In today’s fast-paced business environment, optimizing data management procedures is critical for staying ahead of the competition. One effective way to achieve this is by implementing Dynamic Form software.
Dynamic Form software can automate your company’s workflows and simplify tasks like creating custom checklists, collecting quality data, tracking maintenance and inspection tasks, and generating accurate compliance reports.
In this guide, we’ll explore the benefits of using digital form software for streamlined data management and show you how to choose the right software for your needs. Let’s get started!
What is a Digital Form Software?
Digital form software is a new and improved way to handle paperwork. Deployed on a CMMS, digital form software automate and streamline the creation, completion, distribution, and processing of all aspects of documentation. These paperless forms can be used for a wide range of data and tailored to fit your organization’s unique needs.
Unlike traditional paper forms, forms automation software are cost-effective and efficient. They increase data accuracy while eliminating manual exertion and reducing operational costs.
With digital form software, your organization can transition to a smart, automated workflow process as you can:
- Easily collect and distribute data electronically
- Validate and analyze information quickly
- Improve data accuracy
- Reduce processing times
- Facilitate collaboration and data sharing across the business system
For example, you can use digital forms to:
- Create mobile checklists for quality control inspections
- Generate work orders for maintenance tasks
- Collect data for compliance reporting
- Create digital forms and legal contracts with digital signatures.
Two Main Types of Digital Forms
Digital forms can be divided into two main categories: static and dynamic.
Static forms are simple and straightforward, mainly used for capturing data that does not require complex interactions. They are typically used for printing line-mode data, with consistent detail lines on each file page.
On the other hand, dynamic forms are more complex and interactive, providing users with features like conditional logic, calculations, and data validation. Dynamic forms are created by specialized software that allows for a more interactive and responsive user experience.
Here are some examples of how static and dynamic forms differ:
- Static forms are useful for simple data collection, such as customer feedback surveys, while dynamic forms are better suited for more complex tasks, such as calculating loan payments on a credit application.
- Static forms are typically used for capturing data that is consistent across all responses, while dynamic forms can handle variable data and adjust the user interface accordingly.
Within these two overarching categories exist a multitude of digital forms, each serving a unique use case. Some of the most commonly used forms are quality control and inspection forms, credit applications, legal contracts, maintenance and inspection checklists, invoices, order forms, and service request forms.
Pro Tip
Integrate the NonStop Dynamic eForms into your maintenance strategy. With this best forms automation software, enhance the documentation entailed in the asset management processes, resulting in optimal equipment maintenance, increased operational uptime, and improved bottom-line outcomes.
Why Transition to a Digital Form Software From Traditional Paper Forms?
Paper forms have become obsolete owing to their inefficacy. This traditional method is time-consuming, laborious, and monotonous. While electronic forms can streamline the documentation process, paper forms only accumulate into stacks of files that are difficult to manage, process and disseminate.
Limitations of Paper Forms
Paper-based documentation is associated with several constraints that can potentially impede your organization’s processes, progress, and productivity. Outlined below are seven limitations that strengthen the reputation of digital form software like The Dynamic eForms:
- Paper forms require manual data entry, which is error-prone, thus augmenting the risk of inaccurate and unreliable data.
- Searching and analyzing data patterns and trends on paper forms can be time-consuming and strenuous.
- The manual data entry in the field is followed by re-entry in the office, which can be arduous and time-consuming.
- Paper-dependent forms can be incomplete, incorrect, unstructured, or illegible, leading to unreliable and imprecise data and reports.
- The lack of visibility on real-time processes in the field can hinder effective decision-making and problem-solving.
- Paper forms can be difficult to record, track, share, process, analyze and manage; leading to lost or misplaced forms.
- Paper forms come with a continuously increasing demand for storage, necessitating additional physical space and filing cabinets.
Switch to The Dynamic eForms to sidetrack these limitations and combat their associated challenges. This digital form software offers an efficient and consistent data processing solution, which resolves the challenges of paper forms.
How Can Digital Form Software Benefit Your Organization?
Digital form software has the potential to supercharge workflows throughout your entire business. Your organization can leverage the full capabilities of digital form software to unlock a multitude of key benefits, including:
Save Valuable Time and Resources
By deploying forms automation software, your company can automate manual processes. There is no need to retype and recheck the data for potential fallacies. Maintenance technicians can simply enter data into a centralized database and share it across facilities in real time.
This automation of tasks yields significant savings in terms of time, money, and resources by reducing the burden of repetitive, resource-intensive, and tedious tasks. Ultimately, this approach minimizes operational costs associated with data processing and management.
Enhance Data Collection and Analysis
Data capturing is easier with digital form software. It enables facility managers to establish the mandatory fields, ensuring maintenance technicians get all crucial information. Repetitive information can also be pre-populated, so the collected form data is always accurate.
Followed by streamlined data collection, forms automation software further enable enhanced data processing, automatic calculations, and data aggregation. The resulting efficiency empowers inspection and maintenance managers to readily analyze data, identify trends and improve their processes over time.
Improve Data Accuracy and Reliability
Paper-dependent forms present a significant risk for human error. Facility managers must go through the additional step of cross-checking form data for potential inaccuracies, such as double data entry, errata, and typographical mistakes. There is also a high potential for data entry errors accounting for illegible handwriting, incomplete forms, and missing information.
Utilizing a digital form software, on the contrary, minimizes the risk of these facilities. It allows data validation and conditional logic to ensure that all collected data is accurate and reliable. Consequently, maintenance teams can make decisions backed by real data.
Access Real-time Dashboard & Analytics
Real-time updates and insights are a key benefit of digital form software. It enables facility maintenance managers to interpret real-time analytics and monitor equipment and facility performance metrics.
Considering these insights, maintenance managers can effectively identify trends, predict equipment failures, and proactively schedule inspections and maintenance. This significantly contributes to reducing downtime and optimizing facility performance.
Streamline Communication and Collaboration
Efficient communication and effective collaboration are two indispensable components of successful team coordination. Forms automation software optimizes these aspects of your facility maintenance plan.
The software deploys critical maintenance forms and reports automatically synchronized to the cloud for seamless access. Enabling real-time data sharing and accessibility, this automated solution empowers team members to work together with greater efficacy.
Maintenance technicians can instantly transfer their in-progress reports to the facility managers for review, approval, or rejection. They can alert the facility managers in case of emergency or maintenance failure. This helps the maintenance managers prioritize and address the issue at hand and issue a corrective work order.
Pro Tip
The Dynamic eForms by the NonStop Suite constitutes a phenomenal solution to infuse digitalization in your maintenance and inspection workflows. Build checklists, conduct inspections, and easily and efficiently generate reports on mobile devices.
How to Choose, Implement and Adopt The Right Digital Form Software in Your Organization?
Digital form software has become commonplace for companies to augment their facility, equipment, and machinery inspection and maintenance processes. However, implementing form automation software is a complex process that demands a carefully devised strategy to attain improved efficiency, productivity, and data accuracy.
To achieve seamless integration of digital form software into your company’s existing system, adhere to the following five steps:
- Consider Your Specific Requirements and Workflows
To step into digitalization, choosing the right digital form software for your business needs is paramount. Consider your facility’s specific requirements, workflows, and systems. This includes structuring, distributing, and analyzing the form data collected through the forms.
It is important to understand the scope of the automated program you intend to invest in, how you will use them, and the end-users interacting with them. The form automation software you opt for should align with your requirements and support these workflows.
2. Evaluate Software Features, Pricing, and Support Options
Based on the understanding of the forms your company needs, it’s time to choose the software that best meets your facility’s needs. Evaluate different digital form software features, pricing, and support options. A competent eForm solution offers these critical features:
- Customizable form templates for different inspection and maintenance tasks.
- User-friendly interface for data collection and input.
- Easy integration with tools and software used in inspection and maintenance tasks.
- Capture and store visual data, including photos, videos, and multimedia.
- Automated workflows and notifications for follow-up actions.
- Quick data validation, configuration, and processing.
After carefully weighing the factors and functionalities most important to your organization, research the online form builders’ pricing structure and level of support. Take into account the total cost of ownership and the long-term costs, such as maintenance and upgrades.
3. Plan for Online Forms Software Training
Once the software is finalized, it’s time to put work into the swift adoption of the new software, which begins with careful planning and execution.
Develop a comprehensive training program to educate staff on the software’s functionalities. This training program allows the team to harness the software’s pure power.
Investing in software training can lead to fewer errors and complications as well as enhanced efficiency and productivity across the organization.
4. Create Protocols and SOPs
For effective utilization of the digital form builder, it is crucial to establish protocols and standard operating procedures (SOPs).
SOPs should explicitly outline guidelines for populating digital forms, the frequency of use, and data input requirements. Precisely defining the usage parameters helps ensure precision in data collection and consistency in outcomes, reinforcing reliability.
5. Evaluate Software Performance to Evolve, Improve, and Optimize
Once the software is deployed, it is imperative to conduct periodic evaluations of the software’s usage and performance. Collect the feedback directly from the first-hand users of the software to comprehensively ascertain the software’s effectiveness.
The information collected can be leveraged by facility managers to glean valuable insights for continual improvement, updates, and identifying opportunities for further optimization.
Pro Tip
The Dynamic eForms is a top forms automation software with all the winning components. Integrate this contemporary system into your maintenance and inspection strategy to unlock compounded growth.
Expert Recommendation: The Dynamic eForms By The NonStop Group!
Digital form software is the most efficient path to streamline processes and workflows throughout the organization. To ensure a seamless transition to this technological revolution, The NonStop Group brings you The NonStop Suite.
The NonStop Suite is a comprehensive package of smart digital solutions. Designed by experts, this software suite caters specifically to the needs of asset-heavy companies, facilitating efficient asset management and maintenance.
With features like Dynamic eForms, your company can upgrade to an advanced workflow that eliminates the need for traditional paper forms. Automating every aspect of documentation throughout the business, Dynamic eForms enable easy data recording, storage, accessibility, sharing, and retrieval. This efficiency translates into greater data accuracy and reliability, real-time monitoring, and enhanced collaboration.
While Dynamic eForms is a significant feature of The NonStop Suite, it is only a constituent element of the entire package. The NonStop Suite extends its support by offering features like smart NFC tags and On-The-Go Asset Management.
The integration of these tools facilitates your organization in optimizing the maintenance processes and enables advanced workflow automation. Real-time monitoring, diagnostics, analytics, and reporting capabilities are just a few clicks away. This systematic modernization provides your company with an accurate database, an organized documentation system, a clear audit trail, data-driven decision-making, and reduced operational costs.
If your organization wants to upgrade to a simplified, smarter, faster, and more efficient maintenance and inspection process, consult The NonStop Group today to book a FREE personalized product tour.
