JP2005202511A - Business form preparation system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a business form preparation system suitable for reducing any load to be imposed on a server side in the preparation processing of a business form image. <P>SOLUTION: This business form preparation system 1 is provided with a user terminal 2, a business form preparation data providing server 3 and a network 4. The user terminal 2 is configured of a first data communicating part 2a, a data acquisition request generating part 2b, a business form image generating part 2c and a printing part 2d. The business form preparation data providing server 3 is configured of a second data communicating part 3a, a trasmission data selecting part 3b, a business form data storage part 3c and a business form data storage part 3d. The user terminal 2 acquires data necessary for preparation of the business form from the business form preparation data providing server 3, and prepares the business form image by using the acquired data. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a system for creating a form image such as a specification for estimation in a network environment such as the Internet, and more particularly to a form creation system suitable for reducing the load on the server side during the form image creation process. .

  Conventionally, forms that have been output in paper form for each office are exchanged on the network as electronic forms as the Internet spreads. At present, the mainstream method for creating a form image on a network such as the Internet is processing an electronic form into a PDF (Portable Document Format) format (or a format similar to PDF). In other words, a mechanism for separately creating a print image in PDF format is prepared in the server, and information from the client is passed to this mechanism to create a PDF file. Then, the PDF file is displayed by dedicated display software on a Web browser of an information processing terminal such as a PC under the management of the client by using dedicated HTML. Finally, the PDF file displayed by this dedicated display software is printed. In a PDF file, a form image can be distributed by combining form data for printing and detailed form data.

However, the conventional method using the PDF format has a problem that the load on the server increases because the form image is synthesized on the Internet server. In particular, in the Internet where a plurality of users may access at once, the function of the system cannot be maintained as the load on the server for creating one form increases.
In addition, a system for synthesizing images on the server side is also necessary, which also contributes to increasing the load on the server.
Therefore, the present invention has been made paying attention to the above-mentioned unsolved problems of the conventional technology, and is a form creation system suitable for reducing the load on the server side in the form image creation process. The purpose is to provide.

In order to achieve the above object, a form creation system according to claim 1 of the present invention includes a form creation terminal under the control of a system user, and data necessary for creation of the form in the form creation terminal. A form creation data provision server for providing a form creation system for creating a desired form image based on the form creation data acquired from the form creation data provision server at the form creation terminal. ,
The form creation data providing server and the form creation terminal are connected to each other so that data communication is possible,
The form creation data providing server includes:
Form data storage means for storing text form form data relating to the contents of the form;
Form form data storage means for storing form form data relating to the form print form;
Based on a data acquisition request from the form creation terminal, the form data is read from the form data storage means, and the read form data is sent to the form creation terminal;
Based on a data acquisition request from the form creation terminal, the form form data is read from the form form data storage means, and the read form data is sent to the form creation terminal. Prepared,
The form creation terminal
A data acquisition request transmitting means for transmitting an acquisition request for data necessary for creating the form to the form creation data providing server;
And a form image creating means for creating the form image based on the form data and the form form data acquired from the form creation data providing server.

  With this configuration, the form creation data providing server can store the form data in the text format related to the contents of the form by the form data storage means, and the form data storage means can store the form data. It is possible to store form form data relating to a print form, and the form data transmission unit reads out the form data from the form data storage unit based on the data acquisition request from the form creation terminal, It is possible to transmit the form data to the form creation terminal, and the form form data transmission means reads the form form data from the form form data storage means based on the data acquisition request from the form creation terminal. The read form data is sent to the form creation terminal. It is possible.

  Further, the form creation terminal can transmit the data acquisition request, which is an acquisition request for data necessary for creating the form, to the form creation data providing server by the data acquisition request transmission unit. The form image can be created based on the form data and form form data acquired from the form creation data providing server by the image creation means.

  Therefore, in the form creation process, the form creation data providing server sends the form data for creating the form data and the form data for creating the form image in response to the data acquisition request from the form creation terminal. Since the form image is created using the data acquired from the form creation data provision server in the terminal, the form creation data provision server can create the form image only by sending a small amount of data. It becomes. As a result, it is possible to reduce the communication load on the server and to reduce the amount of data required on the server side because a program for creating a form image is unnecessary on the server side. It is possible to easily construct a form creation system using the disk space for creating a Web page that is provided as a standard.

  Here, for example, the form creation system may be constructed by connecting a terminal in a department to a certain department of the company via a network via a LAN, and further, between departments in a plurality of departments in the company. It may be constructed by connecting the terminals of the network. Moreover, it is good also as a structure which connects a network between the buildings of the same company or between several companies by WAN, and is shared by several companies. Moreover, it is good also as a structure shared with unspecified many system users using the internet etc.

The form data is data relating to the contents of the form. For example, if the form is an estimate statement, the form data is data such as a product name code, product name, unit price, remarks, and unit.
The form data is, for example, data for determining the image arrangement position of data related to the form contents such as item, unit price, total amount, unit, etc., if the form is an estimate statement. On the form image, It consists of ruled lines, frame lines and the like.

  As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, in the form creation process, the form creation data providing server responds to a data acquisition request from the form creation terminal in a text format form. Sending form data for creating data and form image, and creating form image using data obtained from form creation data providing server at form creation terminal. The effect is that a form image can be created simply by transmitting data with a small capacity.

  In addition, since the communication load on the server is reduced, and the form image creation program on the server side is unnecessary, the amount of data required on the server side can be reduced. Thus, the form creation system can be easily configured using the disk space for creating the Web page.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 to 3 are diagrams showing an embodiment of a form creation system according to the present invention.
First, the configuration of a form creation system according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a form creation system according to the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 1, the form creation system 1 includes a user terminal 2, a form creation data providing server 3, and a network 4.

The user terminal 2 includes a first data communication unit 2a, a data acquisition request generation unit 2b, a form image generation unit 2c, and a printing unit 2d.
The first data communication unit 2 a has a function of performing data communication with the form creation data providing server 3 via the network 4.
The data acquisition request generation unit 2b has a function of generating a data acquisition request for acquiring from the form creation data providing server 3 data necessary to create a form such as the detailed data of the form desired by the system user. It is a thing.

The form image generation unit 2c activates the form image generation program and prints from the form data and form form data acquired from the form creation data providing server 3 via the network 4 and the first data communication unit 2a. It has a function to generate a form image.
The printing unit 2d has a function of printing the form image generated by the form image generation unit 2c on paper.
The form creation data providing server 3 includes a second data communication unit 3a, a transmission data selection unit 3b, a form data storage unit 3c, and a form form data storage unit 3d.

The second data communication unit 3 a has a function of performing data communication with the user terminal 2 via the network 4.
The transmission data selection unit 3b, based on the data acquisition request from the user terminal 2 acquired via the network 4 and the second data communication unit 3a, the form related to the contents of the form from the form data storage unit 3c described later. It has a function of reading out data, reading out form form data from a form form data storage unit 3d described later, and transmitting the read data to the user terminal 2 via the second data communication unit 3a and the network 4. Is.

  The form data storage unit 3c is for storing text form form data relating to the contents of the form, and the form data is stored as a database for each type of form. In the present embodiment, a code number is associated with each form data, and target form data can be read from the code number. Here, the form data is, for example, data relating to the contents of the estimate specification such as product name, unit price, and unit when the form is an estimate specification. Further, the form data storage unit 3c stores form data that seems to be necessary in advance.

The form form data storage unit 3d is for storing form form data composed of images such as ruled lines and frame lines for dividing the form data according to the type and content of the form. Here, the form form data storage unit 3d stores a plurality of types of form form data that are considered necessary in advance.
Here, in the present embodiment, the user terminal 2 and the form creation data providing server 3 are each composed of an information processing device including a CPU such as a PC and WS, a network card, and the like. This process is performed by the CPU executing a program stored in a storage medium of each information processing device.

In addition, the storage medium is a semiconductor storage medium such as RAM or ROM, a magnetic storage type storage medium such as FD or HD, an optical reading type storage medium such as CD, CDV, LD, or DVD, or a magnetic storage type such as MO. / Optical reading type storage media, including any storage media that can be read by a computer regardless of electronic, magnetic, optical, or other reading methods.
The network 4 connects a plurality of information processing devices so as to be able to perform data communication, such as a LAN or a WAN. In this embodiment, the Internet is used as one of the WANs.

Furthermore, a more specific operation of the form creation system will be described.
In the present embodiment, the form creation data providing server 3 is a server of a general ISP, and creates a form by using a disk space (for example, 15 MB) for creating a Web page provided by the ISP server. It is the structure which provides the web page for. Then, the user terminal 2 activates a Web browser and accesses the URL of the form creation Web page to transmit / receive data related to form creation to / from the form creation data providing server 3. Then, the form image creation program is activated to generate a print form image from the data acquired from the server.

  First, when the user terminal 2 accesses the URL of the form creation Web page, first, a screen for selecting the form type is displayed on the display screen of the Web browser. In the user terminal 2, the system user selects the form type by the data acquisition request generation unit 2 b. In other words, in the present embodiment, the data acquisition request generation unit 2b includes an input device such as a mouse or a keyboard for inputting data.

  When a form type is selected, in this embodiment, the selected form type information is converted into a form creation data providing server by pressing the send button displayed on the screen with a mouse click or the like. 3 is transmitted. As a result, the display screen of the Web browser is switched from the screen for selecting the form type to the input screen for the item details of the form. In the present embodiment, a method for selecting required item items from a list prepared in advance, such as selection of a category of item items, selection of items in a selection category, and item items or direct input by a keyboard or the like. There are two types of methods, a method of inputting a code number corresponding to a detail item. Here, in the present embodiment, the item items are input in consideration of the data arrangement order in the final form image. That is, the input order is reflected in the form as it is.

  For example, when the selected form type is an estimate statement, the item name and quantity are input as the item details. For example, when creating an estimate statement for a measuring device, a measuring device is selected from the category of the item, and items such as an oscilloscope and a logic analyzer in the measuring device category are further selected. Here, since the form is an estimate statement, when an item in the category is selected, its quantity is also input or selected.

  When the entry of the detailed item is completed on the web page for creating the form, in this embodiment, the item information (code number) is displayed by pressing the send button displayed on the screen with a mouse click or the like. Is transmitted to the form creation data providing server 3. Here, when the quantity of the item is input as in the above-described estimate statement, the form is transmitted with the quantity information added to the code number.

  On the other hand, when the form creation data providing server 3 acquires the information of the detailed item input by the user terminal 2, the transmission data selection unit 3b converts the form form data corresponding to the selected form type into the form form. The data is read from the data storage unit 3c and copied to a working storage unit (not shown). Further, the form data corresponding to the acquired form data information is read from the form data storage unit 3c and copied to the work storage unit in the same manner as the form form data. Then, in accordance with the form form data copied to the work storage unit, details (text file) of the form data copied to the work storage unit are generated. Hereinafter, this text file is referred to as a detail file.

  Further, when the generation of the detail file is completed, the transmission data selection unit 3b completes the form in which the address (URL) of the detail file and the storage location of the form form data (data storage location in the working storage unit) is described. An HTML for starting an image creation program is generated and transmitted to the user terminal 2 via the second data communication unit 3 a and the network 4.

  When the user terminal 2 obtains the above-described HTML for starting the form image creation program via the first data communication unit 2a, the form image generation unit 2c displays the Web browser display screen as the program start screen. And the form image creation program (plug-in module) is started. Then, the URL of the detail file and the form data is read from the acquired HTML by the started form image creation program, and the read URL is accessed.

The form creation data providing server 3 uses the transmission data selection unit 3b to send the detailed file and the form form data at the corresponding URL to the second data communication unit 3a and the network 4 according to the access from the user terminal 2. Is transmitted to the user terminal 2 via.
When the user terminal 2 obtains the detail file and the form data via the first data communication unit 2a, the user terminal 2 generates a print form image by the started form image creation program. Then, the generated form image is transferred to the web browser and displayed on the display screen of the web browser.

  When the form image is displayed on the display screen of the Web browser, the displayed form image is printed on the paper of the size specified by the form form by giving a print instruction from the Web browser to the printing unit 2d. Here, the page management is performed on the form image creation program side, and when the data included in the detail file overflows the frame of the form form, it is automatically divided into a plurality of pages.

Further, when a company seal of a manufacturer or the like is necessary for a form, it is possible to include a company seal image in the form form data in advance.
For example, when the form is an estimate specification, an image such as a company maker's seal of the product in the estimate specification can be included in the final form image. It is also possible to print only the portion of the company seal image in another color such as red.

Furthermore, the flow of the operation process of the user terminal 2 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation process of the user terminal 2.
As shown in FIG. 2, first, the process proceeds to step S100, the web browser software is activated on the user terminal 2, the URL of the form creation web page is accessed, and the process proceeds to step S102.
When the process proceeds to step S102, the web page of the form type selection screen is displayed on the display screen of the web browser from the form type selection HTML received via the first data communication unit 2a in the user terminal 2. Then, the process proceeds to step S104.

In step S104, the data acquisition request generation unit 2b selects a form type and proceeds to step S106.
In step S106, the data acquisition request generator 2b determines whether or not the send button has been pressed. If it is determined that the button has been pressed (Yes), the process proceeds to step S108, and if not (No), determination processing is performed. Continue.
When the process proceeds to step S108, the data acquisition request generation unit 2b transmits the selected form type information to the form creation data providing server 3 via the first data communication unit 2a, and the process proceeds to step S110.

In step S110, the user terminal 2 displays a Web page for inputting item items on the display screen of the Web browser from the item item input HTML received via the first data communication unit 2a, and step S112. Migrate to
In step S112, the data acquisition request generation unit 2b inputs detailed items and proceeds to step S114.
In step S114, the data acquisition request generator 2b determines whether or not the send button has been pressed. If it is determined that the button is pressed (Yes), the process proceeds to step S116, and if not (No), determination processing is performed. Continue.

When the process proceeds to step S116, the data acquisition request generation unit 2b transmits the input item information to the form creation data providing server 3 via the first data communication unit 2a, and the process proceeds to step S118. .
In step S118, the data acquisition request generation unit 2b determines whether the form image creation program activation HTML has been received from the form creation data providing server 3, and if it is determined that it has been received (Yes). The process proceeds to step S120. If not (No), the determination process is continued.

When the process proceeds to step S120, the form image generation unit 2c displays a start screen on the Web browser based on the received form image generation program start HTML, and further starts the form image generation program. The process proceeds to step S122.
In step S122, the form image generation unit 2c executes the form image generation program to read the storage destination URL of the detail file and the form form data described in the HTML for starting the form image generation program, and provide the form creation data The read URL in the server 3 is accessed, and the process proceeds to step S124.

In step S124, the form image generation unit 2c determines whether or not the detail file and the form form data have been received from the form creation data providing server 3, and if it is determined that they have been received (Yes), the process proceeds to step S126. If not (No), the determination process is continued until reception.
In step S126, the form image generation unit 2c generates a form image for printing from the received detail file and form form data by the started form image generation program, and the process proceeds to step S128.
In step S128, on the user terminal 2, the generated form image is displayed on the display screen of the Web browser, and the process proceeds to step S130.

In step S130, the printing unit 2d determines whether or not there is an instruction to print a form image. If there is a printing instruction (Yes), the process proceeds to step S132. If not (No), the process proceeds to step S134. .
When the process proceeds to step S132, the form image is printed on paper, and the process proceeds to step S134.
In step S134, the user terminal 2 determines whether or not to end the form image printing process. If it is determined to end (Yes), the process proceeds to step S102. If not (No), the process proceeds to step S102. The process proceeds to S130.

Furthermore, the flow of operation processing of the form creation data providing server 3 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation process of the form creation data providing server 3.
As shown in FIG. 3, first, the process proceeds to step S200, and it is determined whether or not the form creation data providing server 3 has received a request message that is an access request to the form creation Web page from the user terminal 2. If it is determined that it has been received (Yes), the process proceeds to step S202. If not (No), the determination process is continued.

When the process proceeds to step S202, the form creation data providing server 3 transmits the form type selection HTML to the user terminal 2 via the second data communication unit 3a, and the process proceeds to step S204.
In step S204, the transmission data selection unit 3b determines whether or not form type information has been received. If it is determined that the form type information has been received (Yes), the process proceeds to step S206. If not (No), determination processing is performed. Continue.
When the process proceeds to step S206, the form creation data providing server 3 transmits the item item input HTML to the user terminal 2 via the second data communication unit 3a, and the process proceeds to step S208.

In step S208, the transmission data selection unit 3b determines whether or not the detailed item information has been received. If it is determined that it has been received (Yes), the process proceeds to step S210, and if not (No), determination processing is performed. Continue.
When the process proceeds to step S210, the transmission data selection unit 3b reads the form form data corresponding to the form type information from the form form data storage unit 3d, and the process proceeds to step S212.

In step S212, the transmission data selection unit 3b reads the form data corresponding to the item information from the form data storage unit 3c, and the process proceeds to step S214.
In step S214, the transmission data selection unit 3b generates a detailed file of form data in accordance with the read form form data, and the process proceeds to step S216.
In step S216, the transmission data selection unit 3b transmits the HTML for starting the form image generation program to the user terminal 2 via the second data communication unit 3a, and the process proceeds to step S218.

In step S218, the transmission data selection unit 3b determines whether or not a request message for requesting acquisition of form form data and detail file has been received from the user terminal 2, and if it is determined that it has been received (Yes) The process proceeds to step S220. If not (No), the determination process is continued until reception.
When the process proceeds to step S220, the transmission data selection unit 3b transmits the form form data and the detailed file at the storage destination address corresponding to the request message to the user terminal 2 via the second data communication unit 3a. To finish the process.

As described above, by accessing the form creation Web page from the user terminal 2, the type of the form is selected and the detailed items are input from the user terminal 2 side, and the selected type information and the entered detailed item information Can be transmitted to the form creation data providing server 3.
Further, the form creation data providing server 3 reads the form form data from the form form data storage unit 3d based on the form type information and the detailed item information from the user terminal 2, and further stores the form data in the form data storage. It is possible to read from the unit 3c, generate a detailed file of form data in text format based on the read data, and transmit the detailed file and the form data to the user terminal 2.

In addition, the user terminal 2 can generate a print form image from the text format specification file and the form form data by the form image generation unit 2c.
Further, the generated form image can be printed on paper by the printing unit 2d.
Here, the transmission processing of the form type selection information and the detailed item information by the data acquisition request generation unit 2b and the first data communication unit 2a shown in FIG. 1 corresponds to the data acquisition request transmission unit according to claim 1. The form image generating unit 2c corresponds to the form image creating means described in claim 1.

  Further, the form data selection process according to the form type information by the transmission data selection unit 3b and the transmission process of the form form data by the second data communication unit 3a shown in FIG. Corresponding to the data transmitting means, the form data selecting process according to the detailed item information, the detailed file generating process, and the detailed file transmitting process by the second data communication unit 3a are performed in the form data transmitting means according to claim 1. Correspondingly, the form data storage unit 3c corresponds to the form data storage unit described in claim 1, and the form form data storage unit 3d corresponds to the form form data storage unit.

In the above-described embodiment, the description of the estimate is taken as an example of the form. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and within the scope where the present invention can be applied, such as a purchase order, a delivery note, and a sales report. It may be applied to anything as long as it exists.
In the above-described embodiment, a request for acquiring data necessary for creating a form is transmitted from the user terminal 2 to the form creation data providing server 3 using a form creation Web page. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a configuration may be adopted in which an acquisition request for data necessary for creating a form is transmitted by another method.

  In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the form creation system 1 is configured using the form creation data providing server 3 as the ISP server and the disk space provided by the ISP. Instead, the system provider side may provide a dedicated server, and the form creation system 1 may be configured using the server, so that the system 1 may be realized by other configurations.

  In the above embodiment, a method for selecting required item items from a list prepared in advance, such as selection of a category of item items, selection of items in a selection category, and specification by direct input using a keyboard or the like. A single detail item is selected by two types of methods of inputting a code number corresponding to the item or the detail item. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and “A set”, “B set”, etc. , It may be possible to select an item in which a plurality of detailed items are collected. That is, when the A set is selected, a plurality of items such as a detailed item a, a detailed item b, and a detailed item c are included in the set. When information such as a code number corresponding to the A set is acquired from the terminal 2, form data corresponding to a plurality of items such as the detailed item a, detailed item b, and detailed item c corresponding to the A set is obtained based on this information. Read from the data storage unit 3c and create the detailed file described above. For example, when the form is an estimate statement, if it is the above-described A set, the form data includes product names, unit prices, etc. corresponding to a plurality of items such as the item item a, item item b, item item c, etc. become. For example, in the case of a personal computer set in which four items such as a monitor, a PC main body, a keyboard, and a mouse are set as an example, the transmission data selection unit 3b may include, for example, “CRT001 (monitor), \ Form data storage unit for form data such as product name and price, such as "20,000", "FMX (PC), \ 80,000", "LK001 (keyboard), \ 2,000", "LM001 (mouse), \ 1,000" Read from 3c. Then, the transmission data selection unit 3b generates the detail file so that all of the read form data corresponding to each product is displayed in the form image instead of the set unit.

  In the above embodiment, the form data is read from the form data storage unit 3d and copied to a work storage unit (not shown), and the URL of the copy destination is described in the HTML for starting up the form image creation program. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the URL of the storage location of the corresponding form form data in the form form data storage unit 3d may be directly described.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the form creation system which concerns on this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement process of the terminal 2 for users. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement process of the data provision server 3 for form creation.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Form preparation system 2 User terminal 2a 1st data communication part 2b Data acquisition request generation part 2c Form image generation part 2d Printing part 3 Form creation data provision server 3a 2nd data communication part 3b Transmission data selection part 3c Form data storage unit 3d Form form data storage unit

Claims (1)

A form creation terminal under the control of a system user; and a form creation data providing server that provides the form creation terminal with data necessary for creating the form. In the form creation terminal, the form creation terminal includes: A form creation system for creating a desired form image based on the form creation data acquired from a creation data providing server,
The form creation data providing server and the form creation terminal are connected to each other so that data communication is possible,
The form creation data providing server includes:
Form data storage means for storing text form form data relating to the contents of the form;
Form form data storage means for storing form form data relating to the form print form;
Based on a data acquisition request from the form creation terminal, the form data is read from the form data storage means, and the read form data is sent to the form creation terminal;
Based on a data acquisition request from the form creation terminal, the form form data is read from the form form data storage means, and the read form data is sent to the form creation terminal. Prepared,
The form creation terminal
A data acquisition request transmitting means for transmitting the data acquisition request, which is a data acquisition request for creating the form, to the form creation data providing server;
A form creation system comprising: a form image creation means for creating the form image based on the form data and the form form data acquired from the form creation data providing server.

Images