Forms Analysis Copyright © 2007 Patrick McDermott University of California Berkeley Extension

Document Analysis Current Reports –Anything the Computer Generates –And Manually Produced Reports Forms Analysis –Multipart Forms, Rainbow Colors –Boxes, Lines –The Box Misused: Manila Tax –Colored Check Marks Policy, Procedure, Training manuals Be Careful—documents could Lie Decisions in History

Get a Copy The pre-printed stuff is the metadata

The Unformed Form The Manila Tax Field Diver License # on Checks “For Office Use Only” Illegal/Embarassing/Shady

Data Flows thru Forms Forms & Reports explicitly lay out what data flows in and out Get examples of completed forms Can become on-line Form –Some software calls screens “Forms” Access, dot NET VBA

Things Noticed on a Form The company can ship & bill to multiple addresses Item # are numeric 5-digits Freight is charged to customer Tax is calculated

Paper Forms On a paper from, you can write in an explanation –“Don’t Know” –“Unknown” –“Not Applicable” –“None of your Business!”