function checkForm(f) {

    f.elements["elqCustomerGUID"].value = GetElqCustomerGUID();
    //check first name
    if ( isEmptyOrWhitespace(f.firstName.value) ) {
        alert("Please provide your First Name in the space provided.");
        f.firstName.focus();
        return false;
    }
    // check last name
    if ( isEmptyOrWhitespace(f.lastName.value) ) {
        alert("Please provide your Last Name in the space provided.");
        f.lastName.focus();
        return false;
    }
    // check email
    if (f.email.value == "" || f.email.value == "null" || f.email.value == "NULL") {
        alert("Please provide your E-Mail Address in the space provided.");
        f.email.value = "";
        f.email.focus();
        return false;
    } else if (f.email.value.indexOf("@") == -1 || f.email.value.indexOf(".") == -1) {
        alert("Please provide a valid E-Mail Address in the space provided.");
        f.email.value = "";
        f.email.focus();
        return false;
    }
    // check phone
    if (isEmptyOrWhitespace(f.phone.value)) {
        alert("Please provide your Phone Number in the space provided.");
        f.phone.focus();
        return false;
    }
    // check title
    if ( isEmptyOrWhitespace(f.title.value) ) {
        alert("Please provide your Title in the space provided.");
        f.title.focus();
        return false;
    }
    // check WebURL
//    if (isEmptyOrWhitespace(f.weburl.value)) {
//        alert("Please provide your Web Address in the space provided.");
//        f.weburl.focus();
//        return false;
//    }
    // check company
    if ( isEmptyOrWhitespace(f.company.value) ) {
        alert("Please provide your Comapny Name in the space provided.");
        f.company.focus();
        return false;
    }
    // check address 1
    if ( isEmptyOrWhitespace(f.address1.value) ) {
        alert("Please provide your Address in the space provided.");
        f.address1.focus();
        return false;
    }
    // check city
    if ( isEmptyOrWhitespace(f.city.value) ) {
        alert("Please provide your City in the space provided.");
        f.city.focus();
        return false;
    }
    // check state
    if ( f.state.value == "" ) {
        alert("Please select your State/Provice from the list provided - select \"Not Applicable\" for none.");
        f.state.focus();
        return false;
    } 
    // check zipcode
    if ( isEmptyOrWhitespace(f.zip.value) ) {
        alert("Please provide your Zip/Postal Code in the space provided.");
        f.zip.focus();
        return false;
    }
    // check country
    if ( f.country.value == "" ) {
        alert("Please select your Country from the list provided.");
        f.country.focus();
        return false;
    }
    // check existing relationship with an outsourced IT service
    if (getCheckedValue(f.outsource_sp) == "Yes") {
        // check service provider company
        if ( isEmptyOrWhitespace(f.sp_company.value)) {
            alert("Please provide the Company Name of your IT service provider in the space provided.");
            f.sp_company.focus();
            return false;
        }
        // check service provider contact
        if ( isEmptyOrWhitespace(f.sp_contact.value) ) {
            alert("Please provide the Name of your primary contact at your IT servicer provider in the space provided.");
            f.sp_contact.focus();
            return false;
        }
        // check service provider phone
        if ( isEmptyOrWhitespace(f.sp_phone.value) ) {
            alert("Please provide the Phone number of your primary contact in the space provided.");
            f.sp_phone.focus();
            return false;
        }
        // check service provider email
        if ( isEmptyOrWhitespace(f.sp_email.value) ) {
            alert("Please provide the Email address of your primary contact in the space provided.");
            f.sp_email.focus();
            return false;
        }
    } else {
        // reset service provider if no
        f.sp_company.value = "";
        f.sp_contact.value = "";
        f.sp_phone.value = "";
        f.sp_email.value = "";
        return true;
    }
    // check it_resources
    if (!isEmptyOrWhitespace(f.it_resources.value) && isNaN(f.it_resources.value)) {
        alert("\"Number of Internal IT staff\" must be a number.");
        f.it_resources.value = "";
        f.it_resources.focus();
        return false;
    }
    // check endusers
    if ( !isEmptyOrWhitespace(f.endusers.value) && isNaN(f.endusers.value) ) {
        alert("\"Total number of employees in your company\" must be a number.");
        f.endusers.value = "";
        f.endusers.focus();
        return false;
    }
    // return false // debugging only
    return true;
}