Troubleshooting and Tips for PDFs

If you encounter problems as you learn to use PDFs in SYSTOC, you may find it helpful to access the individual form's help file, if one exists, by double-clicking the help icon on the forms workspace toolbar.

The table below may help you determine the source of many form-related problems.

Problem Consider

I cannot open a PDF form.

Do you have the required form access level of A, C, or O?

I have a form access level of A or C, but I cannot enter data in the form.

Has the form already been flattened?

Patient demographic information does not load into the form.

Demographic data come from the Patient ID. If the ID for the appointment is temporary or unspecified, data will not load when the form is opened.

I cannot change the data in some of the form fields.

You may be trying to modify a read-only field (see the form help file); you do not have a form access level A or C.

The form will not save.

Do you have the required form access level of A or C to save a form?

I cannot flatten a form.

Do you have the required form access level of A to flatten a form?

The data I entered in the form previously are not there when I open it again.

Did you save the form before exiting? Did another user modify the form after you entered data in it?

The form does not advance to the next step in the work flow.

You must save the form (even if you made no data-entry changes) to automatically advance the work-flow sequence. Alternatively, you can manually advance the work-flow sequence in any orders grid.

Note: If you are working with a PDF document that was attached to an order via the Orders - Attach File screen and there is no Save button for the document, you must use the Flatten Record button to advance the work flow.

When I try to open a chart (previously saved form), I see an error message that says SYSTOC cannot find the file.

This may happen if you are working in the tutorial database and you are trying to open a chart that you did not create yourself (by saving a PDF form).

When I add a signature, comment, or drawn object to a scanned PDF document that I rotated in the Forms Workspace, the image is not aligned to the document.

If you use either the Rotate Right or Rotate Left button to correct the orientation of a PDF document that was improperly oriented when scanned, you will encounter problems should you attempt to apply a signature, comment, or drawn object. Documents must be scanned in the proper orientation.