Creating Forms

[emy]

I am in need of advice of the best way to handle what I want to do. I have a website where I as of now just tell potential clients about my services. I want to upgrade the site to be able to also allow potential clients to fill in a contract and send payment. I would like for them to first be able to check if we have their date available then if we do sent to the contract form. The contract needs to have all the terms and conditions and allow them to chose the services they want and add up the total. I would also like for the form to come to me through email not in a text/excel format but in a contract/word type document format that I can read, print out and sign to return a copy to them. As for the payment I would like for them to after filling out and submitting the contract form to be able to view it and print a copy for themselves then be taken to the payment page where they can securely enter their credit card information or request an invoice be sent to them. What type of codes will I need to use to get all this done.

Also, for my current clients, I have forms that I need for them to fill out. I would like to be able to put these forms on the website in a way so that if they do not finish filling it out they can save where they are and come back to it later to finish, and when they finish, the same as the contract, they will be able to submit, then view it and print out a copy for themselves and it will be emailed to me in a word type document so that I can email to my workers and also print out a copy.

Is there anyway I can do this all myself without having to purchase any software. My server provides PHP, MySQL and SSL if needed. But I have never used them and will need to get learned on them. I am a quick learner and have no doubt I can learn it all.

Thank you in advance for the help.

[Atli]

Hi.

The forms can be easilly created and manipulated with PHP by most novice programers. I am however not familliar with that contract/word format you mentioned so I cant say how easy that will be. Sending them as HTML or text is easy tho.

The online payment is tricky. I quess it could be done using the PayPal system without very much trouble. But you'd probbly need to know some object orientated programing to accomplish that, and I wouldn't attempt that unless you've got some experience at programing in PHP.

Any data, a form your client is filling out or something else, can be saved using MySQL, or any other form of database for that matter.
But again, this would require some skills with database managment and PHP, or something similar.