Data fuels modern organizations. Companies capture crucial data from customers and prospective customers. But how companies use that data depends on the way it was captured, processed, and managed. Data intake can make a company agile, productive, and efficient. Or, data can cause bottlenecks.
Forms are the instrument organizations use to collect valuable information about users, customers, partners, and vendors. Traditionally, forms are filled in manually with pen and paper. This task has always been tedious, especially when the form fields are intensive. Used by banks, insurance companies, medical institutions, government service departments, and telecom companies, paper forms are typically long sheets of paper, with small print and boxed fields, teetering on a clipboard, balanced on a lap—cumbersome and time-consuming!
eForms to the rescue!
eForms are the digital alternatives to paper form capture. Electronic forms (eForms) are one of the simplest but most effective solutions that digitization provides to business workflows.
eForms as accelerators for data capture
Electronic forms cut down the time and cost associated with manual form-filling processes. Web-based forms are easy to implement with minimal IT support and require little or no training for your team. Some eForm software programs provide a watermarking feature that prevents illegal use and distribution of copyrighted material. eForms have the added benefit of secure cloud storage backup—no lost forms.
Digital eSignatures authenticate the identity of the individual who fills out an eForm, eliminating the hassle of printing an e-form for in-person or by-courier pen-on-paper signatures. eSignatures collect signatures remotely, effectively improving compliance management across your organization.
eForms are particularly useful in workflows that require repopulating data already available in the system. eForms enable users to prefill or auto-fill common data by applying predefined metadata or rules for expedient capture.
eForms are already popular with banking and financial institutions (BFSI), healthcare, and other sectors where accuracy and integrity of data are of utmost importance.
Choosing the right eForms software
eForms have been around long enough that there’s software competition on the market. Design tools with drag-and-drop features make it quick and easy to generate an electronic form using any device. Most of these systems use predefined templates to automatically generate forms on-the-fly. They reduce the costs of creating and processing forms, and save time by re-using legacy documents to generate new forms.
The good news is you have options. The bad news is that with choice comes the possibility of making bad choices. Choosing the right software can be a hassle.
What are the typical mistakes companies make when choosing and implementing eForm design tools?
Mistake no. 1: Choosing a well-known—but outdated—tool.
Some companies opt for older “market-tested” IT tools. While we understand the “better-to-be-safe” reasoning behind this choice, remember that technology changes rapidly. If the tool you choose is approaching the end of its lifecycle, your company could be left high-and-dry without a future upgrade in sight. Re-investing in new technology is an expensive affair. Make sure the forms management system you choose uses the latest technology and includes frequent version upgrades.
Mistake no. 2: Choosing an unproven, new system—don’t be the guinea pig!
At the other end of the spectrum, some companies try out the latest tools on the market—without a track record. It is tempting to opt for innovative tools that carry a lot of promise. But be aware that you could be experimenting at the cost of your team’s time and productivity. Do not be tempted by free tools or trial downloads. Make sure you verify the authenticity and effectiveness of a tool before you decide to adopt it. Remember, even if it’s free, you will spend expensive time and effort on this trial.
Mistake no. 3: Fearing the Cloud
Do you have an irrational fear of Cloud storage? Some people think that “the man” can see anything put up there. In fact, security is tighter in the cloud, and property is safer than with home-grown servers. Are you losing out on savings by not moving to the Cloud? There are serious concerns around issues such as data theft and cybersecurity. But these issues are hardly specific to Ccloud technologies. As long as you adopt best practices in cybersecurity, your data is as safe on the Cloud as it is on-premise. Cloud storage reduces time spent on server maintenance and backups. It also eliminates the chances of major server failures and downtime. So, don’t give up on the Cloud without considering all these aspects.
Mistake no. 4: Losing control of the budget
Keep a tight rein on costs throughout your eForms implementation project. Start with realistic budgetary estimates at the planning stage, taking into account all the factors that affect project cost. Consider your organization’s business needs, the size of your team, and the complexity of the data to be collected. Avoid drifting from the budget mid-way. This will protect the return on investment you expect from your forms management system.
Mistake no. 5: Trying to save on training costs
When you adopt a new technology or IT tool, you must provide formal training to your employees that allows them to make the best use of the tool’s features. Make sure you include training costs in your estimates. Skimping on training could prove to be expensive in the long run if your teams don’t know how to use the tool efficiently.
Get smart with data capture
AMI Imaging has served customers and solved business problems since 1982. We specialize in content management technology and document imaging using eForms, workflows, process automation, and BPO. Use our experience, knowledge, and resources to find solutions that meet your organization’s requirements, project size, and budget. Contact us today for a free assessment of intelligent data capture solutions and the right eForms software you need to meet your needs.