Andrew W Andersen

US Patent:

55639984, Oct 8, 1996

Filed:

Oct 19, 1990

Appl. No.:

7/598883

Inventors:

Mary J. Yaksich - Grand Island NY
Andrew C. Andersen - Williamsville NY
Samuel D. Bevilacqua - Tonawanda NY
Donald S. Carr - Kenmore NY
Susan M. Hoellig - Cheektowaga NY
Anthony P. Hoholik - Garnee IL
Darlene R. Sprague - Grand Island NY
Donna L. Yarwood - Amherst NY

Assignee:

Moore Business Forms, Inc. - Grand Island NY

International Classification:

G06F 1760

US Classification:

395149

Abstract:

A system and method for the electronic design, storage, and distribution of business forms maximizes all of these functions, utilizing a forms automation platform and a central library facility. The forms automation platform includes customer profile, form profile, form field description, and distribution information files each having a unique customer identifier, and typically also having a unique form identifier, and including detailed information about each form. The central library facility includes customer profile, geographic profile, printer profile, distribution data, form profile, and form output format files; again unique customer identifiers, as well as specific form identifiers, are provided. Forms are automatically distributed by the central library facility to end user sites, at which remote computers are located, by polling for forms to be released, establishing a session with the end users to which release is to be made, and then electronically transferring the forms. Form profile information that is typically stored--in order to effectively process requests--include the software package used to design the form, a description of the form, the date of form creation and/or last revision, the number of parts, whether the form has landscape or portrait mode, the length, and the width of the form.