IBM unveiled a new version of its electronic forms software that allows users to create, fill out, sign and submit forms data via a Web browser without downloading additional software. <A HREF="http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,2191453,00.asp?kc=EWRSS03119TX1K0000594">Lotus Forms 3.0, announced at the IBM Lotus Collaboration Summit,</A> in Washington, employs an AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML)-based wizard for its interface, which communicates with back-end systems.

This enables customers to prepopulate forms with existing system information, thereby reducing errors associated with manual data entry, said Antony Satyadas, senior strategist for IBM Lotus, based in Armonk, N.Y. Thanks to digital signature technology from Silanis Technology, Forms 3.0 allows users to use an electronic signature pad or swipe cards and fingerprint scanners to digitally sign the form.

Forms 3.0 cleanly integrates with software from IBM and third parties, including IBM's WebSphere Portal, WebSphere Content Management, FileNet P8, Lotus Expeditor and WebSphere Process Server, as well as with applications from SAP and Siebel, Satyadas said.

Electronic forms software is increasingly being used as an alternative to paper forms in several industries, most notably in government and the insurance and financial services markets.