PDF version of this page

Overview of FormTrap QDE

QDEs are data entry screens that collect, then format the keyed data to produce better than word-processed quality output as PDFs and/or print files and/or emails and/or archive entries.

QDEs cover the myriad of forms all organizations develop imperceptibly for people (hiring, firing, leave, payroll), expenses, customer advice letters and emails, internal and government reports (OH&S, Equipment inspection, Equipment service, IT outbound advices and on, and on). Check your own organization and see how many you can find.

Make forms available instantly, on any company computer, fill them in, print (or not), dispatch electronically to whomever needs to know and archive automatically with keys of (say) the form filler, recipient(s) and date, plus the form name.

The inclusion of EXTERNAL simple text-based list files used as selections in drop downs, combined with EXTERNAL lookups mean the system can be updated to eliminate keying, remove errors and with NO form changes.

Used in this way, QDEs are faster, cheaper, have far less errors and are a standard function of your organization – hence familiar, are automatically delivered, are accountable via archives and are vastly better than generic Microsoft products used for the same purpose.

Now add the convenience and speed available from Express Email where a single selection brings in whole paragraphs which include data fields and you're equipped to fly in a world where hours are money spent.

Samples may be viewed HERE.

Installing Stand Alone QDE

QDE Program Installation

The file downloaded from the web site is [CustName] QDE v1.0.1.zip where [CustName] is your company with the version number changing. Unzipping this file gives setup.exe which by default installs programs to this this folder:

             C:\Program Files (x86)\FormTrap Solutions\QDE


Add shortcuts for QDE programs Data Entry   and Lookup  list


QDE Data File Installation

The file downloaded from the web site is QDE Data.zip and holds folders and data files. Create the master folder, we recommend ..\Documents\QDE (for Windows 7 and 8) or ..\My Documents\QDE (for Windows 10 - shown from here forward), move QDE Data.zip to this folder and unzip (Extract Here as shown), ...


... producing these files and folders:

  • ..\QDE\Builds\QDE-Initial.ftzip    see Build File Unzipping below
  • ..\QDE\Manuals\ contains these manuals as PDFs
          Email Express HTML.pdf           the Email Express form
           FormTrap Server.pdf                    using QDE with FormTrap Server
           Installation Instructions.pdf        this document
          Lookups.pdf                             import and maintenance of lookup and list files
           Selection.pdf                                  how to select a QDE form
           Stand Alone Forms.pdf               other QDE forms
         
        
  • ..\QDE\Substitutions\   contains substitution and related files:

          lookup.xml  is the mandatory Lookup file
    • (the following are all optional with examples included)
    • our logo.???         logo and graphic substitutions,  .??? may be .png, .bmp or .jpg
      Short Name.txt    buyer short name list
      other list files (.txt files)
  • ..\QDE\Data Files (XML)   store XML files here (for re-use or "parked")
  • ..\QDE\PDFs  store generated PDFs here

Build file Unzipping


Build files (extension .ftzip) may be received from time to time. We strongly recommend Build files have the date of generation in the format yyyy-mm-dd as a suffix, allowing all versions of build files to be stored and recognized.

Unzip and move new forms to ..\QDE\Builds

Delete all corresponding folders within the subsidiary ..\QDE\Current

            ie if you receive:             Email Express, 2016-12-01.ftzip
                ... then delete folder    ..\QDE\Current\Email Express, 2016-10-15
                ... and delete file         ..\QDE\Current\Email Express, 2016-10-15.ftzip

Copy the latest version(s) of .ftzip from ..\QDE\Builds and paste to..\QDE\Current folder.

Unzip where you MUST select the  Extract to ... option, shown below:



Running QDE for the First Time

The first run must be on a web-enabled computer as the program is registered via the web in less than 2 seconds. In the very unusual event that computer is not web enabled, you will get an error message, please return the file C:\Program Data\QDE\Questionnaire.id to us, we will manually register the program and return you a file that fully enables the program.

list


This screen presents, select Settings.

list Reply to the first and second questions as shown.

The third question depends on whether or not you want to use the FormTrap Server installed in your site to print or will solely use the standalone program. Leave this blank if you will not use the FormTrap Server.

You’re now ready and when this window closes, you will see forms. Select a form.


Next Steps

Choose Envelope, answer this simple QDE, then look at results via . You will have to change Substitutions and Lookups, however you can view these topics or read the manuals on these topics in (..\My Documents\QDE\Manuals).

Top