How to auto-fill paper forms from database?

[Henry]

My company has lots of paper forms to fill everyday. Instead of fill them
manually, I want to print them out from database. The key here is that, we
need to scan the blank form into picture (not a problem), then use this
picture as background (watermark?) of documents, and create some data fields
(text box?) on this document, whose data come from a database.

I am not sure if in Word I can create data fields. I know in Access reports
you can. But Access Reports does not allow me to put a background picture
(the blank form), or I am wrong?

Thanks!

 

[Jezebel]

Word can certainly do this: you can use form fields or DocProperty fields to
put the data into the document; but I'd suggest you not go the scan-picture
route for creating the forms themselves. It will save you some time
initially, but this is likely to be outweighed many times over in the long
run (this applies to going through Access also) --

1) a full page scanned image is a large file. You'll be adding a significant
long-term overhead to all your email and printing activities, ever more.

2) trying to get your data fields to line up properly with the correct
locations on the underlying 'picture' will be a continual drama -- subject
to changes in printer settings, fonts, etc on ALL your users' computers.

If you're going to this much trouble anyway, bite the bullet and recreate
the forms as documents or Access reports.