Print & Scan

The Concept

Print & Scan is designed to enable you to undertake your own tests/examinations, assessments, monitoring or surveys by providing a powerful and reliable aid that answers your problems on high speed data capture. It is able to utilize not one but five different data capture technology types using either paper based or electronically generated questionnaires or a mixture of both formats. This makes it the first system of its type in the world to allow different technologies, (OMR, Image/ICR, Network, E-Mail or Internet/Intranet) to use a common platform for designing and processing any of the tasks outlined above.

The History Released in 1992 and initially employing Optical Mark Reading technology to gather data , Print & Scan was the first system of its type in the world to use the Windows environment as its operating platform. Continuing development, which takes into account user feedback, combined with a backup service that receives constant acclaim from users ensures that you receive a product that is both well supported and kept continually abreast of changes in technology.

The Product

Combining versatility plus ease and simplicity of use, it can be utilized for designing, generating, linking and processing your own questionnaires electronically or on paper using your own printer. Features include-

FORM DESIGN

Unique features include powerful ‘drag and drop’ facilities which allow you to create, copy and move text or answer boxes on the screen and which automatically adjust their position in relation to the form scanning points. A choice of font type, size and style is available, plus the ability to use the in-built clip art/picture facility. Thus you can create/generate your own questionnaires on paper or electronically quickly and easily without the need to learn new procedures. Forms can be produced in black & white or full colour and in size measurements from A5 to Legal including the standard A4 format.

DATABASE/TASK A comprehensive and flexible database, based on the Microsoft Access engine, is included in the system and allows you to create your training/educational exam, course or survey details which can include names, addresses, gender etc. This information can be entered manually, transferred from other systems or captured from your forms. DISTRIBUTING AND PROCESSING FORMS Once task details are entered and the form created, you simply distribute the forms either electronically or by printing and handing them out for completion. On return, paper based forms are scanned using Optical Mark Reading/Image Scanning and the details processed. Electronic forms are retrieved from the internet/intranet and the results stored for later analysis or linking to other software systems.

REPORTS

A range of reports and analytical information, including graphical displays, structured query formats and longitudinal time based analysis are built into the software or you can easily export results into other system such as Excel, SPSS etc. Specialized Access macros for specific reporting requirements can be written either by yourselves or using our in-house bespoke software services. Print & Scan is used in all areas of Industry, Commerce and Government, including Local Authorities, Education and Healthcare, for market research, training, quality monitoring etc. or any task where survey or test/exam data needs to be captured, stored and analysed quickly, efficiently & cost effectively.

Web Option

Based on the same form format used in all other Print & Scan systems, the Web version continues the theme of the user only ever needing to design a form once regardless of the data capture technology used. Written in a combination of Java, Java Script and HTML, project details can be uploaded to a web page onto an Intranet or via your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Added ID code and password facilities enable users to limit unwanted access to the project by only informing listed recipients of these codes, if required.

Participants using the Web version will find an on-line help to indicate the areas to complete using the keyboard and data type (e.g. Date, Text etc.) or the Mark Sense (OMR) areas to mark, using a mouse, by pointing & clicking on the box required to display a tick. A series of buttons at the top of the form allow completed forms to be submitted, scroll between pages or clear all information. Each project can have up to ten pages for each survey/test undertaken with up to two hundred questions per page. On completion the results are submitted by the recipient to the originator’s Web address and can then be brought into the Print & Scan database through the menu options on the main screen. The details are then processed with the data and results stored for later analysis. Filtering and duplicate record checking along with password security are built into the system thus making this version particularly suited for surveys, assessments, monitoring, examinations, tests etc. over the Internet or an Intranet with the added ability of either qualifying or not qualifying large numbers of respondants. You can try a demo of the web version of Print & Scan here.

Email Option

Participants using the E-Mail version (called FormRead) will find the screen format simple to follow. As well as having simple on-line help to indicate what task each icon performs, there is a help option giving full instructions on how to complete and return forms. Data box entry is carried out using the keyboard, whilst Mark Sense (OMR) areas are completed by pointing & clicking over the required box to display a tick. Choices can also be changed and saved at will, by simply selecting the shortcut icons provided. As with the paper based version, each FormRead project can have up to ten pages for each survey/test undertaken with up to two hundred questions per page.

The project supervisor can send both the FormRead software and project details to any participant listed in their E-Mail address books on a royalty free basis. The program is automatically zipped up in a self extracting file, again royalty free, which is extracted on receipt by the participant. On completion the results are returned by the recipient to the originator’s E-Mail address. They can then be brought into the Print & Scan database through the menu options on the main screen and the details processed with the results stored for later analysis. This version is particularly suited for surveys, tests etc. over the Internet or an Intranet where a secure defined list of recipients is being used.