Chapter 1. Introduction

Table of Contents

1.1. Barcoding CRFs
1.2. DFdiscover Plug-in for FrameMaker® Installation

This guide describes the tools in DFdiscover that are available for barcoding CRFs. For studies that are EDC only, or never expect to receive study data on paper CRFs, barcoding is not needed and these tools are not needed.

Barcoding can significantly streamline the process of receiving paper CRFs and automatically directing them to a study.

1.1. Barcoding CRFs

DFdiscover includes two methods for barcoding CRFs,

  • a FrameMaker® plug-in that creates barcodes directly within FrameMaker® and inserts them into the current CRF, and

  • DFbarcode, a standalone application that creates barcode image files, in TIFF, PNG or BMP format, for inclusion into CRFs via other desktop publishing software.

While both methods will be described, the FrameMaker® plug-in is the preferred method, as inclusion of the barcode into the CRF is handled automatically.

If barcoding is needed and the DFdiscover methods cannot be used, the final chapter provides the technical details needed to create barcodes from scratch.

1.2. DFdiscover Plug-in for FrameMaker® Installation

Before the DFdiscover plug-in for FrameMaker® can be used from within FrameMaker®, there is an installation procedure which your administrator must perform. Refer to Software Installation Guide, DFdiscover barcoding plug-in for FrameMaker installation [PK02] for additional information.