Release Notes: HybridForms App Version 8.7 (November 2021)

With version 8.7, you can specify in advance in the settings whether the forms should be displayed in the »Standard«, »Adaptive«, »Single-column« or »Double-column« zoom mode. The new Adaptive Zoom feature is an enhanced version of the previous Standard View. Form fields, font sizes and spacing are automatically optimized – for best mobile usability on different mobile devices as well as on Mac or PC.

Use: For all HybridForms users.

The certificate-free biometric electronic signature is one of the most frequently used functions of HybridForms. In addition to the previous type – displaying the signature field directly embedded in the form – there is now the option to display this field as an overlay. In this case, the signature field is positioned in the center and the rest of the form content in the background is darkened. Focus and attention are now fully on executing the handwritten signature with finger gesture or digitizer – without time pressure or limit, because saving is done actively by the user via the »Save« icon (on the top right).

Use: Ideal for all forms with signatures of end customers in service & sales, kiosk applications for patient education in hospitals, and many more.

With the extended map function »Connected Maps« you integrate interactive maps from several map providers or even several instances from the same provider into your forms via map widgets – such as ESRI-based map systems like SynerGIS MapOffice or con terra map.apps. You can create a snapshot of each selected map section, on which annotations with manual sketches and text annotations are then possible. You can also use each saved snapshot to open the linked map with the interactive view again.

Use: For professional users who have their own GIS applications in use, such as public authorities & organizations with safety responsibilities and companies in the field of critical infrastructure or utility.

Audit Trail is an important function for quality assurance of processes. This function for continuous tracking can be activated for each form by the administrator as required. Only at the time of activation, changes are then logged and displayed for each form update, but previous changes are not taken into account (data protection). Through the change history, details such as version, date, time, user and type of change can be traced at any time.

Use: Among other things, for quality assurance in accordance with GMP/GDP guidelines in the food industry or in pharmaceutical industry & research, such as for clinical drug studies (GCP – Good Clinical Practice).

Usually HybridForms is used by registered users (with their own client license). With the new »ReachOut« function, non-registered / anonymous users can now fill out and submit selected forms via web browser. Optionally, a time limit can also be defined for this. The data entered is then validated at the ReachOut Server and provided in encrypted form for collection by the internal HybridForms Server. This ensures that there is never any external access to the internal server. The input of the anonymous users can then – as usual – be processed by registered HybridForms users. Since no temporary data is stored on the device with this function, ReachOut is only possible in online mode.

Use: Self-service applications such as patient registrations in hospitals, online crime reporting to the police, customer service portals.

The Admin Read feature allows you to grant read access to specific forms to users with admin rights. They can then open the form in the HybridForms App in the Admin Read view, but cannot make any additions or changes.

Use: Ideal for project and team managers who need an overview of the current status of tasks/forms.

A look into the future: We are working on the seamless integration of 3D models / augmented reality media, for example for the visual representation of plan vs. reality comparisons. More about this in the next update of the HybridForms App & Software.

The current version of the HybridForms App for mobile devices with Android, iOS or Windows can be downloaded free of charge as a demo version from the App stores. The Progressive Web App for web browsers on laptops and desktop PCs is available directly via the HybridForms Server.