Blog Post

From Paper To Digital – How To Create A Digital Form FAST

Written by Lee Glynn
January 11, 2024
How To Create A Digital Form

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This is how fast you can move from paper to digital and turn your paper forms into mobile forms with forms2

You’re here because you want to know how quickly you can move from paper to digital forms. Well, I’m here to tell you it takes literally a few minutes. We’ve even got two videos to prove to you how easy (and fast) it is to create a digital form. We’ll even show you HOW to create a digital form with forms2.

How do I create a digital form?

The fastest and easiest way to create a digital form is by using our web form builder alternative, and drag & drop interface, forms2. It’s no-code, so you don’t need to learn how to code! We even have digital form templates you can use! In 5 minutes, you can create a digital form with text boxes, images and file upload, GPS coordinates, electronic signatures AND connect it to your tech stack via our API.

We’ve got the digital forms and business apps case studies to prove how fast forms2 are when creating a digital form. See the video below! Companies and enterprise organisations are rapidly switching from traditional paper forms to mobile forms for several reasons like reduction in paper costs and reduced paper waste in business, easier, more accurate data capture and above all the cost-saving benefits. They’re also REALLY easy to set up thanks to our drag-and-drop interface!

The benefits of digital forms and mobile forms are clear: efficiency, accuracy, and real-time data access anywhere, anytime. With forms2, creating a digital form is not only simple to navigate but completely customisable when you need it to be and so user-friendly that the drag-and-drop platform does most of the work for you! This guide will walk you through the process of how to create a digital form or your first mobile form using forms2.

Show me an example of how fast it is to create a digital form

This is how you create a digital form with forms2, we’ll start with building an app with mobile forms. Today, we’ll be constructing a hazard reporting app using our no-code app builder and digital form platform, a versatile app that can be utilised across various organisations and almost any sector.

Here’s how to get started:

Building a Hazard Reporting App

This is how you can build a hazard reporting app and create a mobile form in under 5 minutes with forms2!

Step1. Access the forms2 dashboard:

Once you’ve logged in to the forms2 platform using your free trial, navigate to the ‘Apps’ section located at the top left of your dashboard. Although forms2 offers over 140 predefined templates in our examples catalogue, we’ll be crafting a brand new app for this guide.

Step 2. Initiating a New App

Click on ‘Screens’ followed by ‘Add New’ at the top right. Name your app ‘Hazard Report’ and choose an appropriate icon that you want to use.

Step 3. Navigating the Screen Builder

This is where the magic happens! The Screen Builder is where you’ll design pages and add questions for your app. On the left, you’ll find various field types that you can integrate into your form.

Step 4. Designing the Hazard Page

Click on the highlighted page title at the top to access its properties. Rename the page title to ‘Hazard’. To capture multiple hazards, ensure the ‘Repeatable’ box is ticked in the properties.

Step 5. Adding User Details

To ensure the reporter’s name is included in the report, title a sample field ‘Reported By’. To auto-populate this field with the user’s first name, utilise the dynamic value option in the properties and select the ‘User’s First Name’ function.

Step 6. Capturing Hazard Images

The next step in building your mobile form is adding media – an especially useful feature for those who need to take images for your proof of work reports and something that our facility management and vineyard management app customers use. Add a media field to your screen by hovering over to the left where you’ll see a media icon and click to add it to your screen. Label it ‘Hazard’. This will allow users to upload pictures of the hazards they’re reporting.

Step 7. Rating the Hazard

If you work in construction, facility or hospitality management, you might want to create a mobile form with multiple levels of hazard severity. Fortunately, you can do this with the forms2 platform! All you have to do is incorporate a choices field to rate the severity of the hazard. Label this field ‘Severity’ and title it ‘How Severe is the Hazard?’. For our example, we’ll add choices like ‘Minor’, ‘Moderate’, and ‘Severe’. To visually represent the severity levels, you can assign colours to each choice: green for minor, amber for moderate, and red for severe.

Step 8. Saving and Testing

Now you’ve built your mobile form and you’re satisfied with your form design, click the ‘Save’ button. The next step is to test your newly created app and your mobile forms. Just click on the ‘Test’ icon. Your name will automatically be added as a test user. Confirm and start the test.

Step 9. You’ve just created a mobile form in less than 5 minutes

Congratulations! You’ve successfully built your first app using forms2 and have been able to create a mobile form in less than 5 minutes.

To see your creation in action, simply access forms2 on your smartphone or tablet, log in, and test your mobile form and app.

What’s the mobile Forms switchover timeline?

The mobile forms switchover timeline can take minutes to set up and be rolled out in a few days if necessary. As you’ve seen in this demo, you can create a simple mobile form that is packed full of useful features like media capture, reporter name for accountability, levels of hazard severity with colour codes and the ability to capture multiple hazards in one form.

Best of all you’ve done it in under five minutes. So yes, the answer is it takes 5 minutes or less to create a mobile form with forms2.

Watch our customers show you how to create a digital form in 60 seconds

TD Construction Testing went from paper to digital in a matter of days thanks to their citizen developer Liz.

Watch how Liz at TD Construction creates a digital form with the forms2 platform in 60 seconds.

In this demo on creating a mobile form with forms2, she shows you how quickly it is to create a digital form for construction purposes and distribute it to her team across the country.

Watch as Liz creates a worksheet, detailing the client name with a required text field for reporting purposes.

Liz also ensures that the form requires field operatives to record with additional text fields including the date of the audit.

One key benefit of these mobile forms is that Liz can also specify what equipment field operatives will need for the job ahead of time, reducing the chance of error on the day.

To ensure the mobile forms are quick and easy to use, Liz can also create multiple dropdown boxes so field operatives don’t have to keep typing out what they’re doing at each stage. They just select the correct box!

And just like that, within a few minutes, Liz has made a mobile form and the field team will have access, with notifications to say their form is ready after the output report is attached to the form connector which connects to the TD Construction Testing’s Tech stack.

And once the mobile form is completed by the field team, and test results submitted, a report will automatically be generated and sent back to the office for analysis!

Best practices for creating a digital form

Whether you’re building a data capture app, creating digital lone worker protection forms or soil analysis forms for agriculture, there’s always a few best practices when creating a mobile form!

Understand Your Needs

Before transitioning from paper to digital forms, understand the specific needs of your business. What data are you collecting? Who will be using these forms? Do you need to scale? Do we need GPS and e-signatures?

Choose the Right Platform

Platforms like the forms2 mobile forms and business apps platform offers a user-friendly interface and customisable templates to create digital forms tailored to your requirements. We’re also super friendly – ready to help you when you need it!

Incorporate Essential Features

Ensure your digital form has features like e-signatures, required fields, and real-time updates to enhance accuracy and efficiency. You also need to make sure that your mobile forms platform can connect to your tech stack and work alongside your existing software. You can learn more about our integrations here.

Test and Iterate

Before full-scale implementation and a complete roll-out of mobile forms, test your digital form with a small group first! Gather feedback and make the necessary adjustments that you need. Do you need more image capture? Do you need API connectors for weather forecasts? Do you need e-signatures?

Conclusion

The transition from paper to mobile forms is not just a trend but a necessity if you want to streamline your processes, increase accuracy, reduce paper waste and save money. As you can see here, the switch from paper to mobile forms and the timeline of converting your business from paper to digital forms is actually pretty straightforward, and thanks to our budget-friendly pricing which starts at $18* per user per month, it’s actually really cost-effective, especially if you want to save £30,000 per year just like TD Construction Testing did! Watch the testimonial below.

Go from low-code beginner to expert in days not months. Start your free trial of forms2 or speak to a platform specialist today about moving from paper to digital forms.

The forms2 platform offers a cost-effective option to create any type of digital form for any industry, in any country. In fact, at prices starting from $18* per user per month, we’re actually one of the cheapest no-code platforms for enterprise organisations out there!

Don’t just take our word for it, check out our mobile form and business app case studies too!

Try the EASIEST mobile form builder

14-day free trial

FAQs on creating a digital form

How does forms2’s online form builder enhance the data capture process?

Technically, forms2 is not online form builder. We streamline the data collection and data capture process by offering customizable form templates and intuitive form fields via a no code platform, making it easier to gather and manage data efficiently. This approach significantly reduces the time spent on manual data entry and improves data accuracy as you can create digital forms that suit your exact needs.

Can forms2’s digital form creator help in creating professional-looking electronic forms?

Absolutely we can. The digital form creator from forms2 allows users to design electronic forms that are not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing. With a range of form templates and the ability to customize form fields, users can create forms that align with their brand identity and professional standards.

What makes forms2’s form creator a superior choice for businesses?

forms2 offers a free online form creator trial that is user-friendly and highly efficient, making it an excellent choice for businesses looking to create web forms without incurring additional costs. This tool provides a cost-effective solution for creating high-quality, professional forms.

How To Create A Digital Form

How does forms2 compare to Google Forms in terms of creating online forms?

While Google Forms is a popular tool, forms2 offers more advanced features for creating online forms, especially for mobile platforms. forms2 provides greater customization, better integration with business workflows, and enhanced capabilities for creating mobile forms, setting it apart from Google Forms.

Why should businesses choose forms2 for creating mobile forms over other digital form builders?

Our customers tell us that forms2 stands out among other form builders due to its focus on the ease and short amount of time it takes to create digital forms and mobile forms. It offers a no-code solution that is specifically optimized for mobile devices, ensuring that forms are not only easy to create but also highly functional and responsive on smartphones and tablets.

You can read our digital forms case studies HERE.

In what ways does forms2 simplify the form data management for businesses?

forms2 simplifies form data management by providing a seamless interface for collecting, storing, and analyzing form data. Its robust data collection and reporting features allow businesses to make informed decisions based on accurate and up-to-date information.

How does forms2’s online digital forms platform benefit remote and field workers?

forms2’s online digital forms platform is ideal for remote and field workers, as it enables them to collect and submit data in real-time using mobile devices and managers to create digital forms based on the needs of those workers. This capability ensures timely and efficient data flow, which is crucial for businesses with a mobile workforce.

What sets forms2 apart from typical online form builders in terms of data collection process?

Unlike traditional online form builders, forms2 is a no-code digital form creator that offers advanced customization and flexibility. This allows for a more sophisticated data collection process, where businesses can create digital forms that are tailored to their specific needs, enhancing both the efficiency and quality of data collected.

How does forms2’s no-code platform revolutionize the creation of electronic forms compared to standard form builders?

forms2’s no-code platform empowers users to create electronic forms without any coding knowledge. This is a significant advancement over standard form builders that often require technical skills. With forms2, users can easily design, customize, and deploy professional-looking forms, making the process accessible to everyone.

Why is forms2 the preferred choice for businesses looking for mobile forms solutions over traditional online form builders?

The forms2 no code platform specializes in mobile forms, offering a platform that is specifically optimized for mobile devices. This focus is a key differentiator from traditional online form builders, which may not provide the same level of functionality or user experience on mobile devices.

Here at forms2, we make sure our platform ensures that forms are not only easy to create but also highly effective and responsive on all mobile platforms, allowing you the power of embedding forms in your no code business app that users can access anywhere.

Let us help you create digital forms that work for you.

The forms2 platform offers a cost-effective option to create any type of digital form for any industry, in any country. In fact, at prices starting from $18* per user per month, we’re actually one of the cheapest no-code platforms for enterprise organisations out there!

Don’t just take our word for it, check out our mobile form and business app case studies too!

Try the EASIEST mobile form builder

14-day free trial

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