Create!form Case Study

MfgPro Case Study

...from Ian Lynch, Systems Manager at Westomatic Vending Services Ltd. in Devon... currently a UNIX MfgPro user.

'In 1999 we carried out a major upgrade to our MfgPro system and we needed a forms management tool to replace the redundant Fantasia product that we were previously using. The standard printed output from MfgPro is fairly basic in appearance and is not good enough for our desired corporate image so we wanted a product that could use this raw data and merge it into a customised form suitable to send to our customers and suppliers. There were four main requirements that we were looking for:

1. The forms should be designed easily using a windows client PC.
2. The merge engine should run automatically on the Unix server and use the lp print spooler.
3. There should be minimal ongoing administration once the forms were designed.
4. There should be no need to modify the output of MfgPro.

We reviewed a number of forms tools including two that were approved QAD partner products but found both very complicated and burdensome to use. Create!form (supplied by UK premier partner PCF) was much simpler to use in comparison and was considerably cheaper and it appeared to do everything wanted.

After a short on-site training course (PCF provides training and professional support services throughout UK) we quickly designed our main forms and went into production on our live MfgPro system within a matter of weeks of installing the product. Create!form is now used for the following MfgPro outputs:

Sales Quotations, Sales Order Confirmations, Invoices, Customer Statements, Purchase Orders, Supplier Schedules, Factory Works Orders, Dispatch Notes, Packing Slips, Debit Notes.

In addition to providing a nice corporate template for these forms we are able to analyse the output data for certain types of information such as country codes and use this to switch in country-specific forms written in the appropriate language. Using this simple method we can successfully differentiate between customers who require billing in say Euros or who need two copies of their invoices or instances where we can add extra information onto the form that is specific to a customer.

We also use Create!form for other activities such as generating the stick-on rating plate labels that we attach to our products. This utilises data from the MfgPro Factory Works Order to create the barcoded labels and print them out on a specific printer every time a works order is generated. It has helped us to speed up our process flows quite considerably.

All-in-all we find this an excellent product which integrates seamlessly with our MfgPro system and gives us a very professional looking set of corporate stationery. We are now looking to expand our use of the Create!form range with the addition of Create!stream and Create!email to support our move to more electronic based communications.'

Obviously PCF is very proud to receive commendations like this!

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