Interactive Order Form

[Carl Spackler]

My family owns an Awards and Recognition products company (plaques, trophies, glass/crystal pieces etc.). For years we have filled out order forms by hand. A long, time consuming process, which gets worse when trying to decipher someones handwriting.

I want to design an interactive order form that I could fill out on my computer as opposed to using a pen and our order form on paper. This way these forms could be saved, and we wouldn't be losing or for that matter wasting paper.

Where should I start when wanting to set something like this up?

Thanks,

Steve

[Celephais]

What's your level of technical proficency? From a craptasitc approach it sounds like you want Access form type of input... There are some other business oriented (low tech prof) form designing products along the same lines that you could use.

The design tools in the VS Express toolset have become very simple to drag/drop form/database design as well, but will require you know a bit more.

[Carl Spackler]

I'm pretty handy, I learn quick and can teach myself most things.... how's that?

However, I've never used access... Most of my computer work is spent in layout and design

[Stunseed]

There's a piece of software on most retailers "value" rack by Cosmi that does forms and documents for 10 bucks. It's not pretty, but it gets it done.

[Beguiler]

If you have Microsoft Office Word, you can create forms, or even download form templates from Microsoft Office Online that you can modify for your exact requirements. The Help instructions were pretty decent..

[BigWorm]

If you do layout and design (I'm assuming InDesign or Quark), you probably wouldn't have problem using Adobe Acrobat to create editable PDFs. These are nice because almost anyone can open and edit them. I haven't priced out Acrobat (and it can be expensive) but I'm almost positive it came with the first version of Adobe CS and you might have it without even knowing it.

[CrystalTears]

Yeah I was going to suggest Adobe as well. Then again I have the professional version at work, but it's awesome for putting together forms.

[Carl Spackler]

thanks everyone, got it

[Celephais]

What'd you end up doing? Stupid cliffhangers.

[LMingrone]

Quickbooks FTW(L)!!!! Honestly, after setting up Quickbooks for invoices/customer lists/product lists I want to shoot myself in the head. Luckily I broke my wrist and get to extend my Christmas vacation a little longer.

[Sean of the Thread]

MS ACCESS and some VB.


Or just contract it out to me.

[Parkbandit]

Quickbooks FTW(L)!!!! Honestly, after setting up Quickbooks for invoices/customer lists/product lists I want to shoot myself in the head. Luckily I broke my wrist and get to extend my Christmas vacation a little longer.

I use QuickBooks and couldn't be happier. It's an easy program that is relatively easy to customize.

[Carl Spackler]

I use QuickBooks and couldn't be happier. It's an easy program that is relatively easy to customize.

which is exactly what i did it in... Mom uses it and handles the books, i didn't realize it had that feature until i randomly decided to check... i think it will work well