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What is the state of AFP on the IBM i?  Should you consider a new forms solution?  We’re receiving a lot of calls expressing concern over IBM dropping support of the AFP Print utility after IBM i OS 7.2.

"IBM® Advanced Function Printing Utilities (5770-AF1) is no longer supported. The last release for IBM Advanced Function Printing Utilities (5770-AF1) was IBM i 7.2." (full statement here)

The AFP print utility will be available on the IBM i, but the technology will be maintained by an outside consortium. This may or may not be reassuring, but we are confident we have a better idea – a much better idea. TLAForms is our software package that allows you to design forms using data from spool files already being produced by your applications. You use a Graphical, WYSIWYG designer to easily design your forms and turn them into full-color, high-quality forms that can be output to any printer, and/or output as a PDF file which can be archived to any network location or automatically emailed. TLAForms is a superior solution than AFP for generating forms, and, as many of our customers have learned, TLAForms is incredibly cost effective!

TLAForms costs $2,995.00. The annual maintenance fee is $695.00.

The software is delivered with every feature. No Modules. No additional fees. You get it all, and the feature list of TLAForms rivals, or exceeds, other IBM i forms solutions. TLAForms has replaced other solutions that cost 5 times more. Read this 3-minute case study to learn how Kress Corporation saves thousands each year by switching to TLAForms.

TLAForms eliminates preprinted stock and provides flexibility and functionality to create and manage your forms at a cost that cannot be matched by AFP or any other IBM i forms solutions. Start producing high quality forms more cost effectively by downloading a free, 30-day trial of TLAForms.

Compare some of the main features of TLAForms with the IBM i AFP Print Utility.

Features	AFP	TLAForms
Output	Print Only to IBM i Printers	Print to Any Printer Generate Form as a PDF Archive PDF to any Network Location Automatically email the PDF
Color	Black and White	Full Color
Design Interface	Green Screen/Program Development Interface	WYSIWYG See your Form as you Design It.
Fonts	Courier Font	Expanded Font Selection
Barcodes	Barcodes, Difficult to do 2-Dimensional	Easy - Including 2-Dimensional
Overlays	Overlays - Very Cumbersome	Use Design Tools to Create Templates
Images	Images and Overlays are Static	Images can be Dynamic – Use an action to determine which image will print
Conditioning	Conditioning with Lots of Programming	Conditioning - show or hide items on your form based on certain criteria - ie. page number, or replace data as needed
Using IBM i File Data	Already uses data from IBM i files - additional access to IBM i files requires programming	SQL - easily create SQL statements within the designer to access additional IBM i file data.
Printer Alignment	Margins vary from printer to printer making alignment frustrating	No more worries about alignment. You can print your form perfectly to any printer.
Quality	Average to sub-par quality forms	Outstanding form quality
Programming	Programming time - sometimes for highly technical aspects, sometimes for mundane, repetitive, trial and error-type tasks like working with overlays.	NO Programming
Cost	Free, but with lots of labor costs for a finished product that looks 'meh'	Low cost, feature-rich, easy to use, outstanding quality, industry recognized technical support