Prerequisite
Your VConsole license MUST include the "Forms" option in order to use the "Forms" features of VConsole.

Introduction
One of the most requested features in VConsole was the ability to automatically fill out forms based on records in a Data Manager type module. Well, it is finally a reality. With the "Forms" option of VConsole, your users can now create and manage forms that can be automatically generated and filled out by VConsole. Let's say that your users are managing a list of clients in VConsole. And let's also say that they have a list of PDF contracts that they would like to have automatically filled out based on the client's information. All they have to do is right click on a client record, select "Generate Forms", select the form that they want to generate, and viola. They now have a PDF file that has all the client's information pre-filled in. The client can even create and upload their own forms.

Creating A Form
Forms can only be created for Data Manager type modules and each Data Manager type module has its own list of forms. Forms are not shared between modules. When the user wants to create a new form, all they have to do is select "Create a New Form" from the "Forms" main drop down menu. Then, they simply need to follow the instructions. There are 2 different types of forms that can be created. HTML forms and PDF forms. An HTML form allows the user to create the form within the VConsole interface. A PDF form requires the user to create the form using Adobe Acrobat Professional (or another PDF creation tool) and then upload the form to VConsole. One advantage of PDF forms over HTML forms is that PDF forms can be digitally signed and verified if you have the "Document Management" option of VConsole.

Creating an HTML Form
To create an HTML form, the user must select "Create a New Form" from the "Forms" main drop down menu. Then, the user should follow the steps below:

1. Select HTML form from the list of forms and click Next.
2. Enter a descriptive name for the form and optional form notes and click Next.
3. Now, the user is shown a Rich Text interface that allows them to create their form. They can insert data fields in the form by placing their cursor where they want the form field and selecting the field from the drop down menu above the Rich Text interface.
4. Once they are done with designing the form, they only need to click on the "Next" button and their form is saved.

Creating a PDF Form
To create a PDF form, the user must select "Create a New Form" from the "Forms" main drop down menu. Then, the user should follow the steps below:

1. Select PDF form from the list of forms and click Next.
2. Enter a descriptive name for the form and optional form notes and click Next.
3. Next, the user must create their PDF form using Adobe Acrobat Professional or a similar PDF creation tool. The PDF creation tool MUST support creating PDF form fields.
4. The user must create a PDF form field for each field that they want to be auto filled. (We will go over how to do this using Adobe Acrobat below) Each field must be named according to the field name that is to be auto filled. Select a field from the drop down list to find out what to name the field in your PDF form.
5. Once they are done creating their PDF form, they only need to upload it using the "Upload" field provided, click on the Next button and their form is saved.

To create a form field in your PDF file using Adobe Acrobat Professional:

1. Open up your PDF document using Adobe Acrobat Professional.
2. Select "View" - "Toolbars" - "Forms" to show the "Forms" toolbar.
3. Click on the "Text" field button in the "Forms" toolbar (We are creating a text field)
4. Use your mouse to draw the text field on the page wherever you want it to be.
5. The "Text Field Properties" properties window will appear after you have placed your text field.
6. Enter the name of the text field so that it matches the name of the VConsole field that you want to be auto filled.

Generating Forms
Once the user has created at least 1 form, they can now generate forms that are filled out by right clicking on 1 (or more) records and selecting "Generate Forms" from the drop down menu. If the user is only generating a single form for a single record, they have the opportunity to view and modify what will be input for each field in the form.