Flexible forms: Overview

There is a challenge in identifying supposedly identical forms that contain minor variations when, for example:

1. • Forms are printed by different printing companies.

   • Forms are printed on different office printers.

   • Forms are downloaded from the internet, printed on a home computer, and sent in.

   • Forms are positioned differently in the scanner or fax machine.

In earlier program versions, this challenge was met by creating multiple form definitions (with variations) for the same form and including them in the same job or using FORMS' alias function. Though effective, using numerous form definitions to cover all possible variations of a form is challenging and time consuming.

In FORMS 5-3, flexible forms functionality now makes it possible to identify a much wider range of variations for a single form type using fewer form definitions and with higher accuracy. Use it when image quality is good and the images vary slightly due to reasons such as those mentioned above.

Note: Due to the increased number of adjustment fields that need to be examined when flexible forms is enabled, more time is required for FORMS to process documents using it. As a result, it should only be used in cases similar to those mentioned above, where document identification may be difficult and where time from the manual handling of documents can be saved.

Use flexible forms in job descriptions (recommended)

• Specifying flexible forms in an existing job description

• Preparing existing form definitions for use in a job with flexible forms

Use flexible forms in connection with individual form definitions

• Using form-definition identification settings to override the job settings

• Creating a form definition with flexible forms

Best practices

• Recommended course of action when setting up flexible forms with existing form definitions.

• Normally, job identification settings are used to enable flexible forms, and all form definitions that are included in the job are affected.

• For exceptions when only individual form definitions in a job should use flexible forms, override the job settings using the identification settings in the form definition.

• If identification settings are specified in individual form definitions, they should match the identification settings of the job description in which they are included for processing. Before creating a new form definition, import job-identification settings for the next form definition.

• Always check that forms can be identified in a job before using flexible forms in production.

Related topics

Identification settings: Overview

Checking that forms can be identified in a job

Capturing a larger area for character fields that vary from one form to another

Recommended guidelines when analyzing for optimal flexible-forms setup using existing form definitions