Using Interactive Forms for printing

[LeonardoAraujo]

My question is around the concept of using Interactive forms.

This tool was created mainly to deal with interaction of business process using eletronic forms. For this purpose this tool is really good.

Additionally, the layout/formatting options provided by Adobe are far superior than our Smartforms tool.

So, Is the use of Interactive forms to replace smartforms for form design in SAP an overkill?

This way, we could easily get rid of tools like Jetforms.

Please post your thoughts on it.

Thanks

Leonardo De Araujo

.. See you all in Vegas and Amsterdam!

[markus_meisl · Accepted solution]

Hi Leonardo

from a maintenance point of view, having all your forms (interactive and output only) in one solution makes a lot of business sense, because you can pool your resources.

The layout handling of the Adobe-based solution is certainly a step ahead from previous solutions.

Note also that Interactive Forms was not only developed for interactive scenarios, but explicitly to support print output processes as well - I assume in the former case Adobe would have gone with the XForms standard, which doesn't support high-volume print output. Instead, Adobe's work is based on their XML Forms Architecture (XFA) specification.

If you are thinking about replacing the Jetforms product, you should also consider why you chose it in the first place: Were there requirements not met by Smart Forms/SAPscript? Chances are this is still the case with Interactive Forms.

In any case, customers using the previous solutions can rest assured that the technoogy will continue to be supported.

Kind regards,

Markus Meisl

SAP NetWeaver Product Management

[Former Member]

Using Adobe IF for form design instead of smartforms is not an overkill.

There are two main reasons for this.

First: The forms are more easy to develop and maintain, and offer from a pure output only perspective some features above smartforms/SAPScript.

Second: Even in an output only form the technical capability of sending business data contained in the form itsself can lead to new approaches for exchanging data.

Regards, Hans GM