System Requirements

General Requirements

Workstations: SwiftSend supports all Microsoft Windows operating systems currently supported by Microsoft, including, Windows 9x/ME, NT, 2000, or XP system. Depending on the installation, older versions of Windows may be used with SwiftSend though all features may not be available. The supported web browsers are Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher, Firefox and AOL 7.

Internet connection: SwiftSend is an Internet website based service. All users performing all functions must have access to loandocs.swiftsend.com (or docs.swiftsend.com), www.swiftsend.com and www.swiftview.com. Properly working 56k dialup connections work well, although initial installation takes about 3 minutes instead of seconds.

Document Creator Requirements

Client Installation: Two components are installed on document creators' workstations-- SwiftSend Publisher and the SwiftView Viewer. Installation executables for these components are available from the SwiftSend website. If Windows 2000, XP workstations are configured so that the user cannot install anything at all, the support department must install the components.

Documents can be packaged and delivered from any program running on any system that prints to an HP LaserJet compatible printer. Users simply print using the virtual printer instead of the normal printer (i.e. they literally print to SwiftSend). SwiftSend Publisher enables printing from any group of Windows applications to be combined into a single package to make a single delivery. Preview is provided using the SwiftView Viewer. The total virtual printer installation size is 700 KB and download/installation proceed in single smooth step as with the viewer.

Citrix and Terminal Services Systems: SwiftSend Publisher and SwiftView are fully supported in Metaframe and Terminal Services environments as desktop or published applications. Please email Technical support for more information.

Customized Document Processing: For high volume document delivery needs SwiftSend provides the SwiftSend Gateway. The Gateway emulates a LaserJet printer and can be customized to work with any LOS. Documents printed to the Gateway are automatically uploaded to SwiftSend and recipients are notified of their availability. For more information contact your SwiftSend account representative.

Recipient Requirements

Viewer installation: No specific download step is required. The first time a document recipient comes to view a document, the SwiftView Viewer is installed for them in one smooth process and they can view the document immediately. Size is approximately 1 MB—no more than about 3 minutes with a reasonable dial-up connection, much faster with a DSL or cable modem.

Printing—general: The SwiftView Viewer enables any document to be printed on any functioning Windows compatible printer. This is a much broader range of printer support than any other delivery system. However, not all printers are capable of printing mixed letter and legal document packages.

Printing mixed letter and legal documents: Any printer compatible with a LaserJet 3 or later printer supports mixed letter and legal printing. Essentially all inkjet printers by all vendors are NOT compatible. Certain inexpensive laser printers have no front panel and, hence, no mechanism for asking the user to provide the proper paper size. Whether they work or not depends on how they perform paper selection and, for example, an HP LaserJet 2100 is known not to select paper in the same manner as LaserJet 3 and later printers. Two paper trays in a LaserJet 3, 4, 5, 4000 and many other series printers, plus many printers from Lexmark, print mixed sizes without difficulty.

Special Issues

Installation privilege: Users are sometimes prevented—by Windows settings determined by their IT personnel—from installing anything on Windows NT, 2000 and XP systems. If this is the case, the IT personnel must be involved in the installation of SwiftSend. We are happy to provide a CD of components to help IT install SwiftSend on a number of systems quickly. Please ask your SwiftSend Account Manager for assistance.

Firewalls and proxy servers: The SwiftSend service relies on the use of ActiveX controls in the SwiftPublish application, the SwiftView viewer, and in the process of interacting with the SwiftSend website. Firewalls and proxies can be configured to prevent the installation of applications over the Internet, the use of ActiveX controls, and even access to certain websites. Customers who suspect they may have problems with any of these should work with the SwiftSend Account Manager to identify and resolve any potential issues. It is typically possible to provide the access and permissions required to use the SwiftSend service without impacting overall system security. However, this requires the support of the company’s IT department and may necessitate overall security policy decisions.

DOS-based applications: Pure DOS-based applications must be executed on Windows NT, 2000 or XP in order to use the virtual printer. Please note that some applications can look much like a DOS application but still be a Windows application. The process for using a DOS-based application can vary but our tech support staff can easily help you get it set up.