Shana Informed Filler Version 3.5 Install for External Clients

Version 3.5.3 Install Guide.

Overview

This document explains how to install Shana Informed Filler 3.5.3. It is intended for use by external clients who might use ministry supplied forms when doing business with the ministry. While we have done a reasonable effort to provide this service, we offer no warranties. The software is a product of the FileNet, now an IBM company, which acquired the Shana corporation a few years ago. 

Install Instructions for External Clients

1. External Clients. We assume the following is performed either by you or your system support staff. 
    
2. First download the software. There are two files to download. Download them to some temporary place on your PC. If your browser is Internet Explorer, you can right-mouse click then choose "Save target as..." to save these files to your PC. The two files are:
   • the install program, SETUP.EXE (8mb file size)
   • a profile,  BCForest.pro 

   The software is suitable for Windows 98, 2000, NT, and XP. If you have a Mac, use the software contained within the "Mac" directory within this ministry FTP directory. This directory also contains some guides you may be interested in. 
   
   You can use the Setup.exe for fresh installs (PCs that never had Informed Filler), or for upgrades (PCs that have Filler 2.7.1 or any previous version of 3.0). The instructions below are for fresh installs.
    

3. Run the SETUP.EXE.

• Close all other programs.
• For Name and Organization, enter Your Name and Your Organization respectively.
• For registration key, leave blank. Press Next.
• Accept the license agreement, and Next past the release notes.
• Now select Custom install. Navigate to Shared, Form Distribution, and under FTP Server Distribution uncheck WININET and check WINSOCK. And under Deployment server, do the same. Now finish the install.

4. Initialize User Preferences -- then open Informed Filler (Start, Programs, Informed, Informed Filler).

• For registration, simply press Use Forms Now.
• While still in Informed Filler, you may set other preferences as you may wish, for example, you choice of mail and signature service.
• close Filler

5. Copy the profile BCForest.pro to C:/Informed/Prefs/Distctrs on your PC.
    
6. Reboot.
    
7. A note about .ITP files -- just for your information, .ITP files (Shana templates) are not registered (version 3.5 does not do this as 2.7.1 did). For now, we will leave this as-is. Typically a user does not launch .ITP files directly so the implication is minimal.
    
8. A note about Entrust. If the user has an Entrust digital certificate and wishes to use it:

• If the user already has Entrust installed, the Informed setup will detect it and install the Entrust signature plug-in automatically.
• If the user gets Entrust after the Informed install, re-install Informed, but in this case, select custom install and check Digital Signatures, Entrust. You don't have to re-install the whole product.

9. Windows 2000 or XP? If you are using either, set the access permissions for the directory called C:\Informed to let all users have update permissions. This is a fix so that it will work for non-administrator users. This is a slight quirk with this version.

Note that we distribute un-registered copies of the Shana Filler as we license the forms. The filler will work for all of our licensed Shana forms, but not for unlicensed ones.

Optionally, Try It Out

To open a new form, simply launch Shana Filler (Start, Programs, Informed, Filler). It opens assuming you want to start a new form (called a new document). The same dialogue appears if you select File, New Document. For your first time, select Services, then BC MoF Forms. You will see a list of ministry forms. Choose one (like the FS993 signature sheet) and a blank form will open up. If you have already opened this once, it will be in your local templates (in the list right after you select File, New Document). Note that any newer version will automatically be updated from the distribution centre. Note too, the same forms can also be found in the usual ministry Forms Index.

Fill in the form, for example, the FS993. You can attach files to it. You can sign it (see more on Digital Signatures below). When done, you can save it (a name of your choosing). You can email it (File, Send).

How to open one? If you receive one attached to an email message, or receive one via FTP or other means, simply double click on the Shana eform. It will open automatically. If you do not have the corresponding template, it will be fetched automatically from the distribution centre and installed on your PC. Once you open it, you can, as may be appropriate, add more data to it, sign it, and forward it on as may be required.

More help is available from our Shana User Guide. Also, please refer to the full set of help topics available from within Shana Informed Filler (select Help, then Contents).

More on the FS993 Digital Signature Sheet

The FS993 Digital Signature Sheet is much like its paper counterpart. It has To, From, and Body fields for example, and although it can be used by itself, much like a paper memo, one interesting aspect is the ability to sign attachments. Not only form fields, but all attachments are signed and locked by all the signatures. Since the attachments can be of any file type (e.g., Excel, Word, PDF, dbf, Intergraph mapsheet, and so it), this provides a general means to digitally sign documents and material currently used. Sort of like a digital envelope or package. You can store or send it, and its always a provable signed original. Can be used for applications, contracts, maps, and data collection. Please feel free to use the FS993 as a sample form to test your software, to practice your skills, or to demonstrate an understanding of how it all works.

More on Digital Signatures

Shana eforms support all current digital signature technologies. It can be signed with your email id, an Entrust digital certificate, or a CryptoAPI based certificate (e.g., Verisign). When signed, a hash is created of the forms data and attachments, and fields are locked down (they can't be changed). In early usage, we will use email id based digital signatures.

For ministry staff, in Shana Filler, set preferences (Edit, Preferences, Security) of the signature service to I-Sign (IMAP). Then set preference (Edit, Preferences, I-Sign (IMAP)) to userid as IDIR/yourNTid and IMAP host as one from this list (ministry staff can click here for a list).

For external staff (those outside the ministry), assuming you are not using either Entrust or CryptoAPI, choose the signature service of your choice, for example, if you have normal SMTP/POP mail, follow the above but set your userid to the userid you use for your email, and your server to the normal POP server you use. For example, LBEANS and mail.islandnet.com.

To sign a Shana form, simply double click on the appropriate signature field. The signature dialog will appear. Enter your password. It is now signed.

Default workflow if a form is entered incorrectly is to simply send it back for correction. As a signature will lock down fields, if correction is required, the signature field is first deleted (this unsigns it), the corrections are made, then the form is once again signed and re-sent.

A Typical Workflow

For illustration, a typical workflow may be as follows:

• person A fills out a form but doesn't sign it (they are playing a role of drafter) and sends it on the an originator.
• person B is an originator, they may fill out the form from scratch but may have received it first from a drafter. Once done, they sign it as person B. Then forward it on the say an approver.
• the approver, person C, may simply review the form, and if not acceptable, send it back. If acceptable, they may sign it (a counter signature, which may lock down the previous signature(s), and forward it on.
• the processor may simply review the form and if ok, do some work, like process the transaction. They may sign it to indicate acceptance and simply store the result.

More Info

For more help or info on using a Shana eform, please refer to the instructions on the website located at http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/isb/forms/shanahelp1.htm.  

Revised: November 15, 2006, fb