensure the label is descriptive and easily understood by your device users.

Select a template on the Template drop-down list.

Note: Templates must be available in the Dynamic Forms default folder in order to continue with this setup. You will not be able to set up dynamic forms if a template is not selected.

Setting up Prompt properties

Select the Prompts tab. Prompts can be used at the device to guide users in the data collection process.

In Prompt Properties, select Add. The Select Prompt Job Property dialog box appears.
Select the Ellipsis (…) button. The Select Job Property dialog box appears.
Find and select a System or User-defined job property.
Select OK on the Select Job Property dialog box.
Select how you want to display the prompts on a device, for example, Workflow – Individual pages. Each prompt will appear on its own individual page (screen) on the device.

Select OK on the Select Prompt Job Property dialog box.

Repeats steps 6 through 12 until you have added the prompts needed for the user.

Setting up Lookup properties

Select the Lookups tab. Databases can be used to look up values for forms.

In Lookup Properties, select Add. The Lookup Properties dialog box appears.
Specify a Lookup name in the Name box.
Specify the DSN parameters in the DSN box. The DSN parameter is used by the AccuRoute server to identify and connect to the appropriate database for the lookup.

DSN Syntax

Driver={Database Driver}; Server= localhost or other hostname; Database=Database Name; Trusted_Connection=Yes

Example: Driver={SQL Server}; Server=localhost\SQLEXPRESS; Database=LCR_Invoice_DB; Trusted_Connection=Yes

Specify the Query parameters in the Query box. The Query parameters identify the database table and columns to be used by the server for lookup and data retrieval.

Select the Test button to test your query parameters. The Test dialog box shows whether your connection and query to the database was successful. You will also see any column name used in the query's Select statement .
Select OK on the Lookup Properties dialog box.
Select OK on the DynamicForm Properties dialog box.

Setting up the Print Dynamic Forms device button

The Print Dynamic Form device button can be set up by using Devices in the Server Administrator.

To set up the Print Dynamic Form device button

In the Server Administrator, select Devices.
Right-click the appropriate device group, for example, Default. The Device Properties shortcut menu appears.
Select Properties.
Select the Buttons tab.
Select Add. The Add Button dialog box appears.
Find and choose Print Dynamic Form on the Type drop-down list.
Select OK on the Add Button dialog box.
Ensure Print Dynamic Form appears on the Device Home Screen list.

See the Device Group Properties dialog box example below.

Select OK on the Device Group Properties dialog box.

Enabling group members to use Print Dynamic Forms

Administrators can enable all or specific group members the ability to print on demand forms by using Groups in the Server Administrator.

To enable group members to use Print Dynamic Forms

In the Server Administrator, select Groups.
Right-click the appropriate group, for example, Default. The Properties shortcut menu appears.
Select Properties. The Group Properties dialog box appears.
Expand Clients in the General pane if necessary.
Select Dynamic Forms.
Select the Enable members of this group…. check box.
Select the appropriate form check box.

See the Group Properties > Clients > Dynamic Forms dialog box example below.

Select OK on the Group Properties dialog box.

Dynamic Form Examples

The following examples demonstrate how Print Dynamic Forms can be used to generate and print forms at a device.

Note: These examples are for illustrative purposes only and may not reflect your company’s unique configurations and workflows.

Customer Appreciation Form Example

The Customer Appreciation form example was set up by creating user-defined job properties and prompts.

In this example, a company’s representatives can print a Customer Appreciation form for their customers after the completion of a sale to send with a Welcome packet.

How it works

A representative at a device selects the Print Dynamic Form button. The forms developed for users appear on the device. The representative selects the Customer Appreciation form. Prompts are used to request the following information from the user.

Current Date
Customer Name
Representative Name
Contact Information

The data is then substituted where the %variables% are indicated on the form.

See the Customer Appreciation form template example below.

The Select Job Property dialog box shows the user-defined job properties created for the form.

Prompts were created to request information from the user at the device.

Note: A device simulator was used in the example below for illustrative purposes and may not reflect your actual device display.

See the device home page with the Print Dynamic Form button example below.

Prompts are displayed after the user selects the appropriate form. The Administrator may include instructions that appear at the bottom of the device’s display to support the user at the device.

See the Current Date prompt example below.

The form is ready for printing after the information requested by the prompts is complete.

See the Print LCR Customer Appreciation Form example below.

Invoice Form Example

The Invoice form example was set up by creating a user-defined job property, a prompt and database lookup.

In this example, a company’s billing representatives can print an Invoice form for their account managers after the 30-day software trial period has expired.

How it works

A billing representative at a device selects the Print Dynamic Form button. The forms developed for users appear on the device. The billing representative selects the Invoice form. Only one prompt is used to request the following information from the user.

Account Number

The Account Number is used to look up and retrieve the following data from a database.

Company Name
Account Manager
Quantity
Description
Price
Total
Total Due

The data is then substituted where the %variables% are indicated on the form. The database lookup name is used as part of the variable name, for example, %L1.Company_Name%. The “L1” in this example identifies which invoice variables need to be looked up and retrieved by the server.

See the Invoice form template example below.

Note: The Account Number variable is a prompt where the value is provided by the device user. The remaining variables on the form are used to retrieve the data from the database.

The Select Job Property dialog box shows the user-defined job property created for the form.

The Dynamic Form Properties > Lookups dialog box shows the DSN and Query parameters created for the form.

See the Dynamic Form Properties > Lookups dialog box example below.

The Account Number prompt was created to request information from the user on the device. Any prompt added to the Dynamic Form during set up can be used as a substitution in the query. The value provided at the device replaces the variable used in the query statement and initiates the query. Multiple lookups can exist in a query. They are executed in ascending order (top to bottom). A Lookup can also use a column from a previous Lookup's Select statement as a substitution.

Note: A device simulator was used in the example below for illustrative purposes and may not reflect your actual device display.

Forms are displayed after the user selects the Print Dynamic Form button on the Home page. Search can be used to find forms if necessary.

See the Dynamic Form list page and Search example below.

Prompts are displayed, if any, after the appropriate form is selected. The user specifies the required Account Number information.

See the Account Number prompt with instructions example below.

The user selects Print and initiates the data lookup, retrieval, and form composition.

See the Print LCR Invoice Form example below.

The following variables can be used for your form templates. The creation of job properties for these variables is not required.

SENDER_DEVICE_LANGUAGE_RAW
SENDER_DEVICE_IP_ADDRESS
DEVICE_SERIAL_NUMBER
SENDER_DEVICE_MODEL
SENDER_DEVICE_HOST_NAME
SENDER_NAME
SENDER_EMAIL

About Dynamic Forms

Before you begin

See also