Rapid iOS app development with FormEntry

FormEntry Touch, a recent release from WidgetPress (makers of ModelBaker), makes setting up form-based systems on iPads and iPhones easier than ever. The universal app is static, in that it requires no coding; it reads forms from the application you build with FormEntry for Mac and runs on the FormEntry Server. Put it all together, and it looks like a pretty great setup for rapidly creating form-based applications that interact with a central database.

There are a lot of possibilities for something like this, across a variety of applications. You could build a menu and ordering system for a restaurant [or a wine list –Ed.], and let iDevice-toting customers place their orders at any time (or provide every table with an iPad, if you could justify the cost).

Teachers and professors could easily build quizzes and tests with the available array of form field types (we're looking at you, ACU). It has a signature field form type which allows people to use the touch screen to sign submissions, so it has legal applications as well. It even handles photo uploads, which adds myriad possibilities for inventory, real estate, and insurance applications.

FormEntry for Mac starts (for a single developer) at US$39, FormEntry Server at $79, and FormEntry Touch is a free download from the App Store. For a base price of $118, you could start rapidly developing applications and remote databases. Academic pricing drops it to $19 and $39 for FormEntry and FormEntry Server. For larger business applications, you can also get a Private Label version for $4,999 and white-label the whole setup. I'm curious to know if anyone has tried FormEntry out, and what they think. If you have, share your experience in the comments!

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Source: http://www.widgetpress.com/formentry/

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Software iPhone iPad

FormEntry Touch, a recent release from WidgetPress (makers of ModelBaker), makes setting up form-based systems on iPads and iPhones easier...

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Mitchell

I could see this being used for a very basic help desk ticket system. Has anyone used it for this purpose?

September 20 2010 at 2:55 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Ron

Seems interesting if the focus is on creating forms and passing these to people you know... There doesnt seem to be a way to customize the app design or background? Is it possible to add video? Still, looks good.
I'm really surprised that AppOmator has not been featured by TUAW.
http://www.appomator.com
It allows for content based apps to be created and released on the App Store. Also drag and drop - no programming knowledge required, and it's free to download! IMHO this is a pretty special app creator.

September 20 2010 at 4:06 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Daniel

I've used the program and it works very well. The server version isn't required to send the firms out, they can be preloaded to devices with the regular program. Also, the results can be sent to an email address as soon as the form is finished. There are a lot of neat features, to many to really list.

September 20 2010 at 1:10 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Dan

A similar app called Airforms is in development that does not require a mac to program. As much as I love my iOS devices, there will always be a PC on my desk.

Surprisingly, there aren't many good options right now for customizable app forms. If you look at Apple's new iPad business page, the dental office that brags about using forms is actually using the Adobe app to draw text in a layer over the image of a form. Data doesn't go into a database automatically, if they want it to an employee still has to enter it manually, or settle for just saving a raster file for every individual form. If I knew anything about programming I would have started working on a real form app as soon as the iPad dev kit came out because that is what's keeping small businesses from getting onboard.

September 19 2010 at 8:56 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to Dan's comment

Cy Starkman

Thanks for the note on Adobe Ideas, I had only seen PS Express.

September 19 2010 at 10:53 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply