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RMP-3, Forms Management Guidelines Appendix A - Form Design and ProductionSeptember 15, 1986
APPENDIX A
FORM DESIGN AND PRODUCTION
A. Introduction
This appendix provides general guidelines for form design and
production.
B. Definitions
The following definitions apply to this section:
1. Camera-Ready-Copy
Version of form ready to be duplicated or photographed. May be
typewritten or typeset.
2. Consolidated Order
Form order consisting of forms of similar size and construction; in
particular, a form order coordinated by the Office of the President
Forms Coordinator under the University's Planned Purchasing Program.
(See Appendix B.)
3. Construction
Physical make-up of form (continuous, flat, NCR, snapout).
a. Continuous Form - form with holes on the sides for running through
a pin feed printer. May be single sheet, NCR,
or multi-part with interleaved carbons.
b. Flat Form - also known as "cut sheet". Form consisting of a
single part which is not continuous. May be
loose leaf or padded.
c. Mailer - form with built-in envelope.
d. NCR - no-carbon-required form. Form treated with
special coating so that carbons are not needed.
e. Snapout - form set with perforated stud, interleaved
carbons, or carbonless coated sheet.
4. Form Production
Process of creating multiple copies of form.
5. Forms Vendor
Non-University vendor which designs and produces forms at its own
plants.
6. Graphic Design Vendor
Non-University vendor which designs forms and other printed material
but has no or limited printing facilities.
7. Negative
Exposed and developed photographic film or plate on which images are
the reverse of what they are in the positive print.
8. Nonstorehouse Form
Form not stocked by campus storehouse; i.e., a form which is used by
and stored at only one department (such as a departmental
sick/vacation leave approval form).
9. Photostat
Photographic copy of printed matter made directly as a positive print.
Also know as "stat" or "black and white".
10. Storehouse Form
Form stocked by campus storehouse. (Forms used by more than one
campus department, like the Personal Data Form and Personnel Action
Form, are usually stocked in local storehouse.)
11. University Facility
A University department, such as UC Printing or UC San Francisco
Reprographics, which designs or produces forms or other printed
material.
C. Form Design
A well-designed form looks good, is easy to complete, and is
cost-effective to use. The form owner may therefore find it helpful to
obtain professional assistance (from a graphic design vendor, forms
vendor, or University facility) on matters of form design (typefaces,
ink, paperweight) and construction. If the form's appearance is
important, because the form will be used by many offices or by people
outside the University community, professional assistance is strongly
recommended. If negatives are required for production, professional
assistance may be necessary.
The factors to be considered in selecting a design source are the degree
of assistance needed, time, cost, and production source.
1. Assistance Required
Graphic design vendors, forms vendors, and many University facilities
can prepare camera-ready copy and negatives or photostats from a rough
draft, but they differ in the amount of forms analysis they can
provide. Graphic design vendors generally prefer to work from final
drafts, providing advice only on matters of typeface or spacing.
Forms vendors generally have staff trained to take a "systems
approach" to forms design. These analysts first study what
information is being collected and through what offices the form
will flow; they then design a form which is easy to use and
economical to produce. Many University facilities also have artists
who can help design a form from the ground up.
2. Time
The time needed to turn a rough draft into camera-ready copy,
negatives, or photostats can vary from one day to two weeks.
Graphic design vendors and some University facilities generally
provide the fastest service (one to four days). If the form owner
is designing a new form and needs extensive assistance and many
internal approvals, the process will take longer.
3. Cost
Graphic design vendors are usually the most expensive design source;
they may charge both by the hour and by the form's complexity.
Artists in University facilities recharge for their services. Forms
vendors will often provide forms analysis and design free of charge,
even if the resulting order is sent out to bid. All design sources
charge for negatives and photostats, although some forms vendors may
bury the charges in the production price.
4. Production Source Although it may be necessary to use one source for
design and one for production (e.g., a graphic design vendor and a
University facility or a University facility and a forms vendor), it
is preferable to use the same source for both to ensure greater
control of the process and better quality forms (for example, to be
certain that the camera-ready copy meets production standards).
D. Form Production
Several factors should be evaluated by the form orderer in deciding
whether to order forms singly or as part of a consolidated order and in
selecting a production source.
1. Cost
It is University policy to seek to satisfy the needs at the lowest
overall cost through planned quantity purchasing (Business and Finance
Bulletin BUS-43: Materiel Management). Substantial quantity
discounts, up to 60% off list, are available from forms vendors.
Some University facilities also offer discounts on large orders.
Generally speaking, University facilities will charge less for small
quantities of flat or NCR forms than forms vendors. For large
quantities (over 10,000), or amounts in excess of $5,000, quotations
should be obtained from at least three sources. Since the discounts
are based on large runs of forms of similar size and construction
(copy, number of pages per form, etc., may be different form to
form), small individual orders should be grouped into one large
order whenever possible to take advantage of the quantity cost breaks.
2. Time
Consolidated orders take longer to process than single orders because
quantity and copy information must be obtained from a number of campus
offices. Turnaround time (from camera-ready copy to delivery) will
vary with the size of the order, scheduling, and cost. It can range
from one day (at a University facility) to nine weeks. With forms
vendors, the form orderer must allocate lead time for bidding (about
6 - 9 weeks from submission of the request to the campus purchasing
office until issuance of the award) if the estimated cost exceeds
the established limit for sole source purchase orders. If time is
an important consideration, the form orderer should verify the
prospective producer's performance record.
3. Form Construction
Flat and NCR forms can be produced by both University facilities and
forms vendors. UC San Diego's Graphic and Reproduction Services
department produces single-ply continuous forms, but otherwise
continuous forms, snapouts and mailers must be produced by forms
vendors.
4. Quantity
Some University facilities have minimum or maximum run limits
(minimums range from 25 to 100; maximums from 500 to 2,500); forms
vendors usually have a minimum run requirement of 1,000 copies of
the same form.
E. Procedures for Form Design and Production
1. Determine Need for Form
The form owner decides whether an existing form can continue in use,
must be modified, or must be replaced by a new form.
2. Review Content
The form owner then works with the appropriate University staff
(representatives from campus and/or Office of the President offices,
Campus Forms Coordinator, Campus Information Practices Coordinator,
etc.) on matters of content (including privacy notices and disposition
schedules) and obtains the required reviews and approvals.
Nonstorehouse forms can be reviewed relatively quickly, given their
limited usage and scope. If a new form is being developed for use
by more than one department, the form owner consults the Materiel
Manager to determine if it should be stocked by the Storehouse.
3. Develop Form
Coincident with the content review, the form owner may obtain
professional assistance (from graphic design vendors, forms vendors,
or University facilities) in developing the form. The Office of
the President Forms Coordinator can provide advice on both design
and production sources. Note: Steps 2 and 3 tend to be iterative,
with multiple drafts and reviews needed before a final version is
fully approved.
4. Gather Quantities and Copy Information
For new forms, the form orderer obtains quantity and copy
information from the form owner and other offices which use or stock
the form. For forms included in the order cycle managed by the
Office of the President Forms Coordinator, the OPFC solicits
quantity and copy information on a scheduled basis. If the review
process described above has not occurred, it is initiated at this
time.
The quantity required will depend on usage and form content. If the
form has been changed but older versions remain usable, fewer
copies will need to be ordered than if older versions must be
discarded.
5. Select Production Source
The form orderer decides on a production source based on the cost,
time, and quantity factors discussed above.
6. Go To Bid
If a forms vendor is used and the estimated cost exceeds the limit for
sole source purchase orders, the form orderer submits a request to the
appropriate purchasing office to issue a Request for Quotation. At
this time the form orderer provides the purchasing office with
detailed information on form copy, design, quantity, and proof
requirements. Changes to the form or quantities needed which are
made subsequent to issuance of the quotation may not be permitted;
if such changes are made, additional time will be needed to amend
the request for quotation and obtain vendor responses.
7. Plan Order/Issue Award
If a sole source or campus facility is used, the form orderer prepares
and issues the requisite documents. If a Request for Quotation has
been issued, the purchasing office evaluates the quotation and
issues the award. Once the award has been made, no changes may be
permitted in copy, design, or quantity.
8. Review Proofs
It is prudent to require and approve proofs prior to production and,
if the forms contain carbons or will be run on printers, to test
samples. This may be an iterative process and will delay
production. For rush orders one can approve the form layout but not
require a proof. Since this procedure involves some risk, the form
orderer should discuss this alternative with the form owner.
9. Authorize Production
Production is authorized only after required proofs have been reviewed
and approved.
10. Follow-up
Throughout this process, the form orderer periodically checks on the
form's progress and advises affected offices of any schedule changes.
11. Verify Form Delivery
The form orderer verifies that the order has been delivered to the
appropriate office(s) and that the work is acceptable. The order
should be checked for conformance to specifications by the recipient
as soon as it is delivered so errors may be identified promptly.
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