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email pdf form complete

Forum Index > Forms: Acrobat > email pdf form complete
2008-11-12 07:47:03
nirie1
Registered: Nov 12 2008
Posts: 4

I work in document control and I have been converting all of our word doc forms to pdf forms using Acrobat Pro 9. I am uploading them to our company intranet. We do not want staff (who use Adobe Reader) to save the forms locally but they need to be able to email forms completed by them to customers (ie quotes, terms, etc) 8 out of 10 times the customer does not need to do anything to the form except review. (Occasionaly customes do need to complete form-is there a way for a button to lock fields after staff completes but leaves other unlocked for customer?)

If I don't turn on extended rights staff can't email completed froms to customers or vendors. If I turn it on then staff can save the forms plus the customer could possibly amend their own quote if fields arent locked. I have scoured the fourms and internet for a solution to this problem and seem similar but cant get code to work. I have live designer as well so if need be I can use In Designer to fix the problem.

I am not very proficent at Adobe. I am self taught but I can usually comprehend how to do something by reading instructions. In saying this I am no IT proferssional but have taught myself Access and other programs to the intermediate and/or expert level. I am hoping to become an Adobe Acrobat expert because its something I plan to use for enginering document changes in the future as well

My Product Information:
Acrobat Pro 9.0, Windows
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2008-11-12 07:57:57
#1
George_Johnson
Expert
Registered: Jul 6 2008
Posts: 1876
You might want to include more information about how your users are using the form. Is the form being displayed in a browser, filled-in, and then sent by email? What are the reasons that your user should not be allowed to save forms locally?

George
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2008-11-12 08:30:05
#2
nirie1
Registered: Nov 12 2008
Posts: 4
The form is opened by our sales department in a web browser (ususally IE). They then complete the fields with customer order information and sign (type) thier name and email form to customer. The customer then reveiws the order information and answers questions about the intended use of the item they are purchasing (mostly mutually exclusive radio buttons but some text fields if a radio button gets a yes answer). The customer then emails the form back to sales who prints the form and gives compliance/document control a copy for review and approval. Once approved/not approved compliance/document control signs and retains a hardcopy on file giving the orignal to sales for the customer file.

According to our ISO procedures (I dont have authority to change) all forms should be used from the intranet. This ensures that users are using the latest and greatest since name changes and regulatory changes often result in form changes.

I know their are programs to track forms and I am pushing for this for our engineeriing changes but people dont like change and are screaming about conversion of forms from word/excel to adobe. I prefer adobe and pushed for it to preserve form integrity and because in my limited experience with Adobe forms I knew users couldnt save completed forms. Most staff save word/excel forms with their name filled in although it only takes a second to fill in their name but managment wants to stop this becuase if we get ISO audited and someone is using an old form it would be a problem.
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2008-11-12 10:40:27
#3
George_Johnson
Expert
Registered: Jul 6 2008
Posts: 1876
OK. It is possible to set up the form so that the fields are only active if the PDF is viewed in a browser, and even from a particular base URL. You can do this with JavaScript by checking whether the document is being viewed in an external window and by verifying the URL. If everything checks out, the fields would be activated. Otherwise they would not. The complicating factor is you need it to also be usable for the folks you send it to as well as when it is returned. A way to implement this is to install a JavaScript file on the user's machine who would be initiating the form. This file could contain code that controls the functionality of the form, enabling it if appropriate.

So while you cannot prevent a user from saving the form, you can control whether it is enabled or not.

George
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2008-12-12 10:09:46
#4
prander
Registered: Nov 6 2008
Posts: 44
My needs are almost identical to Nirie1's.

Trying to convert everyone to pdf's
Only allowing savable forms when absolutely necessary.
Have forms that are posted on intranet for use by customer serv rep's (customer version is on internet, slightly different)
Typically, the CSR version can be used to fill in customer information and then submitted via button that sets up pdf attach to go to customer. What I'd like to also do is have that 'submit' button deleted when it becomes a pdf attachment for the customer e-mail. Is this possible?
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