LiquidOffice / TeleForm Tango

In the past I have blogged about exporting Autonomy Cardiff’s TeleForm forms into LiquidOffice using the File Exchange Format.  And then populating those LiquidOffice forms with OCR’d metadata from TeleForm data using LiquidOffice’s virtual submit feature. So in this dance, TeleForm is the lead.

And a lead dancer’s job is to make the other dancer look good, right?

Time for a swap  – let’s let LiquidOffice lead.

Here we’ll leverage the TeleForm LiquidOffice SOAP connect agent.  Price: FREE with TeleForm. Using this method offers a helpful twist: you can attach data and documents to an active LiquidOffice process if you wish.  That is not achievable with the virtual submission method.

Though described in the help files as a “complex subject”, there’s some scenarios that comply with the KISS approach (my favorite). Time to jump in but, warning, danger, disclaimer: this blog assumes you’ve spent some quality time with LiquidOffice and TeleForm.

That said, we’ll begin.  Let’s say a form needs a wet signature.  Here the user fills the LiquidOffice form and prints the form for  signature and then submits it.

Create a LiquidOffice process that has an initial form data entry event and then another form event called “Wait For Wet Sig”.  Then, after that, add an event for an approval queue or whatever you want.  Now time to slap together a quick LiquidOffice PDF test form.

In LiquidOffice Designer create a read-only field on the form that will be populated by a LiquidOffice Process TaskId.  On form load this field will be populated with the TaskID of the “Wait For Wet Sig” event in the workflow.  So this is the event where the process hangs out and waits for the signed copy of the form to be faxed in. You can use code such as this to fetch the TaskID.

FormTask fTask = thisProcess.getTaskByName(“Wait For Wet Sig”);
int _TaskID  = fTask.getId();

Add other relevant fields including a space for a wet signature.  We are making this a PDF form because we want TeleForm to be able to recognize this form no matter what whacky printer this form was printed on (why am I remembering that first dot matrix I had to save up for?). Now I’d add a print button, and then when the submit button is clicked I’ll use OnSubmit JavaScript form code to make sure the print button was clicked before I allow a submission to occur.  We don’t want people to get antsy and submit the form before getting that hardcopy!

Now donning a TeleForm Designer hardhat, let’s train TeleForm to recognize that new LiquidOffice PDF using existing form technology.  Another blog down the road I’ll write about creating traditional TeleForm forms within LiquidOffice because it is fun and offers big bennies.

Once TeleForm has the reference marks set to recognize the form, overlay a data entry field to read that TaskId.  Name this field, you guessed it: TaskID.  For extra credit you can create a signature field that will mandate a review step if it looks like someone forgot to sign the form:

Now it is time to set up the TeleForm LiquidOffice SOAP connect agent, where Cardiff does the heavy lifting for you.

Click on Form, AutoExport, and then select as your new connect agent “LiquidOffice SOAP”.  Click Save As (intuitive next step…NOT!) and authenticate.

Note your reference to the server is modified.  Now that you are in, select the LiquidOffice Form/Process tab. Select the PROCESS (not the form!) you created earlier and the GUID is filled in for you (nice). Now select the TeleForm field called TaskID.  And also check the ‘Initiate a new process If a Valid Process Cannot Be Found’ button. This will do just that – create a new process in case there’s a synch problem.

Two more steps to go… on the File Export tab make sure you click the ‘Export Files’ checkbox. This makes sure the faxed in signed form TIF image is attached to your LiquidOffice form.  Now click the Fields tab.  Make sure the TaskIF field is checked.  Checking other field names will map that TeleForm data to the LiquidOffice form. My hint is to use the same names in TeleForm and LiquidOffice.

Hey save your form! Did you forget to activate it? As they say ‘that dog don’t hunt’.  Activate and save again.

Now, assuming your fax input is configured, go to LO, open your workflow, fill your form and print it.  Sign the hardcopy and fax it into TeleForm (or scan it in).

TeleForm will recognize the form, read the TaskID, export the form as an attachment to LiquidOffice, and connect it to your form waiting in the “Wait For Wet Sig” event.

Cool.

The form automatically proceeds to the next even where it awaits your approval.

TeleForm and LiquidOffice: strike a pose.