iforms Migration Workbook Electronic Forms to iforms 2

Transcription

1 iforms Electronic Forms to iforms 2

2 RJS Software Systems 2970 Judicial Road, Suite 100 Burnsville, MN Phone: Fax: Sales Support Website: About RJS Software Systems RJS Software Systems helps companies go paperless by automating business processes and digitally managing the entire lifecycle of their business information. We provide solutions that help you capture, manage, distribute, and route documents digitally, and we provide you with the tools you need to keep that information safe and secure. Learn more about RJS Software Systems at RJS Software Systems This guide is protected under copyright law, furnished for informational use only, is subject to change without notice, and should not be construed as a commitment by RJS Software Systems. RJS Software Systems assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or inaccuracies that may appear in the informational content contained in this guide. This guide is licensed for use under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non- Commercial 3.0 License. This license allows users to copy, distribute, and transmit the guide for noncommercial purposes only so long as (1) proper attribution to RJS Software is given as the owner of the guide; and (2) any reuse or distribution of the guide contains a notice that use of the guide is governed by these terms. To view a copy of this license, visit Printed: May 2014

3 About iforms 2 iforms 2 lets you maintain the ability you had with Electronic Forms (or E-Forms) to convert your data into valuable business forms and reports. With iforms 2, though, you have more choices of the kind of input data you can convert and more choices for output format. You ll also be able to streamline and simplify your forms processes. And you will have greater control over the quality, content, and production of your organization s forms and reports. This workbook describes iforms 2 in detail, and the goal of this workbook is to help you successfully migrate from Electronic Forms to iforms 2 by: Introducing you to the benefits, components, and concepts of iforms 2. Explaining the important things to consider before migrating. Helping you gather key information from your organization s current forms processes that will determine your hardware requirements and tailor your iforms 2 configuration. After you read and complete the tasks in this workbook, you and your RJS Software representative will begin implementing iforms 2 at your organization. This workbook is divided into the following topics: Benefits Components How the Components Work Together Input and Output Server Concepts What to Consider Before Migrating Assembling a Team Assessing Your Data Contacting RJS Software Page 1

4 Benefits iforms 2 is not just a new version of an old system. It is a paradigm shift that offers many benefits, including: Improved performance and reliability. Cross-platform server. For more information, see Components. Ability to have the server service multiple iseries partitions. Multiple merge jobs with different priorities. Greater control of how server resources are allocated to merge processes. Intuitive error messaging. Simplified form-design process with easier scripting. Expanded input and output options. For more information, see Input and Output. More reliable printing after form merges. Four methods for printing to cover the widest range of print devices. Easy switching between printing methods. Page 2

5 Components iforms 2 is comprised of updated and integrated components: Server, Client, Designer, and Text Designer. iforms Server The heart of the iforms solution and the component that produces merged forms. All other components connect to it. You configure the server remotely from any browser. iforms Server replaces both the Electronic Forms Print Server and the FDMERGE Server. With Electronic Forms some organizations maintained several servers. After migrating to iforms 2, you will only need one server. Platform The iforms Server can run on Microsoft Windows or IBM i. Architecture The iforms Server uses Representational State Transfer (REST) architecture. This RESTful architecture lets the iforms Server use HTTP requests to create, read, update, and delete data. The server requires a client to set up template and data merges. RJS Software offers two fully developed client application, one for Microsoft Windows, the other for IBM i. The RESTful architecture of iforms 2 gives you the flexibility to integrate iforms into almost any application. Contact RJS Software for further details. iforms Client Platform The application that you use to set up and run merges on the server between input data and form templates. RJS Software Applications RJS Software has developed two client applications that you can deploy immediately to set up and run merges: Page 3

6 DeliverNow for Microsoft Windows iforms Library for IBM i Your Application: Using the iforms Client Proxy API If your organization needs your own application to submit merges to the iforms Server, you can use the iforms client proxy API. Available for both Microsoft.NET and Java, the API lets you integrate the client functionality into your application. Contact RJS Software for further details. iforms Designer The iforms Designer is the application you use to create custom form templates. It was developed for the iforms solution and replaces FormDocs. Platform Microsoft Windows iforms Text Designer The iforms Text Designer is the application you use to extract text from input data in spool files or text files so you can merge the text with form templates. The iforms Text Designer, which was developed for the iforms solution, replaces Text Layer Designer. Platform Microsoft Windows Note: If your input data is not in spool files or text files, you will not use the iforms Text Designer. Page 4

7 How the Components Work Together Install and configure the iforms server. Install the client application and the iforms Designer (and, if needed, the iforms Text Designer). Design one or more form templates and save them to the server. Use the client application to merge input data with the templates. The server produces professional forms and sends a result message to the client application. Page 5

8 Input and Output iforms can use a variety of input data sources to create professional forms in a number of different output formats. Input Data iforms can merge custom form templates with input data from the following: Any relational database with a JDBC driver, like Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, and Oracle DB2 physical files Microsoft Windows or UNIX text files Output Forms locations. File Type PDF PCL iforms can produce useful, professional forms and reports in several file formats and send them to several different RTF HTML XML files XLS JPG IBM i spool files XML JPGZIP CSV TIFF Location Directory (to the IFS, local to the iforms Server, or local to the iforms Client) Spool file in an output queue Printer (Either a Microsoft Windows or iseries printer, including specialty and barcode printers, like Zebra) Your custom web portal Page 6

9 Server Concepts Datasource iseries Resource Environment iforms Server 2 was designed with three concepts that simplify the iforms workflow: Datasource, iseries Resource, and Environment. Each concept is a configuration setting on the server and represents a connection between the server and a component or input data. Datasource Datasource iseries Resource Environment A connection to input data in a database. You name the Datasource and set up and configure its JDBC class driver, URL, connection string, credentials, and so forth. You can have multiple Datasources on one server. Note: If your input data is only in spool files or text files, you do not need to set up a Datasource. Instead, the iforms Server creates a temporary table from the text extracted from spool or text files in the iforms Text Designer. Example Acme Foods Datasource is stored in a Microsoft SQL Server database. They name it (Suppliers) and configure it during iforms implementation. Then, the iforms Server will always have the connection to their database and be able to run form merges without interruption. Suppliers iseries Resource Environment Page 7

10 iseries Resource Datasource iseries Resource Environment A connection with credentials to an iseries. An iseries resource lets the iforms Server do the following without interruption: Download spool-file data or IFS files as input data for a merge. Upload output forms to a spool file or an IFS directory. You can connect to multiple iseries machines from one server. Note: If your organization does not use the iseries, you will not set up an iseries Resource. Example Acme Foods input data is in spool files on an iseries machine. They install the iforms Server on a different machine. During iforms implementation, they create an iseries Resource (Production) for the machine that holds their spool files. Now the server can access the files during form production and then re-spool merged forms to an output queue on the same iseries. Datasource Production Environment Environment Datasource iseries Resource A location on the iforms Server for storing form templates and template auxiliary files, like sub-reports, images, and so forth. Every Environment that you create has a distinct directory path. Environment Then, when you design form templates in the iforms Designer (and iforms Text Designer, if needed), you save them to a specified Environment on the iforms Server. So, during form production, the server always has access to templates and auxiliary files. You can set up multiple Environments on one server. Page 8

11 Example During iforms implementation Acme Foods set up two Environments, Test and Production. They design their form template and store it, along with template auxiliary files, in the Test Environment. They test their template design in this Environment before moving the template to the Production Environment. Datasource iseries Resource Production Test Page 9

12 What to Consider Before Migrating RJS Software has found the following to be the most common concerns organizations have before migrating from Electronic Forms to iforms 2. Please know that through the entire migration process RJS Software will assist you. When implementing iforms 2, you will set up a new server, though you might be able to set it up on hardware you re already using for Electronic Forms. Your RJS Software representative will help you implement the new server. Electronic Forms and iforms 2 can run concurrently, and you don t have to migrate all your forms processes at once. RJS Software appreciates that your forms processes are crucial to your organization, so consider migrating one form at a time. You will need to create new form templates and text layers. Your RJS Software representative will help you create new templates and text layers. Any application in your organization that currently calls FDMERGE has to be modified to call the new command, IFMEXEC. Your RJS Software representative can give you parameter equivalencies between commands. You will need to set up a new monitor for form merges. Your RJS Software representative will help you with this set-up. Page 10

13 Assembling a Team A successful iforms 2 implementation requires specialized knowledge from different parts of your organization. You gather that knowledge by assembling a committed, skilled team. Choose team members who are excited about being able to control of the quality, content, and production of your organization s forms and reports through iforms 2. The team is divided into the following roles: Project Manager Information Analyst IT Analyst Business Analyst Depending upon your organization s circumstances, some or all of these roles might go to the same person or be divided up. Review the roles and responsibilities on the following two pages and assign someone to each role. Note: Some responsibilities are in bold. These responsibilities require active participation, either in completing tasks in this workbook or in implementing iforms 2 with your RJS Software representative after the workbook is filled out. Page 11

14 Role Leads this team. Responsibilities Project Manager Reads this workbook and completes all tasks in it. Is part of the implementation phone call with RJS Software after the workbook is filled out. Has a working knowledge of the responsibilities of all the roles. Is your organization s primary contact with RJS Software. Assigned to: Helps fill out this workbook (in the Assessing Your Data section). Thoroughly understands the following about source data that your organization currently uses to create forms: Information Analyst o Its file format, database structure, or both. o Where it s stored on the network. Thoroughly understands the following about source data for forms produced after iforms is implemented: o Its file format, database structure, or both. o Where it s stored on the network. Assigned to: Page 12

15 Role IT Analyst Responsibilities Is part of the implementation phone call with RJS Software after this workbook is filled out. Thoroughly understands the your organization s: o Network. o Hardware (including printers). o Operating systems all computers are running. Knows whether additional hardware and software resources are available. Assigned to: Helps fill out this workbook (in the Assessing Your Data section). Has working knowledge of all the forms your organization currently uses. Thoroughly understands the following about the forms your organization needs to produce after iforms is implemented: Business Analyst o All the different kinds. For example, invoices, purchase orders, bills of lading, EOD reports, and so forth. o How each kind needs to be laid out. o Whether each kind needs signatures. o What file format each kind needs to be. o Where each kind needs to be stored, routed, or printed. Assigned to: Note: If you or anyone on your team needs clarification of responsibilities, contact RJS Software for assistance. Page 13

16 Assessing Your Data To successfully migrate from Electronic Forms to iforms 2, you need to know your hardware requirements and have a clear picture of the current forms processes at your organization. A data assessment will give you and your RJS Software representative this information. Data-Assessment Worksheets To do an assessment, you and your team fill out simple, one-page data-assessment worksheets for each of your organization s current forms. You need to assess the data in your current forms because they already hold all the information that iforms 2 needs to access. 1. Review the sample data-assessment worksheets on the next two pages. 2. Download one data-assessment worksheet for each kind of form your organization will produce with iforms. 3. Along with the Information Analyst and Business Analyst, fill out the worksheets. The Information Analyst fills out the Current Input. The Business Analyst fills out the Anticipated Output. Note: If you have questions about any part of the worksheet, first fill out as much of it as you can before contacting RJS Software. Page 14

17 Sample 1 Page 15

18 Sample 2 Page 16

19 Contacting RJS Software Now it s time to begin migrating to iforms 2. To ensure your implementation is as fast and easy as possible, make sure you have done the following before contacting your RJS representative: Reviewed the benefits, components, and concepts of iforms 2. Reviewed the things to consider before migrating and the command equivalencies. Assembled a team. Filled out data-assessment worksheets. Now, contact RJS Software to schedule a time to begin implementing iforms 2. Note: Make sure the IT Analyst is part of the implementation because you will be determining your iforms hardware requirements. RJS Software Systems Phone: Fax: Sales sales@rjssoftware.com Support support@rjssoftware.com Website: Page 17