Top benefits of using electronic forms
Although electronic forms are not exactly new, there are many businesses that still make use of paper forms. Many of these forms, are pre-typed, printed and are used to record a signature from a customer in most cases. Usually, the forms are printed to retain the paper document for records. However, it might be time finally abandon paper forms, and make the switch over to e-forms for the future of your business.
Here are some of our top benefits of using e-forms
E-forms eliminate paper
It goes without saying that switching to electronic forms will cut down on the usage of paper. According to records, the world produces around 300 million tons of paper each year, this quickly can add up as an alarming expense for many companies which can be a deciding factor when going paperless.
Ensured accuracy and validation
Its easy for human error to slip through the cracks, even more so when using paper documents. E-forms allow for the utilisation of data entry validation and more. This means that data validation can ensure the information on the document is in the correct format, as well as being able to perform automatic formatting and other calculations so you don't have to. Ultimately, this all helps in reducing data errors, and you may even be able to integrate your forms with your current databases for succinct and helpful synchronisation.
They are legally binding
Electronic forms are legally binding since they were granted legal recognition in 2000. However, this is only the case if all parties to the contract agree to submit the forms electronically and these can apply to almost all instances. This applies to the United States, as well as countries within the European Union as well as the United Kingdom. In fact, in most countries, electronic signatures are now treated like written signatures.
They are auditable
Take control of the review process by being able to see and track changes along the entire process. Typically, forms may be passed between many hands, each making changes along the way, with e-forms, you can confirm who made changes, and when, meaning you can quickly see how far the form is in the process.
E-forms can integrate with other platforms
E forms are often integrated within business management software meaning its easy to keep track of them all in one centralised location, that all your staff can access when necessary. This ultimately increases efficiency when creating, gathering, grouping, or reviewing your documents as well as keeping things as accurate as possible. This simplifies the document sharing process and saves you time on sharing or copying documents to multiple receivers
Real-time reporting
Just like paper documents, the electronic equivalents are usually customised for your business needs, but they come with the extra benefits of real-time updates, data processing, report building and collaboration within your team. All of this streamlines your processes to optimise efficiency. You can use electronic documents in place of your current document setup, whether that be quotations, delivery notes, purchase orders and more conventional document types. With Zigaflow you will even get the choice of document templates you can use at your discretion.
Ready to utilise e-forms?
Add up all the reasons above, and the benefits should justify the decision to adopt electronic forms. Many companies might look at the starting cost of making the switch, and decide it's not worth it, however, once all set up, you should find that e-forms can deliver a quick return on investment when it comes to time saved in the document management process. We have fully integrated e-forms into our software because we do our best to save our clients precious time.
Our software is designed to streamline the document management and reviewal process to improve your overall service, as well as increase your data and workflow visibility amongst your employees. To find out more, or for a comprehensive tour around our system, get in touch to book a demo.