Quick Start Guide
Short Videos:
Get Started with The 10 Basic Steps of FormReturn
With FormReturn there are a number of methods that can be used for identifying forms and reconciling your captured response data with a data table. The basic steps describe how to collect data using the default identification and publication type which is called the Form iD method. Records from your data table are printed on the published forms for identification purposes and the processed response data from each form will be stored beside that persons name in Captured Data.
1. Create / design a segment and add questions and checkboxes then save the file.
- Add an empty segment area to the page (to upload your segment into), double click on it, click add segment and select the segment file you just created then click the OK button.
- Add a form ID barcode to the top left of the form page by clicking on the barcode tool then clicking on the form page.
- Add a text area for typing Template Variable replacement fieldnames for form identification. Type them like this <<firstname>> <<lastname>>(This is similar to mail merge and you must use fieldnames that are exactly the same as in your Source data table)
3. Click the recognition preview tab to detect barcodes, segment, fragments and marks.
4. Click the source data icon at the top of the program window. Click add new table to either manually add records, import records via CSV file, or JDBC import.
5. Go back to the form and click the publish forms tab.
- Click refresh on the table panel at the left.
- Click the new name of the table you just created.
- In the publish name area, enter in a new name for the publication you are about to create.
- Click publish and PDF.
6. Print from the PDF file and give to people to complete.
7. Scan the completed forms in using your scanner. Set scanner's resolution to 100 DPI, PNG (preferably) or TIFF format (CCITT group 4, RLE or packbits compression only).
8. In FormReturn, click the processing queue button, then click upload image on the left hand side of the screen. Upload the image (or you can select a folder of images to upload too).
9. Once processed (this may take a while depending on the number of forms you uploaded), click the captured data button. To view captured data, Click the publication name, then click the form tab, then click on the form name, then click the form pages tab, then click the page you want to view.
10. To export the data, Click on the publication tab again, then click the publication name, then click export data.
- Open the CSV file and click OK to open it in excel to view all data for the publication you just created.
Join us online with Webinar to learn all you need to know about FormReturn.
Part 1 - This screencast video discusses the basic steps of creating segments, checkbox areas and assigning values and marks to the checkboxes. If you cannot view the screencast, download the file by clicking this link http://www.formreturn.com/quickstart_guide.m4v and open it with Apple Quicktime Player (available at http://www.apple.com/quicktime).
Part 2 - This video screencast discusses how to add segments to forms, adding Form ID barcodes, template variables and then checking the form in the recognition preview. If you cannot view the screencast, download the file by clicking this link http://www.formreturn.com/quickstart_guide_part2.m4v and open it with Apple Quicktime Player (available at http://www.apple.com/quicktime).
Part 3 - This video screencast discusses how add data to the database, publish forms, capture forms and export captured data. If you cannot view the screencast, download the file by clicking this link http://www.formreturn.com/quickstart_guide_part3.m4v and open it with Apple Quicktime Player (available at http://www.apple.com/quicktime).
