It’s difficult to identify an area of modern society that isn’t going digital: paperbound books are being replaced by e-books, CDs are being replaced by online music streaming services. So, too, are paper forms being replaced by digital counterparts.
It’s not only changing, and improving, the way business is done, but also saving the environment at the same time. There are in fact many reasons why digital forms have an advantage over paper forms, and here is the top five reasons why.
1. Fast and Immediate Information
People want information at a rapid-fire pace today. With the ubiquity of smartphones, e-mail, and cloud computing, there is simply no reason to wait for information anymore. That said, digital forms can be sent back and forth unbelievably fast these days. An employer can e-mail an applicant a form, have the applicant sign it, and have it back to the employer within a few minutes. This not only speeds up business, but makes it more efficient and convenient for everyone.
2. Saves Time and Money
Digital forms are doing wonders for streamlining businesses. Not only do people no longer have to transcribe long, handwritten manual forms onto a computer – thus saving time and money – but it also means that information can be shared more easily between work members. Paper forms only slow down business, reduce effective communication, and create an inconsistent database.
3. Reduce Ambiguity, Increase Clarity
Let’s face it, writing on paper forms seems practically archaic in this digital age. They can get lost, destroyed, or erased. Digital forms, on the other hand, are safety stored on a hard-drive. Furthermore, on a digital form, people can include more information, improve legibility, reduce the risk of confusion, reduce spelling or communication errors, and have endless space to write answers without running out of room (How many times has this happened while filling out a paper form?). Digital forms will also recognize where you missed filling out information and won’t allow you to continue until you have done so). Best yet, you can also include digital signatures.
4. Consistency and Accuracy is Key
Digital forms ensure that information is recorded accurately, and everything is accounted for. For example, the time the form was filled out is recorded, letting managers and other such people keep track of those details. In a time when information is so easily misplaced, miscalculated, and misrepresented, it’s increasing vital to make sure that everything is consistently accurate. You never know when procuring that information may be incredibly important.
5. Find Important Information Faster
Digital forms have changed the way people can find information. All it takes is a simple keyword search to sift through potentially thousands of different forms. Employers use this technique to find qualified candidates. A simple search for “customer service experience” may filter out eighty percent of applicants, making it much easier to find what you need.
This method is also highly useful for finding patterns and repeating data, particularly if you are conducting research. It is simple now to find the most common trends, keywords and phrases. Before the advance of digital forms, this process would’ve taken ages, searching through endless paper forms.
Sometimes it’s easy to frown upon new trends, seeing them as uprooting the traditional standards we’ve had for generations. And it’s true, some things aren’t necessarily better in digital format, but because of the ease of access, simplification, reduction in time and money, digital forms are one area where few can refute its usefulness, practicality and convenience. Let’s not forget the amount of paper being saved as well, which greatly helps the environment and reduces waste. So, what are you waiting for? Go make the switch to digital forms today!
