Core Benefits

Intelligent/Efficient Data Entry

MINIMAL EFFORT, MAXIMUM RESULT.

Our Emphasis is on Minimal Effort, Maximum Result. That is, the least amount of effort (on your part) for the maximum result.

Moving to the next field:  A simple but good example of efficient data entry.

For a lot of software products (not MultiForm) their favorite key to move to the next field is the [TAB] key.  Don't know about you, but I am a good typest.  I have been typing since high school -- where incidentally one of the longest lasting (longest lasting in terms of through life) courses I took (reluctantly at the time I might add) was typing class. As I was saying, I am a good typest, yet my little finger on my left hand still continues to hit the [TAB] key when going for the [CAPS LOCK] key and vice-versa, or perhaps both (and I'm left-handed).  As many times as not, I have to take corrective action for an inaccurate attempt.

The [ENTER] key, on the other hand, one of the BIGGEST keys on the keyboard, usually THE biggest being the size of the [TAB] and [CAPS-LOCK] combined, is just so easy for my digitus minimus, my pinky finger, on my right hand to hit.  Just a twitch will do.  The [ENTER] key is just plain hard to miss.

Plus the key says “ENTER”, and that is just what we are doing — entering data.  Now, it's a small thing, granted, and I have waxed on a bit about it, but we are talking about small things, in this case, the best use of our minimus(smallest) fingers.

Now the [TAB] key can be used if desired, and there are a few cases where one might want to, like moving to the next field to the right rather than to the next logical field which may be different.  Still the [ENTER] key will serve best in the majority of data entry.  The point is, that we are paying attention.

MINIMAL EFFORT, MAXIMUM RESULT.

Another example...

Speaking of data entry, consider the following...  To be sure, the mouse is a great thing.  And MultiForm is totally mouseable.  Yet, for data entry of fresh data, it doesn't have much of a place.  Here's why...

Are you consistently using a mouse to move to the next logical field on the form? Then consider this...  Here's what is you are having to do...

Hand to Mouse Existence

removing your hands from the keyboard... finding the mouse by feel and peripheral vision or moving your eyes from the screen to search for the mouse... grabbing the mouse... looking back at the screen... relocating your place back on the screen... finding your mouse pointer is not in the correct place (of course)... finding the correct place with your eyes... moving the mouse to the correct place... perhaps moving the mouse around a bit to get it to the correct place (depending upon the resolution you have the mouse set at, you may have over or undershot your desired location and have to readjust the mouse)... clicking on the correct place... removing your hand from the mouse... moving your hand back over the keyboard... re-homing your hand to the keyboard (if you are using a mouse with your right hand, feeling for the homing bump on the J key)... and/or perhaps diverting your eyes from the screen to the keyboard to help find the J key... and then eyes back to the screen... locating the correct spot on the screen... and finally, at last, typing in the next data.   And then repeating the process...

Whew!ee! Now do that 500 times.

Take the example of a form that has 550 fields in it — as many of the real estate appraisal and broker forms have. Say that process described above, takes only 5 seconds round trip.  Now multiply 550 times 5, and you get 2750 seconds. 45 minutes!  Amazing but true.  45 minutes of totally wasted time!

Compare the fraction of a second for the

twitch of a pinky finger hitting the [ENTER] key to

the 45 minute process described above.

The difference is the better part of a minute versus the better part of an hour!

Now the mouse can certainly be used, and has its place.  However, for fresh data entry and moving to the next field, we recommend the use of the [ENTER] key.  Actually, within MultiForm, the use of the [ENTER] key has even further benefits over the [TAB] key.  The [TAB] key will always move to the next field to the right – just like it does on a typewriter.  Whereas when the [ENTER] key is pressed, the move is along the logical path, i.e. to the next logical field of the form, not necessarily to the next physical field.  If the next logical field that would be filled out is down the column, then that is what the MultiForm [ENTER] key seeks.

The results of this small (though spending 45 minutes less is not small) increase in productivity?  The benefits of MultiForm's “small” increases in productivity is summed up by our customers...

Intelligent/Efficient Data Entry