Use it to fill in
contest/sweepstake entries, job applications, order forms,
survey signups, etc.
"Easy to use
and without any hidden spyware... Innovative, lean, useful
product."
Wall St Journal
"It Knows All Your Passwords (But Promises Not to Tell)".
NY Times
"The Best of 2003 -- Most Practical Program. I highly
recommend it."
CNET
"Best of all, this program simply works well. We have yet to
see a Web-based form stump it."
PC Magazine
"Best web enhancement."
People's Choice Award-2004
Among other things, this
form filling software can help you:
Fill in job applications
Register with companies
Product/software registration
Get freebies from freebie and other
sites
Fill in order forms
Enter contest sweepstakes.
Log in to your email accounts
Submit your ezine to ezine directories
Submit your ebook to ebook directories
Submit articles
Make inquiries and request information
And much more...
Paid Surveys and
Mystery Shopping Newsletter
Want to get paid to
do online surveys and offline mystery shopping? Here's a free
ezine that provides links to paid survey and mystery shopping
companies. Free to join (ad supported).
Please add a name
(or initial or nickname) and email address. You can easily
unsubscribe by clicking a link at the bottom of each
email. Privacy Policy. We will send a confirmation email (you'll need to
click the link at the top of that email to confirm
your subscription - which is free).
Simply click here to be taken to our subscription form
(just add an email address). Then just close that
window and you'll be back here.
You may wish to bookmark this page for
future reference. I have made the title easy to
recognize (when it sits in your internet favorites/bookmark
list).
I will continually
revise this form filling tutorial. This is version 1.1
If you're in a big
hurry and just want the absolute essentials, look under
the Menu/Table of Contents just to the left.
Click the yellow
highlighted links.
Don't think you need
to read every bit of this all in one gulp. Just think of it
as a reference page you can come back to as needed.
Robo Form: How can it help you?
Accuracy. Type in your info just
once. Double check it. From then on every form will be
filled in correctly. Of course, you can easily change the
info.
Save time.
Save clicks, typing, and overall
effort.
End procrastination because it
makes things easier and less burdensome, so you have less
dread.
Reduces repetitive, mundane tasks.
Quality and productivity. Allocate
more time to the things that matter and are more appealing.
In a nutshell:
This is a good time management tool. You just type your name,
address, etc. into Robo's Identity form ONCE. From then on,
Robo will use this information when it fills in forms. You
can choose to set up multiple identities (example: one for you, one for
your spouse, one for your business, one to make information
requests, etc.).
A few of the prime benefits of using
Robo Form:
Reduce or eliminate errors.
Since you enter details just once and only have to check
it once.
Enables you to focus your
mind more on the bigger picture. Avoid getting
bogged down with repetitive, mundane, uninspiring, mind
numbing tasks.
Concentration and energy
savings. Now you don't need to pay close attention
when you fill in forms and type up letters.
Concentration tires us out. Save your concentration
for other things and gain a big edge.
Reduce effort.
Reduce burnout.
Feel more productive.
And, as a result become even more productive.
Save time.
Reduce wear and tear on
yourself. Save your wrists. Reduce eye strain.
This is a dynamic ergonomic tool.
Robo Form motivates you to
take action on some things you've been putting off (since
much of the work involved
-- dull form filling is done for you). This form
fill tool will inspire you to tackle things you have been
putting off.
Example: Say you have
been thinking about listing your ebook, ezine, article,
whatever, on 100s of sites. Many of us would keep
procrastinating because of the thought of all the typing,
clicks, and eye-strain involved. Or, we might be all
motivated at first, but then quit after only doing it a
few times.
Well, if you use Robo, you
can greatly reduce that workload. And not feel as
intimated by the project.
By the way, Robo is the
best solution I could find for
submitting/listing/posting ads, ezines, ebooks, articles,
search engine submissions, contacting people with
requests, etc.
I want to make this guide as user
friendly as possible. One way is by having links open
up in a new window (keeping the source page open). This
way you can click a link yet keep your original place (after
you close the other window, you end up back where you
started).
You can use Robo
with all versions of Windows. But, this guide will focus
on Windows XP.
At the bottom of
this page you'll find out how to get more detailed information
on Robo and more about how to use it in other versions of
Windows.
Choose a memorable directory/folder to save the file to (or
create a new folder). You can save the file with its original
name, AiRoboForm.
Then write down the directory/folder
where you will save Robo.
Click Download (or Save). It takes 1-2
minutes depending on your computer's speed.
Installing Robo Form
After you have
successfully downloaded Robo, you may wish to wait till
later to install it (that is, after you have skimmed this
brief overview). You haven't
actually installed RoboForm by merely saving it. You'll need to take further
action.
It's probably best that you close all
programs/windows (including this one) before you install
it.
To install it after you have
downloaded it/saved it -- if the
download screen is still open, click Open.
Or, find the file in your
file manager and double click on it.
After you take this action, Robo should
install by itself. You will have to do a thing or two, but it
will mostly be self-explanatory.
RoboForm (form fill
software) overview. The basics to get you up and running.
This guide will just highlight the key
things. It is NOT meant to be comprehensive. I don't talk
about EVERY feature... Just the KEY ones. The rest you don't
need to focus on right now. I think it's better to get an
overview of the software and then start using it asap.
Beyond the basics,
much of the rest is too specific to each person to list it all
here.
This guide is more of a jump starter. It
should be enough for most people. My aim is to present the
crux of it... The major stuff.
Again, some items I
won't even mention.
How to get a feel for RoboForm
Skim this quick guide.
Become familiar with the terms (there
really are only a couple of them).
Thumb through the menus.
Hover over the icons.
Skim through the tabs.
Then try Robo on for size.
Activate the TaskBar
Icon (discussed later) and go to a page with a form
(like your email start page).
Use Robo for a week before you delve
deeper into the ins/outs.
An icon
is a small image that represents something. In many cases it
brings something up when you click it. Hover over it with
your mouse to see what its about. In many cases a bubble with
text describing what its function is will appear.
The Robo
Form TaskBar Icon
is the key item. We'll get to talking about it in just
a bit.
Finding AI RoboForm on your computer after it has been
installed. And, activating the TaskBar Icon.
In Windows XP. Click Start (lower
right). Go to All programs. Look for AI RoboForm. Click
TaskBar Icon.
When you have
activated Robo, you should notice a robot looking logo
appear in your computer taskbar/tray (located at the
LOWER RIGHT CORNER of
your computer screen). Fear not, that's just the Robo Form
Icon (see image below).
As I'll say later again, Robo Form is
listed as "AIRoboFORM" in your
computer's program directory list.
Whenever the TaskBar
Icon is activated, it will reside
in your taskbar/tray (you can turn it on/off by clicking it and then
clicking Exit). Your computer's tray/taskbar is located at the
lower
right hand corner of your monitor screen (where your
clock is).
The TaskBar Icon is
green with a bit of
white on the "face".
It looks like a desktop computer with a monitor on top (with 2
eyes on the monitor). But, it looks like more like a robot.
You be the judge, its image is above:
In Windows XP, go to Start-All Programs-AI
RoboForm-TaskBar Icon.
Or, it might be on your Start Menu
Panel. That is what comes up after you click Start in Windows
XP.
TaskBar Icon choices.
Personally, I prefer to try and do
everything from the TaskBar Icon.
A brief look at the just the key
choices available on the RoboForm TaskBar Icon after you have
set up an identity.
Click the TaskBar Icon and scroll up and
check these options out as you read this. The choices
are listed here in the same order as its actually
listed on the TaskBar Icon (Exit is the bottom choice on the
TaskBar Icon. Help is the top choice).
Some items have been omitted as I just
want to show the MAIN features.
Help. Key things: Manual and FAQ links.
Options.
Users (current users, create a new user,
delete a user, rename a user).
Fill forms. Click
the Fill Forms
option to fill a
form IF Robo doesn't do so automatically. You can set Robo up
to fill in forms automatically without any action from you (AutoFill).
Or choose Offer to
AutoFill. This way whenever Robo Form spots a
form, the
AutoFill dialog window
will popup. You can either X out of that window, do
nothing (and it will remain open), or click one of the
choices given.
First you set up a USER. That could be
you, your spouse, your business, whatever.
The best way to understand this is just
to do it. Create a USER and an IDENTITY for that user.
Just go to the TaskBar Icon and scroll up to USERS and go from
there.
Create a USER
Click the TaskBar Icon. Scroll up to
USERS. Click New.
Edit users.
Rename or edit users.
Click the TaskBar
Icon. Scroll up to USERS. Click the appropriate
User.
To change to a different USER
Go to...you guessed it: The TaskBar
Icon. Scroll up to USERS. Select the user whose information
you want to fill in.
Identity
You can choose to have just ONE
user and ONE Identity, if you want. Or, you can have up to 3 in this
version. It's your choice.
This is the contact information, etc.
that you want Robo to fill into forms.
Create an Identity
Once you have installed RoboForm, you
need to set up an Identity. For now just create one with your
first name (you can edit everything later, it's not set in
stone).
Whatever info you type into the Identity
screen can easily be changed or deleted later on.
Click the RoboForm TaskBar Icon. Scroll
up to Identities. Click new. You should see the screen
above.
Add an Identity name (your first
name, your business name, Surveys, whatever). Click okay.
Then you'll be taken to the
Identity screen (see below):
You'll arrive in the
Summary tab at first (the above listed image is in the Person
tab).
Again, you do NOT
need to fill in all the fields.
There are several tabs
(starting with Summary and ending with Custom). The Custom
tab is not
shown on this screen as it is to the right of the last shown
tab. You'd have to click the right arrow next to
the Default tab to get to the Custom tab).
Person tab. Click the tab titled
Person. Here
you fill in all the details pertaining to the Identity you
have set up.
Business tab. If you want to list your business info,
click the Business tab.
Address tab. Click the Address tab to enter
address info.
Other tabs: Credit Card, Bank Acct, and
Default Password tabs. I don't use these.
A visual presentation (screen shot) of the Custom tab:
This is a very nice feature. It allows
you to create field names (questions asked of you) and field
values (which are the answers you supply to the questions on
the form).
Custom fields
could include anything.
To create a
custom field, all you do is type it into the Field Name
column.
Examples of custom
fields you could create are: marital status, favorite
tv show, political party you belong to, number of cars you
have, whether you rent or own a house, etc.
Field names.
Info the form wants from you. Examples: Name, street
address,
city, state, etc.
In the Custom tab you can enter
up to 3 "Field
Names" (in this version of Robo you are limited to 3
Field Names). Field names are the questions you are asked on the
forms. Name, address, city, email address, etc. It is the
information the company seeks to collect from you.
Field values. Your
information. The answers to the questions asked of you
on forms. Example: 123 Main Street.
When Robo sees a Field
Name, it fills in the blank space next to the Field Name with the corresponding Field Value that you have previously
supplied it with (ONCE). Again, you can change this
information.
Other Match Strings
This is just
different words and phrases that mean the same thing as the
word listed
in the Field Name field. Enter one word or phrase per line (hit enter
after you type it).
Example:
Refer to the screen shot below for the following example.
A survey company's
form may have a field/question where they request that you type in your "job".
Of course, in the
Person tab you can enter your job title. BUT, say you
want to list other names for job. You may wish to do
this because another survey company may phrase the request
using the word "occupation" or "employment", instead.
All three words (employment, occupation, and job) have the same meaning,
in this case.
Go to the Custom
tab.
Type in "job"
under the Field Name heading (in the first empty
row).
In this example,
you're an accountant. So you type accountant into
the Field Value heading (same row as where you
typed job).
All related
items should be on the same row.
Now go to the
Other Match Strings heading. Go to the same row as
you just typed the other words. Then you type in words
that have the same meaning as job (occupation and
employment). Hit enter after you type each word.
Now, when Robo
comes to a form with job, occupation, or employment in the
field/question, it will supply what you have typed into the
Field Value column (in this case, accountant).
There are two
other examples listed here (car you own and favorite drink).
Take a look to ensure you get the idea.
Pro version Field Names, Field Values, and Other Match
Strings.
In the Pro version, you get
UNLIMITED
field names, unlimited field values and unlimited Other Match
Strings.
In the Pro version, you can enter
several
paragraphs of info in one field value. For example, you could
paste in your resume, a product description, an article, a letter, etc.
Also, you can store
an unlimited number of separate text passages.
Example: If you're applying for jobs,
you might be asked to give a 200 word explanation
of your strengths and weaknesses. You create the answer
once. Then you store this text in a
Field Value next to the Field name "Strengths and weaknesses". The Other Match Strings box on that row could have "pros,
cons,", etc.
Another example
provided to me by a subscriber is an online dating service.
One Field asks you to provide a description of yourself.
Another Field asks you to describe your ideal mate.
Another Field asks you to describe your outlook on life.
Desktop. Adding your Identity Name to your computer's
desktop. Here's how:
I
think it's a good idea to put Robo on your desktop so you to
see it often and remember to use it!
TaskBar-Identities. In the My Identity
Screen, go to the Action menu. Then scroll down to Put on
Desktop.
After you have clicked Put on Desktop,
check out your desktop. What will appear is the IDENTITY name
you created listed underneath a faceless guy in green
suit and tie (see image above). In the future, whenever you
want to access this IDENTITY, just go to your desktop and
double click Mr. Green.
Identity editing.
Go to TaskBar Icon. Scroll up to
Identities. Click Edit.
You will edit the
Identity that was last used (or the default Identity).
To edit another Identity,
go to the TaskBar Icon. Then scroll to
Identities and pick the appropriate Identity that you want to
edit.
This feature will
prompt you to save passwords and login info. Personally, I prefer
to have the AutoSave box blank. It's fine for certain email accounts.
But, I don't want it to save login/passwords for bank
accounts, etc. Of course, you could tell Robo not to
save the info each time...But, it's a hassle always having to tell it
not to do so.
Show RoboForm in Taskbar
on windows startup.
If you want Robo to start automatically
each time you start windows, click the box at the
bottom titled Show RoboForm Icon in Taskbar on Windows
Startup.
This is totally
optional. It may be a good idea because it will be a
constant reminder that will get you to remember to use Robo.
SEARCH tab
I unclick all of the boxes.
AutoFill tab (see
AutoFill under
Filling in forms)
Fill
Non-Empty Fields
This is where Robo will override info that is already in the
form blanks. Sure, why not. I keep it checked.
The RoboForm toolbar (image is just
above) is the long thin rectangle of icons and text labels
that runs along the bottom and/or top of your screen. It
starts with the Robo Form icon and ends with Generate.
There is an upper and lower toolbar.
Choose the one that you're more comfortable with. Or,
if you wish, go with
NO toolbar. The choice is yours. Some people find the
toolbars annoying as they mesh with your browser and may
clutter up your screen. You be the judge.
Customize the toolbar
Choosing whether you want to display
text labels or Icons or both.
Click the RoboForm Icon (it's located at
the far left of the toolbar). Scroll up to Toolbar. See the
heading Text labels: Here you can choose what you want to
appear in the Robo toolbar. Just text (example just display
the word Save but NOT an image next to it). Or, Text
AND icon (Example: the word Save and the corresponding
icon would show up). Or, just icon (an icon is just an image
that represents something).
To add or remove icons from the
toolbar.
Click the RoboForm Icon (it's located at
the far left of the toolbar). Scroll up to Toolbar. Click
Customize Toolbar.
In the RIGHT pane of the Customize
Toolbar screen are all the items that are listed on the
RoboForm toolbar.
To remove items,
just
click the ones you want to remove and then click Remove (it's
in the middle of the 2 panes).
To add items, click on the item in the
LEFT pane and click Add (it's in the middle of the 2 panes).
To remove the lower
toolbar
Click the X (far right of the toolbar).
You'll be asked: Do you want to see RoboForm Lower Toolbar
next time you open a window in this browser? Click No.
To remove the upper toolbar:
Right click somewhere on the upper web
browser space (sorry but the name escapes me but it is the
space that all your browsers upper icons and menu items lay
on). Right click with your mouse, say, the BLANK space just to the right of
your web browser's
Help menu. Select Robo Form.
Or: Go to the toolbar. Click The Robo Form Text
Label/Icon (at the far left of the toolbar). Scroll to the
bottom of the list and click Hide.
To turn the toolbars back on:
Click the TaskBar Icon (lower right, in
your computer tray/taskbar, left of the clock). Click Show Toolbar.
Or: Right click the upper web browser space
(the blank space next to the menu items). For example, right click
the blank space just to the
right of Internet Explorer's Help menu. Then scroll down to
and select Robo Form.
Toolbar. When you remove the
toolbars, they may come back up so you might have to repeat
the above listed toolbar closing steps once or twice.
If you don't change the user or
identity, the last used or default user/identity's information
will be used to fill in forms.
If you want to use
another User's information, click TaskBar Icon, then User or
Identities .
For example, if you are going to go
to survey sites to fill in their sign up forms, you would
choose the User you have set for yourself. Then you
either go with your standard Identity (you can have one
identity or 3 identities per user). Or, you could use
an Identity that you have set up specifically for applying
for jobs...or filling in surveys.
Again, you can choose to have just
ONE user and ONE identity.
3 ways
to fill in forms
Autofill.
You can have Robo automatically fill in every form without
notifying you (without asking your permission). See below for how to do it.
Offer to
AutoFill. You can have Robo prompt you every time
there's a form on the page you visit. The AutoFill
dialog screen
will popup and request that you click something in the box.
It won't fill in the form until you have made a choice. See
below for how to do it.
You can manually
click the Fill Forms
button whenever you come across a form you want to fill in.
The Fill Forms button is located on the TaskBar Icon (just
click the TaskBar Icon and scroll up to Fill Forms).
You can choose to have Robo fill in all
forms without asking you (so every form it sees, it will fill
it in without any action on your behalf. You do nothing.
In fact, you may not even realize it has filled in a form).
The AutoFill
tab is the last tab on the right of the Options menu.
It is just right of Version. Unfortunately, it didn't
show up in the screen shot below.
Just check the box
to turn AutoFill on. You can uncheck it if you
want to turn it off.
To set up Offer to AutoFill do this:
Click the TaskBar Icon. Scroll up to Options. The
General tab should appear. Check the Offer to Autofill
boxes (see the screen shot image a bit below).
If you have chosen Offer to AutoFill,
every time a form comes up the AutoFill screen will popup.
The AutoFill dialog screen is shown just below:
AutoFill Dialog Screen
options:
The AutoFill window
(see screen shot just above) will prompt you to take an action. You can choose
to click one of the choices, ignore it, or close it (click
the X). But, if you close
it, it will come back up when it sees another form.
The Fill Forms
button would fill in the form that's up on your screen.
The Fill & Submit
button would fill in the form AND submit it (so you don't have
to click the submit button). I don't select this as I
like to take a quick skim over the form before I submit it.
Never button
(not shown in screenshot). It has taken over the Unblock position. If you click the
Never
button on the screen you'll be given 2 options: 1)
Do not AutoFill at THIS site. 2) Do not AutoFill at ALL
sites.
To
turn AutoFill off
Click TaskBar Icon. Scroll up to
Options. In the General Tab, uncheck (leave boxes
blank) the boxes titled Offer to AutoFill. See
screenshot just below.
If you
unclick "Offer to AutoFill", you'll have to
MANUALLY activate
this screen when you want to have forms filled in.
Fill Forms
That's
easy. Just click the TaskBar Icon. Scroll up to Fill Forms.
Then the Fill Forms screen will come back up. Choose either
Fill Forms or Fill and Submit (that's if you also want Robo to
click the Submit button for you).
You can override whatever info Robo Form fills in.
When you go to fill in Its Your
Opinion's sign up form (and OTHER survey companies, too),
you'll be glad you knew how to do the following! At the
end of their sign up form you will be presented with a bunch
of offers. You MUST click either the yes or no box that
lays next to EACH offer.
Let Robo do it for you, INSTANTLY.
Here's how:
Note: The following
technique does NOT work for every form with yes/no question
boxes, but it does for the Its Your Opinion form.
Shhhh...
1)
Open up the Identity you want to use to fill in forms. How? Click
the RoboForm TaskBar Icon (lower right of your screen, left of your computer
clock, that is IF you have activated it).
To see how to activate it, click
here.
Once the TaskBar is activated, scroll up to Identites and pick the Identity
you wish to use.
You may well have JUST ONE identity. Or, yours could be the DEFAULT. If
so, you don't have to pick an Identity now.
2) Once the proper Identity is activated, click the RoboForm TaskBar Icon. Scroll up to Options. In the
RoboForm Options screen, click the tab called: IE menus. Look under
the column, Commands (at the far right). Look for Set Fields (which is
near the bottom). Click the blank box on the corresponding row (the row
that Set Fields is on) that is under the first column called: Toolbar.
Then click Okay.
You
should now see a √ (checkmark). If not, click the
empty box again.
3) Go to the form you want filled in. Click the TaskBar Icon and scroll up to Fill Forms.
It may prompt you to pick an Identity. Choose an Identity (if there) and
then click Fill Forms. Or, alternatively, you could click Fill and Submit
(that action will cause to fill in the form and ALSO click the Submit button for
you).
If that doesn't work click the
TaskBar Icon and scroll up to Fill Forms. This time,
though, click the box labeled More (lower right of
the Fill Forms screen). Then click Set Fields.
All the boxes should be clicked.
Hopefully all the boxes should be checked instantly. If
not, go through the above listed steps. If that still doesn't work, maybe
they have changed the form!
Congratulations! You just saved yourself about 75
clicks and a minute or two. Pat yourself on the back.
Go to the TaskBar Icon. Select Windows.
Select Password Generator.
Password tip
Whenever you use passwords, be sure to
write your password down in 2 places. A good idea is to
keep a paper on a clipboard and designate it SOLELY
for login and passwords. Then, make a copy of it and
store the copy
somewhere else.
Personally, I never keep my login or
password on my computer. I prefer stone age methods,
sometimes.
But, for things like
bank accounts, mutual fund accounts, and other things you have
to be sure no one else accesses, use completely different
logins and passwords for each account.
For sites that store
information that MUST be kept private, be sure that each
account has as long a login name and password as the company
allows!
And, make your logins
and passwords a collection of non-descript, random letters AND
numbers (that mean absolutely nothing). Forget
using your name, birth date, or any word.
Example:
Login: 67tyjep398
Password: hj89648213nr
Be sure to clearly
designate what the character is when you write it down.
Or, maybe don't ever use O or Q, the letters.
If you use a zero
(0), write it down with a line through it. 0.
Otherwise, you might think it is O, the letter.
If you use 7, write it down with a
cross through it (European 7). 7
could otherwise be misconstrued as being l, I, 1, etc.
I left out passcards, safe notes,
folders, and a few other things. I'll tackle that in a later
issue. I figure, you just
want to know the basics. I don't want to overwhelm you.
When it comes to learning how to use a
new software program, I think the key is to get an overview
enough to be able to start using it. Then use it for awhile.
Then go back and read the manual a bit.
Later on, you'll be in a better position
to judge if you need to learn more and what's important to you or not. Beyond the basics, much of the
rest is too specific to each person to go into great detail
here.
Provided by
http://CompleteListOfPaidSurveySites.com the free paid
survey site. Get a free list of links to paid survey
companies. You may copy this article and post it anywhere so
long as you do not change anything (keeping this link and
information in place).
If you want more
detailed info on RoboForm, see the Help menu. Click the TaskBar Icon (in
your lower right tray/taskbar). Scroll up to the top
(Help). Choose Entire Manual or Entire FAQ.