What Is an E-Form?

If you’re running a business, you know that paperwork is inevitable. No matter your industry, collecting and tracking data is necessary. But what if there’s a way to streamline the process?

Thanks to e-forms, you now have a more convenient way to gather essential information.

In this blog post, we’ll look at what an e-form is and everything you need to know before using it in your business. We’ll also cover how various industries use them for efficient data collection. So whether you’re just getting started with e-forms or looking for ways to improve your current process, read on for helpful advice.

Table of Contents

What Is an E-Form?
How Do E-Forms Work?
E-Forms in Different Industries
Benefits of E-Forms
Collect Data Effortlessly With Fill

What Is an E-form?

An e-form is a digital document that allows you to enter data in a field or box, usually via a web browser. The data is stored electronically, making it easy to share and access. You can use them for:

Surveys
Registration forms
Order forms
Patient intake forms
Signature requests

For instance, if you are hosting a webinar, you can use an e-form to collect names and contact information. This makes it easier to send the webinar link to their email addresses.

In short, e-forms are a convenient way to collect all sorts of data. The best part? These web forms are more secure than paper forms because they can be encrypted and password protected.

How Do E-Forms Work?

E-forms are typically created using a form builder, which is software that allows users to create, edit, and manage forms. Most form builders use drag-and-drop functionality.

Once the users complete filling out the form, they submit it electronically via email. They can also fill out the form via a web platform or mobile app.

If you are the creator of an e-form, you will receive the responses instantly. You will also see:

Number of responses
Names
Email addresses
Specific answers

Most e-form builders allow you to organize and retrieve the data. You can arrange or group the respondents according to their answers. Some online form software even allows you to generate reports that summarize and analyze the data you’ve collected.

E-Forms in Different Industries

E-forms are so versatile, they’ve become a staple in many fields. You can use them for almost anything, from customer surveys to employee onboarding.

Human resources

An HR department can use e-forms to gather employee information. For example, an employee can fill out an e-form to request a leave or give feedback on a company event. The HR manager or operations manager can view and track responses in real time.

Your company can also use e-forms to streamline the onboarding process for new employees. For instance, the hiring manager can share an e-form with new hires to get personal information. It could also contain a checklist of tasks they need to complete on their first day of work.

Healthcare

As any healthcare professional knows, collecting accurate patient data is essential for providing quality care. However, manual forms can be time-consuming and prone to errors. E-forms offer a more efficient way to gather patient data. You can easily customize them to meet HIPAA standards.

Patients can provide their personal information, medical history, past prescriptions, and insurance details. In addition, you may also use them to schedule appointments. Share a form with the dates and time slots available, then the patients can choose options that match the doctor’s schedule.

Banking

Financial institutions can use e-forms to acquire feedback and improve service. For example, a bank could send out a survey after a client interacts with their staff. The survey could ask questions about the quality of service, how helpful the representative was, and how satisfied the client is with the overall experience.

In addition, e-forms can be used to collect information from new customers. Banks can use these data points to identify areas for improvement and make changes to how it operates.

Sales

Web forms can be used to collect customer information and make it easier to track sales leads. By using an e-form, businesses can reduce the paper used and save time. This allows them to close deals faster and boost revenue effortlessly.

In addition, e-forms can be customized to collect specific information relevant to the sales process. For example, customers can type in their contact information, product preferences, and budget. Gathering this information upfront allows businesses to save time by qualifying leads before scheduling appointments.

Education

Schools can use e-forms to improve communication between teachers and students and streamline administrative tasks. E-forms can expedite the admission process and other administrative tasks. Teachers can use them to check attendance and track progress on assignments without having to deal with tedious paperwork.

By using e-forms, educators can save time while improving the accuracy of their data. In addition, e-forms are shareable and accessible from any device with an internet connection. It makes them ideal for busy educators who need to monitor information from multiple sources.

Benefits of Using E-forms

Unparalleled accessibility

You can access online forms from anywhere with an internet connection. Everything is right there on your mobile phone or laptop. This is convenient for users and businesses. Collect information from customers at any time of day or night.

Create an onboarding form for a client who has inquired about your services. You will know what the client wants through your questionnaire since they can answer it from a mobile device or laptop. This will help you create a customized proposal according to their needs.

Accurate data collection

Online forms eliminate the need for manual data entry. It reduces errors and increases the accuracy of the information collected, making it easier to process. The key difference is that the customer is directly involved in filling out the form.

This is critical in the healthcare industry. For instance, the clinical staff can ask the patients to fill out online intake forms directly from a website or mobile app. Patients can quickly provide personal information and medical history, which will help doctors provide better patient care.

Cost-effective and sustainable practices

Online forms help reduce waste as they do not need to be printed out. According to the World Economic Forum, digital technologies can reduce global emissions by up to 20% by 2050.

Since you won’t be printing out documents, you will also need less space for physical files. Plus, you no longer have to spend on ink, toner, paper, and filling supplies.

Another benefit is that digital forms last longer. Keep in mind that paper copies can deteriorate in the long run if not stored correctly. You may end up losing data if the ink fades or you misplace the form.

Create E-Forms With Fill’s Powerful Online Form Builder

Transitioning to a paperless process doesn’t have to be complicated. That’s why Fill was designed to help businesses collect data effortlessly. The online solution lets you create e-forms from scratch or reuse templates that you can edit anytime.

Fill’s online form builder uses a drag-and-drop functionality that won’t intimidate even novice users. It saves you time creating e-forms and makes it more efficient for your team to check responses on Fill’s dashboard. The respondents don’t need to create a Fill account to submit a form.