Software
Review of: |
 I
have been anxious to acquire new OCR software so as to compare what came
with my computer to a different OCR software. When I spotted Formtool for
review, I thought I had found what I was looking for. The packaging is
impressive. A heavy-duty box within a box contains a CD-ROM installation
disk, and three books – the Getting Started Guide, Addendum and User Guide.
Inside the box, this software is labeled as Formtool 97, but I found in
small print on the box, version 3.
Formtool requires an IBM Compatible 486DX or higher, Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0, 8 MB RAM (16 MB recommended), 25 MG Hard Drive Space (30 MB recommended, CD-ROM drive, mouse, VGA monitor and a TWAIN-compatible scanner. A sticker on the box says it works with Windows 98. I am running a Pentium II/266 with more than adequate 160 MB RAM, 2 GB free hard drive space and the recommended scanner. Formtool installed without a problem even though this version did not utilize auto-install. At installation I had the option of typical or custom. I chose custom because with custom I could eliminate the password options, which I do not need at this time. The first thing that I chose to do after installing was to go through the tutor. Again I had a surprise –"You mean I have to read this?" Yes, I had to read the tutorial because there was no sound to it. I have gotten used to having voice and fancy graphics in tutorials, so I had to go through the tutorial twice so as to be sure that I mentally processed all the information provided. Formtool comes with a surprising large encyclopedia of pre-designed forms, which are categorized. The categories include
There is a floating tool bar that has all the tools you use to create forms and can be moved to be out of the way. There is also a Property Inspector that enables you to set parameters for filling in each field correctly. My first attempt to work with Formtool was to create a form to use as an evaluation. Once I was able to get the tools to perform as the tutor had shown me, it was easy to create a form and to go to fill view so as to complete the form. I next opened two of the sample forms that come with Formtool. These can be completed (filled in) with the computer and can also be changed to better suit your needs and uses. Finally, I tried scanning a form that I had on hand. This form is one that anyone involved with farming/ranching production has to keep for spot checks of chemical usage. I have in the past created my own form with use of a spreadsheet, but was never able to create a form that held all the information and still could be printed out on 8½x11 paper. (Maybe if I had the right printer, my homemade form could be printed on 11x17. Who can use that size?) The form scanned well into Formtool with most of the alphabet, though small, being legible. After scanning, I went through the steps to have my form fully accepted into Formtool and was able to go to "filler form" and type in the information required on this form. I have to admit to being excited about the scanning function of this software. There are so many times when I acquire sample forms for use and either sit down with pencil, ruler, eraser and paper to create my own copies of the form or have to run out to a pay by the page copy machine to copy the sample. This software makes forms very easy to replicate and to fill out. However, at least for me, it will take a lot more reading and practice to really understand all the things that can be done in Formtool. A most important feature of Formtool, which I was not able to test out, is the ability to send a form via e-mail to be completed and then returned via e-mail. Thinking back to my working years – this software would have saved a tremendous amount of time (not to mention gasoline) by being able to send, complete and return forms via the Internet. (Of course in those days everyone thought fax machines were the latest wonder.) According to the manufacturer, with Formtool you can create a database
that enables you to link, query, sort, retrieve and update your records
with minimal effort. Formtool is compatible with any other database that
you may be using such as Access, dbase and others. Imsi claims that Version
4 of Formtool is much more intuitive and easier to use. They also claim
that the e-mail feature is more efficient. I found Formtool, version 4
available on the Internet at <www.imsisoft.com>
for $99.95.
Rose Lynn Saenger is a frequent contributor to PC Alamode |