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OctoTools by JBMSystems ver 5.4.0.24 Released - VDP to PDF (mapping, bursting, printing, and more)

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mi...@jbmsystems.com

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Feb 7, 2006, 2:35:47 PM2/7/06
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OctoTools is a multi-functional report processor that can transform ordinary
legacy output into modern looking output using its electronic forms
capabilities. Users have a choice of many output options including Print
(PCL, PostScript, Digital copiers, even inkjet and label printers), PDF,
email, fax and document archiving. We should not have a problem supporting
most if not all printers supported by Windows.
If you continue reading this email I am certain that you will find many
interesting an exciting features and capabilities in both our current
OctoTools V5 package and our forthcoming OctoTools Enterprise Edition. Most
of the resellers and end users that I have demonstrated to are totally
"Blown Away" by the capability, ease of use and pricing.

OctoTools is particularly well suited to "transactional printing" but can do
almost anything. I believe a key selling point is the ability to offer the
customer his choice of sending print, email or fax to end recipient based on
account number. Documents may be archived and web hosted as well. A printer
can be unique and offer a "Have it Your Way" approach.
Large volume processing and speed are always a concern in mainframe shops.
Depending on the speed of the Windows pc and the complexity of a form,
OctoTools can provide 1000-3000+pages per minute of output processing. There
are few printers on the planet that can run that fast.

Our PowerPoint presentation provide a great overview of the systems
capabilities. Slides 12 and 13
<http://jbmsystems.com/octotools-document-management.pps> , show the data
flow for OctoTools. A one time form template design is performed using
OctoTools on a Windows workstation and merged with variable input.
Output from any system may be sent to OctoTools using LPR, FTP or other
protocol. Many of your products can deliver a file to our Windows centric
system and we will act on the file without RPM or other vendor's package. We
have improved our ease of use by a new watched directory interface.
OctoTools will spool the sysout data and process it by merging the data
fields and the form template. In the template the data columns may be moved
around, fonts changed for sizes, styles, and color. As you will see in all
the samples OctoTools can add lines, boxes, logos, signatures and even
stripe the data to make it more readable.
OctoTools can create output to go to any printer that supports Windows, PDF,
email, archive or fax (via fax service or server). Options can be set up in
a profile on a per group or user basis. All options use the same one time
template design. The fax output and the individually encrypted PDF output
are extremely useful in security conscious environments.
Please examine our web site (www.octotools.com <http://www.octotools.com/>)
and the entire OctoTools PowerPoint
<http://jbmsystems.com/octotools-document-management.pps> as we have many
more samples showing these new capabilities.
In our most recent release, we are able to secure fonts, signatures and
logos to prevent check fraud. These resources may be kept externally to
OctoTools on a USB flash memory stick. If checks are printed and the stick
is not inserted, invalided voided checks will be produced. If the flash
memory is present, it will provide valid MICR fonts, signatures and alike.
RTF Rich Text Format copy allows many complex preformatted forms or
paragraphs to be copied and used directly from MS Word and other Windows
applications.
Dynamically loaded and sized images are based on user defined page input
specifications
Mail merge capabilities allows variable input to be merged with RTF layouts
from MS Word. Mail merge output will be "reflowed" eliminating excess white
space.
I particularly like the capably or being able to alter forms appearance
based on input values. There are just a multitude of uses. The
multi-flag.PDF file demonstrates how we can test for exception conditions
and make them stand out. We can change invoices to credit memos when an
invoice total is negative.
<http://www.jbmsystems.com/webdata/SamsungRacingTeam/SAM226/I7712346.06_09_03.pdf>
<http://www.jbmsystems.com/webdata/SamsungRacingTeam/TVS037/I7712347.06_09_03.pdf>
credit memo
The attached file 00232323 05-08-03 17_43.3.PDF shows another instance of
conditional processing where all stock locations (-nn) 30 or over will be
grayed out and picked at another location.
A basic level of direct input from ODBC databases, currently Access, SQL,
MY/SQL and Oracle.
We have also added multiple watched directory support that runs as an NT
service. Each watched directory can have its own series of jobs to process
the data that is delivered to it. The number of simultaneous copies of
OctoTools may be specified to control interference and a priority may be
associated to limit CPU intensive OctoTools' on online users. Of course
input may come from any computer system ranging from I/Series,
Unix/Linux/Aix, Windows, Z/OS and many more. At one major customer we have
the watcher component, OctoWatch, examining the first several pages of a job
from the remote system, then invoking the correct "job control" and form
from a single input queue. This technology will be integrated into a general
release for everyone.
The OctoWatch capability allow a file to be reprocessed in several ways in
its entirety such as print to a PCL printer and store as PDF. Different
templates (forms) can be used for additional passes.
Report to Excel has been shipped to some users. This eliminates the time
consuming process of repetitive cutting and pasting. Using this facility, a
single copy of OctoTools can "parse a report" by distribution group, convert
to Excel and automatically email the Excel input to the recipients without
any user intervention.
PDF "overlay" capability. Mapping data on top of an existing form
Conditional based printer support such as feed from tray n or select duplex
CSV input
Chinese/Japanese/Korean output as well as right to left languages like
Arabic and Hebrew.
We have partnered with Biscom, a leader in fax servers in the midmarket
through Fortune 500 to provide outbound faxing via their FaxcomAnywhere(tm)
product.
OctoTools V5 pricing is quoted in the attached spreadsheet.
Coming attractions
These are some forthcoming goodies:
Our intent is to continue to provide lots of function for a modest price
when compared to other packages having a fractions of these features. This
end user list price of OctoTools Enterprise will be $20,000 including base
OctoTools, the online content manager and barcode recognition. It is
currently licensed on a server basis and will include and interface to
My/Sql, MS/SQL Server or Oracle. Extended maintenance and consulting are
extra.
OctoTools Enterprise Edition codename Turbo. Turbo should have much of the
function of a Redwood Software(r) or ViewDirect for Networks(r), some
general document repository capabilities plus OctoTools normal reformatting
and distribution function. Document identification may be part of the suite
as well. Planned usage and features are:
A back end application running under IIS now (later other ASP systems) which
will provide access control and security. You will be able to specify
whether a hierarchical environment where a manager can look at subordinate
records but peers cannot examine each other. You can restrict managers from
looking at subordinate folders. A group can be defined to share a folder in
read only or read/write mode.
Hardcopy documents may be scanned to Tiff, by your scanner and OctoTools
will recognize barcoding for filing of the under Turbo.
Medical or personnel records could be restricted to members of certain
departments, such as the HR department or a doctor, his staff, radiology,
nurses, surgery etc.
Access logging will be available for use with HIPAA type documents.
There will be several ODBC database vendors supported. The use of databases
will allow OctoTools to burst up to 10 times faster while providing the
option of storing PDFs in the database or externally to allow access by
other subsystems if necessary.
We will accept almost any type of document for storage (as binary) and will
pass it back to a browser. We can store Word, Tiff, JPG, audio, even
proprietary X-ray files should be able to be stored. You provide the file as
binary and a retrieval header type and you will be all set.
We should also be able to have any user print to OctoTools and turn its
Windows (Word, Excel, user applications) into PDF which may be stored in the
users directory or in the Turbo repository
We have also demonstrated to clients the ability to interface with Tiff
scanners and utilize bar codes to enable content storage and distribution.
Ability to add notes/annotations to documents without changing the base
document. A document that was created by the OctoTools PDF generator or any
other document is NOT modified. We add the comments to the base document
pointer. Comments may be emailed or queued in a personnel mailbox for
another recipient. The document itself does not have to be shipped.
For PDF's standard Adobe security rights (print, change, copy, note), will
also be in place when a download takes place.
Mike C
QA Engineer, Technical Support/Sales/Marketing Specialist
JBM Systems Inc.
4 Bald Hill Lane Suite 200
Peabody, Ma 01960
(978) 535-7676

mi...@jbmsystems.com (no spam)

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