In recent years, along with the development of network infrastructure, business enterprises have become increasingly interested in electronic form/application systems. Their demands are for improved business productivity and connectivity, including Web support of electronic application systems, rather than for cost reduction as seen in the past. Meanwhile, legal requirements and government policies provide further impetus towards electronic form/application systems.

The computerization and Web migration of business forms entail a great expenditure of time and effort in both design and development due to the complexity of these forms. When a system is built, the development of forms is often constrained by the formatting capabilities of the implementation platform. However, there are many training and productivity advantages to making electronic forms that are precise duplicates of the printed paper forms, or at least that are perceived by the business users of these forms as having a familiar look. Every enterprise tends to have distinct practices regarding color, style, and layout on their business forms. These intricacies are major sources of cost in the development of electronic forms.

An increasing number of business enterprises maximize the efficiency of forms in the Web environment by using a workflow system for their application, approval, and acceptance processes. An important challenge in the use of the Web is to provide usability and convenience to end users.

It is difficult for existing HTML-based electronic form/application software and tools to meet the aforementioned challenge. End users are not satisfied with them. Curl offers a solution that responds to user needs and makes possible convenient Web-based electronic form/application systems.

Usability and screen controls that Curl allows for on the Web match those available in client-server systems. In addition, the Curl technology enables end users to share information and developers to build user-convenient Web forms and Web screens resembling paper forms. Excellent extensibility is another feature. While Curl reduces the number of man-hours required for the development of an electronic form system, it also enables the designer to build electronic form/application systems in a new style equipped with additional Web capabilities.

Electronic Form/Application System Example

Curl Advantages in the Design of Electronic Form/Application Systems

Reduced Costs

• No need to purchase narrow software tools that can do forms and nothing else
• Reduced development man-hours required for the construction or modification of a system accommodating complicated form screens
• Electronic application and data storage resulting in the paper-free storage of associated data
• Online applications reduce labor and save working hours

Multiplatform Capability for Flexibility and Extendibility

• Server platform independence and Web service accessibility
• Enables efficient use of forms through compatibility with other systems and software (PDF files, etc.)

Convenient Web Forms

• Web forms can be built in the same visual format as paper forms
• Use is possible offline, or without connecting to a server
• Completed forms can be stored on the client PC

Support for Unique, Complicated Forms for Japanese Companies

• Support for vertical writing fonts, flush right alignment, and IME control
• Display capability for existing Word and Excel files

Reduced Loads on the Server

• Improved usability and response for end users
• Fast search on the client side while connected with a server

Print Control

• Printing objects within a specified range
• Printing independent of the image size on the browser